When planning our trip to Jamaica, the only thing we were clear about was that we didn't want to stay in an all-inclusive. Then we stumbled across reviews of the Blue House on Trip Advisor , and suddenly we knew where we wanted to stay! But once it was booked I started to wonder - could it really be that good?

Well, I can assure you it can and is! We had a wonderful stay here and our only regret about choosing it was that we hadn't booked for longer ;) Everyone who stays here seems to enthuse about the hospitality of Elise and Darryl, and rightly so. We really felt as if we were staying with friends rather than as paying guests in a B&B. Nothing was too much trouble - a lift to church or to a local restaurant, a call to pre-book an excursion, checking shipping schedules so we could avoid the crowds at Dunn's River Falls, and so on.

Darryl's cooking is another plus point. From the first evening, when we were welcomed with a dinner of curried goat and rice and peas, we realised we were in for a few treats. Both breakfasts and dinners here afforded us lots of welcome opportunities to sample Jamaican specialities - ackee & saltfish or rundown for breakfast, conch or that goat curry for dinner. We also enjoyed a lovely Chinese meal one evening. We HAD planned to only eat a couple of dinners here and go out for the others, but the combination of tasty food and good company was too hard to resist!

But in enthusing about the hosts, I should also mention the house itself, which is very stylish and set in a pretty garden. Maybe its distance from town (about 2 miles) is a small drawback, but more than compensated for by the quieter location - apart from the crickets and frogs, that is! My favourite spot was the terrace, in the early morning before breakfast, with a mug of Darryl's strong coffee to wake me up and the hummingbirds flitting among the blossoms :) And our room, the "Sanctuary", lived up to its name: cool and comfortable after a day's sightseeing on the island.

An added bonus of staying somewhere like this is that you meet like-minded travellers. Within a few hours we had hit it off with Monica and Javier (see their review here too!) and with Michael, and had agreed to do some of our sightseeing together - which added to the fun and reduced the costs. And finally, a special mention for Dave, who drove us around so safely and was great company on those outings.

Thanks to all for a great stay,
Sarah & Chris

We stayed at The Blue House for six days with our two young children and were thrilled with the accommodations, the generosity and the food. This was nothing less than the best experience we could have had in Jamaica as a family, no doubt. Our children are picky eaters and the first evening we were there, Elise sat down with us and asked the children what they wanted to eat. And then they provided those things. All the while making the most delicious, authentic Jamaican cuisine for us each meal.

We stayed in the Cozy Cottage behind the house and found it perfect for our needs. It had enough privacy that we didn't worry about our children bothering other guests, and the fact that we were near our children while sleeping, but not exactly in the same room meant that our youngest could nap each day uninterrupted. And when the children went to bed each night, we could enjoy Jamaica Rum Cream on the veranda.

Darryl and Elise shuttled us to the beach, shopping and local attractions and we were very grateful for that. They provide top-notch service for their guests and genuinely care, a rarity in these times.

We will be back to The Blue House, no question.

my boyfriend and I just spent 5 AMAZING nights at the Blue House. It could not have been a more special experience!

Elise and Daryl treated us like family. Why spend time in an all inclusive hotel where you could be anywhere in the world? The Blue House lets you experience the real Jamaica. with stunning reggae beach nearby, the Jamaican countryside on the way to Bob Marleys house and Bettys orchid garden leading to a beautiful crystal blue river.
Daryl the blue house chef created authentic Jamaican meals with such flavour. The best jerk pork and cassava pancakes on the island. My boyfriend is vegetarian and he still managed to make divine meals for him also. We discovered new fruits such as bread fruit, akee, soursap and nazeberrys that taste like sweet cinnamon cake. Eating breakfast on the terrace looking out at the lush mountains and the tree covered in humingbirds was just paradise.

This is such a hidden gem I almost dont want anyone to know about it!

cant wait to go back

I can not begin to explain what a wonderful experience my girlfriend and I just had while staying at The Blue House in Ochos Rios.

TRUE 5 star treatment without 5,000 tourists. If you are looking for the real Jamaica and not some watered down Caribbean experience via a large chain hotel then please visit the small 5 person staff led by Elise (The Hostess with the Mostess) at The Blue House in a truly unspoiled natural environment. BUT do not worry about amenities, there are massages, private tours(with a true locals input), exquisite gardens, pools, and freshwater rivers all at your fingertips. Coming to the Blue House is like visiting family. The food is beyond words. If you want authentic jerk, curries, stews, festivals, rundown, runabout, fried fish, etc then Daryl the extraordinarily talented brother of the owner will continuously surprise you with fabulous culinary delights.

Book NOW !!!