City View Hotel

Myself and my wife stayed there from March 29th-April 3rd 2023. City View Hotel isn't for those looking for the hustle and bustle of a centrally located hotel. Rather, it's for those looking to get away from that life and just relax for a few days. We truly felt at home - mainly because this hotel is actually a converted home. We stayed in Room 1, I believe, and we didn't feel like we were staying at a hotel at all. We felt as if we were at home, if our home had such amazing views. There's a bit of haze around with the view during the day, but at night and in the early morning is when that view from the balcony is the most amazing. Location: Top class. We didn't want to be distracted by anything around us and City View offered just what we wanted. It's not in the middle of Kingston - it's a few minutes away from what some people might want, but the site is so peaceful that you'd just love it. From time to time you'll hear vehicles going up and down the hillside road, but that was few and far between. Due to the hillside location the average temperature is much lower than in the city as well, so we very rarely required the air conditioning. Staff: Jilliane and Nicky are extremely amazing. They were able to arrange everything for us with no hassle, despite some hiccups on our end that they could not control. We didn't even feel like it was their job to help us out, rather they seemed like friends. Never too pushy but always around for anything we might have wanted. I must make a special mention to Mr. Sheldon the driver who they use - he's very professional, friendly, and very accommodating. Always on time for everything and the conversations with him were never awkward - felt like he was a relative who's just happy to show me where he lives. He even stopped off at a local grocery store for us to get supplies for our stay. We were genuinely a little sad to leave these new friends. Meals: We had preordered a full Jamaican breakfast daily and were not disappointed with it. Due to the lack of an in-house kitchen, dinner needed to be preordered (ideally the day before). That was fine with us, because the breakfast was so filling it carried us over until dinner most days! The day we did have dinner with them, it was just as tasty as anything I've ever had. I was not about to go to Jamaica and not have ackee and saltfish, genuine jerk chicken, fish run-down and the like...and we were never disappointed. Facilities/Decor: Our room came with a huge bed, a decently sized TV with cable, a mini fridge, a microwave, an electric kettle, bottled water, tea and coffee (replenished daily), a tub and shower, a double sink, a balcony with a view over the city (we could actually see the lights of planes taking off and landing at Norman Manley airport on clear nights as well as ships entering and leaving the port), a huge closet space for our suitcases, a vanity table with mirror, I could go on and on. The house is decorated with real paintings, not prints, and there's a lot of flowers and plants around the grounds. Very calming. Hummingbirds visit the flowers regularly, which was a bit of a good luck charm for us. I believe it was mentioned in another review that the floor creaks. So what? I liked having a creaky floor - it's more authentic to the feeling of being at someone's home. Price: Much cheaper than a hotel in the city itself. With the added cost of a full breakfast and transport, you'd still come out better than staying elsewhere. They take credit cards and cash. Compared to other hotels, you'd be hard pressed to choose somewhere else. Overall: Very satisfied with everything. Again, it's not for everyone. If you want to stay in Kingston proper and be within walking distance of traffic, noise, and all of that, then go ahead. If you want a nice retreat away from everything where you just want a peaceful romantic time, by all means you will not be disappointed with City View. Fiver stars plus from me and my wife. Kudos to you guys.