Terrific location, staff, accomodations, food,activities,and facilities! Go there before the island gets developed and loses its charm.

I agree with most of the positive reviews about the setting and the quality of the rooms and the peaceful secluded nature of Jungle Bay. The food, however, was quite disappointing. We were not on the adventure package so we had to pay for our meals and, frankly, the prices were staggering. Most of the evening meals we had here cost us more than they would have done at a decent restaurant back home in New York City and the quality was mediocre at best. Saying that, the whole experience of being at Jungle Bay was very pleasant. The owners were quite personable and the staff were very friendly. The massages my wife and I had were also expensive and disappointing - my own near-$100 massage felt like something you would experience from someone who'd watched a video of a person giving a massage and thought "ooh, that looks easy - I'll give that a go." I was underwhelmed, to say the least. If you like swimming, you might be disappointed with the pool area, too - the pool is not large and there are nowhere near enough loungers, towels and cushions for the lodge's guests. The beach, on the other hand, is stunning. Rocky, mostly deserted and pounded by an unforgiving Atlantic swell. Magical!

Exhausted and sun-starved by the end of December, I arrived at Jungle Bay Resort/Spa in Dominica and knew I had come to exactly the right place

The drive from the airport in the comfortable van provided by Jungle Bay was an excursion in itself. The driver was friendly and knowledgable, both about the history of the island and the points of interest. As we drove over the winding roads through the rain forest, we were treated to the astonishing beauty of both the Atlantic and Carribean Oceans, the volcanic mountains, and a number of townships. The ocean breeze was delicious; the pristine state of the entire island refreshing.

When we arrived at the main house, the warm, friendly staff of Jungle Bay were waiting to greet us. After a brief but thorough orientation to the facilities and services, we were driven up the road to the cottages, and our luggage carried up the steps through the rain forest to reach the tastefully simple, well appointed spaces we would stay in for the week.

To appreciate how special this is, one must take the photo tour on Jungle Bay's web site. I can only say that to lie in the hammock on the cottage porch looking over the ocean, hearing the powerful surf and cacaphony of birds, day or night, feels like a little bit of heaven. To take an outdoor shower in the privacy of
one's own cottage space, in the forest, is a rare experience.

Knowing that everything in the cottage has been made by islanders, that the cottage itself is built from recycled materials, by islanders, that this wonderful space is also ecologically designed only makes the whole experience better.

The dining pavillion overlooking the pool and ocean is casual yet elegant. The food is organic, locally grown, and prepared by Jungle Bay's fabulous chef Joanne and her staff. Guests mingle, yet there is always time and space to have a quiet moment. A good space to hang out, journal, or share a drink with friends as well as having meals.

The daily massage at the spa, the daily excursions expertly guided by the Jungle Bay staff, the inidividual attention given to each guest by Sam and Glenda, owners and hosts of Jungle Bay, all made this an amazing and satisfying experience. One could not ask for a more attentive, professional staff.

Leaving was not easy. The drive back to the airport was through Carob Indian land though, and once again, I felt like this was another experience to know the island.

Will I go back? Definitely. I want to explore more of the island, once again have the healthy feeling of good exercise combined with great food and company and living in unspoiled nature. I want to go sea kayaking, snorkle, do more climbing and hiking, and combine this with a quiet retreat,

What better place to do this than at Jungle Bay Resort/Spa on the beautiful island of Dominica?!

We spent an anniversary trip at Jungle Bay for 6 days in December (16th-22nd). It was an amazing adventure. We loved the features of the island itself, but even better was that we were staying at Jungle Bay as our home base during the trip. I cannot imagine how we would have navigated the roads and airport and urban areas without the experience of our guides Brother and Stevenson (plus Sam and the Jungle Bay staff). We relaxed knowing that we would be directed, guided, and taken care of by everyone we met at the property. Yet, the interaction with staff was extremely friendly and low-key. We never felt that there was too much management--it was just right. The food was fabulous--I miss all of the fresh exotic fruit juices and nightly sorbets. I've never had a vacation in which I left feeling that I had a true sense of the place or what it was like to live there. After some time at Jungle Bay, if you take advantage of getting to know the guides and staff, you really begin to understand the culture. We hiked to Victoria Falls and Sari Sari Falls, snorkeled on Champagne Beach, and survived the grueling hike to Boiling Lake. Along the way, we tasted cocoa beans, smelled fresh lemongrass, and viewed every fruit tree we could imagine. The people of Dominica know how to use and to appreciate the land; it was a striking and refreshing contrast to the usual way of life here in America. Dominica is not the place for you if you want to lay around the beach all day or spend most of your time at the pool. Jungle Bay (and the island) is a place to be active and to have a tropical adventure.