Jakes

The appeal of Jake’s, in a nutshell, is that it’s more or less exactly what you would want a Jamaican boutique hotel to be like. On an island whose tourism tends toward the tasteless and the all-inclusive, a place this mellow and unassuming is guaranteed to stand out.

It’s the kind of place which aesthetically seems to have more or less assembled itself organically over the years, without much in the way of design. And the experience is an unstructured one as well; forget about scheduled activities and forced hedonism. Here you unwind on the shore or by the pool, at your own pace.

The cottages feel private and secluded, but not ostentatiously so. Even those with outdoor tubs on their sea-view decks feel more like lucky finds than five-star extravagances. It’s proof that it doesn’t take solid-gold bathtub taps to attract a top-flight crowd — the guest book at Jake’s lists some bona fide beautiful people, who are here for the atmosphere rather than the amenities.

You’re at the south end of the island, which is a bit on the remote side — expect an entertaining voyage from the airport. But Jake’s is, refreshingly, anything but solitary. Here locals and guests mix, in a good way — hole up by the pool if you like, or head out for cheap beers and some of the real Jamaica’s famous street cuisine.

How to get there: Jakes guests have the option to fly into the private Lionel Densham Aerodrome, owned by Jakes (10 minutes’ drive). Guests can also fly into Montego Bay Airport and transfer can be arranged for $130 for 2, each way (a two-hour drive). If flying into Kingston, transfer can be arranged for $195 for 2, each way (a 2.5-hour drive).