Although nobody at GoldenEye really pushes
the James Bond thing, Ian Fleming wrote the Bond books here. His house, from
which the resort takes its name, overlooks the sea, and there are cottages with
names such as Vesper and Solitaire.
GoldenEye
recreates the ambience created by Ian Fleming in the 1940s.
Hidden away from the world at Oracabessa
Bay on Jamaica’s north shore, GoldenEye recreates the ambience created by Ian
Fleming in the 1940s. His pal Noël Coward had a house up the hill, Firefly, and
a visit to what is now a period museum filled with nostalgia is a must.
Between them, Fleming and Coward made this
part of Jamaica a social center for the like of Graham Greene, Errol Flynn,
Princess Margaret and Elizabeth Taylor. Black-and-white photos of them hang in
the exquisite little lounge at GoldenEye. Oh, island in the sun! Oh for those
big shorts and dashing panama hats, the silk frocks and the glamor of a still
colonial Jamaica, hot, cool and exotic.
The
resort is tiny, with the sea in front and a marvelous lagoon winding through
it. There’s a spa, a pool, a pristine beach.
The resort is tiny, with the sea in front
and a marvelous lagoon winding through it. There’s a spa, a pool, a pristine
beach. At nine each morning a glass-bottomed boat sets off for those who want
to see a fabulous fishies. You can also ride a jet ski, snorkel, fish and play
tennis. But you don’t come here for activities; this is the antithesis of a
polished, all-inclusive Jamaica resort – it’s the kind of place to linger over
dinner at the magical restaurant. From it, you can see the whole property lit
by flares as the sea turns to navy blue.
The guest accommodation is in pretty
bungalows and villas in the hills and on the beach. Ian Fleming’s house (three
bedrooms, a private pool and a beach) is definitely the place for Russian
oligarchs who have transcended bling. The lagoon itself is like a vas natural
swimming pool, part fresh water, part salt. You can dive straight into it from
your private dock, where the friendly staff will tie up a kayak for you to push
off at will.
The
lagoon itself is like a vas natural swimming pool, part fresh water, part salt.
The décor is island chic. The huge bed is
comfy, and the printed sheets are delightful. The bathroom is large, with a
capacious tub, plenty of cupboard space and two sinks. There is a rainforest
shower just outside.
As I write, the newlt-renovated GoldenEye
still has some kinks: the outdoor shower floor is pebbled, requiring shoes; the
service is a bit haphazard (out breakfast tray wasn’t cleared for days); the
fresh fruit included an anaemic melon – this in a lush, tropical country. I’m
sure such things will be ironed out before long. My only other quibble is that
the literature suggests you skip the air-con (US$20 a night back, if you do)
and listen to the birds and the breeze. So what’s with the big TV on the wall
with 500 channels? Well, you can ignore it, of course.
It’s
so small it feels like a private estate
Otherwise, the real joy of GoldenEye is its
size: it’s so small it feels like a private estate. You need never see anymore.
Maybe I’ll settle in for a while and write a best-selling spy novel. That’s
Nadelson. Reggie Nadelson.
GoldenEye Hotel & Resort (+1 876 975
3354; www.goldeneye.com) Doubles from
US$538 (£26,360)
