Previous to formally opening to the general public as one of many first lodges on Negril, Jamaica’s West Finish, in 1974, the Rockhouse property was already a silver display staple. Papillon, 20,000 Leagues Below the Sea, and the once-lost-to-time No Place Like Dwelling every featured its jagged coast and watery caves. Paul Salmon and his companions would buy and set about increasing the lodging in 1994. Since then Rockhouse has grown to incorporate a basis—began in 2004, primarily based on its dedication to energetic neighborhood engagement—that has partnered with six colleges within the space and the Negril Neighborhood Library. Right here, Peter Jon Lindberg, editor in chief of Additional Journal, captures the visitor expertise of the lodge in his personal firsthand account.
Rockhouse: The Guide is now out there.
The primary time I noticed that view I laughed out loud. It was, in a phrase, ridiculous – like getting into somebody’s absurdly oversaturated screensaver. Pristine Cove glittered earlier than us within the noon solar, framed by essentially the most completely shaped limestone cliffs, with siren-red ladders descending into glowing blue inexperienced water. Vincent’s glass-bottom boat bobbed simply offshore, circled by a trio of snorkelers. Nilou and I stood there for a full minute, grinning on the loopy of all of it. All we may assume was: Are you %$#@ing kidding me?
Our first go to was in 2002, over Valentine’s Day. Our good friend Ellen had beneficial — no, urged us to go. “It’s my favourite place,” she mentioned. “Belief me: you’ll find it irresistible.” She was proper. From our first laughable glimpse of Pristine Cove, Nilou and I have been all in. We’d booked simply six nights at Rockhouse, however by checkout we have been so deeply relaxed it felt like a full month had handed.
I had an ulterior motive on that first journey: after two years of courting, I deliberate to suggest to Nilou. I’d hidden my grandmother’s ring on the backside of my dopp equipment, among the many bug spray and SPF, and was decided to choose not simply the proper second, but additionally simply the proper spot.
Dinner on Vincent’s deck.By Michael Condran.
On Day 2, within the quiet calm after one other mesmeric West Finish sundown, I lastly acquired up the nerve. Situations have been excellent. Frigatebirds circled a sky streaked with gold. The pool bar had principally emptied out, save for a dozen hangers-on, and we have been alone on the cliff’s edge, gazing out on the sea. I used to be about to pop the query once we heard a hair-raising shriek. “OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGOD!!!”
On the far finish of the pool, a girl was flailing within the water, squealing and splashing frantically as her boyfriend regarded on. For a second we thought she was drowning, till we noticed her left hand, waving triumphantly within the air, sporting an unlimited diamond ring. “WE JUST GOT ENGAGED!!!!” she shouted to everybody inside earshot. A cheer rose from the pool bar; rounds of cocktails have been ordered. And for the second time that week, I believed to myself: Are you %$#@ing kidding me??
For sure, I wasn’t going second. After being unceremoniously scooped I principally wished to go to mattress. I finally gave up on my Jamaican proposal and waited till we have been again in New York. (Nilou mentioned sure, by the way in which.)
And wherever else, it would’ve ruined my complete journey. However Rockhouse doesn’t let a thwarted marriage proposal stand in the way in which of a wonderfully good vacation. And regardless of my inclination to sulk and scowl at our newly betrothed neighbors, we ended up having a blissful week.
How may we not? That was the week we sat three stools over from Lee Scratch Perry on the Rockhouse bar, quietly freaking out whereas he held forth on God is aware of what. The week we noticed porpoises – porpoises! – leaping within the surf simply yards from our chaises. The week we swooned to the mellifluous harmonies of a mento band, straight out of Nineteen Fifties Kingston, singing nightly on the bar. We found the revelation of a correct Jamaican breakfast full with ackee, saltfish, pageant, bammy, buttery callaloo, and velvety Blue Mountain espresso. We rented snorkel masks and fins and discovered that the one factor higher than the view throughout Pristine Cove was the view beneath Pristine Cove: a parallel universe the place we spent most of our mornings, questioning if perhaps breakfast had been spiked with hallucinogens.
As a lot as we adored the place that first go to in 2002, we by no means imagined Rockhouse would turn into “our” place, the one we’d return to yearly. Hell, we weren’t positive we even wished that. Who goes again to the identical resort over and time and again? There was a lot extra to see and do, so many different somewheres! Nilou and I have been in our early 30s then, and each working at Journey + Leisure – going to new locations was actually our job. Journey, we informed ourselves, was in regards to the unfamiliar, the untrammeled, the passport stuffed with stamps.
What we didn’t account for was the potential for falling head over heels for this curious little outpost by the ocean – in a home, on a rock, in a bay, on a reef, on an island, in Jamaica. Returning? After our second go to, lower than a 12 months later, it was now not a query. It was settled: Rockhouse was our spot. We have been collectively for the foreseeable future. Now it’s 22 years later, and we’ve been coming right here lengthy sufficient to recollect when Pushcart was nonetheless Pirate’s Cave.
When the natural backyard throughout the highway was only a barren discipline. We have been right here earlier than the Ocean View Suites, earlier than the Premium Villas, earlier than the gymnasium, even earlier than the spa.
By Michael Condran.
