GoldenEye

Rooms

Rooms are light and airy with driftwood-lined verandas and local wooden furniture, giving a luxurious but relaxed beach-shack feel. There are sunloungers for lazing and some have a hammock.

Our favourite rooms were the cottages on the magically still lagoon, with direct access into the water, and a kayak moored to the private veranda. Beachfront Villas feel slightly less private but you wake up to sunrise over the ocean; unbeatable. Bigger villas have space for 4-5 guests, and a kitchenette for whipping up snacks.

Superstars should book The Fleming Villa. This exclusive rental comes with serious VIP treatment: private chef, butlers, barmen, a private pool and a private beach. It sleeps 10, should you have an entourage.

Since our visit, a variety of Beach Huts have been added. Painted in rainbow shades with private verandas and wet rooms, they are simpler than the other options, but just as charming.

Super-comfy kingsize beds are wrapped in crisp, white linens, which are offset by brightly patterned bedspreads. Clawfoot bathtubs up the romance factor and you get a host of cool treats: a hipflask of rum, an Apple TV, a stack of reggae CDs.

Features include:

• Bathrobes
• Hairdryer
• Iron
• Minibar
• Safe box
• WiFi

Eating

Food is a mix of local and international influences, much of it grown at their organic farm, Pantrepant. (Just watch out for those Scotch Bonnet peppers!)

Breakfast and lunch are served at the funky Bizot Bar, whose walls are decorated with album covers of Island Record stars. There's a lot of choice on offer, from ackee and saltfish, to fried eggs and bacon, pancakes or waffles. Lunch is similarly expansive; we loved the jerk chicken salad and super-fresh seared snapper.

Dinner is served in Gazebo, which sits like a treehouse above the swimming pool, which has dramatic under-water lighting. As you'd expect, standards are very high, and our coconut-crusted shrimp, Black Angus beef tenderloin and Blackwell Rum banana flambé were all amazing. Meals can also be served on your private deck or in your room on request.

The Beach Huts centre around the Shabeen bar, with rooftop lounge and games room. It's just steps away from Snorkeler's Cove, perfect for post-swim refreshments.

Delicious cocktails are encouraged at all times of the day, with Blackwell Rum (created by GoldenEye's owner Chris Blackwell) heavily featured. If you prefer to go soft, fresh coconut water is a must when in Jamaica.

Features include:

• Bar
• Coffee maker
• Kids' meals
• Organic produce
• Restaurant
• Restaurants nearby
• Room service
• Vegetarian options

Activities

• Laze on the white-sand beaches, or go paddle-boarding, kayaking, snorkelling and on glass-bottom boat excursions to see 700+ different species of tropical fish (all complimentary)
  
• A dive shop has been opened by a non-profit organisation on James Bond Beach, where guests can obtain scuba certificates and book onto tours - all proceeds fund marine conservation
  
• Deep-sea fishing and jet-ski tours are also available
  
• The FieldSpa offers blissful treatments with homegrown elixirs - perhaps a warming ginger and pimenta massage or lemongrass Bush Bath
  
• Meditation and yoga are on offer, too, and there's a daily morning group run
  
• Go for a bike ride around the local village
  
• Tackle Dunn's River Falls, a famous Jamaican waterfall, which you can climb with help of experienced guides
  
• Watch turtles hatching and being released into the sea with conservationist Mel Tennant. Unmissable!
  
• Take a picnic up to Noel Coward's house, Firefly, high on a hill with an amazing view of the harbour
  
• We enjoyed vibrant Kingston, where you can see the birthplace of Bob Marley and view local art at the National Gallery

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Birdwatching
• Boat trips
• Cycling
• Fishing
• Golf
• Historical sites
• Kayaking
• Museums / galleries
• Plantlife / flora
• Scuba diving
• Shopping / markets
• Snorkelling
• Swimming
• Tennis
• Wildlife
• Yoga

Kids

Although peace is the overriding vibe, well-behaved children are warmly welcomed. The number of young 'uns staying at one time is monitored to ensure there are not too many at once. There are 58 acres of gardens, woods, lagoons, caves and beaches for kids to explore, and in general the resort feels very safe. Babysitting can be arranged and there is baby equipment to borrow. Teenagers will love it here.

Best for:

All ages

Family friendly accommodation:

The Beach Villas are the best for families with little kids; older ones may prefer the lagoon, with the novelty factor of the kayaks. Both Beach and Lagoon Villas offer 2-bedroom options (a double and a twin), and each can fit extra beds or baby cots too, as can the 1-bedroom versions. All accommodation has a kitchenette, except the Lagoon Cottages. A larger family party may want to book The Fleming Villa which sleeps 10

Cots Available, Extra Beds Available, Family Rooms

Distances:

• Airport: Ian Fleming (10 minutes)
• Hospital: 35 minutes' drive
• Shop: 5 minutes' walk

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

GoldenEye sits on a bluff facing the Caribbean Sea in the quiet village of Oracabessa on Jamaica’s north coast.

By Air:
Ian Fleming International Airport is a small airport 5km from the hotel, which receives regular American Airlines flights from the States (non-US travellers can connect in Miami) and hopper flights from Montego Bay.

Most people fly into Sangster International Airport (102km) at Montego Bay or Norman Manley International Airport (106km) at Kingston. Click on the links below for a list of airlines.

From the Airport
If you just plan on taking it easy once you're here, ask the hotel for a transfer (1.5 hours from Montego Bay; 2 hours from Kingston). For car hire, see our car rental recommendations.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.

More on getting to Jamaica and getting around