Blue Cave Castle

This hotel resort is an odd combination of kitschy and classy that was built by the owner and her husband around twenty years ago. It had very humble beginnings as a personal residence and grew into the hotel resort it is today, room by room. The proprietor, Susan, gave us the background on the inspiration for the place (much of it from Norwegian castles visited during their globe-trekking) and explained how it all began for her and her late husband. The rooms are very reasonably priced, especially in the off-season. The penthouse was $100 per night and other accommodations were only $55 per night for a room even larger than the penthouse (not including tax). The decor is where the 'kitsch factor' comes in. They stuck with the medieval theme in many areas and it is fun yet tastefully done if you can believe that. This place is a photographer's delight, especially if you can gain access to the private decks that usually only the penthouse guest has access to. The ocean views are phenomenal and the grounds are beautiful with the many trees, flowers and the pond there. When the weather permits, swimming down by the caves is part of the draw at this location but at certain times of the year, the waters are too rough and they don't allow you down there. This place could achieve a higher rating if there were improvements to two things: the water pressure and plumbing and the mattresses. It was fairly comfortable sleeping there but a real mattress, rather than the thick foam I slept on, would make the accommodations much more luxurious. Also, often, the toilet would barely flush and the shower was a trickle and this also brings down the rating for comfort. If these items could be improved upon, this would make it a top-rated destination for sure. The owner and staff are great and super friendly, the grounds and views are to-die-for and the architecture is really creative. This area of Negril is relatively hassle-free compared to the beach area and there are plenty of reasonably-priced amenities (including great restaurants) only yards outside of the grounds.