By: Kristi Keller - Jamaica My Way - Travel Blogger
I owe my discovery of Paradise Ocean View to two completely separate but fortuitous events that happened the same day. Let me explain. The first event was the crappy experience I was having at my previous accommodation – Golden Lagoon. The second event was meeting two awesome ladies at another hotel where I was using wifi one day. These two ladies were translators from Italy and vacationing in Jamaica at the time and we really hit it off. So on their last night in Jamaica they called me and invited me to dinner at a place they had discovered a couple nights earlier. The place was Paradise Ocean View.
On the evening we went for dinner here we were the only people on the entire property and we were treated like royalty. A large outdoor table was set nicely for us and we were waited on hand and foot. I was very impressed and even more so when our meals were served – the food was amazing and better than anything I’d eaten in the area since I had arrived on the south coast. I had baked chicken and the other ladies had shrimp and we all had mashed potatoes on the side.
As I kept saying this evening, I wished I had discovered this place days before! Strange that I didn’t because I drove by it several times a day on the way to the first place I was staying. On this dinner evening the owners, Kenneth and Barbara both made their presence known and were very customer service oriented. Over dinner I had told them about my bad experience down the road at the other guest house and asked them about their rooms here. After dinner they were very happy to show me a room and I made my decision to move – even though I only had one night left on the south coast. Later in my trip I decided to return to the south coast for two more nights and it was this place that influenced my decision to return.
Cottages at Paradise Ocean View
This property only has 4 guest cottages – all are identical except one has AC and the others have fans. Each cottage is a little round hut suitable for a single person or a couple and are all just steps away from the beach. I fell asleep listening to the ocean every night.
All rooms have queen beds, cable TV, plenty of screened windows and tons of charm. Each bathroom has a stand up shower, hot water with great water pressure and nice, soft towels. There are also cute little tables and chairs in each room with a lantern.
I was pleasantly surprised at the rates for each cottage. The three fan cottages are only$50.00 USD per night and the AC cottage is only $60.00 USD.
The Property & Location
Paradise Ocean View is located about 10 minutes drive from Black River, St Elizabeth on the beach side of Craine Road – immediately after the roundabout. The property is gated with 24 hour security on duty and plenty of parking inside the gates. Once you park and walk in you will come upon the restaurant and cocktail bar with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. The owners told me they host a lot of large tour groups for lunches – up to 50 people! This surprised me because there are only four guest cottages and I realize accommodation isn’t their only business. Very smart!
From Paradise Ocean View you can drive to Black River in 10 minutes, Santa Cruz in 20 minutes and Treasure Beach in roughly 30 minutes. A route taxi from here to Black River is no more than $100 jmd.
What They Offer
The restaurant and bar menu is extensive compared to many of the places I dined while on the south coast. Their drink menu alone was awesome! Not just your average rum bar – they can whip up whatever cocktail you’re craving. And the food prices were very reasonable for a hotel. I wish I could tell you I sampled more than just fried and baked chicken from this great menu but I’m a chicken & chips addict so I’m boring. I can also vouch for the mashed potatoes and the pasta salad – their meals are spectacular! Some of the best and most crispy fried chicken I’ve eaten. I also sampled scrambled eggs, bacon and fresh fruit for breakfast.
The staff at the restaurant and bar is awesome! I met two great girls behind the bar who provide excellent service, conversation and lots of laughs. It didn’t take them long to know what I wanted when I ordered “the usual”. The chef also made his presence known and is great fun and a great cook! He was the first person I saw each morning when I went to order my first coffee of the day. He made sure to ask way ahead of time what I want for each meal to make sure he had the right ingredients on hand.
I have ZERO complaints about the staff and owners here – in fact they are 100% the reason I moved into the place AND the reason I came back. I felt totally welcome and comfortable. After only 3 nights at Paradise Ocean View I got to know a few of the regular locals that come and go from the bar and everyone is just so friendly! I really miss the cool vibes and the many hours we sat around the outdoor bar chatting and laughing.
My Final Verdict
Would I recommend this place to others? ABSOLUTELY! I’m very thankful to the Italian ladies for my first invitation to this property because I don’t know if I would have stopped in otherwise. I feel like I’ve made some great friends here that I will drop in on every time I visit the area! The price is right, the food is amazing and the staff and owners make the entire experience worth it!
For information or bookings please call 1-876-965-2780.
Speak to Kenneth or Barbara and please make sure to tell them you saw this review. I would love for them to know this review is helping their business.
