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Style: Idyllic, almost soporific, beach retreat set in lush tropical gardens. Main house in traditional Jamaican style, separate cottage in more contemporary and romantic style. An oasis-like pool
The Beach: 300ft private beach frontage with fine dark sand and swimming areas and snorkelling. Beach extends in both directions with deeper water and pebbles west to Serenity and sandy but wading only depth by Noble House
The Rooms: 3 bedrooms in the main house with en suite bathrooms, cottage with 2 bedrooms and shared bathroom
Key features: One of Linda Smith’s villas in Montego Bay Jamaica, 2 acres of beautiful shaded gardens in this Jamaica villa rent, swimming pool (15ft x 30ft), 2 sea kayaks, beachside dining gazebo, shared tennis court with sister villa Serenity, basketball net, villa cottage each with satellite (2 dishes) TV, VCR with video library, CD system with CD library.
Children: Welcome – 2 cribs and high chair
Staff: Butler, cook, housekeeper, laundress and 2 gardeners - resident butler and gardener |
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Description
Tranquillity is set in extremely picturesque gardens, two lovingly-tended acres brimming with flowering plants, shrubs and palms set on a shorefront west of Montego Bay. It is a delightful setting for those who love the beach but like to have a shady garden to which to retreat. You see this the moment you arrive - the oval lawn by the villa’s entrance has white painted curbs, and the royal palm at its centre has a matching white band painted around its base. The lushness of the gardens makes the blue of the Caribbean Sea beyond seem even more vibrant.
The beach frontage at Tranquillity is 300ft long and there is just a low wall dividing the gardens from the sand. Two large sandbox trees frame the scene perfectly. The villa is a popular and versatile holiday home, because the main house can be rented on its own with just three bedrooms or, if you are just one couple, you can take the separate, very modern two bedroom beach cottage. In all, there are five bedrooms set in spacious grounds and it is ideal for couples, a family or small group. The gardens also provide a lovely setting for a wedding. Tranquillity also has further flexibility because it is situated between two other villas, Serenity and Noble House. When all three villas are combined, there are twelve bedrooms in total with additional room to sleep two more children.
The main villa, which was built in the 1950s, has seen some changes over the years, but it still retains a gracious air and a distinct flavour of that decade. It still has its original ‘Jamaican marble’ floor-tiles, which are used throughout, including on the veranda. They have a unique shade of caramel and chocolate brown. Interior doorways, and louvered windows are topped by white painted, wooden fan-tail airways that allow air circulation, and many of the doors and windows have louvered shutters of varnished wood. There are also some interesting touches at Tranquillity. First the entrance foyer features a waterfall. Then, as you enter the elegantly furnished Great Room, with its large upholstered sofas and chairs, you will find a fire-place in the corner (a thing that is after all not really needed at sea level in the Caribbean). For entertainment there is satellite TV, VCR and CD sound system, with a selection of videos for both adults and children, and a library of CDs. Next door there is a formal dining area. Both rooms feature some traditional, West Indian colonial style furnishings, such as cane-backed mahogany dining chairs. From the formal areas French doors lead out onto the broad, covered veranda, which extends along the front of the villa, though the section in front of the master bedroom is separated by a low planter. The main veranda is furnished with chunky bamboo furniture and has a second dining area. For a special occasion, you might also dine in the beach front gazebo.
The main veranda has a very pleasant outlook over the flower-filled gardens to the sea. The swimming pool is set away from the villa in the corner of the garden and is made all the more alluring by being hidden, almost oasis-like, amidst towering greenery. The pool is set within a slightly raised sun terrace, with steps leading to a gazebo, which is a popular spot for lunch. If it is too shady for you in all the greenery at the pool, beach chairs can be set up on the sand itself. Tennis is available on the hard court located to the side of the villa, next to the driveway. The court is shared with guests of neighbouring villa, Serenity, and there is also a basketball hoop.
There are three bedrooms in the main villa and they each have air-conditioning and ceiling fans. Two, accessed by a shared foyer, are located on the west side of living room. One gives out via French doors onto the veranda and features a mahogany, king size four poster bed and a bathroom with tub/shower. The second bedroom is set to the rear and side of the house, where it has its own private patio looking across to the tennis court. This bedroom has a king size, half-post mahogany bed and en suite bathroom with walk-in shower. The master bedroom is on the east side of the house and has its own oversize marble terrace where guests can recline on mahogany chaise lounges or dine. Three sets of louvered door shutters lead into a large bedroom with a mahogany, king size four poster bed, set off by a regal looking wall drape. A couple of steps lead via a connecting doorway to the formal dining room next door. The en suite bathroom has a tub/shower and a separate walk-in shower. A pathway leads from the veranda to the pool.
By comparison to the main villa, which retains its formal Fifties elegance, the beachfront cottage is a modern, all white affair with a light breezy feel. It is ideal for a couple or a family with young children. It is set on the far side of the gardens, next to an enormous guango tree, which is festooned with a gorgeous cheese plant vine, and it is surrounded by its own gardens, though it is not particularly enclosed or hidden away. The cottage is fairly private, far enough apart from the main villa for guests to be by themselves – it was actually designed as the villa owner’s private getaway. It is set over two floors and has a paved dining terrace downstairs which leads out to the beach. Upstairs there is a sun terrace, a lovely breezy and naturally sunny spot with fabulous views. The cottage is completely self-contained. (If just the cottage is occupied, meals can be served on the terrace, otherwise meals are generally taken at the main house.)
The décor of the cottage is white or off-white. There are white marble floors, cream walls and upstairs the interior of the shingle roof has been lime-washed. Downstairs the living area has built-in wall-seating with white padding and doors that open onto the terrace and gardens to the side. Entertainment is provided by the cottage’s own satellite dish, with TV and VCR, plus a CD system. A room that was once a gym, located to the rear of the living area, has been converted to a second bedroom and has a queen size bed set against a mirrored wall. It shares the master bedroom’s en suite facilities upstairs, however there is also a powder room off the living room. There is a compact kitchen off the side of the living room, which is fully equipped with cooker, fridge and microwave. A lovely mahogany staircase leads up to the master bedroom, which features a king size bed and two sets of stable doors (the bottom sections do not open) looking onto the gardens. They give out onto a brick sun terrace overlooking the beach, a perfect spot for star gazing. The lovely, beige marble-tiled en suite bathroom has a large walk-in shower, and there is a separate dressing room. |
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Beach and Swimming
Tranquillity is set back from the 300ft stretch of straw colour beach which fringes its gardens, separated from the lawns by a low boundary wall and hedging. The sand has some areas of pebbles to the west, but the swimming is actually better there because the water is deep enough. At Noble House, where the beach becomes sandier and darker in colour, it is too shallow. With the Great River running into the sea nearby, the waters along this section of coast are not always crystal clear, especially after heavy rainfall, but the beach is effectively private because there is no other access to it except via the villas or by sea.
The freshwater swimming pool (15ft x 30ft) at Tranquillity is tucked away within the gardens, flanked by majestic royal palms, and almost hidden from view by tropical greenery. It is a very private spot. The pool has entry steps to the shallow end and is set within a slightly raised, tiled sun terrace. A path leads from here to a beachside gazebo which can also be used for dining. |
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Sports & Recreation
Tranquillity’s guests have shared use of the private tennis court, which is for day play only. You should bring your own rackets and balls. There are two sea kayaks with life vests for use out on the bay. You will be required to sign a disclaimer before use.
There are several excellent 18 hole golf courses in this area. The nearest is the Tryall Club (par 72, 6772 yards) around 10 minutes west by car. The others are on the other side of Montego Bay, 30 – 40 minutes away, and include the White Witch (par 71, 6,718 yards), Cinnamon Hill (par 71, 6,637 yards) and Half Moon (par 72, 7,119 yards). The nearest riding stables are Chukka Blue near Tryall and there is an equestrian centre at Half Moon. |
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Locality
Tranquillity is set back from the beach, hidden from the main road by mature trees and well established grounds at Unity Hall. It is the middle of three villas set along a prime seafront setting (the others are Serenity and Noble House) and they have sole access to the beach that they share. A couple of minutes west is the Great River, where the popular activity of bamboo river rafting from Lethe village is a popular tourist attraction – you will see the occasional raft go by the villa. About five minutes drive further west is Round Hill Hotel and Villas, and five minutes beyond that is Tryall Club, which has an 18 hole golf course. Both properties hold popular beach party nights with barbecues and live music (reservations required) in addition to their normal fine dining. Just above Round Hill is the village of Hopewell, which has a supermarket and liquor store/off-licence, pharmacy, AMT, post office, library and service station. Continue driving west for an hour and you will come to the town of Negril.
To the east you come to the small community at Reading, which has a Post Office and (up in the hills) the Rockland’s Bird Sanctuary, where you can hand-feed hummingbirds. Heading further east you reach Montego Bay in about 15-20 minutes. It is a vibrant and very busy town, Jamaica’s second largest city. In the city itself there are several craft markets and shopping centres, including duty free outlets. Along Gloucester Avenue are cafes, shops, craft markets, restaurants serving anything from jerk at the Pork Pit to fine cuisine at the Townhouse by the Sea, and some lively clubs, the most famous of which is Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville. There is also an excellent beach with beach bars and facilities at Doctor’s Cave beach.
There are a number of supermarkets and shopping areas on the road back to Unity Hall. The Westgate Shopping Centre has a bank, supermarket, off-licence, McDonalds and a service station and the Freeport peninsular just south of Montego Bay has a shopping mall next to the cruise ship berths. On the lagoon you pass the Houseboat Grill restaurant. In nearby Bogue is the Fairview Shopping Centre with SuperPlus, a large supermarket, cinema, department store, hardware store, pharmacy, fast food jerk centre, service station and a KFC. |
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Useful Hints
Provisioning: The chef at Tranquillity will assume that you will require a welcome meal for your arrival and that they should purchase initial food and drink supplies. You may opt to prepay your groceries (if so, this should be done at least 60 days prior to arrival). If you are booking direct, ask your travel organiser or the villa agent for a list of suggested items. If you do not pre-pay, the bill for the initial provisioning (plus the costs for transport) should be paid in cash on arrival and you should then also provide the chef with funds for all subsequent shopping, including transportation costs.
The chef is a graduate of Villas by Linda Smith’s “Le Chef” gourmet cuisine cooking course, which offers guests menus of a slightly higher standard. They work to an average budget of US$45 per adult/US$20 per child, per day when provisioning the Le Chef menu. This includes a basic drinks package of rum, wine and beer, but does not cover extras such as whole lobster or imported steak, which vary according to market prices. The rest of the shopping for your stay will be done by the cook once you have liaised with them on arrival. You may opt to go with them on the first trip.
Gratuities: Rental rates for villas in Jamaica do not include ‘tips’ and it is recommended that you set aside 10% of the total villa rental in winter and 15% for summer as a gratuity for the staff. You will be expected to pay this directly to the staff before you leave. Information on how it is to be divided will be included in the guest’s welcome book, and you may find an envelope is provided.
Your villa’s laundress will attend to your personal laundry (excluding dry clean items). If you hand over laundry in the morning it is usually ready later that same afternoon.
You should note that there are a number of pet dogs at Tranquillity, including a Great Dane, and that they are sometimes joined by Jimmy, the pet dog from Serenity. The dogs are not allowed in the villa or on the veranda, but do have access to the gardens and beach. If you wish, they can be kept in their kennels during the day to be let out to roam the grounds at night.
Weddings: Permission to hold a wedding or any large function at your rental villa should be obtained in advance when making your initial reservation enquiry, as each villa has its own restrictions. Most villa weddings/functions will attract a guest surcharge if the number attending the ceremony/reception exceeds the villa’s maximum occupancy. This fee is currently US$15 per person. Also note that if party numbers exceed the maximum villa occupancy you will normally be required to use the services of an outside catering company to arrange food and beverage. |
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Rates
| | 15 Dec- 15 Apr 2008-09 | Easter 2009 | 16 Apr- 14 Dec 2009 | Thanks- Giving 2009 | Christmas/ Christmas & New Year 2009-10 | | Tranquillity 1-3 bedrooms 4-5 bedrooms 6 bedrooms | 7,500 9,900 11,880 | 9,900 9,900 n/a | 5,500 7,900 9,500 | 11,880 11,880 11,880 | 16,300/ 17,300 16,300/ 17,300 16,300/ 17,300 | Rates are quoted in US$ per week (7 nights), room only (EP). Rates are based on double occupancy per bedroom. There is a surcharge of $29 per night for each extra guest in any room. All rates are subject to change without notice. Minimum stay of 5 nights from 16 Apr-14 Dec except during Easter, Thanksgiving and 15 Dec-15 Apr when the minimum stay is 7 nights. There is a minimum stay of 14 nights over the Christmas/New Year period, unless booking for the Christmas week (lower rate) only and departing by 29 Dec. |
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How To Book
If you wish to book direct, bookings should be made through the villa agent, Jamaica Villas by Linda Smith. To confirm a reservation you must send a deposit of 25% of the total rental fee (50% for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year). Payment of the remaining 75% is required 60 days prior to your arrival (90 days for Thanksgiving and 120 days for Christmas and New Year) and no refunds will be made during this time. For cancellations made more than 60 days prior to scheduled occupancy, deposits will be refunded less a 10% cancellation fee and relevant credit card processing or wire fees. If you are booking within 60 days of your arrival, full payment must be made to secure the booking. A US$500 security deposit is also required, against damage to the villa or contents during your stay. It is refundable on your return home if no damage has occurred. You may contact Jamaica Villas by Linda Smith by using the WEB LINK or DIRECT ENQUIRIES facility at the top of this page, or if you wish to telephone them, please click on TELEPHONE CONTACT to reveal the number. For a review of Jamaica Villas by Linda Smith please see here. |
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UK Tour Operators
If you wish to book through a UK tour operator or travel organiser, please follow the link.
See List of UK Tour Operators
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Airport Meet & Greet
If you are booking direct you will be able to make arrangements for the villa agent to send a driver to meet you at the airport, which will then be pre-paid with your balance for the villa. The airport transfer from Montego Bay Airport takes approximately 30 minutes (though you should be aware that traffic in Montego Bay can be bad in the mornings and afternoons).
If you are booking through a travel organiser, it is likely that their representative will be at the airport to meet you. This service and your return airport transfers should be included in the cost of your holiday. Please check at the time of booking. |
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Getting Around
A hired car is strongly recommended for all private villa holidays but a popular alternative in Jamaica is a private driver service, which is easily arranged and particularly useful if you go out in the evenings. For shopping or sightseeing, you may wish to be independent and drive yourself around as it gives you an added element of freedom to explore the island, which is exceptionally beautiful. If you are booking the villa direct or through a tour operator, you can organise car hire at the same time as booking your accommodation. Otherwise you can reserve your car with Jamaica Villas by Linda Smith at the same time as booking your villa.
If you do decide to go for a hire car, ask for your vehicle to be delivered to the property (there may be a delivery fee) approximately three hours after your scheduled time of arrival on Jamaica or the following morning. Vehicles can be returned at the airport or collected from the property at a pre-arranged time on your departure day. All drivers booked through the villa staff or through Jamaica Villas by Linda Smith are registered JUTA tour guides. |
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