Janet Silvera, Gleaner Writer
This besutiful tree adds a festive air to the lobby area of the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel. - PHOTOS BY WINSTON SILL/FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
WESTERN BUREAU:
JAMAICANS PRIMARILY spend Christmas at home, however, in recent years several families have shed the job of baking hams and roasting turkeys for the comfort of a hotel room, pristine white sand beach and a server at their beck and call.
Resort life for Jamaicans is no longer a luxury; it is now a past-time. The hotels that benefit mainly from this new trend are family resorts, confirming without a doubt that Christmas in Jamaica is all about family.
The island's hotels from Treasure Beach on the south coast and cosy small properties in Portland are reporting extremely high occupancy levels this Yuletide season and a good percentage of their business is coming from the home grown local market. From telephone calls made by Lifestyle, you will not get a room for this year if you have not booked already.
"Thirty per cent of the rooms occupied on Christmas night will house Jamaicans, we are fully booked for the Christmas/New Year's season," said general manager of Point Village Negril, Evelyn Smith. "Once again we are the ideal vacation retreat for numerous Jamaican families, we have two large family reunion groups at the resort during the period."
A REAL FALLACY
She said most of the business she is getting is from repeat guests who have come to call the resort their home away from home. In fact, the Jamaicans have proved that it is really a fallacy that locals can only afford one or two nights in a hotel.
"The minimum stay for our locals is four nights. When they find the right location that meets their needs and makes them feel warm and welcome, they will meet the requisite minimum nights requirement," Mrs. Smith told The Gleaner.
At the 430-room Sunset Beach Resort and Spa in Montego Bay the response from the local market this Christmas is as fabulous as previous years, noted that hotel's sales manager Carol Reid.
Fifteen per cent of Sunset Beach Resort's clientele during the Christmas season are Jamaicans. "Jamaicans come here because our experience is the real Jamaican one, they leave home but for them it's another visit to their other home," she said.
EXCITEMENT FOR CHILDREN
She said the resort has the added facets of the relaxation of the beach, the pampering of the spa, comfort and the great service, which include not having to cook. Two weeks ago, their latest attraction geared towards enticing children, a multimillion-dollar Pirates Paradise Waterpark was opened.
"This will really give the children that extra excitement, creating the perfect family vacation without having to leave the island," added Miss Reid.
A scrumptious menu of maple roasted turkey with sherried giblet gravy, honey mustard glazed ham, escoveitched red snapper fillet with Jamaican traditional cassava bammy, sweet potato and cornmeal pudding, gives a sneak preview of what the resorts' award winning executive chef Ansel Beason has planned for the local invasion.
CHRISTMAS AT COUPLES
At Couples Ocho Rios, although persons cannot take their children, an average of 15 per cent of their guests during Christmas are Jamaicans and they are not ignored.
A big grand market is staged on Christmas eve at the resort where craft vendors display their wares, the Highgate Ensemble sings Jamaican-style Christmas carols and sorrel, egg nog, Christmas pudding, grater cake, blue drawers, ginger beer and coconut water join the couples only family.
On Christmas Day, guests are taken to churches of their choice from as early as 5:00 a.m.; on their return a Jamaican spread is served at breakfast. This normally includes ackee and saltfish, mackerel rundown and fried dumplings.
Santa Claus makes his way on the beach with his elves and bags filled with goodies, "Each guest gets a chance to take a photo with Santa," said Claudia Titus, public relations manager of the resort.
In Port Antonio a fair number of Jamaicans use this area as their preferred destination and properties such as Fern Hill, Goblin Hill and Frenchman's Cove are full for Christmas.
