Polkerris Bed and Breakfast A PIECE OF HEAVEN
IF THERE is one piece of advice visitors who have stayed at Polkerris Bed and Breakfast would have for potential guests to the property, it would be: ‘prepare to be wowed!’
In fact, if ratings by guests equated to academic marks, then Polkerris would graduate with firstclass honours.
Based on the more than 455 excellent reviews of the 470 guests who commented on TripAdvisor about the property, it comes as no surprise that Polkerris won that travel site’s 2019 Travellers Choice Award, eclipsing its counterparts across the Caribbean and Latin America.
Polkerris is not the traditional bed and breakfast to which many are accustomed. Instead, Polkerris is the epitome of island luxury, reminiscent of its high-end compatriots in neighbouring Rose Hall, and Hanover’s extreme north, but without the much higher price tag.
The quaint villa-type guest house is ranked in the Top 25 Bed and Breakfasts and Inns in the Caribbean, and its guests have been seduced by not only the ambience of the property, but the warm reception
and treatment of the staff and owners who have made them feel that they have come to a second home.
The two exquisite luxury villas, enveloped within lush, tropical foliage, are neatly tucked away atop Jimmy Cliff Boulevard, nestled against the hillside, away from the hustle and bustle of the Hip Strip, offering a spectacular view of the Montego Bay Harbour and the western coastline.
‘Perfect, personal, picturesque Polkerris’, ‘place of perfect peace and harmony’, ‘amazing place’, ‘awesome hosts’, and ‘the definition of sunshine living’ are a few of the descriptive phrases visitors have used to describe their experience there.
To say that the grounds and the rooms are immaculately kept by the staff would be an understatement. Polkerris is impeccably maintained, and TripAdvisor testimonials depict them as perfectly awesome.
According to manager Peter Scudamore, it started as a hobby of his mother and stepdad, approximately 10 years ago, and then blossomed into a product that has earned global recognition.
“With extra space, my parents would take in some guests that they knew and they would come back as repeat guests. They would tell others, and with the advent of the Internet and more people getting to
know about us, we took it a little bit more seriously and formalised the business,” he explained.
The Internet and word of mouth advertising by guests attracted interest from travellers across the globe, not only in Jamaica’s traditional markets, but as far as Eastern and Central Europe, the Far East, and South America. A large part of the clientele is Jamaicans visiting from abroad who trek to the island to reconnect with their roots.
“By staying here, they have all the nice feel of a luxury hotel. We only serve breakfast, so they are able to roam about and enjoy food in local restaurants and visit with family,” Scudamore said.
Centrally located, Polkerris is three minutes from the airport, a stone’s throw from Doctors Cave Beach, and the rooms and the other amenities are very high end, owing to the fact that there is no compromise on quality and comfort.
Each villa has its own swimming pool, and while both are selfcontained, guests are free to visit the other if they choose. The upper villa has a games room, which is equipped with a pool table, a card table, and a computer console, among other things.
All the rooms are tastefully decorated and furnished with either a king- or queen-sized bed or two queen-sized beds. Rooms are air-conditioned, equipped with Wi-Fi, a television, telephone, a refrigerator, an in-room safe and all the basic amenities of luxury properties.
“Each room has its own character, its own feel to it. We use a lot of local tradespeople. A lot of our bedding is done locally because where possible, we try and integrate with our local suppliers,” Scudamore said.
There can be no bed and breakfast property without breakfast, and according to Scudamore and his guests. This is huge.
“The breakfast is a big part. The guests really love the breakfast, which is typically fresh fruit, coffee, and a choice of teas, and then you have a Jamaican-style breakfast, which can range from ackee and saltfish, escoveitched fish, mackerel, liver, stew chicken, callaloo, and salt-fish, served with fried dumplings, plantains, boiled banana, yam, roast breadfruit, whatever is in season, likewise the fruits,” he said, adding that there is the option of omelettes, pancakes, and toast for those who opt out of the Jamaican breakfast.
Scudamore is particularly pleased that the property, which could be considered off-the-beaten-path, has managed to outrank so many other properties in the Western Hemisphere to cop a major TripAdvisor award.
“That is a big deal because you are talking about being on top of hundreds and hundreds of other places. So it promotes our business, but it also puts Jamaica up there as well,” he said.