A New Kind of Resort Is Coming to Montego Bay

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Montego Bay is about to see the debut of its most anticipated new resort in years: the S Hotel Jamaica.

The property is making its official debut on Jan. 27, Caribbean Journal has learned.

The new property, which is the brainchild of the owner of the popular Spanish Court Hotel in Kingston, is set in the heart of the “Hip Strip” in Jamaica’s tourism capital.

A room at the S Hotel.

The 120-room hotel will feature a “high-spirited pool scene,” a sky deck, an international eatery, a cafe, a spa and a gym, among other amenities.

The pool, which will be lined with white sand, will feature swim-out cabanas and a wood deck, with the property dubbing it “South Beach accented with an irie vibe.”

The “Irie Baths” spa, modeled on Roman-style baths.

Miami-based design firm Antrobus Ramirez handled the interiors, highlighted by a 25-foot lobby walled with coral stone and a “boardwalk” made from local Jatoba hardwood.

The poolscape at the S Hotel.

It’s an injection of a new level of cool into the bustling Hip Strip (now known as Jimmy Cliff Boulevard), and, perhaps more importantly, an EP, or European Plan hotel, whose rates only include lodging, not food or beverages.

”We’re creating a new kind of hotel in Montego Bay – Chris Issa

That’s a departure from the Montego Bay area’s traditional focus on all-inclusive properties.

That’s part of a concerted effort by Jamaican tourism officials to cultivate EP development in the area.

The lobby.

”We’re creating a new kind of hotel in Montego Bay, one that infuses modern Jamaican culture balanced with the sophistication of an urban hotel and the laid-back style of a beach resort, appealing to international travelers and locals alike,” said Chris Issa, the owner of the recently-formed Crissa Hotels, which is behind the property.

— CJ