Hotel Mocking Bird Hill

Peaceful, hilltop eco-hideaway with an excellent restaurant - a great base for exploring the unspoilt Port Antonio region

Cool breezes and panoramic views welcome you to this 10-room hilltop retreat, just a short drive from Port Antonio (Porty). Set within 6.5 acres of verdant tropical gardens, Hotel Mocking Bird Hill is a perfect base to explore the natural attractions nearby - beaches, rivers, the lush Jamaican rainforest - and a glorious spot to relax in.

Friendly and informal, the hotel has excellent eco credentials and has twice been voted Caribbean Green Hotel of the Year. Rooms are airy and light, simply furnished with white louvered doors, bamboo furniture, handpicked flowers and hammocks on their balconies. Even better, the popular restaurant wins plaudits for its sustainable ethos and excellent homegrown fare.

Welcoming owners and staff provide top tips on where to go and what to see (plus you get detailed advice in the in-room folder), so the hotel tends to be empty during the day - ideal if you're in search of solitude. Honeymooners love the romantic setting and candelit bedrooms, active types enjoy hiking, rafting and snorkelling nearby, and with over 40 bird types in the garden (including 2 endangered species), birders will be in their element.

Highs

• Peaceful hillside setting that offers panoramic views of the Blue Montains and coastline
• Impressive green policy that isn’t just lip-service to the cause: breeze cooled rooms, solar water heating, UV treated drinking water, chlorine free pool
• Extensive gardens with pretty terraces and plenty of room to sit, read, and hide
• Great attention to detail - excellent service and simple things are done well
• Delicious food - try the pawpaw carpaccio, mahi-mahi with sage and coconut milk, or orange custard with wild orange liqueur

Lows

• Mosquito nets are provided, but squeamish types may not like the geckos, mosquitoes, tree frogs and moths (especially at dusk and after rainfall)
• The owners have two large (well-behaved) dogs who follow them around (although they are tied up at meal times) - not to everyone's taste
• It is a 45-minute walk into town along a busy (unlit) road and taxis can take 15-20 minutes to arrive, so it requires advance notice and planning to eat out in the evenings