Our Most Relaxing Vacation

There is nothing I like more than exploring a new city or embarking on an adventurous trek but our vacation in Jamaica was simply put, a breath of fresh air.  Very rarely will I travel to another country and do mostly nothing but as you may have read, that is exactly how I would describe our vacation last week.  95% of our tranquility was attributable to our resort, The Caves, so much so that Samantha and I already vowed to head back next year, even if it was just for a long weekend.  In my next post I will go more into the layout of resort but for now I will describe why Samantha and I left on Sunday feeling more relaxed than we ever have before.

Samantha and I relaxing in the sun. 

Situated on the west coast of Jamaica, the setting of The Caves transforms any of its patrons into an automatic state of peacefulness.  The entire resort is perched on top of the Cliffs providing stunning views of the pellucid Caribbean water from all angles.  Whether you are eating breakfast, enjoying the pool or relishing a massage, the ocean is your backdrop.  The ocean views are not the only awe inspiring aspect of the resort but the scenery adds quite a nice touch as well.  Lush foliage inundate's much of the resort yet it is the caves (the resort has it's name for a reason) in which the resort is built on that provide the icing on the cake to the terrain.  

Our resort, you can see sun bathing terraces and one of the caves on the left. 

While many resorts might be set in an alluring setting, The Caves truly made Samantha and I feel like we were at home more so than any other resort we have stayed at before. With only 12 rooms on the entire premise, we saw no more than 10 other guests in a given day.  This might have been one of the best aspects of The Caves especially since it was all-inclusive. Typically all-inclusives are massive resorts with crowds similar to a Six Flags Theme park (this was evident by the masses at the beach and airport) but not here. Even if 10 people was still too much, we easily could go hours without bumping into someone.  There are plenty of sun bathing terraces only fit for you and your significant other as well as romantic and private dining options including the famed cave dinner.  Along with the privacy, what else spells out home more than everyone knowing your name.  From the concierge to guys who would sweep the resort in the morning, every single person knew your name.  On top of that, not a single employee of The Caves had a bad bone in their body.  The Caves' staff went above and beyond to make sure Samantha and I did not have to lift a finger while we were on our vacation. 

One of our favorite sun bathing spots. 

One of the more enjoyable aspects of any vacation is of course the food.  Yet as I mentioned in the past, always finding the perfect meal can be challenging.  All-inclusive resorts solve the problem of figuring out where you want to eat but the food is usually par at best.  That was not the case at The Caves, the food was fresh and delicious and you never had to decide what you wanted to eat as there was a set menu (with two entree options) for each meal of the day.  Arguing over what we want to order is very common for Samantha and I so we truly did not have to think while on this vacation.  The Caves also had an 'open door' policy allowing their guests to serve themselves behind the bar for a drink or snack if no employee was tending that specific bar.  This was another aspect that gave every guest a "homey" feeling.  However it was the breakfast in bed every morning that we enjoyed most.  Every night we let the concierge know what time we wanted breakfast delivered to our door (and of course to bring extra pastries) and by 9AM the next day we were enjoying a mouthwatering breakfast from our balcony overlooking the ocean. 

Our morning ritual. 

The staff, the food, the ocean, the caves, all added up to make our trip so enjoyable.  It of course did not hurt that it was 85 and sunny every day but for some reason, Samantha and I left feeling so much more rejuvenated than any other trip before.  Like I said, we already want to book for next year and may have even looked at rooms on our flight back...

Enjoying Rick's Cafe with Paul, The Caves
most famed employee.