My husband and son (almost 3) just returned from a week at Bluefields. We stayed at Cottonwood Cottage and from the instant Percy met us at the airport we knew it would be wonderful. The villa was beautiful and elegant but still so comfortable, we felt at home immediately. The service was the same - the staff was gracious, polite, and the same time so warm and kind and funny that we loved all of them right away. Our son was gifted with Kim - an incredibly nanny and companion for Anthony. She played in the pool, whipped up grilled cheese and fruit smoothies and soothed tears after a bee sting.

As parents of a young child, going on vacation and being able to enjoy leisurely lunches and dinners as a couple was incredible. And those lunches and dinners? SUBLIME. The fish was perfect, the lobster decadent, every fruit and vegetable was fresh and deliciously prepared. We were so spoiled and indulged.

This was the perfect vacation. Swimming in the stunning pool and playing in the sand before breakfast, walks along the grounds looking for lizards and birds, resting in the hammock, snorkleing and kayaking.

Every member of the staff was fantastic. Our headman, cook, nightwatchman (who made us wonderful coffee every morning) housekeeper, the lovely young men who kept the beach area so tidy and always made sure I had towels and a comfy lounge chair.

We cannot wait to go back and share Bluefields with more of our family. I feel evangelical about this experience!

From the moment we found our driver at Mo-Bay airport, everything went so smooth. We got to the villas, dinenr was ready and when we got back to the villa our bag was unpacked better than I would have done it myself.

Cottonwood willa is amazing with doors opening up to the ocean and a four poster king sized beds complete with high ceilings and the most amazing shower also opening out to outside

We had the most relaxing time ever, never had to do any type of thinking except for choosing our meals which were excellent. Thanks to the great cook. It was authentic cuisine, no buffet, ni line-ups.

The one down-side is that we will never be able to go on vacation to another all-inclusive resort in the future.
This place deserves to be known and visited

Bluefields Bay Villas, Jamaica, are worth every penny! 21 family members, from ages 9 to 78 gathered in June 2010 to celebrate a 75th birthday and had the “best vacation ever!” Eight of us stayed in the Hermitage, ( the others in Cottonwood and Mullion Cove),a elegant open-plan house with pool on the doorstep and the ocean a few steps down through the jungly garden. Initially wary that it would be too formal, we soon found the staff unpretentious, friendly, extraordinarily helpful and lots of fun. Want early morning coffee? It’s waiting for you. Want stunning table settings with flowers and candles and silver? Every night. Want 3-course dinners or a peanut butter sandwich? You got it! Need yet another beach towel provided on the spot because it’s your 5th time in the water? No, problem, mon! We spent days hanging out in the warm gentle sea water or soft sand stretch of beach, often a drink of some sort in hand; occasionally not even having to get out of the water to receive it! Late afternoon cocktail hour we gathered at Hermitage to watch glorious thunderstorms roll across the bay in front of us, with pyrotechnic lightning displays followed by Technicolor sunsets, followed by those star-crowded skies only visible in remote places. Yes, you can confer with staff to choose menus, but food was so good we didn’t bother after the first couple days, just said, “surprise us!” Kids were accommodated with kid-friendly food and so was our pregnant granddaughter’s delicate stomach. Beautiful accommodations, (yes, air-con if needed in the big airy bedrooms) wonderful ocean with chairs, towels, rafts, kayaks, snorkeling equipment all provided, a United States office staff that promptly and patiently answered dozens of phone calls and email questions and made us feel secure that this would be a great vacation. Little did we know that the on site staff would make it a fabulous time. It’s a family place if you’ve got family; it’s a grown-up place for those who need a get-away. It’s a most romantic place whether for a honeymoon or a 50th anniversary. It’s owned and run by the Moncure family, not an agency which makes a huge difference we think in the whole experience. Our 11 year old said it was better than Disneyland; our 78 year old said he was content never leaving the house; our 20-somethings having been toweled off for dinner were back in the water soon after; our Type A’s admitted they never opened their cell phones all week! Yes, places to go nearby – Black River with crocs, YS Falls with rope swing, local preschool, fishing and snorkeling trips to off shore reef, but most of the time, we simply enjoyed just being at Bluefields Bay Villas. Find a way to go, you won’t regret it!

This was our 15th trip to Bluefields (it may be more, as we lost count after 10), since 1992. We have stayed at all the properties with family, friends and by ourselves. This most recent visit to San Michele may have been our best. The butler, Marvin, and the cook, Harry, make a great team. Our housekeeper, Annette, and gardener, Artman, keep the property in immaculate condition. From the minute you step out of the villa van, you feel as if you are at home and are immediately relaxed. We try to return once a year for an anniversary, birthday or merely to get away. If you are seeking a place to chill, this is it. Understated elegence and beautiful surroundings - a perfect relaxation vacation.