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Hotel guide · Boutique hotel · Irish Town, Blue Mountains, St Andrew (above Kingston)

Strawberry Hill: 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

Strawberry Hill is the reason to stay in the hills rather than in Kingston itself. Chris Blackwell bought the old estate in 1974 and opened it as Island Outpost’s first Jamaican hotel in 1994: twelve white wooden cottages set into the slope at about 3,000 feet in Irish Town, with an infinity pool looking down on Kingston and the sea. My take: it suits couples and culture travelers who want cool mountain nights, good food and a base for Kingston and the Blue Mountains. If you want a beach day every day, or air conditioning, this is the wrong place.

Know what you’re booking. It isn’t an all-inclusive: the hotel’s terms put continental breakfast in the rate, and everything else is paid as you go. The rooms have no air conditioning, by design, and the Studio Suites sit down steps and inclines on the hillside, which the hotel itself says may not suit anyone with mobility concerns. Growing up in Jamaica, we always knew the Irish Town road for its bends. Take it slowly, and arrive before dark if you can.

If you want a beach to go with it, Island Outpost pairs Strawberry Hill with GoldenEye in Oracabessa, or split your trip with a few nights at Jamaica Inn in Ocho Rios. For staying in the city instead, see where to stay in Kingston.

At a glance

Name
Strawberry Hill (Strawberry Hill Hotel), an Island Outpost hotel founded by Chris Blackwell
Area
Irish Town, St Andrew, in the Blue Mountains; 26 acres at about 3,000 to 3,100 feet above sea level
Status
Open, according to the Jamaica Tourist Board
After Hurricane Melissa
Island Outpost told PAX in November 2025 that its properties were largely untouched; roads to Strawberry Hill were open and power, piped water and Wi-Fi were working
Hotel type
Boutique hotel, not an all-inclusive; restaurant, bar and in-room dining are paid as you go
Rate basis
The hotel's terms say rates are per cottage per night for two and include continental breakfast; some offers list breakfast separately, so check your rate
Taxes and charges
10% service charge, 10% government tax and US$1 per room per night accommodation tax are added to rates
Size
Twelve Georgian-style cottages
Room types
Studio Suite (400 sq ft, queen), Studio Cottage (king), One Bedroom Villa (1,500 sq ft), Two Bedroom Cottage, Two Bedroom Villa (3,000 sq ft)
In the rooms
Four-poster or queen beds with mosquito nets, verandas with mountain views, minibar, bathrobes, nightly turndown; limited Wi-Fi
Air conditioning
None in the rooms; the cottages rely on mountain air and cross-ventilation, and fans are provided
Restaurant
Strawberry Hill Restaurant, "New Jamaican" cooking: breakfast 7:30 to 10:30 am, lunch 12 to 3 pm, dinner 6 to 9:30 pm; Sunday brunch
Bar
Wood-paneled bar with a stone fireplace, open 11 am to 11 pm
In-room dining
8 am to 9 pm
Pool and spa
Infinity-edge pool; spa with five indoor/outdoor treatment rooms; yoga pavilion
Check-in / check-out
3:00 pm / 12:00 noon
Holiday minimum stay
Two nights from December 20 to January 3
Airport
About 50 minutes' drive from Norman Manley International (KIN), up the Irish Town road from Papine; the hotel arranges car and helicopter transfers

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

What stands out

  • Twelve cottages on 26 acres, so it stays small and quiet.
  • Infinity-edge pool with a view down over Kingston.
  • Cool mountain air at about 3,000 feet: a real change from the coast.
  • Restaurant serving "New Jamaican" cooking, a bar with a fireplace, and a Sunday brunch locals drive up for.
  • Spa with five treatment rooms, a yoga pavilion and guided hikes nearby.
  • About 50 minutes from Kingston airport, close to the Bob Marley Museum, Devon House and the coffee farms.

What to know before booking

  • No air conditioning in the rooms; fans only.
  • Not an all-inclusive: meals beyond breakfast and drinks are extra, plus 10% service charge and 10% tax.
  • No beach; the nearest beaches are about 50 minutes' drive away, according to the hotel.
  • Steps and inclines on the hillside, and limited Wi-Fi in the rooms.
  • The winding Irish Town road takes time, especially after dark.

Rooms

The rooms are cottages and villas designed by the Jamaican architect Ann Hodges in what the hotel calls a post-plantation style, with verandas angled for the views. The 400 sq ft Studio Suite has a queen bed (twin beds on request) and a balcony; the Studio Cottage has a king four-poster. Couples after more space should look at the 1,500 sq ft One Bedroom Villa, which the hotel calls its honeymoon suite. The Two Bedroom Cottage (one queen room, one twin room) and the 3,000 sq ft, two-story Two Bedroom Villa work for families or friends. Rooms have mosquito nets, a minibar, bathrobes and nightly turndown, and Wi-Fi in the rooms is listed as limited. There’s no air conditioning; fans are provided.

Food & drink

The Strawberry Hill Restaurant serves what it calls “New Jamaican” cooking: traditional dishes such as curry lamb and fish stew with a modern twist, and Blue Mountain coffee grown close by. Breakfast is 7:30 to 10:30 am, lunch 12 to 3 pm and dinner 6 to 9:30 pm, with sandwiches and salads in between. The bar, with photos of Island Records artists and a stone fireplace, is open 11 am to 11 pm, and in-room dining runs 8 am to 9 pm. My take: book the Sunday brunch. Kingston families have been driving up the hill for Sunday at Strawberry Hill for generations.

Pool & beach

There’s no beach here. The infinity-edge pool, with Kingston and the Caribbean below, is the place to swim. The spa has five indoor/outdoor treatment rooms using local botanicals, and there’s a yoga pavilion. For the sea, the hotel points guests to Fort Clarence Beach at Hellshire, about 50 minutes’ drive away.

Location

Strawberry Hill is in Irish Town, St Andrew, about 50 minutes’ drive from Norman Manley International Airport (KIN) through Kingston, past Papine and up the winding Irish Town road. The hotel also arranges helicopter transfers. It’s well placed for a Blue Mountain coffee tour, and for Kingston’s culture: the Bob Marley Museum, Devon House, Hope Gardens and the National Gallery of Jamaica. Locals will tell you to plan city trips for the daytime and be back up the hill for dinner. See where to stay in Kingston for the wider area.

Questions people ask

Is Strawberry Hill open after Hurricane Melissa?

Yes. The Jamaica Tourist Board lists Strawberry Hill Hotel as open as of October 2026. Island Outpost said in November 2025 that its properties were largely untouched and that the roads, power and water at Strawberry Hill were working.

Is Strawberry Hill all-inclusive?

No. It’s a boutique hotel. The hotel’s terms say rates include continental breakfast; other meals and drinks are paid as you go, and a 10% service charge and 10% government tax are added.

How far is Strawberry Hill from Kingston airport?

About 50 minutes by car from Norman Manley International Airport, according to the hotel. The last stretch is the winding Irish Town road. The hotel can arrange car or helicopter transfers.

Does Strawberry Hill have air conditioning?

No. The cottages are built for the cool mountain air and cross-breezes, and fans are provided. At about 3,000 feet, nights are cooler than on the coast.

Who owns Strawberry Hill?

It’s part of Island Outpost, the hotel group founded by Island Records founder Chris Blackwell, which also runs GoldenEye and The Caves. Blackwell bought the property in 1974, and it opened as a hotel in 1994.

Sources & updates

Update log

  • — New guide: researched from Strawberry Hill and Island Outpost official pages, the Jamaica Tourist Board list and Island Outpost's post-hurricane update.
  • — Moved source citations out of the text

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

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