Negril Tree House Resort Rating: 2.5 Pearls

Negril, Jamaica

The beach

The hotel is located smack in the middle of gorgeous Seven Mile Beach, and both tourists and vendors constantly stroll by and often hop into the beachfront bar to watch the sunset and listen to low-volume reggae. It’s a fairly active part of the beach, and from the hotel you can hear the music and see the bright lights of Margaritaville two doors down. Locals, hotel guests, and visitors passing by mingle with one another here, unlike at virtually every other hotel in Jamaica.

There really isn't much to the tiny property, outside the lush and charming garden courtyard. Several circular rondel buildings are tucked amongst fruit trees and the beach, where all activity is centered. The lobby is open-air on two sides and features a bright blue ceiling dabbed with white paint, evoking the sky. The floor is white tile, reggae music pipes through the speakers, and staff are often hanging out at the desk or chatting with guests. A few staff members were wearing Negril Treehouse polo shirts of various colors, but there's not really a set uniform as far as I could tell.

The hotel has 70 rooms, and attracts visitors from all over the world, and these guests range from spring-breakers to wedding parties (the hotel hosts weddings on a balcony overlooking the water). I saw a couple small children, but there aren't any kid-centered activities on site -- just the beach and the small pool.

Occasionally, the hotel hosts live entertainment, like the calypso quartet I spotted performing "Cottage in Negril” in the second-floor restaurant/terrace. The Treehouse also hosts a handful of cruise ship passengers, but this doesn’t really alter the intimate, laid-back atmosphere.

From a security perspective, the resort might be a bit too lax for some. At the entrance there's a joke sign informing guests to mind the sleeping guard who's sitting nearby with a single chain blocking the driveway, but he only seemed to be on duty during the day. At 2 a.m. one night I found no guard at the entrance and the lobby to be completely empty. Management pays an outside security firm to patrol the property at night -- a requirement to earn a hotel license -- but they must have been elsewhere when I passed through. This is a key differentiator between the small independents like this property and the larger all-inclusives, which tend to have tighter security.

The staff is friendly and laid-back

After arriving to my first room on the ground floor, I returned to the front desk and asked to move to a second floor room for a bit more security and privacy. The woman working there didn't ask any questions, she simply handed over a new key and asked if I needed help with my bags. The bellhop who escorted me to my room was extremely friendly, telling me about the various nighttime activities in the area and recommending restaurants. For the rest of my stay, whenever I passed him he'd give a warm greeting and ask how my stay was going. Because the resort is so small, guests are on a first-name basis with much of the staff. Even my housekeeper- who left extra touches like fresh flowers and extra soap--felt like an old friend after just a few days at the resort. While working in the lobby I marveled at how often guests stopped by the front desk just to chat with the friendly staff members.

Service at the beach bar was extremely laid-back; I probably sat at the bar (which wasn't overly crowded) for about 10 minutes before someone took my drink order. I also had to wait a long time when I tried to order dinner, particularly when the server kept returning to tell us that what I'd ordered wasn't actually available. It all sort of fit with the pace and overall mood so I didn't really mind, but this was nothing like the armies of eager bow-tied bartenders one encounters at most all-inclusives.

Also, unlike the mega-resorts, the Treehouse doesn’t have a line of licensed JUTA taxi drivers readily available. Whenever I asked for a ride, I seemed to be shuffled off to someone's car. A lot of people in Jamaica drive unlicensed taxis, and this is typically a safe, and cheaper, alternative to the JUTA drivers. But there are no guarantees, and it’s hard to find someone accountable if something should go wrong.

View on a Larger Map

From the hotel, I was able to stroll along the beach in both directions to various restaurants and bars, and also walked out to and across Norman Manley Boulevard to try a recommended lunch spot. Traffic wasn't overly noisy at night, and I never had a tough time crossing the road. The Treehouse is 10-15 minutes from downtown Negril and the Cliffs, and taxi drivers charged anywhere from $5-$15 for a one-way trip.

Seven Mile Beach is lined with bars, restaurants, souvenir stalls, and other hotels. Two minutes to the left of the Treehosue is Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville. To the right, next door to the Treehouse, is Norma's on the Beach, considered one of the best upscale dining establishments in Negril.

Water sports at Negril's Seven Mile Beach

Negril’s Seven Mile Beach is widely held as the best beach in Jamaica. The water is sparkling turquoise from afar, crystal clear up close, warm, and never crowded. As evidenced by this picture, I basically had the water to myself.

At the Treehouse, there are always plenty of chairs, and the jerk pit and beach bar are never more than a few steps away. There’s a water-sports tent on the right side of the hotel's beach. It's run by the hotel, but nothing is included. Jet Skis cost $50/person, and snorkel equipment is $12. Glass-bottomed boat tours are also available at negotiable rates.

There isn't much in the way of security along this stretch of Seven Mile Beach, so vendors walk through quite frequently (as do people staying at other places along the beach). I was never harassed by any vendors, but belongings are less secure here than they might be at an all-inclusive beach or on the cliff side of Negril.

Worn and outdated decor

Rooms are located in round, wooden rondel buildings reminiscent of old beachside summer houses—not actual tree houses. The property is fairly small, but there are two buildings with ocean views (one has standard rooms, one has six suites). Ocean-view rooms cost just $10 more than garden-view rooms, so I'd definitely advise requesting one of these if possible. Stunning views of the beach and the sounds of the waves are well worth $10 if you're on a Jamaican vacation. The suites ($195/night compared with $150 for a standard room), feature kitchenettes, a large living room, two bedrooms and two bathrooms. The décor in all rooms is pretty sparse and dated, but the rooms are quite airy and comfortable.

Rooms are either on the first or second floor of each building. Ground-floor rooms are convenient, but there’s not a great deal of security in the hotel, so I felt a little safer on the second floor (Room 51). Plus, the second-floor rooms feel much roomier and brighter with the high beamed wooden ceiling.

The amenities are very simple (old Panasonic TV, no fridge, only soap in the bathroom) and the furnishings are a bit worn out, but the rooms are extremely clean and very comfortable. Each has two large windows and a ceiling fan (as well as AC, though I hardly needed it). The king-size beds are comfortable, but basic, with just a simple cotton comforter and four large pillows.

The rondel-style buildings are definitely a bit rustic--my room shook a little when my neighbors slammed their door. I could always hear everyone talking in the courtyard below, and sometimes even heard the dishes being washed at the main building across the property. Also, in the morning, I was awakened when children went screaming by my window.

A balcony or terrace stretches around every room, each with its own table and chairs, and comfy hammock swing (an unfortunate rarity in Jamaica).

The bathroom is quite large, but again on the basic side. The hotel stocks towels, soap, and tissues, and there is also a Lever 2000 liquid soap dispenser in the shower. No shampoo or blow-dryer, though. The shower also has very poor water pressure -- the showerhead is like a glorified sink faucet--but the temperature was hot and my hair seemed to rinse well enough.

The closet is in the bathroom, and within it is a large safe that can hold two laptops and a lot of camera equipment. I was given a key to the safe upon check-in.

Outdoor massage area

The hotel has a very small pool and Jacuzzi just off the beach behind the bar. I didn't see many people swimming in it (and there were very few chairs laid out around it), but it looked like a nice way to cool off with ocean views.

In the lobby there is a small tour desk that also doubles as the booking spot for massages. There is no spa on site, but a certified therapist is available for beachfront massages.There is also a nail salon next door in a small block of shops that also has a convenience store with cheap sundries and souvenirs.

The beach is about all the onsite entertainment

At just 70 rooms, the property is fairly small, but rooms are spacious and many come with two twin beds. There are also 12 two-bedroom suites. There's no activities staff or babysitting service, so families will need to make their own fun. There's a small pool, and the beach has very calm, gentle waters, but that's about it for on-site entertainment.

The restaurant has kid-friendly pasta, pizza, and fried foods on its menu.

As at most hotels in Negril, I saw my fair share of marijuana, so parents wary of this might want to go elsewhere.

Furniture is creaky and scuffed, and in my bathroom the faucet was missing a knob and the hooks on the door had broken off. But the sheets on my bed were fresh and clean, and the windows, floors, and curtains were also spotless. Nothing was musty, just kind of worn.

I spent time working in the lobby, and was impressed by how frequently staff swept and dusted floors and surfaces. Because it was so close to the beach, sand would often blow in (which must be why the couch cushions were made of vinyl), but such is the trade-off for proximity to the beach.

The Beach Bar

The resort has two restaurants. A breakfast buffet is served on a second-floor terrace just above the lobby. It's named the Treehouse Restaurant for the enormous tree that sprouts up through the bar. The breakfast selection isn't huge, but it gets the job done, and the meal was included with my room rate. There are fried dumplings (which will be the death of me), made-to-order omelets, cereal, fresh fruit, hash browns, waffles, bacon or sausage, and toast. Juice and coffee were brought to my table, but there's also a cash bar nearby if I had wanted something stronger. The restaurant overlooks the water, and it was a spectacular way to start my day.

At the Beach Bar, appetizers are around $10, and entrées fall in the $15-$25 range. I saw staples like hamburgers, fries, and pizza being served (even though pizza wasn't on the menu), but those in search of healthier fare might want to venture elsewhere. Jerk chicken is also cooked up sometimes during the day, though at $11/serving, it's on the pricey side. I tried to eat dinner, but after discovering that a number of the things I tried to order -- including lobster and a pasta dish -- were no longer available, I settled for a salad and then headed next door to the similarly priced Norma's on the Beach.