A hip, tropical, cliff-top, boutique hideaway in Negril, Jamaica. With thatch roofed rooms, a restaurant serving “new Jamaican cuisine” on a balcony suspended over the water, a cliff-side horizon pool, lush gardens, and a laid back atmosphere. http://www.caribbeanmag.com/search/hotels/Jamaica/rockhousehotel/hotel/460/17/ en-us Copyright 1998 e-TravelMedia.com/CaribbeanMag.com Sat, 28 Nov 2009 09:29:13 EST Rockhouse is a hip boutique hotel stretching across the cliffs of Pristine Cove in Negril. Twenty-eight air conditioned rooms have thatched roofs with private sun bathing decks and are nestled in tropical lush gardens. The resort boasts a 60 foot cliff top horizon pool, a laid back atmosphere, and a restaurant serving "new Jamaican cuisine" on a balcony suspended directly over the water. Ladders and stairs carved into the rock lead down to easy water access for swimming and snorkeling on the reef. Spa body and beauty treatments are available in your room and Yoga classes are offered throughout the week. The Rockhouse Shop is stocked with personal amenities, snacks, clothing and souvenirs to satisfy your vacation needs. Architecturally designed and newly renovated the Rockhouse is a stylish place to chill out. Rockhouse is located on the cliffs, two and a half miles west from Negril town on the West End Road. The hotel forms the western most point of Jamaica - the best spot for sunsets. The closest major international airport is Montego Bay. Whether you are chilling out under an umbrella reading a book and drinking a Red Stripe, or sunbathing poolside sipping a margarita, the Rockhouse Hotel is an ideal place to unwind. None of the hotel's activities are very strenuous. You can play a game of scrabble or backgammon at the lounge, snorkel swim and sea kayak in pristine cove, or float about in the sixty-foot horizon pool that's cut into the edge of the cliff. In additon we have recently introduced morning Yoga Classes. Join Fenette as she conducts Open classes of Hatha Yoga, Iyengar style. For the beginner, or an advanced yogi, this Open class encompasses all levels. Classes have been structured so as to allow a beginner to benefit safely from basic postures, while challenging the most advanced with greater flexibility and strength. Quiet niches are found throughout the property; gazebos and platforms nestled among the rock provide natural resting places for soaking in the beauty, suspension bridges and steps carry you into hidden grottos for daydreaming, private gardens with benches offer peaceful seclusion. For the truly exhausted, or those wanting to relax in complete privacy, there's no reason to leave your room. Order a massage or have a Jamaican aloe rubdown from one our experienced staff. Rockhouse Hotel has introduced a range of in room Body and Beauty treatments including Swedish, Deep Tissue, and Shiatsu Massage, Reflexology, Rejuvenating Body Scrubs, Manicure, Pedicure and Hair treatments. Fully Trained and Certified Practitioners provide all services. Alternatively, we can bring you a Video/TV to watch a film. Select from our Movie List featuring a wide range of feature films, music concerts and documentaries that are all made in, or about Jamaica. Sleep and dream in your four-post bed, or snooze on your balcony under a thatched eve. The only reason to stir is for the brilliant sunset, and to order room service. The laid-back, casual atmosphere (bare feet are more common than shoes in the restaurant), at our hip architecturally designed boutique hotel in a tropical paradise on the edge of Pristine Cove creates a hypnotic effect. As the menu cover most appropriately warns - "Visiting Rockhouse for lunch can lead to staying for the sunset, ordering a cocktail, booking for dinner, checking in for a week, and coming back every year for the rest of your life......Don't say we didn't warn you!" "Mornings we listened to the surf crash while we drank coffee in bed; afternoons we read by the pool, snorkeled, or scanned for dolphins; evenings we watched the sunset, then ate dinner beneath the stars." Travel and Leisure, Letters to the Editor. "'On the rocks' here means not the way you like your drink but the way you prefer your vacation retreat; secluded and tranquil." Frommer's Caribbean From $70 A Day "Stone paths wind through lush vegetation, leading to the much talked about freshwater pool that has been carved into the cliff's edge…Rockhouse is an idyllic locale for those seeking tranquility and relaxation." One World Magazine, "On The Rocks". "The jagged boulders of the coast jut in and out of the sea spanned occasionally by wood bridges over surging inlets. Stone paths meander through an untamed wilderness of exotic flora. You feel as if you are in a primordial village in a remote corner of the globe, abandoning civilization for an intrinsic experience with the sea and all things natural." Best Places to Stay, Caribbean. AMENITIES: The rooms are designed to enhance your natural Jamaican experience while providing all the comforts of a boutique hotel. Rockhouse has twenty-eight air-conditioned rooms all with private balcony or terrace with lounging furniture. Ten villas, twelve studios and six standard rooms are built from timber, stone and thatch and designed to exist in harmony with the jungle like garden and volcanic rock land. The mosquito net draped four post queen size bed with bed side tables, desk/dresser with stool, and two seated table with chairs for in-room dining, are featured in all rooms. This is a new furniture line specifically designed for Rockhouse and built from dressed and polished local timbers. Amenities include a room safe, a fully stocked mini bar, telephones with overseas direct dialing, two luggage racks, overhead fan, and oscillating stand fan. The pressurized water system with master tank storage, and power provision from the back-up generators ensure continuous services. Environmentally conscious, solar hot water is heated through out the property, with local hot water tank backup for those very rare cloudy days, or unusually high consumption. The villas are all individual, cliff top, thatch roofed cottages situated directly over the water. They feature spacious, wrap around, private terraces and sliding glass doors providing great vistas of Pristine Cove. All have queen size beds, with five of the the villas having lofts. The loft villas, in addition to the queen bed downstairs, have a double bed and a twin bed upstairs and can occupy up to four people. All the villas have CD players and private, enclosed, outdoor showers open to the skies. The studios rooms are more traditional style hotel rooms, being grouped together, with each having a balcony that provides water views. They also have private, enclosed, outdoor showers. All studio rooms are double rooms with queen size beds and accommodate two people. They have all the standard Rockhouse room features outlined above. The standard rooms are similar to the studio rooms but have balcony's that provide garden views. They are also grouped together and are double rooms with queen size beds. They can be set up to accommodate three or four people by adding a twin or bunk bed. They also have all the standard Rockhouse room features outlined above. "You'll feel you're in Jamaica when you go to bed in a mosquito-draped four-poster or take a shower in the open air (the toilet facilities are inside). The rooms have mini-bars, air conditioning, ceiling fans, refrigerators and phones." Frommer's Caribbean "You're side by side with nature at this stylish resort on Negril's cliffs. Accomm's are built from timber, thatch and stone and are filled with furniture that echoes the nature theme. All rooms have private, indoor baths; villa rooms have private enclosed, outdoor showers." Fodor's Caribbean "The Australian management team completely renovated the existing cottages. New digs are in octagonal, air-conditioned, thatched-roof cottages of wood and stone with wraparound terraces and enclosed outdoor showers. Pencil post beds are draped with mosquito netting." Fielding's Caribbean. ACTIVITIES: The sixty-foot, freshwater, horizon, swimming pool is carved into the cliff's edge. The pool features a 20-yard lap swimming beat (borrow some goggles from the pool bar), and a huge one-foot deep step for lounging on. You may think it is a salt-water pool after taking a dip because the occasional wave from the ocean breaks over the edge into the fresh water giving it a salty feeling. Floating mattresses allow you to relax and take in the sun while partly submerged in the water. Snorkeling and swimming are among the major active pastimes (Yoga has also recently been added) at the Rockhouse. In addition to the swimming pool, ladders and stairs lead down into Pristine Cove. Here, crystal clear, snorkel perfect water provides a great environment for open water swimming, and fantastic views of the coral and sea life. Observe clusters of dwarf tube sponges, small coral heads and a variety of colorful reef fish. The hotel offers Water Sports rentals from the pool bar with snorkeling gear, sea kayaks and sea rays (glass windowed floating boards) available. Two glass bottom boat operators, Famous Vincent and Errol, cruise by the hotel each morning usually between 9am and 10am offering boat trips along the cliffs, down to Negril town or beach, and out to the main reef. Close by in Negril other activities such as tennis, golf, gymnasium, scuba diving, boat rental, sailing, windsurfing, parasailing, water skiing, horseback riding, night clubs, bands, entertainment, tours etc. can be arranged through the front desk. "Rockhouse underwent a total makeover last year……The pool, carved into the rocks above the sea, is stunning." Travel and Leisure "This Side of Paradise". "Excellent swimming, snorkeling, or just floating around on a rubber raft (topless is ok) in the rocky cove below can be found at the Rockhouse. The whole property is built amid jungly gardens and dramatic cliffs fronting the sea. Guests sunbathe on rocky ledges on the cliffs with ladders leading down to the water for idyllic swimming." US Vogue, "High Season at the Right Price". "Stone pathways cut through the rocky foreshore lead to a stunning swimming pool perched on the water's edge; the pure blue planes of sea, sky and pool are emphasized by the minimalist geometry of the surrounding buildings…There is no beach here; the clear, aquamarine waters which swoosh in and out of the rock coves and headlands are reached via stone steps, iron ladders, rock platforms and diving boards. It's a great place for jumping in or cliff top diving. The beach (with its noisy jet skis and hustlers) has become superfluous." Daily Telegraph, Travel Section. DINING/RESTARUANTS: Jamaican cuisine is a complex mix of all the cultures that have come to her shores. The Native Arawak Amerindians, the Chinese, the Spanish, the English and the Indians all brought their own culinary staples and cooking techniques when settling on the island. Even the Rastafarians, upholding the ideals of vegetarianism, have placed new emphasis on natural foods. Drawing from these diverse roots, The Rockhouse Restaurant creates "new Jamaican cuisine", a lighter, modern interpretation of classic Jamaican cooking designed to enhance your island experience, yet remain accessible to those not familiar with Caribbean food. Our Jamaican head chef worked with Fabian Ippoliti our Partner, to develop the Menu. Fabian has over twenty years experience in the restaurant business as an owner, operator and consultant. We offer the full gamut, from the humble but tasty coconut toast, to jerk chicken spiced with a scotch bonnet sauce. Signature dishes include Lobster Enchilada, Crab Quesadilla and Blackened Mahi Mahi served with a mango chutney. The best dishes are constructed from a fusion of different origins creating mixtures of tanginess, hot pepper, rich tasty sauces, the flavorful spice of curries and the cool sweetness of tropical fruits. Aspiring to give even long-term guests a rich epicurean experience, the substantial menu is supplemented by a weekly "specials" board. Meals are complemented by a solid international wine list, island inspired cocktails and Jamaica's famous Blue Mountain coffee. The Rockhouse menu honors the tradition of Jamaican cuisine and The Rockhouse Restaurant and Bar is also designed to live in harmony with the natural environment. The thatch-roofed, airy bar tiers down to an outdoor balcony suspended directly over Pristine Cove where the service is attentive and respectful. With reggae playing in the background while the ocean laps against the rocks below, it's an unpretentious, relaxed environment sure to lull you into a tropical mood. Only a leisurely stroll away, you'll find the fin walled pool bar. Lunch of chicken, fish or the Rockhouse burger is grilled on an open barbecue and served with your choice of salad. Whether sitting at a table above Pristine Cove or lounging poolside, dining at the Rockhouse is a truly Jamaican experience. The restaurant is open from 7.00 a.m. to 10.00 p.m. seven days a week and during these hours you may order room service. The pool grill is open from 12 noon until 3pm daily in the high season and on Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the low season. "Diving and snorkeling at Rockhouse remain primary pastimes, but lounging and dining now rival them in allure. A poolside bar and grill plies drinks, burgers and jerk chicken during the day, and down the shore on another view-filled promontory, a thatched-roof restaurant serves creative local dishes along with Italian specialties" Best Places to Stay, Caribbean. "Possible the best place in Negril to watch the sun go down is from Rockhouse's wood-hewn terraced restaurant - which incidentally offers the best food in Negril." Elle Magazine. Type: Hotel Beach Location: Beach Front (Directly on Beach/Water Front) http://www.caribbeanmag.com/search/hotels/Jamaica/rockhousehotel/hotel/460/17/ Sat, 28 Nov 2009 09:29:13 EST