Good Hope Country House Falmouth Hotels, Jamaica

Trelawny

Is a Georgian–style Plantation Great House in a building dating from 1755. This fully restored 10 room has sweeping views of Queen of Spain valley and the Martha Brae River. There are thick bamboo forests, private beaches nearby, parrots in the jungle and extraordinary privacy.

With the Cockpit Mountains beyond, 10 km inland from Falmouth, and 30 km east of Montego Bay, this place occupies 500 hectares atop a knoll overlooking a sea of papaya and sugarcane. Built in 1755 as the Good Hope Great House, this is, despite the helicopter pad, the most historic lodging in Jamaica, a time–warping experience of the island's plantation past.

In the main house, Georgian styling and museum–quality antiques are seen in the two sitting rooms and library. Chandeliers hang above floors of wild orangewood, wide jalousies ease breezes, and worn cowhide planter's chairs, chintz sofas and bookcases filled with leather–bound tomes add period flair. CDs and DVDs are available for individual use upon request.

The ancient dining room off the bar serves nouvelle–Jamaican fare using local ingredients prepared in a centuries–old kitchen. Vegetarian food dominates the menu. Banana and coconut chips, homemade cookies and flavored water are constant escapes for the hungry throughout the day.

Beach strolling and lounging is not part of the draw here. Instead, guests hike through the plantation, ride horses, and play tennis on a lighted but weathered court. The Great House no longer rents rooms and has been converted to a museum. The hotel's resident artist offers tours of his pottery studio for creative types, and nature lovers can go on guided hikes. Bird–watching seminars inform the curious, and yoga classes invoke contemplation. Lily–pond gardens are meticulously maintained. A modest outdoor pool, whirlpool and sun deck remind guests they are in the Caribbean.

Honeymooners often choose the stone–walled, bougainvillea–clad Counting House for its privacy, black–and–white checkerboard floors and gauzy four–poster bed. The five rooms in the Coach House, which rent out as separate units, share a sitting room, dining area and kitchen. The three–bedroom River Cottage has its own pool and riverside frontage. The one–bedroom Bamboo room is bit more rustic than the others and slightly musty. All accommodations are air conditioned.

Hotel Amenities

• 9 Rooms / 1 Floors
• Air Conditioning
• Babysitting or Child Care
• Bicycling
• Daily Maid Service
• Gift Shop
• Health Spa/Massage
• Horseback Riding
• In Room Safe
• Jogging Track
• Laundry / Dry Cleaning Service
• Laundry Room
• Pool
• Room Service
• Smoke Alarm in Rooms
• Tennis