Treasure Beach, Jamaica
An inn that lives up to the laid-back myth.

From the March 26, 2001 Issue of New York

The terminally dreamy and subdued Jamaica of legend is not a real place; it's a state of mind. But Jake's, in a fishing village called Treasure Beach, comes closer than most resorts to capturing that elusive spirit, perhaps because the people who run it are connected to some of JamaicaÕs master myth-makers. Jake's is owned by Jason Henzell, whose father, Perry, directed The Harder They Come. The inn is marketed by music mogul Chris Blackwell's Island Outpost Group (Blackwell signed Bob Marley way back when). The resort is composed of twelve tin-roofed beach shacks, designed by Jason's mother with vaguely Moroccan touches (the one called Seapuss is the nicest -- Bob Marley's former attorney was our upstairs neighbor there). Afternoons can be spent bike-riding along the town's rural back roads or motorboating on the Black River. Moonlighting fishermen navigate you down the narrow waterway, thick with mangroves and home to crocodiles that snap to attention for chunks of frozen chicken supplied by your guide. The vibe at Jake's -- abetted by killer rum-based cocktails at night and fresh -- roasted coffee in the morning -- has drawn the likes of Joan Osborne, Lennox Lewis, and U2's Adam Clayton as well as photo teams from numerous fashion magazines. Be sure to have Jason arrange your transport to Little Ochie, a beachside restaurant in nearby Alligator Pond. Deeply spiced lobsters are cooked on open fires, and if you're lucky, the Ochie folks will blast some gospelized dub from their massive outdoor sound system.
-- MICHAEL KAPLAN




Details
Jake's, 800-688-7678 or www.islandoutpost.com/jakes (rooms start at $95); Little Ochie, 876-965-4449. Jake's provides transportation from the Montego Bay airport.