You seem like a nice person & one who is in need of a nice upcoming vacation ... I was hoping someone else would post about the questions that you have, but I have just noticed that no one has responded to you.
One time when I was in Negril Sommerset Village a/k/a Summerset Village had all of the guests there robbed at gunpoint. I tried to find the Gleaner or Observer article to post, but possibly it wasn't reported via the newspapers.
I have been to the place here and there when they have a notable sound system in the place. I have never seen their rooms, the pool did look relatively clean and they have a (wood carver) at the bottom of the lane as security for the entire lane.
Anyways, because no one else has replied to your questions I wanted to. And of course 24/7 you can have a driver pick you up wherever you are. So a cell phone is in order. I'm sure that other posters can help you with safe and nice and inexpensive drivers. I always bring quite a few US $1 bills.
There are some good reviews of the place, but here are some of the more negative ones. Also, you should know that (other than the first two nights or so) of your vacation, you REALLY don't need reservations in advance. This is always a good rule of thumb, you don't want to commit your hard earned money for a place that (when you get there) you don't feel comfortable (or safe) being there.
Other than from just before Christmas until a four or so days after the New Year holiday, you can always find openings. During that ten day or so period Negril is packed and most places are booked to capacity.
Since I don't feel comfortable driving in Jamaica anymore, I have about three drivers, for three different times of the day. Early morning, daytime and late late night times.
I have negotiated a $100 room per night into $30-$40 per night when booking on a two week basis (never in advance, just right there and then) with US cash on hand.
If you might be staying in a shady part of town (to save money) bring US travellers checks and keep all of the serial numbers with you at all times. Don't always assume that just because a hotel has a 'safe' your cash is SAFE in that safe.
Sometimes it is just more realistic to spend some extra money on your room to ensure you are actually safe and secure, have hot water (if you are expecting it).
Here are some of the more negative reviews of the place you are thinking of staying at:
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Total Disgrace!â€
Reviewed November 17, 2007
4
people found this review helpful
What a mess me and my family booked this holiday first in 6 years. On arriving my son cried and wanted to go home didn't like the surrounding at all looked deserted, we didn't feel safe. After long travel went to bed within only 2 hours was awoken by strange man in our room? WE HAD BEEN ROBBED? Called police and rep, was moved the following morning . This place is a total disgrace, we paid all this money for what a run down hotel which was very insecure, our room had no pillow, light held on with masking tape tv ariel hanging on floor no tv and wires running from one room to another. This place should not be on the ratings at all you wouldn't put a dog in the room the standard was very very poor. The holiday company should not be sending people to this hotel total waste of our time and money very disappointing and left us feeling deflated. DO NOT GO THIS PLACE WE FEEL YOU WILL BE IN DANGER LIKE WE WERE SAVE YOUR TIME AND MONEY AND BOOK SOMEWHERE ELSE!!
Liked — nothing
Disliked — everything very bad
Stayed October 2007, traveled with family
Value
Location
Check in / front desk
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
Business service (e.g., internet access)
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
GAIL181
ENGLAND
1 review
5 helpful votes
“Nightmare At Summerset Villageâ€
Reviewed November 7, 2007
5
people found this review helpful
Nightmare at summerset Village!!
Me and my husband booked this hotel for our honeymoon this year we had a look on the website and through the travel brochure and were very pleased with what we saw a nice romantic location with green lushious gardens perfect we thought then the moment had arrived we finally got to the hotel and what a shock is was to see for real no beautiful surroundings no romantic settings no staff we had the security man cook our breakfast for us as no staff were there this hotel was bad as soon as i saw the room i felt sick and wanted to go home the bed was hard no hot water and bad security on the doors there was no telephone to contact reception as it was on the otherside of the hotel and the place was empty and im not surprised the pool was dirty and sunbeds were disgusting and a lot of people loitering around as soon as we met our rep we were out of there after only one night we paid to stay somewhere else and im glad we did nobody should have to suffer that hotel ever.
Liked — Nothing
Disliked — everything as not as described
Stayed October 2007, traveled as a couple
Value
Location
Check in / front desk
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
Business service (e.g., internet access)
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“What a Dog Hole - urgh damn awful rip off.â€
Reviewed October 13, 2006
10
people found this review helpful
Upon reading some of the reviews I have to wonder if I was at the same place. I cant call it a hotel as it was simply a place in the middle of nowhere with little civilsation. What a total letdown this place was. If you want to go to a run down camp site then this is for you - and believe me you would be better off sleeping in a tent. Its a hovel and i would rather sleep in my dog's kennel.
As you can see my friend whom I travelled with has put on some pics - the pics look somewhat better than the actual place. I still cannot accept that any reputable Travel agent (TC) can have this place on their books. We went at the start of summer, I cannot stress enough how empty the place was and there was nothing at all to do, no entertainment, no tv or radio in rooms or any rest area. I really dont even like to talk about it as it's too painful to have to think about it again.. The only saving grace is that I had my friend with me and our two 12 yr olds get on really well but had either of us been there alone it would have been a bigger major nightmare. We simply could not stay more than the one night. Subsequently we had to pay for 2 weeks at alternative accommodation - we were desperate to get away. (along with another mother and daughter who who's hut and yes I mean hut was blood boilingly Summerset Village taking the P! That was the final straw - I was enraged upon seeing the sate of the hut they were shoved in - unbelievable, and they paid more than me for the displeasure)
I would think that most decent living people pay to go on 'holiday' to stay in accommodation comfortable as you do at home or even better, I would not recommend this place to my worst enemy, as no one paying their hard worked for cash, should have to face such a disappointment. I am of Jamaican heritage and I felt isolated and vulnerable being there, nothing like home. It's the worst ever accommodation i have visited in 22yrs of booking holidays. I am very open minded and flexible... this was pushing me beyond being reasonable..
All I can say is SAVE YOUR MONEY - do not give these money grabbing liars a penny of your money, they are simply ripping us off and should come with a health and safety warning , better still demolished.. Really Awful place - Nightmare!! Dont go there..
Shabby, Run Down, Poor excuse of a holiday resortâ€
Reviewed September 23, 2006
22
people found this review helpful
We were really looking forward to our stay. When we arrived we were so shocked to see the shabby run down atmosphere of not only the rooms but the grounds, the gates, everything. This place does not warrent a star rating!!!!
Our room had a leaking shower, broken bathroom light, broken aircon. Poor security, men loitering around on the streets pestering the guest. This I later found out was not how the real Jamaica is until we left after our first ght and stayed at St Annes District!! Men do chill with their freinds having a beer and a smoke and friendly chat, but on the road outside summerset this was a different type of loitering!! Not nice.
The flooring at Summerset was dangeous, concrete poured and not flattened, bad lighting so could easily fall and also did not make you feel safe.
I believe that if you are dissapointed with your stay, along as you feel safe and the place is clean then you use the room as a base. I did not feel safe, and as I'm from London I'm very used to various situations but here at Summerset something wasn't right. When we checked out after 1 night there was also 2 other couples also checking out after only one night!!!
The restuarant had no other guest apart from the 3 other parties we arrived with from the UK, we could not find any staff, there was no food to match was was offered on the menu as they had no tourists they didnt have the supplies.
When we were checking out, the receptionist said she wasnt surprised that we were leaving and she said she thought our expectations were too high, and I simply told here that wasn't the case, but we do have standards!!!, I have never in my adult life have I requested to leave a premises,).
Also how can 3 seperate parties leave after only 1 night, all be wrong. When you save up for 9 months for you big holiday of the year, of course we are extremely dissapointed!!!
Please do yourself a favour and dont come here, you will be dissapointed.
Take a look at the photos and see the state of this place.
p.s The other two guests that left at the same day, after only staying 1 night of a 14 night stay!!!, we check out their rooms and theirs was worse than ours, didnt think it was possible.