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Style: A charming contemporary Caribbean vacation villa with light and cheerful interiors, good furnishing and good outdoor living areas. Ideal for a relaxed family holiday by the sea
The Beach: Seafront setting on cliff edge, with 40 steps leading down to a platform with a sea entry for swimming and snorkelling – no sandy beach
The Rooms: 4 bedrooms in the main house and a 1 bedroom cottage, all with en suite bathrooms
Key features: A private villa in a superb Jamaica garden, elevated sea views, swimming pool (15 x 30ft), satellite TV, DVD, VCR, CD player, sea kayaks, snorkelling equipment, sea grotto terrace, waterfront terrace, swimming platform with sea slide, poolside dining pavilion with working fireplace.
Children: Welcome. Due to Lime Tree’s cliffside location, a nanny is required for children under 6
Staff: Cook, housekeeper, laundress and gardener |
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Description
Lime Tree is a delightful five-bedroom Jamaican property set in well-established, park-like gardens right on the seafront to the east of Ocho Rios. Actually it is two houses, a main villa set over two storeys and a separate one-bedroom cottage. Together they are one of a number of holiday homes located in Hermosa, a small and fairly affluent neighbourhood on the outskirts of Ocho Rios. A gated entrance leads down a small avenue of royal palms, which are flanked by immaculate lawns and a wonderful array of planting. Then you arrive at the house, which is set beneath a grove of mature trees. Lime Tree has quite a grand feel as well as a few pleasant surprises. It has several unique features and it is a good all-round choice for families, couples or a group of friends looking for a comfortable and relaxed Caribbean vacation villa within easy reach of a lively town.
The house itself is a charming home. It has a cheerful, fresh-feeling décor that has been created by using all-white walls, white ceilings with exposed roof timbers, off-white floor tiles (with the exception of the beautiful polished hardwood floors in the upper bedrooms) and fine white drapes to complete the effect. The only room with any significant injection of colour is the centrally located sitting room, which has a mix of large yellow upholstered and rattan seating with pale blue and green checked covers, plus the only non white doors in the villa, a run of arched French doors and window shutters in green. In-house entertainment is provided here by cable TV, VCR and DVD, plus a CD player. Like the other rooms in the house, the walls are decorated with original Jamaican artwork. Next to the sitting room is a small breakfast room, which adjoins the kitchen.
Outside, a spacious covered veranda looks out to the sea horizon. This has a sitting area, with comfortable, chunky Jamaican bamboo seating and a lovely, hand carved, antique swing seat from Indonesia. Just off the veranda is an area of lawn, where a number of wedding ceremonies have taken place over the years. Set beneath two large trees, it is an ideal shady spot. The veranda also has a sheltered dining area, where lunch and casual meals can be taken overlooking the swimming pool. Alternatively meals can be served out on the pool terrace, overlooking the ocean. The swimming pool is set just beyond the veranda. It is surrounded by a paved sun terrace and enclosed along the sea frontage, again giving fabulous views.
Beyond the pool is one of Lime Trees’ recent additions, a formal dining pavilion known as the ”Fire House”. With walls built from local river rock, almost in the manner of a dry stone wall, it is open-fronted onto the pool and so it provides a lovely setting for dinner. Its other unique feature (and the reason for the name, of course) is the large working fireplace. This is used at night mainly for the ambiance, but particularly in the winter when the evening air can have a slight chill. Below the pool terrace, a flight of stone steps (40 right to the bottom) are cut into the cliff. These lead first of all to a mid-level sea grotto, which has been built into the rock and is enclosed by a low wall and pillars that frame the view of the sea. It is lit at night and used for cocktails before dinner. The steps continue past the grotto, down to a jetty on the water’s edge which can be used as a small sundeck and swimming platform. Steps and a ladder give access to the sea, though you can also opt for the slide. This is a good area for snorkelling as it is mostly coral and rock below. The jetty is also good for fishing and kayaking (the villa has sea kayaks).
There are five bedrooms at Lime Tree and they are furnished with large chunky Jamaican bamboo beds. They are all air-conditioned and four also have ceiling fans. Two of the bedrooms are located to the side of the sitting room and these have French doors giving onto the veranda. The first has a king size bed and en suite bathroom with tub/shower and the end bedroom has a queen size bed and shower only. This can be accessed either via the first bedroom or via the veranda from outside.
Upstairs, which is accessed via a lockable gate, is a cosy loft bedroom, which is set at the rear overlooking the drive. It has a queen size and a single bed and an en suite bathroom with a shower only. Across the landing, facing the ocean, is the master bedroom, which has a king size, antique four poster, a sitting area with cable TV, a large bathroom with tub/shower and a huge roof terrace. This is furnished with a couple of sun loungers, chairs and an umbrella.
The fifth bedroom is located in a separate cottage on the east side of the main house, next to the veranda. This has a furnished terrace with two sun loungers and a small table with chairs. The terrace gives into a large bedroom with three twin beds, two which can be pushed together to make a king. The en suite bathroom has a large, tiled, walk-in shower. |
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Beach & Swimming
Lime Tree is located on the edge of a sea cliff. It does not have any beach frontage but it does have access to the sea through a winding set of forty steps that lead from the enclosed pool terrace and garden, down past the grotto terrace, to a small sea platform. This is used for sun bathing and as access into the sea. There are wooden steps that enter the sea at an angle and also a regular step ladder. There is also a sea slide which shoots into a section of water where the bottom is sandy. The sea bed in this area is mostly coral reef or rocks, so it is excellent for snorkelling, however it is probably more suited to experienced and strong swimmers because the current can get up. There are two sea kayaks and snorkelling equipment is provided for guest use. The platform is also a good spot for fishing.
Lime Tree has an average sized, freshwater swimming pool (15ft x 30ft) located next to the veranda, which is very much the focal point of the villa. The pool has entry steps in one corner of the shallow end and a ladder at the deep end. It is surrounded by a paved sun terrace built up to the edge of the cliff side. The terrace is enclosed by wrought iron fencing, which continues along the entire front of the property (though note that the pool cannot be closed off from the rest of the villa and therefore completely child-safe). On the far side of the pool is a lovely dining pavilion called the Fire House, complete with a working fireplace for winter nights. |
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Sports & Recreation
The nearest golf course is Sandals Golf & Country Club, which is about 10 minutes away. This is an 18 hole, 72 par, 6311 yard course located in the hills behind the town. Established in 1951, it was formerly known as the Upton Golf Course. The nearest stables for riding are at Prospect Plantation, which is around 10 minutes away by car. Prospect is actually a 900 acre working estate which is open to the public as a tourist attraction. It has guide-led rides. The nearby White River Valley, a 300 acre park, also includes horse-riding in its activities. Further afield, both riding and polo are available at Chukka Cove in Laughlands, about 30 minutes away by car, and at St Ann Polo Club and Equestrian Centre in Drax Hall, which is approximately 25 minutes away. |
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Locality
Lime Tree is located within leafy Hermosa, a small and pleasant residential neighbourhood on the eastern outskirts of Ocho Rios. It is one of a number of similar holiday homes which are tucked away down a rather rough access road. Hermosa is within easy reach of the town’s amenities, and is within walking distance of the Pineapple Place Shopping Centre. This was one of the town’s first duty free shopping plazas. It has now been superseded by much bigger and busier malls, but it does have a small crafts market which is still popular. Ocho Rios, which is just a few minutes drive away, is the second largest resort town on the north coast behind Montego Bay. It is Jamaica’s busiest port of call for cruise ships and has developed its shopping to suit, with a host of downtown shopping centres, craft markets, a themed Caribbean retail village and duty free outlets. It also has some good restaurants and a bit of night life. The town sits on an attractive bay with a sweep of white sand, with a back-drop of lush, forested hills. The most famous attraction in the Ocho Rios area is Dunn’s River Falls, where you can climb the 600ft of falls into a nature park. It is next door to the dolphin attraction at Dolphin Cove and about 15-20 minutes drive from the villa.
Ocho Rios is located in the parish of St Ann, which is often referred to as the Garden Parish because of its fertility. There are plenty of attractions and activities for nature lovers and those keen on the outdoors. They include botanical gardens, nature parks, a fishing park, Fern Gully, White River for bamboo or white water rafting, plantation tours, a forest canopy tour, several stables for horse riding or even polo, scuba diving, a golf course and downhill mountain biking. Watersports are available on Turtle Beach in Ocho Rios and at James Bond Beach in Oracabessa (about 20-30 minutes by car). Those interested in art will enjoy the Harmony Hall Gallery, which also has a very good restaurant called Toscanini’s, and if you like pottery you can visit the Wassi Art Pottery.
Should you wish to visit a supermarket, the General Food Supermarket is in Ocean Village Shopping Centre on Main Street in Ocho Rios. It is well stocked with both local and imported goods. You can of course get all your food shopping done for you. |
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Useful Hints
Lime Tree has a cook and so it is expected that you will require initial food and drink supplies to be bought for your arrival, so that a welcome meal can be prepared. You should ask your travel organiser or the villa agent (if booking direct) for a list and ensure that any particular requirements are noted. There is an average budget of US$30 per adult and US$20 per child, per day for provisioning the villa. This includes a basic drinks package of rum, wine and beer and a standard menu. It will not cover extras such as lobster or imported steak, which vary according to market prices. The shopping for the rest of your stay can be done by your cook once you have liaised with them locally. When you are doing this you will receive the bill for the initial provisioning plus the costs for transport, which should be paid in cash either to the cook or - if an account has been set up - at the local grocery store. If you require the cook to take care of your shopping, you will need to provide funds for all subsequent shopping as well as transport costs. You may opt to go with them on the first trip.
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% in summer as tips. You will be expected to pay this directly to the staff before you leave, dividing the amount according to staff seniority and the level of service received. Normally the largest portion goes to the cook and the butler.
Your villa’s laundress will attend to your personal laundry (excluding dry clean items). If laundry is handed over in the morning, it is usually ready later that same afternoon, or the following morning.
Those who are highly allergic to animals should note that Lime Tree has pet dogs. They can be kept locked up during the day, but they will be allowed to roam at night for security.
Children:
Please note that due to the Lime Tree’s cliffside location, you will be required to hire a nanny to supervise any children under the age of 6 years. This costs around US $20 per day.
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 attract a guest surcharge if the number of people attending the ceremony exceeds the villa’s maximum occupancy. This fee at Lime Tree is currently US$15 per person. Also note that it is normally a requirement for the services of an outside catering company to be arranged if numbers exceed the maximum villa occupancy by more than one or two guests. The maximum number of guests for weddings or functions at Lime Tree is 20. There is a damage deposit of US $1000 for weddings. |
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Rates
| | 16 Apr- 14 Dec 2010 | Thanks- giving 2010 & 2011 | Christmas/ New Year 2010 | 14 Dec- 15 Apr 2010-11 | 16 Apr- 14 Dec 2011 | | Lime Tree 1-8 guests 9-10 guests | 5,500 6,000 | 6,000 6,000 | 12,000 12,000 | 7,500 8,000 | 5,500 6,000 | Rates are quoted in US$ per night and are subject to 7.5% VAT. Minimum stay 7 nights. All rates are subject to change without notice. Minimum stay over the Christmas & New Year period is 14 nights and a 50% deposit is required to secure a reservation. |
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How To Book
If you wish to book direct, bookings should be made through the villa agent, Prendergast Villas. To confirm a reservation you must send a deposit of 30% of the total rental fee (50% for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year). Payment of the remaining 70% is required 60 days prior to your arrival (90 days for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year). If you are booking within 60 days of your arrival, full payment must be made to secure the booking. Cancellations 60 days (90 days for Christmas/New Year) prior to arrival incur a 10% charge and within 60 days (90 for Christmas/New Year) payments are non-refundable, unless the villa is rebooked for the same period. All cancellations incur a minimum 10% service charge. A US$500 security deposit may be requested against damage to the villa or contents during your stay. It is refundable on your return home if no damage occurs during your stay. You may contact Prendergast Villas by using the DIRECT EMAIL ENQUIRIES facility at the top of this page, or if you wish to telephone them, please click on TELEPHONE CONTACT to reveal the number. |
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Airport Meet & Greet
If you are booking direct, you can make arrangements for the villa agent to send a driver to meet you at the airport, which is then pre-paid with the balance for the villa. Your airport transfer from Montego Bay will take approximately 2 hours. Alternatively, if you would prefer to be taken care of from the minute you arrive at the airport, with a range of services that can include stretch limousine transfers and a personal Concierge Service, this is offered by Glamour DMC.
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.
Note that Boscobel Aerodrome is located nine miles east Ocho Rios, just outside Oracabessa. It has domestic charter services from Montego Bay (about 25 minutes) and from Tinson Pen Airport in Kingston (15 minutes). Boscobel operates in daylight hours only. |
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Getting Around
A hired car is strongly recommended for all private villa holidays. A vehicle gives you an added element of freedom and will be useful if you want to dine out in the evenings, visit the sights or go shopping. If you are booking direct or through a tour operator, you can organise your car hire at the same time as booking your accommodation. Ask for your vehicle to be delivered to the property approximately five hours after your scheduled time of arrival on Jamaica or the following morning (there is a delivery fee). Vehicles can be returned at the airport or be collected from the property at a pre-arranged time on your departure day. |
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