Whistling Bird Resort

If you don't want to read my narrative... just read my pros and cons at the end. I'll include some advice about vacationing in Jamaica in the details. We stayed at Whistling Bird for two weeks this February. My wife and I had a wonderful stay at this special resort. Immediately upon arrival all the staff are introducing themselves like new friends. You feel like family here. The staff are very responsive. For example, our toilet wasn't working when we checked in but it was fixed immediately. I've been to 5 star resorts and it can take an hour for maintenance to show up. Here, it was 1 min. The resort consists of 15 odd cottages named after birds. We stayed in Dr Bird. Some are quite large and could sleep 3 couples comfortably. The one bedrooms basically are just a bed and bathroom. The two or 3 bedroom have a sitting area, tables and sofas. TVs are in the cottages but few work. Air conditioning is good in the bedrooms and ventilation excellent with overhead fans elsewhere. Good screens on all the windows. There are safes in the rooms to lock up valuables. We opted to have housekeeping every two days. There is a small fridge in each of the rooms. The rooms are clean and sleeping is comfortable. Water pressure and temperature is iffy at times but typically Jamaican. Power went out once during our stay. Rooms are quite dark. Be sure to bring a flashlight. Overnight security is present. During the day security keeps unwanted vendors from harassing you on the beach. There is some construction ongoing on site and next door but it's not noisy. What is noisy are the various venues nearby... Roots, Woodstock, Wavs and the Jungle. The music is LOUD and doesn't stop till 4 in the morning. It was tolerable this year. Two years ago at Villagate beside Wavs, my hearing was comprised for several weeks. Take ear plugs. In my mind and probably showing my age, they need to shut down earlier and lower the decibels. It is not good for Negril tourism. The beach is the best part of this resort. Gorgeous views with white sand that slopes into the water for 20 m . There is ample shade from palms and trees on the property. The resort supplies towels and loungers free of charge. You have to be careful to get permission from Milton (security guard) to move a chair as he gets quite obstinate. He prefers you to have the white plastic loungers but they are not very comfortable without cushions. Some of the blue fabric loungers are broken and have sharp screws sticking out. Be careful to cover with your towel. There is plenty of space on the beach, so you aren't all lined up row upon row. Several trees have come down during storms and hurricanes, so there is a large area of brush and logs which the grounds people are chipping away at. They do a wonderful job of taking care of the pathways that wind past palms and bamboo clusters. The restaurant onsite has basic Jamaican fare and some American dishes. The food is good and inexpensive

none of the bedding matched, the outside sink faucet broken and sharp, we were not in the cottage we were told we would be in, 3x week night club acroos the street prevented sleep, music thumping, tires squeeling..cockroaches, power went off several times, very limited menu with mostly american food. took 20 minutes to get a drink. The beach was very nice.

If you enjoy a laid back Jamaican vibe, rustic lodging, nature, friendliness, relaxation, palm trees, beautiful beach, good food… this is the place for you.. As other reviewers have stated, if you need consistent water pressure and top of the line amenities, this is not for you. I had a wonderful time at Whistling Bird last month. My primary regret was that I only booked one week. I’m an older, friendly , solo female traveler who was made to feel so at home, welcome and comfortable by staff and other guests alike. Indeed, long time staff members and owner Calvin have established a resort that is a warm community. I loved so many aspects: several pots of coffee starting around 6 in the morning( thank you, Ryan!), plenty of shade and lounge chairs, camaraderie or privacy as you wish, beautiful sea, bar and restaurant area close to the water and as a central meeting place, quiet (except for Thursday and Saturday music/club night… bring earplugs, it’s life in Negril), peaceful grounds, great security, near local as well as tourist restaurants, a reciprocal relationship with the Cliff’s lovely hotel West Ender, with a back and forth shuttle about 3 times a day. I badly needed R&R, so pretty much stayed on the resort grounds all day. I walked the beach early (6:30) before it got too sunny, had my coffee and breakfast, chilled with other folks, read, swam, then back to my chaise in the shade. Had 2 great massages with wonderful Rosie. I can’t say enough about the kind, warm and professional staff: Miss Bavra, Roneka, Mr. Milton, Mr A, Chefs Kevin and Brown, Miss G, Ryan, Aaron, Wayne, Shorty, Shareen, Natalie, Tosh, Genius, Garwood… everyone: housekeeping, grounds keepers, security, restaurant staff, operations managers, airport car service. The week felt seamless. I loved Kevin’s omelets and vegetable curried stew, enjoyed nearby restaurants for dinner, as well as local Sweet Spot. I made new friends. Have already booked for upcoming winter. Quite a little paradise. I put off writing my review because, as others have said, it’s great that WB is kind of a secret, hidden spot. Very hard to leave. My love and best to all.