Coyaba Beach Resort & Club

In Depth

As you arrive at Coyaba, which is just fifteen minutes from the airport at Montego Bay, you pass through wrought iron gates and under a porte cochere before stepping between white classical columns into a formal-looking foyer. It is set with a marble floor, has stained panelling on the walls, hardwood fittings and reproduction antique furniture. An air of classic Jamaica, even of a stateside club, surrounds you. Reception is on your left and there are some cane armchairs on your right. Just beyond these is the bar, also made of stained wood and set with brass fittings.

First impressions make Coyaba appear quite metropolitan and it is a theme that continues through certain parts of the hotel. The bedrooms have an updated Jamaican colonial style and the main dining room beyond the bar also has a certain plantation style. But this traditional theme belies the other key character of Coyaba, which is that it is a friendly beachfront hotel with good facilities in a pretty tropical setting.

The main restaurant, off the foyer, is called The Vineyard. It has an air-conditioned section, the Plantation Room, with stained wooden doors and a line of arched, rounded windows sometimes closed with louvers. Patterned tiles are set into the floor, there is plenty of greenery standing in urns and the ceiling has hefty exposed timber beams. It looks particularly pretty at night when the white tablecloths and candles in bell jars are out. The Vineyard is mostly covered – but as well as the inside section there are tables out in the small courtyard, where hanging vines give it an almost Mediterranean feel.

The main part of the hotel is actually straight through the foyer. You re-emerge outside, in the gardens, where two of the blocks of rooms stand right ahead of you, beyond a round ornamental pond (there are also rooms in the main block with the foyer and restaurant). The two buildings each have 18 bedrooms, which face the beach, over their three storeys and they are surrounded by flowering bushes, palms and travellers’ trees.

The rooms and suites (about half are suites) are large and they continue the theme of classic old colonial refinement, with hardwood furniture and fittings and classic prints of Caribbean maps, palms and Caribbean birds on the walls. The beds have polished mahogany headboards and there is an armoire, a desk and wicker armchairs. The suites have an alcove with a sofa set into it. Curtains and bedspreads are made with an understated tropical floral pattern. There are lamps in the shape of wrought metal palms. Bathrooms are marble with a granite top and a shower over the bath. All the rooms are air-conditioned and have a balcony or ground floor patio (many of which overlook the beach area at the front).

The beach lies straight ahead and then stretches off to the right of the resort. Loungers sit on the bright white sand, which gives into a shallow, reef-protected sea of jade and aquamarine. Behind the beach, thatched parasols are set under the palm trees and among them is a deck that leads back into a gazebo (which is often used for weddings) and then beyond that the tennis court. Back on the waterfront is one of the most charming features of the hotel, a boardwalk pier which points out into the sea. At the end of it is a covered area which makes a good place to sit and enjoy a book, a massage or to take a drink at sunset.

To the left of the pier, back on land, is the swimming pool, which is surrounded by a deck and is part screened by some palms. Next to it is a Jacuzzi on one side and the beach restaurant, the Docks, at another. This is the daytime dining room (it opens for lunch and until 6pm). Set right on the waterfront, it is open-sided, its shingle roof supported on white pillars, and it is surrounded by tables set under awnings and parasols. It is brightly coloured inside, with a mosaic bar and walls covered with paintings of tropical fish. It is less formal than the Vineyard and has more the feel of a beach bar.

There is actually a third dining room at Coyaba, upstairs in the main building where you find the foyer, behind The Vineyard. The Polo Grounds is mainly a bar, but in the evenings it offers a simpler, pub-style menu in case you don’t want a formal meal at The Vineyard. The classic, formal style of the hotel continues in the panelling on the walls, leather stools, sofas and armchairs. The theme of polo also is clearly evident in the pictures and mallets hanging on the walls.

Downstairs, outside the Polo Grounds and tucked behind the tennis court is a children’s playground with a slide and swings (Coyaba is happy to take children and has some facilities for them). And for those who would prefer to spend a little time away from children there is a small spa in the opposite corner of the hotel. Massage and some beauty treatments are on offer in the three treatment rooms. Next door is a gym.

Coyaba fits its brief as one of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World. It is laid out on just over four acres, so it is not large, but it has a nice feel and there are corners where you can hide away. It is a modern hotel (it was built in 1995), and there is a certain formality in the way that the hotel is furnished and decorated. But the hotel also has its own strong beachfront character too. Coyaba is a small and friendly family-operated resort on the beach.

Beach & Swimming

Coyaba is set on 150 yards of bright white sand. It is quite narrow sometimes, but very pretty because the sea is the colour of jade and aquamarine. The sand gives onto what is almost a lagoon - a reef 150 yards offshore makes the swimming very well protected. The beach has thatched umbrellas and there are hammocks hanging beneath the palms.

The pool sits just behind the waterfront next to the Docks beach restaurant. It is large at 40ft by 25ft and it is surrounded by a deck with loungers and partly screened by palms. A Jacuzzi is situated next to it.

Sports & Recreation

Coyaba offers a number of (non-motorized) watersports free of charge to its guests, including small sailboats, kayaks, a pedalo, snorkelling equipment and floats. There is a laykold tennis court at the hotel, which is free to guests. It can be lit for night play (at minimal charge) and a free tennis clinic is held for two hours each afternoon (4-6pm, except Sundays).

There is a dedicated spa building at the rear of the hotel where massage, body scrubs and beauty treatments are available. It is also possible to take the treatments elsewhere in the resort, including in your room, the gazebo just behind the beach and out on the pier. Next to the spa building is a gym, in which there is a variety of machines including treadmills, bikes and rowing machines, step machine and weights machine.

There are several golf courses in the immediate area. Right opposite the hotel is the Ironshore course (par 72, 6615 yards) and a short drive down the coast are the Half Moon course (par 72, 7,119 yards), the White Witch (par 71, 6,718 yards) and Cinnamon Hill (par 71, 6,637 yards). Scuba diving and horse-riding are also easily arranged. The closest stables are at Half Moon. Coyaba runs a shuttle three times a week that will take you to downtown Montego Bay.

Staff

The Resident Manager of Coyaba is Alex Kong. The owners of the hotel, who live on property, are the Robertson family.

The Rooms

The fifty deluxe rooms and suites at Coyaba are set in three three-storey blocks, two of which look over the waterfront and beach. The rooms are large and well decorated, in keeping with the refined, partly old colonial theme of the hotel. They have light walls and the material in the bedspreads and curtains has subdued and classic prints of tropical flora. The furniture is reproduction antique, some of it made of polished hardwood. There are glass-topped coffee tables, mahogany headboards and armoires (which contain the satellite TV and VCR). The suites have extra space, which includes an alcove in which there is a sofa, and all rooms have some outside space, a balcony or patio, some of which look over the sea. The bathrooms are laid with marble and have a granite vanity.

Dining

There are three restaurants at Coyaba, two in the main building which operate in the evenings and one set on the waterfront which is open during the day. The cuisine is overseen by Chef Olivier Oertel from Germany, who has won prizes around the Caribbean. Room service is also available, as are childrens menus.

The formal dining room is The Vineyard, which has white tablecloth service. It is modern and comfortable, and its outside section has a slightly more Mediterranean feel about it than the old colonial theme of the rest of the resort. Breakfast is served here (also in the outside section) and then dinner in the evenings when the cuisine is a sophisticated mix of international and Caribbean fare from a menu that changes each day.

Upstairs is the Polo Grounds, which is a cross between a bar and a restaurant. The room has a certain air of an English pub or club, with dark stained wooden panelling, armchairs and polo memorabilia. It has a simpler menu, with fish and chips and burgers and opens from 6pm when the Docks closes.

The Docks, which is set on the shore at the front of the resort, is open during the daytime, from midday until six. It has a very pretty setting, and its covered dining area opens onto a deck right on the waters edge, where tables are set under an awning and parasols. The dining room is brightly decorated, with murals of sea life and bright blue lamps and tablecloths. The Docks serves light fare including salads and fish dishes. Two themed nights are also held here in the evenings. Seafood Night has local seafood served in different forms and then on Native Night you will be able to taste many Jamaican dishes.

Weddings

Coyaba is an attractive setting for a wedding. The hotel has a wedding package to start you off, but they are happy to tailor-make it if you wish, with the help of their two wedding co-ordinators, Gabi Sander and Sonia Stevens. They are careful not to have more than one wedding over a weekend so that their attention is undivided.

A Wedding Package is available from US$875 including tax and service and includes a marriage officer, all certificates and licenses, tropical bridal bouquet and boutonniere, 36 pictures (hi-res on CD), two-tiered wedding cake, live calypso serenade plus a bottle of champagne and private candlelit dinner for two on wedding night, and special Coyaba wedding gift.

Children

Coyaba welcomes children and has some facilities for them. There is a playground at the rear of the hotel with a slide, swings and a climbing frame and there are some toys for children on the beach. They have cots and high chairs for dinner time. There is no formal drop-off for the full day, but the hotel can offer a nanny and baby-sitting service (at extra cost). They also have childrens films and a childrens menu in the restaurants.

Practical Facts

Annual Closure Dates: open year round

Dress Code: smart casual with the following requirements in the restaurants/bars: The Vineyard - no bathing suits or tank tops, plus long pants/trousers for men at night. Docks Bar & Grill beach cover-ups for skimpy bathing suits. The Polo Grounds no bathing suits or tank tops but shorts are allowed.

Facilities: Swimming pool (40ft x 25ft) and a Jacuzzi hot tub (12ft diameter). 3 restaurants and 3 bars. Floodlit laykold tennis court. Air-conditioned fitness room. Childrens playground. Spa with air-conditioned treatment rooms and seaside gazebo. Non-motorised watersports. Pool table, table tennis, board games, dart board, basketball hoop and video rental library. Conference room. Small gift shop.

Complimentary: Welcome basket. Daily afternoon tea and sunset cocktail. Weekly managers cocktail party. Non-motorised watersports: Hobie Cat, kayaks, pedal boat, windsurfer, snorkelling equipment and pool/beach floats. Use of fitness room, table tennis, pool table, board games, darts and basketball hoop. Day time tennis and tennis clinic 4-6pm from Mon-Sat. Nightly entertainment.

Other Services: Room Service. Tour Desk for island excursions and sporting activities. Preferred tea times and discounted rates at nearby golf courses. Meeting planner. DSL high speed internet access available (extra charge). Shopping shuttle to Montego Bay three times weekly (extra charge). Laundry service (extra charge).

Children: Welcome year round except during the period 23 Dec-04 Jan when the minimum age is 12 years. Up to 2 children under 12 years of age stay free (room only basis) when sharing room with parents. Children under 12 years receive a 50% discount off meal plans. Childrens menu available. Nanny and babysitting services available (extra charge). Childrens playground, pool and beach floats, video rental library and Aqua-view kick boards. Cribs available (no charge).

Weddings: A wedding package is available at a cost of US$875.

Accommodation: 50 rooms

Rooms: All rooms are air-conditioned, have ceiling fans, feature en suite bathroom with tub/shower, balcony with table & 2 chairs, coffee/tea making facilities, satellite TV and VCR, telephone, CD clock radio, hairdryer, a safe, iron and ironing board. Rooms are located on 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors. 8 x Garden Deluxe Rooms (500 sq ft) with two double beds or a king-size bed. 9 x Garden Deluxe Junior Suites (575 sq ft) with mini fridge, a sitting area with sofa bed and either a queen or king-size bed. 12 x Ocean Deluxe Rooms (500 sq ft) with two double beds. 21 x Junior Ocean Suites (575 sq ft) with mini refrigerator, a sitting area with sofa bed and a king-size bed. Maximum occupancy either 3 adults or 2 adults and 2 children under 12yrs. Connecting rooms available.

Credit Cards: Visa, MasterCard and American Express

Locality

Coyaba Resort is located in the area of Ironshore just to the east of the city of Montego Bay, Jamaicas second town and one of the islands major tourist heartlands. It takes about 20 minutes to get into town (Coyaba runs a shuttle three times a week). En route, at Coral Gardens, you will find Scotchies, which many people consider the undisputed hotspot for roadside jerk fare. There are a couple of shopping centres on the way in, first the Blue Diamond Shopping Centre very close by, which has a supermarket, and then the Holiday Village Shopping Centre, where you will find a selection of souvenir, craft and duty free shops.

In the downtown area of Montego Bay there are several craft markets and shopping centres, including duty free outlets. On the northern edge of the town is Gloucester Avenue, which calls itself the Hip Strip. Here there are cafes, shops, craft markets and restaurants serving anything from jerk at the Pork Pit to fine cuisine at The Townhouse by the Sea, as well as some lively clubs and bars, including Jimmy Buffetts Margaritaville. The best beach in the area, Doctors Cave Beach, is also on the strip.

Heading east from Coyaba you will pass the Half Moon hotel, which has its own shopping centre, and then you come to the historic great houses of Rose Hall and eventually Greenwood, which have been restored and give an idea of plantation life in the Eighteenth Century. About 40 minutes away in the same direction is the historic town of Falmouth and beyond there is the Martha Brae River, which is popular for its excellent bamboo rafting trips.

Meet & Greet

The easiest way to get to the hotel is via taxi, which is available at the taxi station at the airport. The journey takes about 15 minutes and costs US$20 (for one to four passengers). Alternatively, if you would prefer to be taken care of from the moment you arrive at the airport, with a range of services that can include limousine transfers and a personal Concierge Service, then this is available through Glamour Tours.

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.

Getting Around

Hiring a car to explore the island of Jamaica, which is exceptionally beautiful, is easily arranged. You can book via your tour operator or direct with the hotel. Vehicles can be returned at the airport or collected from the property at a pre-arranged time on your departure day. If you would like a private driver to take you for a tour (quite a popular way of exploring the island), taxis with qualified guides are readily available through the hotel.