Barbara Ellington, Lifestyle Editor
This path of 180 steps takes you to some of the rooms on the property. Another 60 take you to the the restaurant and one of the best views at the resort. - Photos by Noel Thompson
This year, for the annual summer vacation, I decided to practise what Lifestyle had been preaching to readers, and do a local vacation for a change. A friend, who had tried Sunset Heal Mountain Retreat and Healing Centre in Petersfield, Westmoreland, did such a great job of selling me the place, I called up and made reservations.
I was told of its quiet, peaceful surroundings, great service and, best of all, the personal touch from the owner Beatrice (as she prefers to be called), who made every guest feel at ease. The massages and pampering at the spa sounded excellent and, since I had been feeling rather tired of late, it sounded like a plan.
Hilltop hideaway
Sunset Heal Mountain Retreat and Healing Centre is a nine-and-a-half-acre hilltop hideaway, overlooking the cane fields that surround the Roaring River community in Petersfield, Westmoreland. From Kingston, a 2008 Mitsubishi Pajero will take you there in quiet, air-conditioned comfort in just under three hours. But that's only if an experienced rally driver like Bobby Marshall is at the wheel.
The first thing you notice is the quiet, calm atmosphere. The colourful wooden buildings blend into the lush, green hills and a pleasant looking security guard opens the gate with a smile. There is a neatly paved driveway, bordered by a huge lawn on one side, with tables and benches for outdoor relaxation. There is also a large gazebo for outdoor functions and a few two-storey cottages on the way to the main office/reception area. But, most striking of all, is how much attention has been paid to the details in the landscaping of the facility. Terraced hillsides, heliconia, anthuriums and every kind of herb, as well as flowering plant, abounds. Scattered throughout are lumber, coconut, pimento, ackee and lots of fruit and shade trees.
Cool welcome
Beatrice welcomes each guest with a cool mint-flavoured wash cloth for the sweaty face and neck, followed by a drink of ice cold lemon grass tea. It is soon obvious that furniture, fixtures and buildings are made of local wood. Upon enquiry, I am told it is all made by local craftsmen, who are provided with equipment and raw material to produce all the pieces need for the property.
After the formalities of registration, it's time for a tour. It starts at the Lemon Grass Spa occupying the top floor of one of the main buildings. Soft mood music, comfortable surroundings and a capable staff promise a relaxing time to come. To get to my assigned room, I have to climb 180 steps up the steep hillside. I take several rest stops but am assured that by the end of my stay I will be running up and down them like the staff.
Fabulous view
The room is comfortably furnished with a king-sized four-poster bed, complete with canopy and mosquito net. From the balcony, there is a fabulous view of the cane fields below and the mountain that hides the Roaring River Caves in its belly. It's great to have all the creature comforts such as Internet, telephone service and more cable television channels than one can watch. But it's also great to look in the distance below and see groups of two and three tourists being escorted through the bushy countryside by young boys sporting dreadlocks. I say a silent prayer of thanks to God for a Jamaica that is still safe and beautiful.
The patio is the perfect place to sit and read all three novels I took with me and also a great vantage point from which to view the world-famous Negril sunset, come nightfall.
Worthwhile climb
The main dining area is another 60 steps up the hill but the scrumptious Jamaican meals made it all worthwhile. And, come nightfall, the crickets, frogs and other nocturnal creatures put on a choral recital that's out of this world. It's pitch black around and moths seek all available sources of light but they don't last long. Croaking lizards, fat and juicy from this unending source of food, just shimmy lazily close to the light bulbs and wait to pounce on them.
Beatrice came to Jamaica 17 years ago to one of the regular reggae festivals. She acquired the property with her former husband. Sunset Heal Mountain Retreat and Healing Centre is still a work in progress. However, the spa offers a full service including scrubs, massages, foot baths, reflexology as well as manicures and pedicures. Prices range from US$10- $80! The Sunset Heal Serenity package includes a three-night stay for two with tours, signature spa package, a guided tour of the cave, meals and round trip transfers for US$1,528 plus tax. For locals, the rate for two persons per night inclusive of breakfast is J$12,000.
If you need a place to relax, recharge, rejuvenate and escape the madding crowd, look no further. If you are looking for the perfect retreat location, there is accommodation for up to 16 persons. It's ideal for the kind of self-imposed solitary confinement during which you find yourself or rediscover your mate.
(For reservations: www.sunsetheal.com or call:876-578-5810/305-434-8876
This patio provides an excellent view of the famous Negril sunset and the Roaring River caves in the distance.
This is no ordinary hillside. Beneath all this greenry lies some of the best kept caves visitors can tour and enjoy many of its fascinating secrets, including a deep blue hole.
Beatrice and her team at Sunset Heal Mountain Retreat and Healing Centre will take you to one of the Roaring River's many secluded spots for a body scrub and massage followed by a dip in the icy cold water running by. The experience is utter bliss. - Photo by Barbara Ellington
Two of the colourful wooden cabins that house a bedroom and patio upstairs and bathroom downstairs.
A cosy bedroom with king-sized, canopied bed complete with mosquito net.
