The Caves

My husband and I revisited The Caves this month for the fourth time to enjoy some relaxation and rejuvenation. We were so relieved for this community that the hurricane did not destroy Negril! The last time we visited was 2013 -- a busy life kept us away all these years. We returned this February as empty nesters and, much to our delight, after over a decade, The Caves remains our most favorite home away from home. We are always received with the warmest welcome as if we are family -- the majority of the same staff is still onsite and are just as engaging / doting as we remembered. The entire crew provides customer service beyond expectations...Raquel, Omar, Glen, Stacy, Randy, Zoom, Tunisia and Elizabeth (massage therapist) all took such wonderful care of us! Raquel will greet you each morning for breakfast with her beautiful smile and pampering service -- the scratch kitchen offers healthy, delicious, fresh local fare. The variety of soups at lunch/dinner are a real highlight as well as Jamaican specialties like jerk chicken, steamed greens and tasty rice and beans. I also can't get enough of the watermelon welcome drink and Zoom / Glen's Caribbean Sky...drinks are always aplenty with late night self service bartending as a fun option! And live reggae music on property is such a treat. This harmonious experiece in its entirety will forever draw us back to The Caves.

I've been blessed to have had the chance to travel all over the world for business and pleasure. But my experience at The Caves ranks among the most special of trips I've ever taken. There are three reasons for this: staff, location, and resort size. Let me cover each in order. STAFF: As you'll see in reading other reviews, The Caves has the warmest, friendliest staff you'll ever encounter. There is "professional friendly" and then there is the staff here. Because of the small size of the resort - about 12 cottages, I think - you get to know the people who work here over the course of your stay. And they enjoy interacting with you! You leave feeling that you've gotten to know the staff - superficially of course, but still in a memorable way. LOCATION: in a word, spectacular. Because The Caves is small, there are no high-rise elevators and palatial lobbies. Instead you'll find a collection of pastel-painted wooden cottages right at the ocean's edge, perched atop Negril's famous cliffs. These are quaint accommodations, with hand-painted furniture and mosquito nets over the beds. If you like boxy, anonymous hotel rooms and beige ultra-modern decor, this is not the place for you. Your room won't be sound-proofed the way it is at the Hilton. But with the ocean just a few feet away, you'll be compensated by the sound of waves lulling you to sleep each night. SIZE: This is an all-inclusive, but unlike most all-inclusive resorts, it's small. If your idea of an ideal vacation is to hop from one pre-planned activity to another, The Caves may not be right for you. But if you want deep relaxation and a home-like atmosphere, The Caves cannot be beat. We spent our days enjoying fabulous meals, including many Jamaican specialties, and in between we were reading, cliff-jumping with the assistance of a skilled lifeguard, swimming in the small infinity pool, chilling in the hot tub. The Caves offers spa services and one daily activity. Wer treated ourselves to massages and sugar scrubs to slough off our dry winter skin, and did painting, yoga and fitness classes. The seas were rough during our stay so we didn't snorkel, but there's reefs along the edges of the caves, and we'll enjoy that next time. Such a good time!

We just returned from an anniversary trip to the Caves, such an incredible time that our experience needed to be shared! The Caves is unique, breathtaking, unlike anywhere we have ever been but one of the most memorable trips we have ever taken. The hotel is built into the cliffs on the water, it is incredibly stunning. Jumping into the water from the cliffs and exploring the caves right on the property was unforgettable (all the catamaran tours from other resorts stop to look at the caves on property!) At most, there were seven total couples on property at the same time, so this feels almost like a private vacation, and there are plenty of corners and chairs to spend the day away from anyone else. Unlike some of the large resorts, no fighting for chairs early in the morning, which was a major plus for us. There is no beach, but you can jump from multiple places (including down long stairs right at the edge of the water) so the beach was not missed. Our room was open air (no glass on the windows), with a local AC unit over the bed, which felt more rustic than anywhere else we had ever stayed before, but fits the vibe of this place. The bed and sheets were very comfortable, and with the fans and AC going at night, we were never uncomfortable. Our window opened directly to a view of the ocean, and depending on the weather you could hear waves crashing from the bed in the morning. Highlight for us, easily the best food we had in Jamaica. Unlike some other resorts with buffets and mediocre food for the masses- there is one breakfast/lunch location, and a separate dinner restaurant. Each day, the menus are prepared featuring local Jamaican cuisine (but you can customize/order off menu), and the staff is very proud of sharing their local flavors with guests. Don't skip the private dining in the Cave on property, where a candle-lit cave on the water is the setting for a private dining experience. The staff goes above and beyond to get to know the guests, learn preferences, and make you feel at home at this beautiful place. By the end of the week, they knew our drink orders, how we liked our coffee, etc. which really put the experience here to the next level. They even let you go behind the bar and make your own drinks if no one is there! Special shout out to Randy, Omar, Stacey-Ann, Floyd and Racquel who made this place special. We’re already planning our return. Do yourself a favor and book it!

What an awesome place! We have been here twice, would love to go again. Unlike any other vacation. The friendly staff, the cliffs, the water, the food....all amazing.

WOW... I have to say, I have travelled a lot but this place was one of my all-time favorites! My friends wanted to go to Sandals, and I promised them I could find a better spot, so I was nervous about how it would turn out...but everyone said it was their favorite place they've ever stayed! The location is spectacular and so unique, the food is outstanding, and above all, the staff were what really made a difference. Our new friends Earl, Glenn, Omar, Floyd, Randy, and ESPECIALLY Stacy-Ann took SUCH good care of us and made us feel so welcome and at home with tip-top service and a warmth that we will never forget. I will forever recommend The Caves for a unique and authentic way to experience Jamaica and can't wait to go back! Do yourself a favor and book this place if you can, you will be so glad you did.