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ohliz Trip Report and Stuff (/showthread.php?tid=100221)RE: ohliz Trip Report and Stuff - ohliz - 04-18-2014
Some people in our group had Tingalaya (all of it) this trip, they stay there a lot. Jube is a good friend to them, he came to the shows and I met him but only briefly. One of the weddings happened at Tingalaya as well (there were 2 honeymoons, one engagement and two weddings amongst our group, that I know of!)
This time we were very spread out. We had 150 or so people staying at...Crystal Waters, White Sands, Fun Holiday, Merrills, Aqua villa, Bar B Barn, Llantrissant, Negril Escape, Catcha Falling Star, Catcha Gardens, Tingalaya...I think that was it. Made me really glad I bought a phone to coordinate meetups and rides!
I spent a little time at Tingalaya, a lot of time at Llantrissant (that beach got nice and sandy since last time, it was lovely to swim and play croquet and just hang out there) and a day at Aqua (the old Aqua Moon Villa that turned into a boutique hotel for a bit is a villa again, called just Aqua now). Loved to hang on their beach and eat dinner with our friends who rented it, they had a ridiculous amount of delicious food. Chef there is Elvis and he is TALENTED.
A lot of the group booked Catcha Falling Star this trip, as we have in the past, but the vibe is not the same there now for this type of trip. Too many "other" guests who don't want to hear people hanging out late, playing (live, acoustic) music or just talking. I won't stay there again with this group and will discourage others from doing so. Though the staff is as awesome as ever - so many of the same faces over many years - the type of guest has changed. Place just got too damn popular
Even though we had fewer rooms at Gardens than we did at seaside Catcha, the "other" guests at Gardens were very cool, not only didn't mind us hanging out late by the pool but joined in and became friends. I guess that's your $60/nt traveler vs $300/nt traveler, or we just got lucky.
RE: ohliz Trip Report and Stuff - ohliz - 04-18-2014
I decided to split my stay between cliffs and beach this time. I haven't stayed on the beach since my kids were pretty little so I figured it was time to give it a shot again.
Well, I still don't really care for the beach, but Bar B Barn was excellent.
I got a nice deal via a friend who stays there regularly and booked through Denton. Denton is one of the office/reservations folks and he is just awesome. From booking to welcome to watching my stuff for me for a few hours after checkout, he just went above and beyond and always with a huge smile and a "no problem". He reps that place very, very well.
In fact, I really loved all the staff I interacted with, from Doctor Mike the security/not sure what else guy to the ladies in the bar and restaurant and the cleaning staff, the place is well run and everyone is on top of their game. One night there was a Negril-wide blackout, the entire town was without power, and Angela's (the restaurant upstairs at Bar B Barn) still cooked 8 of us a terrific meal by candlelight.
My room was very comfortable. I had the one closest to the beach and restaurant (as I requested), upstairs (121). Large bed, bathroom, fridge (which I didn't expect), air conditioning with remote, fan, and close enough to the action to be convenient but not loud enough to bother me at all.
BBB includes a free breakfast and welcome drink, which is a nice touch. The breakfast is not a buffet but a menu from which you can order anything. With coffee and juice. Loved what I had.
The day I switched hotels down to there I brought a group of my friends from CFSG with me as they hadn't been to the beach yet either. They set up on loungers while I checked in, then we hung on the beach for awhile. BIG waves that day, we had a blast body surfing and jumping into them. Not typical Negril beach (got that later), but very fun.
I have come to expect the beach hustler situation to be a PITA, but this time it wasn't. I don't know if it is the way I interact with them or what, but they left me alone completely. Often when I see one of the beach guys I will greet them first, as I am walking or doing whatever, and maybe that throws them off balance a bit? Or I just look like I'm not messing around...I don't know but it was all good, up on the cliffs too. One on the beach called me "Bosslady" when he saw/heard me dealing with my friends (and apparently Jitters got called that too, we must be bossy!). Of our large group a few people on the beach were bothered, honestly it was mainly guys, not the girls. I think guys get into a little alpha male thing with beach hustlers while women can be handle it better. I know when a beach gig/hustler/regular vendor tells me I look beautiful or they love my body or something, I just smile big and say "thank you!" and keep on doing what I'm doing. Possibly they interact differently with men.
All that said, I still prefer the west end to the beach. I had a scooter for a few days and used it to hang out mostly up at CFSG or Llantrissant. My third morning at BBB I came down for breakfast and the waitress asked me if I was staying there...I was like "well, I have been sleeping here!".
I can see how if I were solo (and frankly if I were I wouldn't be in Negril) the beach might be nice, plenty going on, plenty of people watching. But my speed is a bit slower.
Again though, BBB would be a great choice for a future beach stay. Only one complaint: no beach shower. I really like being able to rinse off salt after swimming without trekking up to my room. Otherwise, terrific affordable spot.
RE: ohliz Trip Report and Stuff - ohliz - 04-18-2014
Blog post of the above, with photos: http://www.travelsinjamaica.com/2014/04/bar-b-barn-hotel-in-negril.html
RE: ohliz Trip Report and Stuff - sammyb - 04-18-2014
Nice Liz....have missed your reports and how detailed they are...I believe I had that same room at BBB and Denton truly is the go to guy!
More please
RE: ohliz Trip Report and Stuff - ohliz - 04-18-2014
Heading off to a music festival this weekend (same band I was in Jamaica with) so will have to pick it back up in a couple of days.
Sammy...121, right behind the bar, upstairs. Loved it!
RE: ohliz Trip Report and Stuff - booger - 04-18-2014
Llantrisant is such a great property with a great staff in Donny, Paulette, Ms Ann, and everyone else. I loved my week there in Nov/Dec. and I have to agree the beach is great with deep sand. Turtle pond was a surprise as well. Not sure I am fond of the captivity however.
And the guest of yesteryear still stay at CFS. I certainly would have joined in the revelry, as would all my friends that I travel with. Sadly sounds like someone from Tensing Pen sauntered over. LOL. I'll be sure to keep the bar rocking my next trip. Also enjoy the porch parties with the staff. Hell, a dear friend slept on my porch for a week. Oh, and I pay nowhere near $300 to stay there.
Looking forward to the rest of this report. Awesome detail Liz..
RE: ohliz Trip Report and Stuff - rastagirl777 - 04-20-2014
Tingalaya is a really awesome property and having that place to yourself and your group is the best scenario! I've known Jube for close to 20 years - he's a dear friend of ours and our family there. I'm so glad you got to check it out and the Deep West too!
(I'm repeating myself, what a senior moment)
RE: ohliz Trip Report and Stuff - ohliz - 04-20-2014
Back in the day, if you will, we had lots of porch parties, especially on Moon's porch. I have some great old photos of those. Lydie and Paula would come up after work at 3 Dives, Lydie's dad and brother too, our group, the staff, friends staying there or Seastar. But not this time. Got the big "shhh". So we often just set up by the pool at CFSG instead. One of us had Libra (or Pisces, always forget which one is on the water), and more had Moon so that ought to cover any noise issues but no....the woman from the villa next door complained when they were hanging out there. There was actually a family staying there this time, in one of the newer units.
I've always liked "Deep West" though past the lighthouse I mainly see it from a scooter, except Out of Town pastry stops. I did have a scooter for a few days this time as well, and did my traditional ride back into the hills, visiting Danny at Jurassic Park on the way by. Didn't do Blue Hole this time, just no time, but that's a nice ride too. Will report more tomorrow
RE: ohliz Trip Report and Stuff - oldtimer - 04-21-2014
I just gonna ask "how in the name of all things good and rightous "do you get correctly hooked up with 150 guests. That's 1/2 an airplane full...hehehe
RE: ohliz Trip Report and Stuff - rootswoman - 04-21-2014
Thanks ohiz ! -
I am looking forward to reading this a bit later when I have a little free time -