Jamaica Honeymoon in Paradise

  We stayed in the cottage, and had privacy and a home-like atmosphere. The staff, especially Cheryl and Tallman, were really great, and our two-year-old loved the pool and the short... read more hikes. They were very accommodating to dietary restrictions.

  Such a relaxing and peaceful place, right into the tropical forest. Astounding hike and roads, also beautiful waterfall. Cheryl, the manager took excellent care of me, she is so friendly... read more and kind. They also offered transportation service with a excellent driver, Tallman. He was so sweet and always on time. Everything was great.

  We can not say enough great things about green castle. Such a beautiful and peaceful place. Beautiful scenery and wonderful people. The hike to kwame falls with our guide... read more Dwayne was something we will never forget. The food was excellent and the whole experience gave us a chance to renew and reset. The flowers and trees and fruits and hummingbirds were just beautiful. Cheryl was such a wonderful host and a true joy. She took such great care of us. This place is a gem and we can’t wait to return. It was such a good chance to step away and remember what’s important. So thankful we got to experience this and hope this place stays the same. More

  Our stay at Green Castle came at the second half of our visit to Jamaica, and it provided the perfect bookend to our earlier beach experience on the western coast.... read more Though it started with a big hiccup due to a scammer’s interference, Cheryl saved the day and organized marvelous birding excursions as well as a memorable trip into town to resupply. We always love seeing new birds and learning about their habits and habitat, and the expansive forested estate was the perfect venue for birding with sharp-eyed Dwayne who shared his intimate understanding of the avian population there. Moreover, with the Blue Mountains nearby, a day’s trip with driver BaBye and guide Roger to this beautiful area was an easy choice, and our birding here was a definite highlight. In addition to being professional and helpful, Green Castle’s staff, drivers, and guides were all wonderfully friendly and open, allowing us to learn more about how people make their way in this particular island country. Great birding and overall a marvelous travel experience--highly recommend! More

  The Green Castle Estate is worth the effort it takes to get there. Set just above a beautiful coastline in St Mary with an amazing view of Annotto Bay,... read more the place was a great escape from the city. Comfortable rooms, delicious food and we felt very well taken care of by the friendly and helpful Cheryl. Lots to see and do in the area - a blue hole, the beach at Jack's Bay, some areas of historical interest and a recommended hike to Kwame Falls. We will surely be back!

  Richard, Cheryl and their Team did a fantastic job of making us feel welcome and provided all those extra touches that make a trip so memorable. The accommodation, food, facilities... read more and surroundings are just wonderful. Being located in the middle of the forest this is a absolutely idyllic spot to get away from everything and relax. Myself and my wife wanted a birdwatching break with some down time and Green Castle was the perfect location. We are so looking forward to visiting again.

  We spent one week at Green Castle Estate and had an amazing time! We were visiting to see endemic birds, and were not disappointed. Almost all the endemic... read more birds can be found on the Estate's 1,600 acres, and the rest can be found on two pleasant excursions, which the estate arranges for you. Cheryl and her staff provided some of the best customer service we have ever experienced, and bird guides Dwayne and Roger were amazing! Meals were always a delight, because the in-house chef cooked delicious Jamaican food. In addition to birding, we also spent several days relaxing at the estate. Between the pool, and the amazing views of the ocean and the Blue Mountains, relaxing was sublime. The property also has a lot of wonderful sites you can hike to including a 300-year-old windmill used to process sugar, a blue hole, a swimming beach, and gorgeous beach cliffs. The entire property is extremely charming and clean. I was worried about not having A/C, but between the ocean breezes, and several fans in our room, it was very comfortable. We absolutely loved our stay!

  Ten days R'n'R and relaxed and successful birding. Green Castle Estate is an out-of-the-way jewel in Jamaica's crown. Great service, lovely local food, plenty of walking and birding trals and... read more optional excursions to see some of the specialised endemics made for a great holiday. Recommended

  This was a lovely place. Nice staff, pool, beautiful grounds to walk around even if you are not a birder. The birding was exceptional for a small island.... read more The guide, Dwayne, was excellent. We stayed on the grounds, but birding trips are also arranged and I heard good things about them as well.

  I just returned home from a 7 day birding trip to Green Castle. The place is wonderful with very helpful and courteous staff and the food was delicious. This eco... read more hotel is located within 1600 acres of forest in Roberts bay with many well maintained trails. I did manage to see all my target species!

Richard, the owner, was very helpful throughout the process and made arrangements on very short notice. The rates were very reasonable for a solo traveler and he was very upfront with the costs. Richard arranged several day trips outside the property including Hardwar gap, Ecclesdown road and Hope Botanical gardens. The local guides, Dwayne and Roger, were absolutely fantastic.

A special thanks to Cheryl and her team for taking excellent care of us. We were provided with fresh fruit daily and wonderful Jamaican cuisine. Overall I had a wonderful time and would highly recommend this place.

  Green Castle Estate is a really special place, not just because of how beautiful the scenery is, but because of how friendly and considerate the staff are. I traveled here... read more with my boyfriend and another couple - we're all birders, so we did several of the tours offered with guides Roger and Dwayne (both fantastic), and were able to see all 28 species endemic to the island. The day trips with Roger were well-planned and really enjoyable, as were the half-day morning, afternoon, and evening birding walks with Dwayne. Not only did we see 101 species by the end of our stay, we also learned a lot from the guides about Jamaica's culture and people, and had some amazing experiences (coffee brewed fresh for us at a coffee farm in the Blue Mountains, coconut water straight from a coconut!). Aside from the planned/guided trips, we also were able to visit interesting sights on the property (the tower and blue hole), spent some time at Jack's bay beach, and best of all, did an impromtu little trip just for white-tailed tropicbirds. Those outings were only possible because Richard helped us set up rides to different areas with staff (which was above and beyond what any of them had to do). It made all the difference, because I was recovering from a broken kneecap and was trying to limit walking. The manager, Cheryl, even made sure to give me an ice pack each day when we got back from birding, and always asked how I was doing (as did other staff). The food was great throughout the trip - fresh fruit every day, amazing jerk chicken, delicious soups, and a constant supply of coffee. Not to mention excellent piña coladas! Our time at Green Castle was unforgettable not only because of the birds and sights, but also because of the people here. I would definitely recommend it to anyone planning a trip to Jamaica!

  The moment we arrived (after 10 hours of traveling) we were welcomed by a warm and friendly staff. Throughout our stay they were attentive, and made sure we had everything... read more we needed to be comfortable. The property is gorgeous. The peace and quiet is incredible. It's surrounded by forests and mountains. The property is very private and secluded. A great place to relax, swim in the pool, or take a hike, and enjoy the sights and sounds of nature. The food was fantastic. Very local flavors. We chose the large meal option and we were nothing less than satisfied with every meal. We stayed in the Tody and really enjoyed the balcony view and outdoor shower! The bed was very comfortable (I haven't slept so well in years)! The common area was delightful and friendly with lots of talk about the birds! The guided bird trips were great. The guides are very knowledgeable about birds, plants, and local life. I would absolutely stay here again.

  We visited Green Castle with another couple and we are all birders. We got all the Jamaican endemics in about 3-4 days. Many are on the estate grounds but you... read more will need to visit Hardwar Gap for the high elevation species and Ecclesdown Road for both parrots. The guides, Dwayne and Roger, were fantastic. All the staff, especially Cheryl and Babye, were great. If you are foreign I highly recommend hiring a driver rather than renting your own vehicle. The roads are mostly paved but often narrow and winding, and the style of driving here is different. It's not buggy at Green Castle but I recommend long pants and socks for hiking as there are chiggers in the grass/vegetation. There were some mosquitoes at Ecclesdown but our vacation was mostly bug free. I loved the food at Green Castle and they mostly handled my dietary restriction well (gluten sensitivity--I did pack a loaf of gluten-free bread to give to the kitchen). The jerk chicken and curry mahi were standout meals and Richard mixes a mean Pina colada. We stayed one night in the Potoo room and the rest of the week in Vervain. Both rooms are beautiful and breezy with gorgeous views from the balcony. Potoo is in a central location so more social. Vervain is in one of the cottages so more private. It also has a huge bathroom. The path to that cottage might be a little bit... We visited Green Castle with another couple and we are all birders. We got all the Jamaican endemics in about 3-4 days. Many are on the estate grounds but you will need to visit Hardwar Gap for the high elevation species and Ecclesdown Road for both parrots. The guides, Dwayne and Roger, were fantastic. All the staff, especially Cheryl and Babye, were great. If you are foreign I highly recommend hiring a driver rather than renting your own vehicle. The roads are mostly paved but often narrow and winding, and the style of driving here is different. It's not buggy at Green Castle but I recommend long pants and socks for hiking as there are chiggers in the grass/vegetation. There were some mosquitoes at Ecclesdown but our vacation was mostly bug free. I loved the food at Green Castle and they mostly handled my dietary restriction well (gluten sensitivity--I did pack a loaf of gluten-free bread to give to the kitchen). The jerk chicken and curry mahi were standout meals and Richard mixes a mean Pina colada. We stayed one night in the Potoo room and the rest of the week in Vervain. Both rooms are beautiful and breezy with gorgeous views from the balcony. Potoo is in a central location so more social. Vervain is in one of the cottages so more private. It also has a huge bathroom. The path to that cottage might be a little bit challenging if you have a mobility issue. The beds in both rooms were very comfortable. I have back problems so sometimes hotel mattresses can wreak havoc, but not here, thank goodness. We really enjoyed hiking the trails to see Mingo Falls, but you don't need to go far for the birds here. The tower is interesting to see too, as are the blue hole and beach cliffs. Jack's Beach is worth visiting although it is not pristine. The main attraction here though is really the birds. Green Castle is charming, low key, off the beaten path. Perfect for birders or anyone needing a quiet getaway. I hope we can return soon. More

  Green Castle Estate was a great experience. The grounds are large with lots of trails and opportunities to find different birds including many of the Jamaican... read more endemics.

We were able to arrange some walking tours of the estate as well as two day trips. Both our guides (Dwayne & Roger) were incredibly knowledgeable, our drivers (Winston & Babye) were friendly as well as safe & courteous on the road. We got all the endemics.

The food was good! I thought the portions were normal and nothing tasted bad. Every day was a different meal with different Jamaican foods to try. There’s often bananas and some other fruits available during the day as well as coffee, tea & water. One in our party had dietary restrictions which Cheryl the manager was able to accommodate and discuss options. Some reviews make remarks about the food , I dont have anything bad to say.

The trails are in reasonable shape. All the main trails are wide enough, passable and appear to be maintained on a regular basis. Laminated maps are available to borrow. The reservoir trail gets steep but they did a really nice job with it.

We stayed in Potoo the first night and Vervain for the rest. Both rooms were nice. Potoo is by the pool on the main building, Vervain is next door at the cottage. Potoo’s front wall is all screen with wooden slats that can be closed for privacy, but overall I preferred Vervain. Big counter in the bathroom and a big closet, the balcony is split by a wall for the other room. Solar hot water system so you get the hottest water late afternoon/evening. We lost power a couple times during the stay due to line repairs but there’s a backup generator for meal service, etc.

I read in a review the owner Richard can be tough to deal with, but I didn’t experience that at all. Actually, the opposite. Richard and the manager Cheryl were both friendly, attentive and thorough. They were great setting up all the trips, good communication, everything. Really, they both tried hard to make our stay comfortable and successful.

Some other things worth mentioning - WiFi was good even in the cottage. There is no ATM on site so bring money with you. There’s a laundry service on site if you need, housekeeping if you request it in the morning. Everyone on staff is friendly.

Bottom line… this place is awesome and you should stay here. We got all the Jamaican endemic birds, many of which were here on the property. This place is a good value for what you get and I plan on recommending it to everyone looking to visit Jamaica.

  We visited Green Castle with another couple and we are all birders. We got all the Jamaican endemics in about 3-4 days. Many are on the estate grounds but you... read more will need to visit Hardwar Gap for the high elevation species and Ecclesdown Road for both parrots. The guides, Dwayne and Roger, were fantastic. All the staff, especially Cheryl and Babye, were great. If you are foreign I highly recommend hiring a driver rather than renting your own vehicle. The roads are mostly paved but often narrow and winding, and the style of driving here is different. It's not buggy at Green Castle but I recommend long pants and socks for hiking as there are chiggers in the grass/vegetation. There were some mosquitoes at Ecclesdown but our vacation was mostly bug free. I loved the food at Green Castle and they mostly handled my dietary restriction well (gluten sensitivity--I did pack a loaf of gluten-free bread to give to the kitchen). The jerk chicken and curry mahi were standout meals and Richard mixes a mean Pina colada. We stayed one night in the Potoo room and the rest of the week in Vervain. Both rooms are beautiful and breezy with gorgeous views from the balcony. Potoo is in a central location so more social. Vervain is in one of the cottages so more private. It also has a huge bathroom. The path to that cottage might be a little bit challenging if you have a mobility issue. The beds in both rooms were very comfortable. I have back problems so sometimes hotel mattresses can wreak havoc, but not here, thank goodness. We really enjoyed hiking the trails to see Mingo Falls, but you don't need to go far for the birds here. The tower is interesting to see too, as are the blue hole and beach cliffs. Jack's Beach is worth visiting although it is not pristine. The main attraction here though is really the birds. Green Castle is charming, low key, off the beaten path. Perfect for birders or anyone needing a quiet getaway. I hope we can return soon.

  I stayed at Green Castle for five nights with kids and family. Richard and the team made a great effort in helping us to organize our itinerary, including a... read more morning’s birding with the local guide Dwayne, organization of transport to Port Antonio, Kingston and transfers to and from Montego Bay, and a hike with a guide up to the Blue Mountain peak. For this, we were accompanied by Roger, a mountain ranger who knows the Blue Mountains and the fauna and flora here like the back of his hand. He helped me pick out a few near-mythical Crested Quail-Doves (known locally as the Mountain Witch!). Highly recommended.

Despite the packed itinerary we managed to spend a lot of time relaxing on the estate, enjoying the forest trails and swimming in the pool. We were also treated to a jerk barbecue evening on our last night which was terrific. Special mention to estate manager Cheryl who looked after us so well. More