Round Hill Villa Resort in Montego Bay, Jamaica could easily be pictured in the dictionary next to the word “luxury.” Spending a few days at this resort was definitely an experience of the proverbial good life, so it’s no surprise that Round Hill caters to the likes of Paul McCartney, Demi Moore, and Elizabeth Taylor. The main bar carries the name of Ralph Lauren because he designed it, as well as the resort’s hotel rooms, and he owns a villa on the property.
Round Hill has its own beach and is set in a lush tropical landscape that is nothing short of paradise. It consists of 27 privately-owned villas (rented based on the owners’ schedules), as well as oceanfront hotel rooms and suites and an infinity pool.
A couple and I shared a two-bedroom villa, which was “modest” compared to some of the resort’s near-palatial villas with five bedrooms. But you won’t hear any complaints from me. We each had large bedrooms and huge bathrooms that consisted of two sinks, two toilets, a shower, and a deep tub. I was amazed that I couldn’t hear my villa mates at all even though our rooms were next to one another.
There was also a common indoor living room and a separate roofed open-air living area, along with our own private pool and hot tub surrounded by hibiscus blossoms, orchids, and bougainvillea. And, yes, we had a view – of flowers, palms, and the ocean down the hill in the distance. That distance to the ocean was only a few minutes by foot, but when we didn’t feel like walking, we simply called the desk for a driver to pick us up in a golf cart.
Every villa at Round Hill has its own private gardener, housekeeper, and cook. We actually had two cooks who arrived every morning with bright smiles and served us breakfast to order in the open-air living area – maybe coconut pancakes, and don’t skip the callaloo greens. They’re delicious!
Our villa was wonderful enough, but I think my favorite part of staying at Round Hill was the food. Chef Martin Maginley is one of the most creative chefs I have ever encountered. I was thoroughly impressed with his contemporary Jamaican dishes, although the food at Round Hill is not exclusively Jamaican. One night, we experienced a curry buffet that included traditional Jamaican goat curry alongside Thai and Indian curries. Another evening, we had a party of Jamaican “street food” with a gourmet twist.
One day, Chef Maginley gave us a demonstration of one of his ingenious creations – jerk chicken spring rolls in rice paper with three dipping sauces: mango & mint, lemongrass & coconut, and tamarind & honey. The pièce de résistance, however, was a sit-down dinner of five courses paired with different Appleton rums.
Appleton, which has produced rum for more than 250 years, asked Round Hill to create this special rum pairing dinner. It included oxtail consommé paired with a rum martini and a molten chocolate cake dessert that had everyone closing their eyes in ecstasy. This was paired with a rare 21-year-old rum. Ever since sampling Appleton rum, no other rum will do for me.
Bellefield Great House, one of Jamaica’s oldest remaining sugar plantations, is a site that Round Hill arranged for us to visit. Today, it’s a historical site with exuberant actors playing the roles of enslaved people from the 1800s. They remained in character as they showed us how the sugar mill was pushed by a donkey and how they cooked meals for the plantation owners. It seems to me that it’s important to preserve this history so that we never forget about the scourge of slavery.
Three African drummers played while the actors demonstrated traditional dances, and we were fed nouvelle Jamaican cuisine using classic ingredients, such as pasta with a cream sauce made from the ackee fruit and callaloo with peppers and onions.
Round Hill can also arrange to take you to Rocklands Bird Sanctuary where you can hold a small bottle of nectar that will lure Jamaica’s national bird, the streamertail, to your finger. This iridescent green hummingbird is only found on the island of Jamaica. It was an absolute thrill to have such a close encounter with these gorgeous creatures. Unfortunately, Hurricane Melissa damaged the sanctuary, and they’re currently only accepting a few visitors as they collect funds for repairs.
Of course, Round Hill also has a fitness center, beauty salon, and a spa overlooking the ocean where I experienced a Pineapple Body Buff. There are five tennis courts with instructors and opportunities to kayak, snorkel, take a catamaran cruise, go tubing on a river, or take a zipline tour in the rainforest canopy.
What can I say? Round Hill is a spectacular experience in an idyllic setting. If you’re looking for a truly special tropical vacation, this is it.
Melanie Votaw is the Publisher and Executive Travel Writer of LuxuryWeb Magazine. She has visited more than 50 countries on 6 continents and written for such magazines as Executive Travel, Just Luxe, Business Insider, South China Morning Post, Travel Mindset, and more. She is a member of the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association, New York Travel Writers Association, and International Travel Writers Alliance. Melanie's photography has won awards, and she has also written 43 nonfiction books as either the author or ghostwriter.
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