P
rior to my visit to Port Antonio I thought I ‘d never set foot in Jamaica ever again. Previously, I’d been hassled in Negril, accosted Ocho Rios and manhandled in Montego.
Of course none of this is the fault of the locals who had for decades made a living out of tourism until the arrival of the big foreign owned all inclusive tourist villages such as Sandals and the rather racy Hedonism where everything is available within its confines and guests, swayed by over exaggerated tales of Jamaican street crime, are discouraged to leave. But, surprise, surprise, Port Antonio is a different story altogether. There are no big holiday villages, no hi-rise hotels, no shopping centres and no loud American Spring breakers. There is a distinct lack of grief, an abundance of great food and a surplus of wonderful beaches while the locals are welcoming, ingratiating, pleased that you are there and very, very proud of their rather unique town.
“Port Antonio is one of the world’s best-kept secrets,” informs London born entrepreneur Jon Baker. “The northeast coast haven was that was the capital of tourism in the 1890s and was bought in the 1950s by the Norwegian Line and divided into two areas, East and West San San and sold as lots which were bought by among others by the Aga Khan, Baron Hans Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza who bought an Island for his fiancée hugely famous model Nina Dyer who moved in with her 2 pet panthers and 2 years on marry t Prince Salruddin Aga Khan. Then in 1958 Errol Flynn moored his yacht there and declared that it was, “more beautiful than any woman I’ve ever seen,” and promptly bought a ranch nearby, entertained the likes of Sophia Loren, Graham Greene, Truman Capote and Evelyn Waugh and called it home, His grandson ow owns the property. “
Indeed, Portland’s rather reassuring atmosphere reminds one of an era long past, its sleepy, pastoral pace magically transporting its visitors to a twilight world where stress is another person’s concern and all that matters is the weather.
And what was odd was that we’d travelled by tube and Gatwick Express to get our flight to Montego Bay and, really didn’t see much sky from the time we entered the tube station until we reached our destination. We all slept on the plane, and woke up just an hour before landing and alighted into this gloriously different and entirely exotic world. It was akin to really rather odd, certainly surreal time travel. Cold and rain enter tunnel, sleep and then step out into a completely different world. We were then picked up and driven the 4 hours to - the rather spectacular Geejam in Port Antonio-our stylishly laid-back boutique hotel.
Once the home of London born record mogul Baker (whose record company, Gee Street Records, released the likes of PM Dawn and The Stereo MC’s) Geejam, under his and his co director former record producer, Steve Beaver’s direction, comprises 12 individual villas (one entirely self contained with 4 bedrooms and pool) set amongst intensely verdant rainforest foliage. Included in the price is Wifi, minibar, room service, mobile phone with links to all the staffs numbers, 24 hour drivers to take and guide you to wherever you desire including local nightclubs and back and forth to the airport.
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