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Hotel guide · Boutique hotel · West End Road, Negril

Rockhouse Hotel: what to know before you book

Researched by Michael RainfordFacts checked Sources
On this page
  1. My local take
  2. At a glance
  3. Pros and cons
  4. Rooms
  5. Food & drink
  6. Pool & beach
  7. Location
  8. FAQ
  9. Sources

My local take

Rockhouse is the cliff hotel most people mean when they talk about the West End: stone, timber and thatch villas stepping down to Pristine Cove, a saltwater infinity pool on the edge of the rocks, and Pushcart, its jerk and rum bar, which draws Negril people as well as guests. It has 40 rooms and is independently owned. My take: it suits couples, honeymooners and solo travelers who like a small hotel with a bit of a social buzz, plan to eat around Negril, and don’t mind stairs. Children over 12 are welcome, but it isn’t built for families.

It sells rooms only, without breakfast, so budget for meals. The upside is that the West End’s restaurants and sunset spots are on your doorstep, and the hotel runs a free daily shuttle to its sister property, Skylark, if you want a day on Seven Mile Beach.

If it’s not quite right, look at The Caves, a smaller, more secluded cliff hotel on the West End that sells all-inclusive stays for guests 16 and over, or The Cliff Hotel, a quieter, more upscale option nearby. For an all-inclusive on calm water, see Couples Negril, and see where to stay in Negril for the wider area.

At a glance

Area
On the cliffs of Negril's West End, above Pristine Cove
Hotel type
Independent boutique hotel with 40 rooms, suites and villas
Status
Open, and the Jamaica Tourist Board lists it as open. The hotel says it had no damage from Hurricane Melissa
Ages
Mainly for adults and couples; children over 12 are welcome
Rate basis
Room only: breakfast is not included
Restaurants
Rockhouse Restaurant, Pushcart Jerk Center & Rum Bar, and the Pool Bar & Grill
Pool and sea
60-foot saltwater infinity pool, plus ladders into the sea from the cliffs on calm days
Beach
Complimentary daily shuttle to sister hotel Skylark on Seven Mile Beach, with beach tent and loungers
Spa
Cliff-top spa using its own Caribbean Essentials products, made on site
In the room
Air-conditioning, stocked minibar, Bluetooth speaker, Wi-Fi (free throughout the property)
Check-in / check-out
3:00 pm / 11:00 am
Airport
About 90 minutes by road from Sangster International (MBJ), Montego Bay; the hotel arranges private transfers

Checked October 2026 against the sources below. See sources. Something changed? Tell me.

What stands out

  • On the West End cliffs, with ladders into a clear cove and a 60-foot saltwater infinity pool.
  • Three places to eat, including Pushcart for jerk and rum at night.
  • Free daily shuttle to sister hotel Skylark on Seven Mile Beach, with a beach tent and loungers.
  • Small (40 rooms) and independently owned, with a cliff-top spa and yoga pavilion.
  • Air-conditioning in every room and free Wi-Fi throughout.

What to know before booking

  • Room only: breakfast and other meals are extra.
  • Lots of stairs and uneven paths; the hotel says it isn't fully accessible.
  • No sandy beach on site, and sea swimming is closed when the water is rough.
  • Not for young children: guests under 13 aren't accepted.
  • Specific rooms can't be guaranteed; rooms are assigned at check-in.

Rooms

Rockhouse has 40 rooms built in stone, timber and thatch: about twenty villa-style rooms over Pristine Cove, newer Ocean View Suites, and standard rooms and studios set back in the garden. Villas are thatched cliff-top cottages with wraparound terraces and outdoor showers, some with sleeping lofts; Premium Villas are larger, on prime cliff-edge spots facing the sunset, with indoor showers. Ocean View Suites, Garden Villas and Loft Villas sleep up to four. Every room has air-conditioning, a stocked minibar and a Bluetooth speaker.

Food & drink

Rates don’t include meals. Rockhouse Restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, with Jamaican-inspired cooking and Blue Mountain coffee, and room service runs during its hours. Pushcart Jerk Center & Rum Bar opens from 3 pm with jerk chicken, pork and fish, peppered shrimp, curry goat and oxtail, nightly DJs and a long rum list, and it is open to non-guests. The Pool Bar & Grill serves lunch from noon to 4 pm. The menus label vegan and gluten-free dishes, and the hotel recommends dinner reservations at busy times.

Pool & beach

The 60-foot saltwater infinity pool sits on the cliff edge, with bar service from late morning to sunset. On calm days you swim from ladders set into the rocks, and the hotel has free paddle boards; when the sea is rough, sea swimming is closed. There’s no sand on site, but a free daily shuttle runs to sister hotel Skylark on Seven Mile Beach, where guests get a beach tent and loungers. The spa does massages, scrubs, wraps, facials and bathing rituals in a cut-stone pavilion and cliff-edge cabanas, and there’s yoga in an open-air pavilion by the pool.

Location

Rockhouse is on West End Road, on the cliffs south of the town center. Rick’s Café and its cliff jumps, The Cliff Hotel and The Caves are all on the same West End stretch, while Seven Mile Beach is about 10 to 15 minutes’ drive north. The drive from Montego Bay airport takes about 90 minutes, and the hotel can arrange a private transfer. See where to stay in Negril for the wider area.

Questions people ask

Is Rockhouse Hotel open after Hurricane Melissa?

Yes. The Jamaica Tourist Board lists Rockhouse Hotel as open as of October 2026, and the hotel says it had no damage from the hurricane.

Is Rockhouse adults-only?

Not strictly. The hotel says it’s mainly for adults and couples, and children over 12 are welcome. The cliffs and stairs make it a poor fit for young kids.

Is Rockhouse all-inclusive?

No. Rates are room only and breakfast is not included. You pay as you go at Rockhouse Restaurant, Pushcart and the Pool Bar & Grill, or eat around Negril.

Does Rockhouse have a beach?

Not on site: you swim from ladders in the cliffs or in the saltwater infinity pool. A free daily shuttle takes guests to sister hotel Skylark on Seven Mile Beach.

How far is Rockhouse from Montego Bay airport?

About 90 minutes by road from Sangster International Airport, depending on traffic. The hotel can arrange private transfers.

Sources & updates

Update log

  • — New researched guide; facts from the official site and the Jamaica Tourist Board list.
  • — Moved source citations out of the text

Spotted something out of date? Tell me and I’ll check it.

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