It’s no secret that Montego Bay is hottest place in Jamaica right now, with a growing number of all-inclusive resorts, a revamp of its famous “hip strip,” more new otel projects and even a new real estate development on the way (one that just broke ground last month). 

And what constitutes Montego Bay is even bigger, with nearby areas like Falmouth being consumed under the umbrella of “greater” Montego Bay. 

Now, the area is set to welcome another major new resort: the Riu Palace Aquarelle, which officially opens its doors on White Bay Beach in Falmouth on May 4, according to Jorge Satorre Mulet, Riu’s area manager for the Caribbean. 

The new 750-room Riu Aquarelle will have six different eateries, six different bars, an on-site water park and 24-hour snacks service, among other inclusions. 

If you’re looking for swim-up rooms, you’ll find those too, including some with a very cool walled-off concept that makes you feel like you’re in your own pool — affording a level of privacy few swim-up rooms can match. 

But the most notable thing about the hotel isn’t its all-inclusive offering, which is about what you expect from the Riu experience. 

It’s instantly one of the greenest resorts in Jamaica: the newest Riu has almost 800 solar photovoltaic panels, which will save up to 10 percent of the hotel’s total energy use — and reduce its carbon emissions. 

Right now, Riu is using the Falmouth resort as a test run: if it works well, the company says it plans to “extend this solar revolution” to all of its Caribbean destinations. 

It’s a very different kind of Riu resort, and one that could be a new example for the rest of the Caribbean. 

For more, visit the Riu Aquarelle.