Unofficial Negril.com readers' survey: Favorite hotel in Negril

[Iriesistah]

1. Beach House Villas
2. The Caves
3. Idle Awhile
4. Rondel Village
5. Xtabi

[irieworld]

1. Country Country
2. Bar B Barn
3. Seastar
4. Catcha Falling Star
5. NBCC

[tfw73]

1. Coco (loved it here!)
2. Catcha Falling Star (never stayed, would love to)
3. Couples Negril (just because it was our first trip and I fell in love with Negril)
4. Xtabi (can't wait for our stay this summer)
5. Seastar (never stayed, but they throw a heck of a party!)

Crud, can we do an honorable mention??? I want to stay at Idle Awhile too!

[Ras Walleye]

1. Blue Cave Castle
2. Charela Inn
3. Negril Treehouse
4. Yellow Bird
5. Kuyaba

[Blueallah]

Tensing Pen
SweptAway
Couples Negril
Idle Awhile
Rock House

Last two based on walk throughs and bar time only

[Lorax2]

1. Tensing Pen
2. Catcha falling star
3. Coco la Palm
4. Idle Awhile
5. Xtabi

[nori]

1 cocolapalm
2 charela
3 idle awhile
4 rondell
5 kuyaba

[rastagirl777]

"interesting, not a single vote for THE CAVES, which has many awards as a top property ..... "

I'm confused - when you ask for your favorite hotels, I would assume you'd need to have STAYED there to make that call? I see lots of folks listing properties where they have had drinks or dinner or a "walk through" - but that's maybe why you are not seeing the Caves listed - because maybe those responding have not stayed there? Its not the easiest property to get a walk-through either, making it that much more exclusive....so in general access to that property is limited. Same goes for Tensing Pen.

I haven't stayed at a hotel on any kind of regular basis in 10 years - but in the previous 20 years I've stayed at Miss G's cottages (my first guest house in Negril), SamSara (where we stayed for 11 or 12 years in a row) and LTU Villas (before it was Catcha) twice for short periods of time. In retrospect I'd say my fave was LTU but the pillar house we always stayed in at SamSara was very humble and very "us" - we loved it. LTU still inches above SS because its in my 'hood and across from my local watering hole.

I've done walk throughs or site visits at quite a few properties, the Caves included. By the looks of things that property is probably the only true 5 star hotel in Negril (in my opinion). I do love Catcha Fallling Star - always did, even before Hurricane Ivan flattened, when it was under the previous ownership. Catcha Gardens is really really nice now with the pool and gardens and general upgrades. I visited Citronella many years ago but that property always intrigued me with all the private swimming coves, the beautiful landscape and location and especially the low density - large property, not so many rooms/cottages. Xtabi is also one of my faves - so many different types of rooms - I particularly like the seaside cottages (1 & 3) and my friends stayed in 21 this year and I just love, love love that little cottage.

I worked in the hotel biz for quite a while in San Francisco - when we did these informal surveys we usually only ask for the top 3 favorites - everyone can think of three places (restaurants, shops or hotels) but five is a bit trickier, especially for those loyal to a particular property and stay there year to year or for those who have not been coming to Negril for all that long. Just a suggestion - I would be very interested in seeing the results of this query!

[gerryg123]

OK, this is fun. Here are the leaders through Rastagirl's rant. (In cases of a tie, I used total No. 1s as a tiebreaker):

1. (tie) Catcha Falling Star -- 39 (three No. 1s)
1. (tie) Xtabi -- 39 (one No. 1)
3. Coco La Palm -- 36
4. Blue Cave Castle -- 29
5. (tie) Kuyaba -- 22 (two No. 1s)
5. (tie) Seastar Inn -- 22 (one No. 1)
7. Idle Awhile -- 17
8. (tie) Country Country -- 16 (two No. 1s)
8. (tie) NBCC/Mariners -- 16 (two No. 1s)
10. Tensing Pen -- 15

[Marko]

i guess i can factor in top four ..... it's all good.

interesting, not a single vote for THE CAVES, which has many awards as a top property .....

not many on here are going to pay $800+ a night in Negril.............
mi can have very nice accomodations for two weeks for what one night cost mi at the Caves.........

Cool Runnings, Marko