Sea Haven

Best Villa I've stayed at in Jamaica. Service was amazing, accommodations were lovely. I would say the only drawbacks are the lack of an actual beach (makes it difficult to launch paddle boards/kayaks, no playing in waves in the sand, most villas in discovery bay have a standalone beach) and poor internet connection(this is not really the villas fault but poor internet infrastructure in rural Jamaica). The house has good flow, the rooms are a good size, two have wonderful views of the bay. The pool is more for lounging as opposed to doing laps. The gazebo and hammock are a nice touch. In summary we thoroughly enjoyed our stay. Also, discovery bay is the best snorkeling in Jamaica!

Went there to do some electrical works

This white, wooden shuddered colonial style villa is utterly charming, and comfortably sleeps up to 8, although most of the time we were only 5. Its backyard of magnificent trees swoops directly to Discovery Bay. A Gazebo and a man made small beach at the edge of the water are perfect places to read, sunbathe, nap and gather in sweet conversation. The house's outdoor veranda, large and lovely, serves as the perfect dining area, with breezes and views of the bay and the hills beyond. We very much appreciated the authentic Jamaican cooking of Miss Elva, and Andrea, as well as Andrea and Camoy's cleaning and washing. All was done with expertise and flair. We grew to like the staff very much. However, there were two significant problems; First, while the bedrooms are air conditioned, the other rooms are not. This is fine, especially since windows and doors open wide to the outside and its breezes. However, the lack of screens over the windows and doors meant tons of bugs entered and we received endless bug bites! Luckily none of us were pregnant nor trying for a baby, ( Zika) and none of us got really sick from any bites, although they made it so difficult to sleep well. And during the day we remained quite itchy, swollen and uncomfortable! The second problem, so sadly for us, was with the staff. Again, they were more than competent--the food was quite good, always Jamaican and fun to try, and the house was spic and span. However at the end of our stay they expressed displeasure at the tip we left them, which was close to 15% of the villa rental, which at HIGH SEASON is a good amount of money,. Moreover, according to my research, this is customary. They insisted I should give them 40% , which for an Xmas rental would be astronomical. Next, the following morning, as we prepared for departure, they claimed to have lost some of the cash I had given them the night before. They told me it had been left in a kitchen drawer. Perhaps this is simply true, sadly, but I was perplexed as to why money was left in a drawer in the first place, when clearly it should have been pocketed and/or distributed. There was an implication that someone had stolen the money, or at least that we were responsible to "make good" on the supposed loss. I felt sorry for their loss, but could not help wondering if I were being insulted and/or manipulated in some way, although I am not in any position to make an official accusation of any kind. What I can say is that the friction over money, especially, may have unmasked a larger, persistent and painful friction based upon Jamaica's economic and racial inequalities, or simply their desperation for funds in a country without many options for good work. Whatever the cause, bad feeling invaded our lovely villa and vacation.

11 days in this wonderful home on Discovery Bay. So sad to leave.

Outstanding and beautiful