Submitted by: Walter Birminham, Los Angeles, March 1, 2005

My wife and I have just returned from our stay at the Hotel Mocking Bird Hill and words cannot do justice to the special place that Barbara and Shireen have created. We were originally drawn to their hotel due to their focus on the environment and giving back to the local community, plus catering to vegetarians (my wife is vegetarian, I am vegan). We were there for our 1 year wedding anniversary and I don't think it would have been possible for us to choose a more special place to celebrate our first year together. There are so many wonderful memories and this is due in large part to Shireen, Barbara and their professional and friendly staff (Clyve, Opal and Moira in particular). From the moment we arrived until the time we left, we felt well taken care of and treated like family. The cocktail hour on the veranda with rainforest, mountain and ocean views while listening to the nightlife is especially memorable. And the food! Our meals were varied and flavorful, made with local island produce freshly procurred daily. Kudos to the chef! For breakfast, I would recommend forgoing typical breakfast food such as eggs and muesli and asking for the more traditional Jamaican breakfast that I had; calaloo (a kale-like vegetable) cooked with onions, peppers and other tasty things; dumplings and fried plantains. As for the dinners... WOW! The chef overachieved the vegetarian/vegan meals that were prepared for us. I wish the restaurant was local to us here in Los Angeles. I would definitely go often! As for things to do in the Port Antonio area, we were there for 6 days and it was not enough. Our tours were organized through the hotel and performed by Wayne, Janet and Lorenzo of Atrractions Link Limited. The tours were varied and diverse and Wayne is full of lively stories of the island's history as well as his own experiences as a cyclist in the 1984 Olympics. We went on tours of Reach Falls (you hike/swim up and down a stream) with a local to guide you and can even jump off a 10 meter or so cliff into a pool of water at the end! Lots of fun! We also hung out on the beaches at Long Bay and Frenchman's Cove. Beautiful warm water and soft sand at both locales. It's nice to laze on the beach and drink Red Stripes (the local beer). We went on a hike in the Blue Mountains led by Shawn (another local Jamaican) who was very energetic in sharing his extensive knowledge of the local flora and fauna. We ate fresh gauva, cocoa, rhubarb and grapefruit along the way while getting a botany education! I was struck by the diversity of plant life on the island. At the end of this hike, his father took us on a bamboo raft ride down the Rio Grande river. Quite relaxing and beautiful! The next day was a ride up into the Blue Mountains with a tour of a family owned coffee plantation that has sustainability in mind (all organic and shade grown). I'm not a coffee drinker but it sure was tasty... and STRONG! We continue on from there to a national park for a short hike, lunch and a view of Kingston far below. On another day we toured an the Nonsuch caves. A short tour, but worth it. I enjoyed the bats, my wife a little less so! Plus the views of Port Antonio and the ocean from there are worth the trip. We also went to the Blue Lagoon. A little too commercial for me, but still a nice place to have a drink and laze in the sun on a pontoon platform in the middle of the lagoon (no sand to lie on here). We spent only one half day at the hotel and used it to walk the grounds (paths lead off into the woods surrounding the hotel) and to swim in the pool. My wife and I love animals and there are a fair number of cats and dogs that befriended us while we were there. If you do go to Jamaica, I would recommend avoiding the all-inclusives on the more developed west side of the island at Negril and Montego Bay and stay at Hotel Mocking Bird Hill on the less developed east side near Port Antonio. It is much more relaxing, and I think you will get a much richer experience by interacting with the locals and not large numbers of tourists. It is rare to find a locale that places such a premium on treating guests to such personalized care while also focusing on treading lightly on the environment and giving back to the community. My only regret from our trip is that we did not stay longer. We hope to someday go back to Jamaica and Hotel Mocking Bird Hill.

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