Has anyone stayed at the Rockhouse Hotel?

[bbcamp2]

We just got back from a week at Rockhouse. We stayed at a standard villa, #12, which is closest to the restaurant. Despite the proximity, there was very little noise due to a stone privacy wall. The way the cove is oriented, we could not view the sunset (directly) from our terrace, and we did not have water access without going next door, but those were not an issues at all. We enjoyed the relative privacy of our own spaces, both the terrace immediately around villa, as well as the sunning platform with the umbrella and lounges.

The room is fairly roomy. Our unit had an upstairs area with a twin and full bed. The ladder going up there was narrow and steep, so I would not be keen on midnight potty visits. The downstairs bed is a queen size, which was fine for my 6'-3" frame. It is a 4-poster bed with a mozzy net which made for some interesting moments getting in and out of bed. The room has a small table and 2 chairs for inside eating or simply hanging out. The back of the unit had a triangular bathroom, with the lavatory sink in a narrow corner, making it a one-person-at-a-time zone. The outdoor shower was nice and private, but the water pressure and temperture control left something to be desired (not much pressure/flow from the shoower head compared to the sink, and hot/cold balance was difficult to maintain). Between the bathroom and living/sleeping space is a dressing area that featured some shelving, a clothes rod with plenty of nice quality hangers, a "dresser" that covered the fridge (mini-bar), laundry basket and waste baskets. We packed fairly lightly, but not sparingly, and still had room to unpack everything. Lighting in the entire unit was adequate for most purposes, but I would have liked more light in the dressing area because of the dark wood of the structure absorbed so much light and made seeing the floor level room safe difficult. The AC unit was just adequate to keep the room cool and dry. I wish they hadn't included the relay to shut off the AC when you opened the door, but I do understand the purpose. I imagine in the summer that the room would take a long time to cool down if you left for the entire day, even with the window shutters open while away. The villa was fitted with one swinging door with a standard lockset, and a slider with a wooden bar in the track. All doors, including the outdoor shower, were fitted with chains, too. Considering the private location, the in-room safe, and the security arrangements, I had no worries what so ever.

I did like the fact that room service and mini-bar items were at the same price as the restaurant. I also liked that they used a standard dorm-sized fridge instead of a locked unit. We bought beer at the market and kept the bar topped off (actually left 2 Stripes behind) to avoid $4 beer charges. I've been to places that had locking mini-bars and would lock them if you used them as a fridge for your own purchases.

I was impressed with the grounds. They were abundantly planted and well cared for. This enhanced the feeling of privacy.

I initially thought the swim ladders were oddly placed, but found them easily manageable. There was one, though, that I would have second or third thoughts about. It was about 10 or so feet high and straight up from the water.

We ate breakfast at the Rockhouse, and had two evening meals at the Pushcart. A wedding and heavy rainfall on Thursday evening prevented us from eating dinner at the Rockhouse. Service at the Rockhouse restaurant was excellant as expected. We went to their "keeping" area to use the Wi-Fi, and Karin left her purse on one of the chairs. The staff found it and called our room immediately to come and collect it. I was less impressed with the Pushcart service. I felt somewhat invisible to the wait staff, even when making eye contact and waving an empty drink glass over my head. Could have been a bad day, the rain, or something, so I said nothing about it.

All-in-all, we had a wonderfull time at the Rockhouse. I would recommend it to anyone with the means, the desire to be well treated, and the need clean, comfortable and private accommodations. It was my first stay on the cliffs (6 previous trips to the beach) and the first to Negril for my lady friend, so I wanted something special. I got it.