I spent the last week in bliss. More specifically, on vacation at Round Hill Resort in Jamaica.
This was our second year in a row to take Dylan and it is now confirmed: Round Hill is the BEST place EVER for kids (and their parents)!
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| Head Concierge Kingsley Blake has worked at Round Hill since 1972 |
TRANSPORTATION.First and foremost, Jamaica is so easy to get to (especially from the East Coast): it's only a 3 hour and 15 minute flight direct from Baltimore to Montego Bay. And from there, Round Hill is only about a 25 minute car ride from the airport.
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| Dyl searching for our bags at the Airport |
As you can see, it didn't take long for Dyl to catch the Jamaican spirit.
HISTORY. For those unfamiliar with the resort, it has quite a storied history. In 1952, Jamaican-born entrepreneur, John Pringle, acquired 100 acres of a former sugar plantation on the coast of Montego Bay.
He wanted to create a luxury resort composed of a limited number of cottages, that would be a private haven for the very wealthy, famous and cultural elite of the time. Owners would, in essence, become shareholders in the resort affording them the benefit of a home in the West Indies, without the worry of daily management and upkeep while they were away.
Bold-faced names like Noel Coward, the Paley's, Adele Astaire and Oscar Hammenstein all owned homes there. Today, black and white photographs of the many chic visitors who have de-camped to beautiful Round Hill, grace the walls of the Cocktail Bar.
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| Liz Pringle |
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| Bill and Babe Paley with Truman Capote |
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| Paul Newman |
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| JFK |
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| Liz Pringle |
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| Welcoming new guests at Round Hill; Photo by Round Hill |
One of Round Hill's most famous current owner/shareholders is designer Ralph Lauren. Lauren owns two properties at Round Hill. One of the properties is Cottage 26, formerly owned by Bill and Babe Paley...
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| Lauren's "White Orchid" aka Cottage 26 |
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| Cottage 26 as immortalized by Slim Aarons in this photo |
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Cottage 26; Photo by India Hicks
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The other is his main property nestled at the top of Round Hill...
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| "High Rock" |
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| High Rock's Media Room Addition |
HOTEL.In 2004, he redid the 36 rooms in small hotel on the grounds, Pineapple House. Pineapple House overlooks the lovely infinity pool and the ocean, and offers connecting rooms which could be a terrific option for those families looking for an alternative to renting a villa.
VILLAS. On our previous visits we have stayed in one of the 26 rentable villas. Each is different and reflects the design style of the owner. Most have pools and this visit, we stayed in Cottage #17, also known as "Reid's End". I have looked at many of the villas there, and I must say this one is my favorite, thus far. To view a property map and find the perfect villa for you and your family click HERE.
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| Our Villa |
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| Gorgeous view |
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| Main Entry; Photo by Round Hill Resort |
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| Our room; one of four bedrooms |
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| Captain Reid, namesake of the house, is buried here. |
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| Dyl popping bubbles on the gorgeous lawn |
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| Library and Dining |
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| Entry |
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| Nicely styled details |
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| One of the downstairs bedrooms |
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| Note the porthole looks into the pool |
Each villa has a wonderful staff. Claudeen, Karen, Derrick and Henry treated us supremely well and Dylan was spoiled by all of the attention!
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| Dylan and his buddy Derrick |
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| Karen, Derrick, Dylan and Claudeen |
A TYPICAL DAY. It doesn't take long to settle into a routine. The resort does have an aspect of old world glamour that I love (for example, guests are still encouraged to dress for dinner) but at the same time it is laid back and unpretentious.
Our typical day was to rise and play before breakfast...
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| Dylan and Grandmother De-De |
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| Dyl |
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| Enjoying their a.m. "coffee" |
Claudeen and Karen prepared a wonderful made-to-order breakfast for us each morning, including eggs, fresh fruit, banana pancakes...
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| The wonderful Claudeen and her beautiful table setting |
...and Dyl's new favorite: bacon!
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| Dylan's first introduction to bacon |
after breakfast, we would head down to the beach...
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| Daddy and Dyl |
The small cove abutting the pool is the perfect place to plop sand tools for a two-year old and a chair for mom and dad to read...
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| Mom's work for the day... |
Round Hill offers a variety of water activities, many of which
will be perfect as Dylan gets older...however, for now, a trip
on the glass-bottom boat was a treat!
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| Glass Bottom Boat |
There is also a beautiful infinity pool overlooking the sea...with an adjoining pool for the kids!
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| Dyl at the Round Hill Pool |
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| Bonding with Daddy |
With noon approaching, we would retire to the villa to put Dyl down for a nap and take a dip in our gorgeous pool...
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| Our gorgeous pool at Villa #17 |
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| View from our cottage |
At 2p.m., Ovina, our amazing nanny (that we have used two years in a row) would show up to watch young Dylan...Of note, there is the Pineapple Kid's Club that provides activities for older children and it looks wonderful. Dylan is a bit young, so hiring a nanny is a terrific alternative. She would take him all around the property and Dyl was a master at manipulating for rides in the golf carts...
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| Ovina and Dyl last year |
Each afternoon, we would have some lunch at the shaded pool bar and then visit the amazing spa, pool, or beach.
My mother-in-law especially enjoyed the spa, visiting there almost every day. I took in a few treatments myself, and I must say the massage is consistently one of the best that I have ever had.
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| Former 18th century mansion now housing the Round Hill Spa |
Also wonderful is simply lounging by the pool that looks as if it drops into the sea...
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| Round Hill's beautiful Infinity pool |
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| Hubby enjoying a good read by the pool |
and of course, a cocktail, or two...
Tea is served every day from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. and it provides a
quiet respite from the sun...We would often spy Dylan holding court and stealing cookies...
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| Photos from years past at Round Hill hanging in the Cocktail Bar |
FOOD. In the evening, we would re-unite with Dylan, and have a few cocktails before either having dinner in our villa, or heading out to their wonderful restaurant.
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| Invitation to the Manager's Cocktail Soiree |
I especially enjoyed their "Farm-to-Table" offerings on Thursday and Sunday evenings. The kitchen sources local and seasonal products, including vegetables from their organic garden. The fresh-caught snapper cooked in parchment paper was a stand-out for me!
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| Round Hill's Organic Garden; Photo by Round Hill Resort |
Overall, we had another magnificent trip. I highly recommend it for couples and families, alike. It's relaxing for everyone and is especially perfect for kids. We look forward to another return next year! xoxo
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| Kingsley and Dyl last year |
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| Kingsley and Dyl |
He wanted to create a luxury resort composed of a limited number of cottages, that would be a private haven for the very wealthy, famous and cultural elite of the time. Owners would, in essence, become shareholders in the resort affording them the benefit of a home in the West Indies, without the worry of daily management and upkeep while they were away. 
