Trip Report - Week 1 - Good Hope Retreat

[beefer39]

We landed as scheduled on Wednesday January 8th. Got through customs and immigration relatively quickly and out the door.

Absolutely love the feeling of walking out the door of the Mo Bay airport. You’ve arrived in paradise.

Our host for our first week, Sean Clark, from Good Hope Retreat, was waiting for us at the arrival bar, where we very quickly wrapped our hands around our first cold Red Stripe!!!

Three quick stops (ATM machine, Jamaican cell phone, and a grocery store) and we are on our way south to Good Hope Retreat in the Bluefield’s Bay area.

I’m not sure if there is one word to describe our experience, but if I had to choose just one – FABULOUS.

Located approximately 1 ½ miles from Bluefield’s Bay Beach at approximately 2100 ft above sea level, Good Hope is very much off the beaten path, and gives you the opportunity to stop and catch your breath. As you can imagine the views from your cabin are unbelievable.

If you want to do something, Sean will make it happen. If you want to experience the feeling of the world stopping allowing you to catch up, this can happen as well.

Sean’s wife Geneva prepared one delicious meal after another. Genuine Jamaican cuisine, with a large part grown right at the Retreat, as fresh as it gets, morning and night.

We did a couple of road trips. One trip to Sav la Mar and the local market on Saturday, and also down to Little Bay (which is very close to Negril) to Wayne’s Café (AKA Wayne’s World) for dinner on the beach. Wayne does a fantastic job. Having a candlelit dinner on an almost deserted white sand beach was beyond expectations. We also visited the Kentucky Elementary School, which Sean attended as a boy, and dropped off some supplies.

After 7 fantastic days it was time to move along to Negril.

Both my wife and I had a hard time leaving the mountain as this was the best week of vacation we had ever experienced. We have visited Negril multiple times and love it very much, but Good Hope is different. Living busy lives as most boardies do, given the opportunity to stop and take stock of our lives, was really a gift for us.

Sean and Geneva, along with their 2 year old son Toby, are loving and caring people, and will do whatever needs to be done to ensure your experience was as special as ours.

Next up: Meeting friends and family for week 2 in Negril

[Oncedeported]

Hello Beefer. Thanks for the report! Do you have any pictures of the beach there?

[Bluez]

Sounds lovely, glad you enjoyed it, looking forward for part 2

[beefer39]

Hello Beefer. Thanks for the report! Do you have any pictures of the beach there?

Unfortunately, despite multiple offers, we never made it to the beach.

Neither my wife or I are real beach people (too many years staying on the Cliffs in Negril maybe?).

Sean and his father Terry, both encouraged us to go, as they said it is one if not the nicest beach in Jamaica.

Too much mountain gravity maybe !!!

Here is a photo I found online.

[Oncedeported]

thank you

[jamaicamarylance]

Thanks for the report the place looks nice.


We ventured up that way a few years ago .Zig and Zaging all the way up. Hubby wanted to take this pic about half way up. He says to me get out the car and check the view. My legs felt wabbley and my breath felt short, I didn't feel like moving. He did finally drag me out holding my hand, me feeling very unsteady.
Afterwards we descended up the mountain and I thought holy cow. We finally reached a little bar and I parked my butt down and drank a couple stripes and such.
Than life seemed to be good. Bought a couple of nice and sweet cabbage there, the only wanted to charge us 20j. We say on man we gotta give you more than that which we did. The story on the way down, that was pretty good too. Wish I had taken pics.

Cheers and soon come