PLANNING YOUR JAMAICA VILLA VACATION
WITH VILLAS BY LINDA SMITH
STEP ONE: CHOOSING YOUR LUXURY JAMAICA VILLA
First, the staff at Villas by Linda Smith will help you determine the
specific villa to best fit your needs. For active groups that enjoy golf and
tennis, a villa located within a gated resort such as the Tryall Club
would work best. Wedding groups can be accommodated by one of the
many spectacular over-the-top villas, such as Silent Waters, located
high in the mountains with breathtaking views. Whatever your needs,
Villas by Linda Smith, will find the perfect villa for you. Villa rental rates
range in the off season (summer) from $1700 for a 2-bedroom fully-
staffed villa. Most villas run between $4000-$5000 per week for a 4-
bedroom, which works out to less than $1500 per couple. Rates are
based on the number of bedrooms occupied, not the total size of the
house. High Season runs December 15th - April 15th (7-night
minimum). Low Season is from April 16th - December 14th (5-night
minimum).
STEP TWO: FOOD AND BEVERAGES
After you've chosen the perfect villa, you'll be asked to complete a
prestock form for alcoholic beverages so you'll have something cool to
drink when you arrive at the villa. Be sure to fill this out. Staff members
do not drive cars so you can't run out to the grocery store to pick
something up and taxis are expensive. The cook will purchase
groceries for the first night's dinner and the following morning's
breakfast. Then you'll sit down with the cook to plan out the week's
menus. If you have any food allergies or requests, let her know at this
time.
THE FOOD BUDGET
Please note that the food budget estimates on the Villas by Linda
Smith website are accurate though they appear to be high. Budget
$40-$45 per adult per day for food, $20 for children under 14. Certain
foods are very expensive in Jamaica as compared to the prices in the
U.S., especially meats, seafood and U.S. brand items.
I visited the grocery store in Montego Bay so that I could accurately
report the grocery cost. The most expensive items are steaks (they’re
all imported), shrimp, lobster and fresh fish. Fresh fish (delivered to the
villa by the fish man) runs about $7-$8 per pound for a whole fish. A 12-
lb fish such as red snapper will feed about 6 people. U.S. brand
names are also very expensive compared to U.S. prices. For example,
a box of Kellogg’s Corn Flakes costs $7-$8 dollars whereas a generic
brand cereal runs closer to $4. Soft drinks and junk food are much
more expensive than in the United States. If you give the cook a
shopping list with a lot of American food, be prepared for sticker shock.
Menu choices and alcohol consumption will affect this budget
considerably. I encourage you to try as many of the locally grown fruits
and vegetables as you can. The flavor is so much better than what we’
re able to buy at a local grocery store in the U.S., particularly the
papaya, mangoes, pineapples and watermelon.
Typically, guests give the cook cash at the beginning of the week to use
for grocery shopping and the fifty dollar taxi ride into town. At the end of
the week, the cook will return the change to you along with receipts.
Please note: the grocery store receipts will not be itemized so you won’
t know the cost of each item.
STEP THREE: ARRIVING AT MONTEGO BAY AIRPORT
Villas by Linda Smith will arrange for a driver to transport you from the
airport to your villa. The transportation company is very reliable so don't
worry...your driver will be there to pick you up after you clear customs.
You will also be given your driver's cellphone number. We used the
transportation company three times while in Jamaica and found them
to be always on time, safe, courteous and reliable. On our return trip
from the villa to the airport I requested a van to pick us up at 5:00 a.m..
A smiling driver arrived early at 4:30 a.m.
STEP FOUR: ENJOYING YOUR VILLA
You'll be greeted upon arrival by the villa staff: the cook who usually
also serves as the senior staff member, a housekeeper, a laundress,
and a gardener. Many villas also employ a butler. You'll find the villa
staff to be warm, cheerful people who go out of their way to make every
day special. During our visit to Fairwinds at Tryall Club, we fell in love
with the Fairwinds staff. They touched our hearts in a special way that
we'll never forget. From the hibiscus tucked into napkins to the special
thank you song our laundress, Winnie, sang, they kept us smiling every
day.
The staff will take care of everything-housekeeping, cooking, laundry
and cleaning the pool. You're free to relax and enjoy your vacation.
STEP FIVE: STAFF GRATUITIES
Villas by Linda Smith recommends a total gratuity equal to 10% of the
villa rent during High Season and 15% during Low Season. This
should be paid in cash to your staff at the end of your stay. The villa will
contain a book that explains how the gratuity should be split among the
staff members. In our villa, Fairwinds at Tryall Club, the gratuity was
split 40% to the cook, 30% to the housekeeper and 15% each to the
laundress and gardener. Please plan to pay at least the minimum
recommended gratuity. The staff members work unbelievable long
hours, usually arriving at 6:30 a.m. and leaving around 8:00 p.m. every
day you're there.Keep in mind-the gratuities are their salary and they
deserve to be compensated well.
WITH VILLAS BY LINDA SMITH
STEP ONE: CHOOSING YOUR LUXURY JAMAICA VILLA
First, the staff at Villas by Linda Smith will help you determine the
specific villa to best fit your needs. For active groups that enjoy golf and
tennis, a villa located within a gated resort such as the Tryall Club
would work best. Wedding groups can be accommodated by one of the
many spectacular over-the-top villas, such as Silent Waters, located
high in the mountains with breathtaking views. Whatever your needs,
Villas by Linda Smith, will find the perfect villa for you. Villa rental rates
range in the off season (summer) from $1700 for a 2-bedroom fully-
staffed villa. Most villas run between $4000-$5000 per week for a 4-
bedroom, which works out to less than $1500 per couple. Rates are
based on the number of bedrooms occupied, not the total size of the
house. High Season runs December 15th - April 15th (7-night
minimum). Low Season is from April 16th - December 14th (5-night
minimum).
STEP TWO: FOOD AND BEVERAGES
After you've chosen the perfect villa, you'll be asked to complete a
prestock form for alcoholic beverages so you'll have something cool to
drink when you arrive at the villa. Be sure to fill this out. Staff members
do not drive cars so you can't run out to the grocery store to pick
something up and taxis are expensive. The cook will purchase
groceries for the first night's dinner and the following morning's
breakfast. Then you'll sit down with the cook to plan out the week's
menus. If you have any food allergies or requests, let her know at this
time.
THE FOOD BUDGET
Please note that the food budget estimates on the Villas by Linda
Smith website are accurate though they appear to be high. Budget
$40-$45 per adult per day for food, $20 for children under 14. Certain
foods are very expensive in Jamaica as compared to the prices in the
U.S., especially meats, seafood and U.S. brand items.
I visited the grocery store in Montego Bay so that I could accurately
report the grocery cost. The most expensive items are steaks (they’re
all imported), shrimp, lobster and fresh fish. Fresh fish (delivered to the
villa by the fish man) runs about $7-$8 per pound for a whole fish. A 12-
lb fish such as red snapper will feed about 6 people. U.S. brand
names are also very expensive compared to U.S. prices. For example,
a box of Kellogg’s Corn Flakes costs $7-$8 dollars whereas a generic
brand cereal runs closer to $4. Soft drinks and junk food are much
more expensive than in the United States. If you give the cook a
shopping list with a lot of American food, be prepared for sticker shock.
Menu choices and alcohol consumption will affect this budget
considerably. I encourage you to try as many of the locally grown fruits
and vegetables as you can. The flavor is so much better than what we’
re able to buy at a local grocery store in the U.S., particularly the
papaya, mangoes, pineapples and watermelon.
Typically, guests give the cook cash at the beginning of the week to use
for grocery shopping and the fifty dollar taxi ride into town. At the end of
the week, the cook will return the change to you along with receipts.
Please note: the grocery store receipts will not be itemized so you won’
t know the cost of each item.
STEP THREE: ARRIVING AT MONTEGO BAY AIRPORT
Villas by Linda Smith will arrange for a driver to transport you from the
airport to your villa. The transportation company is very reliable so don't
worry...your driver will be there to pick you up after you clear customs.
You will also be given your driver's cellphone number. We used the
transportation company three times while in Jamaica and found them
to be always on time, safe, courteous and reliable. On our return trip
from the villa to the airport I requested a van to pick us up at 5:00 a.m..
A smiling driver arrived early at 4:30 a.m.
STEP FOUR: ENJOYING YOUR VILLA
You'll be greeted upon arrival by the villa staff: the cook who usually
also serves as the senior staff member, a housekeeper, a laundress,
and a gardener. Many villas also employ a butler. You'll find the villa
staff to be warm, cheerful people who go out of their way to make every
day special. During our visit to Fairwinds at Tryall Club, we fell in love
with the Fairwinds staff. They touched our hearts in a special way that
we'll never forget. From the hibiscus tucked into napkins to the special
thank you song our laundress, Winnie, sang, they kept us smiling every
day.
The staff will take care of everything-housekeeping, cooking, laundry
and cleaning the pool. You're free to relax and enjoy your vacation.
STEP FIVE: STAFF GRATUITIES
Villas by Linda Smith recommends a total gratuity equal to 10% of the
villa rent during High Season and 15% during Low Season. This
should be paid in cash to your staff at the end of your stay. The villa will
contain a book that explains how the gratuity should be split among the
staff members. In our villa, Fairwinds at Tryall Club, the gratuity was
split 40% to the cook, 30% to the housekeeper and 15% each to the
laundress and gardener. Please plan to pay at least the minimum
recommended gratuity. The staff members work unbelievable long
hours, usually arriving at 6:30 a.m. and leaving around 8:00 p.m. every
day you're there.Keep in mind-the gratuities are their salary and they
deserve to be compensated well.
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