William B. -- Oyster Reporter
Will is both an editor and reporter for Oyster.com. A journalism outsider with investigative training alongside the NYPD, he has worked to develop our unique, covert reviewing process. A veteran traveler with passport stamps from Serbia to Laos to Guatemala, he enjoys creative writing, home carpentry, experimental artwork, and exotic cuisine (having sampled more than a reasonable number of delectable insects over the years).
- Hotels Reviewed: 48
- Destination Expert for: Jamaica, Miami
- Hometown: Royal Oak, Mich.
- Places Lived: New York; Kosjeric, Serbia; Chiapas, Mexico
- Education: B.A. in English literature, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
- Prior Experience: Office of the Mayor of New York
- My Favorite Hotel: Rockhouse Hotel, Jamaica. Sleek, socially conscious comfort in one of the world's friendliest, most beautiful places -- all for a fair price.
My Favorite Hotels
1.
Rockhouse Hotel
The lush, laid-back Rockhouse creates a holistic haven -- gourmet dining, morning yoga, cliffside loungers, a premium spa, no kids under 12, and beautiful eco-appropriate design. But most astounding are the reasonable rates. (The slightly chicer Caves costs about three times more.)
2.
Round Hill Hotel & Villas
- Pearls: Rating: 4.5 Pearls
- Where: Montego Bay, Jamaica
- Price: $629/night
Round Hill is phenomenal. Sincere, intimate hospitality; private child care; large, beautifully designed rooms by Ralph Lauren; and breathtaking grounds (to which no photo can do justice) -- it is easily among the best resorts in Jamaica, even with a few mosquitoes and ants in the room.
3.
Catcha Falling Star Resort
There's no pool, lobby, or dazzling features, but Catcha's quaint cliffside huts come with warm service, open-air showers, breathtaking sunsets, comfortable beds and simple homemade cuisine. Most guests are too focused on the blissful setting to notice the grainy TV reception or absence of a phone; no kids under 12 adds to the quiet.
4.
Tides South Beach
- Pearls: Rating: 4.5 Pearls
- Where: South Beach, Miami
- Price: $533/night
A beautifully designed hotel with pomp-free service at all levels -- from housekeeping to porters to private designated assistants -- Tides South Beach brings rarely seen substance to the price tag. Though the hotel lacks direct beach access and the small pool is less than breathtaking, the huge, immaculate rooms more than compensate.
5.
The Standard Miami
- Pearls: Rating: 4.0 Pearls
- Where: South Beach, Miami
- Price: $278/night
The blissfully remote, adults-only (14+) Standard is about a mile from the beach, but it's still passionately hip. Though it skimps on service and has small, somewhat dingy rooms, it creates a low-key holistic haven by way of vintage furniture, outdoor bathtubs, a 24-hour pool, yoga retreats, and a world-famous (though overhyped) spa.
