The Caves Hotel
The Caves is the most polarizing small hotel in Jamaica. It sits on the limestone cliffs of Negril's West End, about 80 minutes from Montego Bay, with 12 cottages and a grand villa built over some of the most dramatic sea caves in the Caribbean. There is no sand beach and the cottages strike some guests as charmingly rustic and others as simply dated. What it has instead cannot be copied: cliff diving into deep blue water, snorkeling through the caves, a cocktail in a candlelit cave at the water's edge, and dinner for two inside a grotto. Traveler forums split between guests who call it the most memorable stay of their lives and guests who think it does not justify the price.
Traveler Insights
Pros
- +The cliffside setting over hand-carved sea caves is one of a kind in Jamaica and arguably the whole Caribbean, and the property uses every nook of it, down to a cottage verandah that opens onto the Blue Hole, a natural cave opening to the sea below
- +Cliff diving is built into the stay: the resort's watersports director doubles as its cliff diving expert, jump spots sit at a range of heights over deep water, and it is included in the all-inclusive rate
- +Two private cave dining rooms, Moonbeam and Seastar, serve a five-course dinner for two by candlelight in a cave strewn with bougainvillea petals, one of the most unusual romantic meals in the Caribbean
- +Guided snorkeling around and through the sea caves, plus kayaking and fishing, gives you marine life and an underwater landscape that a beachfront resort simply cannot offer
- +Genuinely all-inclusive: current packages cover all meals and poured drinks, an arrival cocktail, nightly turndown, Wi-Fi and non-motorized watersports, and the Bamboo Terrace bar runs 24 hours
- +The Blackwell Rum Bar is reached by a coral staircase and a wooden footbridge to a candlelit cave at the water's edge, the most memorable nightcap spot on the West End
- +Just 12 cottages plus a grand villa, for guests 16 and older, so the place feels like an eccentric private estate rather than a hotel brand, which fits its Island Outpost and Chris Blackwell roots
- +An Aveda spa set over the sea does treatments in a shaded cabana, a candlelit cave or out in the open, and the Jamaican brown sugar scrub is the house favorite
Cons
- −There is no sand beach. Swimming is mostly off the cliffs by ladder or by jumping, and the only pool is one small saltwater pool, so guests who want to lounge on sand should look along Seven Mile Beach
- −The cottages are small and character-driven, and depending on which one you get, fixtures, decor and plumbing can feel dated for the price
- −Service is inconsistent: some guests describe wonderfully attentive staff while others report slow responses, forgotten requests and meals that did not match the menu
- −The cliffside terrain is hard going for anyone with mobility concerns, with stairs, uneven rock and no accessible routes around the property
- −The food ranges from good to average rather than excellent; the cave dinner setting is magical, but the plate does not always match it
- −The extras add up: a 10 percent service charge, 10 percent government tax and a US$1 per room per night accommodation tax sit on top of the all-inclusive rate, and spa treatments are charged separately
- −Power outages and weak water pressure come up in multiple reviews; the dramatic setting comes with infrastructure that does not always match modern resort expectations
It is a true all-inclusive, which surprises people who assume a boutique hotel this small charges by the drink. Current packages include all meals and poured drinks, nightly turndown, Wi-Fi, non-motorized watersports and cliff diving; on top go a 10 percent service charge, 10 percent government tax and US$1 per room per night accommodation tax. Breakfast is in The Gazebo, an open-air thatched pavilion doing banana pancakes and ackee and saltfish; the Bamboo Terrace is the main dining room with a 24-hour bar under a large painting of Bob Marley; The Sands is the clifftop bar, open to the public with jerk chicken on Wednesday and Saturday nights; and the Moonbeam and Seastar caves host the private five-course dinners. Water time means cliffs, ladders and guided snorkeling, plus one small saltwater pool, a jacuzzi, a sauna and a private hot tub. Cottages have air conditioning, mosquito nets and fans, minibars stocked with local drinks, and in several categories outdoor showers. The Aveda spa runs 9am to 5pm and needs 24 hours' notice.
The Caves draws heavily on honeymooners and milestone anniversaries, and it suits adventurous couples who want stories more than marble bathrooms. Families with kids under 16 cannot stay, and anyone with mobility limits will struggle on the terrain. The usual comparison is Rockhouse, a little further along the West End cliffs: Rockhouse is cheaper and has the more impressive pool, but it is not all-inclusive, so the price gap narrows once you add meals and drinks. Rick's Cafe and the West End restaurant strip are a short ride away, and Seven Mile Beach is minutes away by car when you want sand.
Common Questions
How does The Caves compare to Rockhouse Hotel?
Is The Caves all-inclusive?
Is cliff jumping mandatory or optional?
Is there a pool or a beach?
Which cottages at The Caves are worth requesting?
Restaurants (2)
| Type | Restaurants |
|---|---|
| Caribbean & local | Bamboo Terrace, The Gazebo |
From the resort's own dining pages. Only restaurants the resort lists are shown. All are covered by the all-inclusive rate, per the resort.
What's nearby
Seven Mile Beach12 min drive · 5.5 mi
Rick's Café cliffs8 min walk · 0.4 mi
Negril Lighthouse5 min walk · 0.2 mi
Savanna-la-Mar40 min drive · 19 mi
More things to do (14)
- Bloody Bay Beach · beach20 min drive · 8.1 mi
- Catamaran sail and snorkel cruise from Negril · excursion12 min drive · 5.5 mi
- Booby Cay boat trip · excursion12 min drive · 5.5 mi
- Dolphin Cove (Lucea) · adventure park60 min drive · 34 mi
- Negril West End · town6 min drive · 3.1 mi
- Negril Hills Golf Club · golf20 min drive · 6.3 mi
- Blue Hole Mineral Spring · nature25 min drive · 8.5 mi
- Half Moon Beach · beach35 min drive · 15 mi
- Hanover Museum · museum50 min drive · 27 mi
- Fort Charlotte (Lucea) · historic site55 min drive · 28 mi
- Lucea · town55 min drive · 28 mi
- Bluefields Beach · beach60 min drive · 28 mi
- Roaring River and Blue Hole · nature60 min drive · 27 mi
- Peter Tosh Memorial Garden · historic site60 min drive · 30 mi
Amenities
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Style & Rooms
Atmosphere
Room upgrades
Seaweed & sargassum
Jamaica gets sargassum, typically worst June through August.See the month-by-month guide →Google Reviews★ 4.7 · 282 reviews
“WOW... I have to say, I have travelled a lot but this place was one of my all-time favorites! My friends wanted to go to Sandals, and I promised them I could find a better spot, so I was nervous about how it would turn out...but everyone said it was...”
“My husband and I went here for our honeymoon.. Hands down the best food I have ever had so fresh and flavorful. The service was top notch all the staff were so nice and helpful. What to say about the location... Breath taking... To the sunsets or j...”
“We were there for 3 nights a few weeks ago for my sisters birthday and it was incredible! This was a last minute add on to our trip and I am so so thankful I splurged for it as the relaxation was just what I needed. The price is a bit higher than oth...”
