Perfect Stays#IslandGirlsDoItBetter - Rockhouse Travel Diary - 'N A Perfect World with Nneya Richards © 2015

Tommy Hilfiger finally caught on to what I’m sure you guys already knew. ;). A piece that I wrote for my fellow island girl, Tamu McPherson’s blog, All the Pretty Birds came out last week, where I shared a small taste of my amazing trip to Montego Bay & Negril with the Jamaican Tourism Board this past August. To accompany that, for this #FBF let’s take a little break from Fashion Month and get irie. Here’s my Rockhouse Hotel photo diary. Yea, this place was that incredible, it warrants it’s own photo diary and travel guide separate from my Negril travel guide. To narrate the pictures a bit, I’ll be using excerpts from my All the Pretty Birds article.

Founded in 1972, Rockhouse is legendary; everyone from Bob Marley and the Stones to Dylan has stayed here and it was the first boutique hotel of it’s kind in Negril, Jamaica. As soon as you enter this property you know you’re in a special place. It’s so beautiful, sitting on the cliffs of a bay it seems to just naturally emerge from the jungle, as though it were there since the beginning of time. All of the hotel’s buildings are constructed with local timber and volcanic rock and blend perfectly with the landscape.

from a little bridge on the property you’ll notice a “jump at your own risk” sign. Take this with a wink and a nod (there are no guard rails). Have a ball and let out a scream as you jump into the gorgeous blue bay

this beautiful archway welcomed me into my villa

this is kind of what I imagined never land to look like

gorgeous wildlife on property

best welcome basket I’ve ever seen. Fun additions to the standard, sunscreen, lotion etc.

across the street from the property

pool views

even a day spent huddled in the gaming room is chic.

these are the new bathtubs in the spa. In the next few weeks, look out for my post on the bathing ritual!

The property is atop Pristine Cove and the colours of the sunset in this area will make you weep. The view from my villa was incredible. I can’t imagine that it would ever get old.

Early morning view of Soundsystem stage from my room.

Even rain couldn’t taint the beautiful views.

First night, and I see this is all mine.

Wow.

Oh wait, there’s more.

I couldn’t stop.

Blogger Joe Miragliotta got this shot of me searching for the pefect view for a selfie.

here is it.

Peace & solitude.

That early morning moment before daylight hits.

Welcoming the day.

Rockhouse has two delicious restaurants. All the fruits, veggies and seasonings in most if not all of the dishes prepared in these restaurants are sourced from the organic garden on property. In the mornings I chose delicious fresh juices, porridge, ackee and salfish and my morning cup of tea from the Rockhouse Restaurant on Pristine Cove. But the first night, wow. Lici and the staff at Rockhouse really set the bar high with our first dinner at Pushcart Restaurant and Rum Bar. I’m still dreaming of my main course, the ‘nyammings‘ platter: curry goat, oxtail and stew peas, all in the same dish! The reggae music history adorning the walls of Pushcart is also a must see. Pushcart Restaurant & Rum Bar actually has live music every night and if you’re lucky you might even catch a concert while you’re in town. Adjacent to the restaurant is the Sunset Terrace — a blank canvas space with bay views — and Rockhouse has been known to have the top Jamaican acts, like Chronixx perform there.

Nyammings platter

Founded in 2004, through the Rockhouse Foundation, the Rockhouse hotel has invested nearly $3 million in improving and modernizing five Negril school as well as renovating the Negril Community library. One of these schools, Moreland Hill Primary and Infant school was the first to have a computer learning program that the Jamaican government wanted to put in all schools but could not afford to do so. From the buildings to the tools, to support the teachers the Rockhouse Foundation invests in the future of Jamaica’s youth. Ask one of the managers about volunteering at one of the schools if you’re so inclined. Definitely my kind of voluntourism. So thankful for the morning I got to spend with the kids and hope to do more with the organization in the future. One girl in particular, Selene, stole my heart. Peter, the President of the foundation, described her as Jamaica’s next prime minister. That might be the case — I did see her dispensing discipline and order during the game of Chinese skip with her mates, but she does have an amazing eye as well. I showed her how to use my camera and check out the photos she caught of the flowers, Peter and my fellow blogger Joe!