While in Jamaica for 2 weeks, Jan 1-15, 2012, I stayed at One 4 the Road, the backpacker hostel at the Judy House on West Land Mountain Rd in Negril. I was thrilled to find this gem. Set amidst a mountain-top garden oasis, the 3 single-occupancy and one double-occupancy (two single beds) rooms are marvels of efficiency and just-as-much-as-you-need planning. Each has tiled floors, shuttered windows (screened), a floor-standing electric fan, a comfortable bed, a bedside table, and shelves on the wall with a safe that doesn't cost extra to use. All with colorful curtains, bed covering and a cheerful rag rug on the floor. Each room is entered through a separate, dead-bolted door. There is a small, shared self-catering kitchen complete with pots and pans, dishes, silverware, a cookstove and refrigerator: in short, everything you need to cook and store your own food. The shared bathroom is clean and everything works on the entire property! I woke every day to another warm, sunny day and knew I had found a piece of current real-life Jamaica to visit.
Sue, the creator of Judy House Cottages and One 4 the Road backpacker's hostel, is a treasure trove herself. She is generous and tireless in sharing her knowledge of and contacts in her adopted home of Negril. Having done business and taught in Jamaica for years, this British ex-pat does her part for Jamaican tourism by telling her guests where the honest deals are and for the local economy by directing her clientele to local businesses run by and for Jamaicans. In the scant two weeks I was there, I was made to feel a part of the local culture.
You may have heard of the seven-mile beach in Negril, which is lovely (if peopled by lots of hustlers), but right at the foot of West Land Mountain Road where it meets the coastal road which rings the island is a perfect jewel of a quiet tiny beach. It has beautiful clean sand, crystal clear water with sandy footing all the way out, and beach chairs available for free to patrons of Canoe Beach Bar and Grill.
What else can I tell you? If experience of a culture is why you travel, and a great accommodation price makes it even better, I highly recommend Judy House cottages and One 4 the Road backpacker hostel.
