Suite of the Week: Clandestino Villa at The Caves

For Prince George of the Jungle.

Where is it? Built into the limestone cliffs of the peaceful and lusciously tropical town of Negril, at the west end of Jamaica. When writing the original Bond book series, Ian Fleming stayed at GoldenEye in Oracabessa, and it was this bay that inspired Ian Fleming’s famous beach rendez-vous—you can thank Laughing Waters Beach for Ursula Andress’spectacular entrance.

The Hotel: Part of an intimate resort collection built by Island Records founder Chris Blackwell, The Caves is twelve cliff-side villas meant to impart a sense of ultimate tranquility—you know, the one you get in the dank silence of a cave. The villas dot Negril’s seven-mile beach, and overlook the bay’s famous cerulean waters. The mildly-rustic setting promises the frisson of excitement of an undiscovered quay, though The Caves provides the creature comforts of a top hotel.

The Suite: Not all villas are created equal. Lording above the 1- and 2-bedroom cottages is the jewel of The Caves: Clandestino Villa. Nestled deep in a palm grove, the wood-and-stone thatched house offers both total privacy and open architecture that eliminates any sense of enclosure. There are four bedrooms, each with an en suite bath, plus two private balconies to catch both the sun and the moon. The villa opens onto a private pool, for days when the walk to beach is too trying, and a gazebo and outdoor shower are set among extensive gardens. 

The Selling Point: The freedom to never leave your private house among the palms, and the assurance that if you do, the only thing bounding up to meet you will be the Caribbean Sea. 

By The Numbers: 3500 square-feet, 4 bedrooms, 2 minutes to the beach, 1 butler. Oh, and innumerable Instagram likes for just about anything you post from the pool-side gazebo.  

Photos by Island Outpost