The Enchanted Garden Resort: Ocho Rios, Jamaica

 
I know that many people have been waiting years for an update about this once-beautiful resort, the Enchanted Garden in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. I recently visited the grounds (June 2008) and here you will find updates* on the Enchanted Garden situation.

NOTE: Please see the end of the article for a link to pictures.

Background

Set into the hillside just above the town of Ocho Rios, Jamaica, is a paradise of waterfalls, jungle-like greenery and even a bird sanctuary – the grounds of what was once a public resort called the Enchanted Garden Resort. Including tiered mountainside hotel rooms – some with private plunge pools – and several restaurants, as well as acres of lush trails and walkways, a nightclub, tennis courts and hidden treats such as hot tubs, hammocks and secret pools and waterfalls, it is no wonder this resort had many fervent fans (myself among them). This was not a beach resort, although they used to offer a small private beach, accessible by shuttle. Much of the beauty of this property comes from being nestled into the mountainside, overlooking the town and the turquoise sea. Any walk here is good for the legs, as there are many stairs, and this is not a property for the faint of heart.

Now closed these past few years, the property has been the subject of hot debate by local politicians, and intense curiosity and longing by former visitors. I will not go into the politics here, but suffice to say that there have been ownership and tax issues.

Although the majority of staff were laid off when the resort was officially closed, a skeleton staff remains, and if you are ‘in the know,’ you can actually take a tour of the grounds for a fee. This is what we did on our recent visit, and were thrilled to be given an in-depth tour by Clarence, one of the original staffers, and the keeper of the bird sanctuary. Former visitors will remember the aviary fondly, as it houses a fantastic array of birds, from parrots to chickens to peacocks. Clarence loves the Enchanted Garden property passionately, and was happy to see visitors feeling the same way.

Unfortunately, due to intense neglect (literally only a few people remain onsite as opposed to the nearly 200 originally counted as staff), the property is in serious decline. Additionally, when we visited there had been two major recent storms, and many river areas and trees had suffered damage, along with many birds in the aviary being lost. This made Clarence very sad; he had lost several of his prized birds which could not weather the hurricane, including a cherished pair of lovebirds.

Update

The Enchanted Garden resort is, through appreciative eyes, still very enchanted. Even through all the damage and neglect, it remains a stunningly beautiful property, and one can see that if restored, it will easily attract visitors very quickly. The cascading waterfalls and rushing water, the overflowing flowers and greenery, and the lovely location all speak for themselves, and with clean-up the property could be as good as new.

Now, to the good news! Apparently the political wrangling is over, and there are new investors in the fray. Having heard this ‘rumor’ several times over the last few years and not wanting to be disappointed, I was very pleased to have it confirmed by Clarence, my inside man. I saw with my own eyes the teams of workers cleaning up the property, and although it was sad to see how much decline it has suffered, the hope of seeing it restored to glory was indeed well-founded.

As of June, the goal was to have the resort grounds fixed up and open to visitors as a popular day-trip as soon as possible, and as a resort complete with hotel rooms some time in 2009, if at all possible. Indeed, the grounds have been open to visitors all this time, but the advertising had stopped (in visiting cruise ships, for instance), and will begin again, thus bringing extra needed revenue to ramp up the restoration process, and much needed attention the property. Visitors will now see the property in a state that is closer to the formaer glory, and there will lunch available in the open-air restaurant.

In the meantime, anyone with an eye for potential and wanting an ‘off-the-beaten-path’ experience when visiting Ocho Rios, Jamaica, is well-advised to check out the stunning Enchanted Garden resort.

*This is the update so far, and is accurate as far as I know. If/when more comes to light and I am made aware of it, I’ll certainly post it here.

Cruising to Jamaica

If all goes as planned, you will soon find day trips to the Enchanted Garden resort as an option on your cruise itinerary. Most cruise ships offer day trips for an extra cost, and this is one package that had been discontinued but is planned for reinstatement. The packaged trip will likely include transfer to and from the property.

Note: In the meantime, beware of scammers when attempting to get a taxi ride to this property. It is perhaps an 8-10 minute walk from the cruise terminal (see pictures which follow), however if you listen to the ‘officials’ in the taxi stand at the terminal you’ll pay a goodly sum for the ride. My partner and I ‘negotiated’ the best deal we could, as I could not remember exactly where the property was but knew it was close. The fare was $60USD. After a 3 minute cab ride we were there, and of course an argument ensued as to paying the full, exorbitant fee. We decided to pay him $20 for the ride – more than fair – and to walk back. We were warned of danger, and made to feel as if it would be a treacherous walk. In fact, we had a great time, the local people are extremely friendly, and we had no problems at all. Just so you know!

ENCHANTED GARDEN PICTURES

I have placed the pictures on a separate page so that they will not slow down this article. The pictures needed to be in the largest possible format to show the detail and splendor of this property. Please CLICK HERE for Enchanted Garden pictures. Here is just one to show you how beautiful it is!