Beyond the Beach in Jamaica

We’re Back!

mockingbirdees — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 22:28:44 +0000

We had a wonderful holiday last month visiting friends in HOlland and Germany and seeing new things in Italy – Tuscany to be exact. While there we went to the most amazing concert in Lucca. So now after a good rest we are back and open and ready to welcome you, so that you can have a wonderful holiday and rest here in wonderful Port Antonio at Hotel Mocking Bird Hill. You will have to look hard to notice that Hurricane Dean ever happened. The hillsides are as green and lush as ever and visitors may even enjoy somewhat greater views of the ocean. We’re still clearing (7 acres is a lot of space) our hillside and making space for the trees that we will be replanting to replace the many that the storm blew down. Amazingly most trees stood and those that were damaged are recovering fast. So, the entire team is here, refreshed and ready. We look forward to your visit.

Winnifred Beach

mockingbirdees — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 15:39:17 +0000

Winnifred Beach now has a website. Please visit the site and tell everyone about it. Please support us by signing our petition

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/wbp/
http://www.free-winnifred.com/

Our activities have led to an important nationwide discussion on the issue of public beaches in Jamaica. Please join the discussion and let us kn ow what you think.

More about the Jamaican Woodpeckers at Hotel Mocking Bird Hill

mockingbirdees — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 19:21:55 +0000

The pair of Jamaican Woodpeckers now seem as comfortable inside the Gallery as they do outside. Alarm clocks are now a thing of the past here as we are now woken up bright and early bt the tok,tok,tok,tok of the woodpeckers’beaks against the gallery walls. Heaven help us when eggs are laid and then hatch and we have an entire family tok,tok, tokking!

For more about Jamaican endemic birds:

www.hotelmockingbirdhill.com/english/portantonio/birdwatching.php

The tale of the Jamaican Woodpeckers cont’d

mockingbirdees — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 15:32:17 +0000

The two Jamaican Woodpeckers have now figured our how to get into Hotel Mocking Bird Hill’s Gallery Carriacou through a small hole between the wall and the eaves. Unlike other birds that sometimes fly in through the gallery’s large windows and then can’t find their way out again, these Jamaican Woodpeckers have it all worked out and it now seems to be a game for them to crawl inside the building, fly around, climb up and down the wooden beams, grab a few bugs and then crawl right back out again, peck at the building, fly into the ficus tree, peck at the tree, dance about and generally have themselves a wail of a time. The sightings of these birds have been wonderful and we are hoping to get some photographs of them to share with everyone.

A pair of Jamaican Woodpeckers nest in Gallery Eaves

mockingbirdees — Sat, 07 Apr 2007 13:18:16 +0000

A pair of Jamaican Woodpeckers are making a nest in the eaves of Hotel Mocking Bird Hill’s Gallery Carriacou. Awakened by the sound of something close to a jack hammer attacking wood we went to investigate and saw the two woodpeckers working hard at the eave, pecking at insects on the window jams and cavorting between the building and the adjacent ficus tree. They are really cute birds with their bright red crowns and really fun to watch. So now we are in for some of the best sightings of this Jamaican endemic bird and looking forward to every viewing.

For more information on birdwatching check our web page below:

http://www.hotelmockingbirdhill.com/english/portantonio/birdwatching.php

The damage to the gallery? Well we’ll just have to wait until the nesting season is over to do the repairs.

A Honeymoon with Room to Breathe

mockingbirdees — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 17:41:16 +0000

A Honeymoon with Room to Breathe

A heavenly honeymoon that will neither break the bank nor the environment

Port Antonio, Jamaica — 03 April 2007

The perfect honeymoon is like a truly fine wine gently maturing & developing into something unforgettable.

Sadly for many couples it is neglected due to the stress and expense of the wedding itself resulting in either a travel agent/travel portal booking or, God forbid, a present from well intentioned relatives…

Hotel Mockingbird Hill in Port Antonio Jamaica offers a unique alternative for an independent honeymoon, without the hassle and time researching and organising it. This exquisite eco-boutique hotel in Jamaica’s greenest location affords the luxury of sharing quality ‘new couple’ time that will neither break the bank nor the environment, and which can be booked directly online at www.hotelmockingbirdhill.com.

Their romantic ‘Heavenly Honeymoon’ starts at US$1,075 per person includes their legendary breakfast on the balcony of the sea view rooms, daily pre-dinner cocktails and 4-course dinner with wine in their critically acclaimed ‘Mille Fleurs’ restaurant praised by Gourmet magazine for its delicious interpretation of ‘Caribbean Nouvelle Cuisine’ using locally grown ingredients, cutting down on food miles – part of the hotel’s 13 year mission in providing sustainable tourism, which has seen them winners of the Caribbean Hotel Association prize for being the most environmentally and socially friendly small hotel in the Caribbean for two years running.

As part of their Heavenly Honeymoon package Hotel Mockingbird Hill arranges the most romantic journey on a bamboo raft. The happy couple will spend an intimate afternoon floating down the Rio Grande, framed by tropical vegetation, against the backdrop of the Blue Mountains – what better way to celebrate love.

For honeymooners too tired from wedding plans to consider their carbon footprint, Innkeepers Shireen Aga and Barbara Walker help celebrate ‘new love’ by a sustained ‘old love’ for the world. With each ‘Heavenly Honeymoon’ booking they help offset their guests’ calculated carbon footprint by contributing to the ‘Jamaican Conservation Development Trust (JCDT)’. This NGO uses satellite imagery and ground-truthing to combat deforestation in the Blue & John Crow Mountains National Park planting fast-growing trees of little lumber value but excellent for biodiversity. Once their guests’ representative trees have been planted, the happy couple receive a recycled paper certificate as a memento of their Jamaican honeymoon.

~Ends~

QUOTES

We have just returned from a wonderful extended weekend at the Hotel Mockingbird Hill Just on the outskirts of Port Antonio, Jamaica. This small (10 rooms) hotel is nestled in the hillside and has wonderful views. The surrounding gardens are rich with flora and fauna. Our primary reason for booking a room there was for birding and we were not disappointed. The flowering trees surrounding the pool were dripping with hummingbirds. The rooms were quaint and spotless. The food was of gourmet quality. While there the hotel arranged for several birding excursions for us and a trip to a local school at our request. Other couples we spoke with went rafting or went to the beach. We found the staff to be very friendly and attentive. The size of the hotel allows for personal touches that are impossible at a larger hotel (such as remembering our names). If you are looking for a place to party then this definitely is not the place. If, however, you are looking for a romantic get away don’t miss the Hotel Mockingbird.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Shireen Aga (Spokesperson)
Hotel Mocking Bird Hill
Owner/Manager
Hotel Mocking Bird Hill
PO Box 254
Port Antonio
Jamaica
876.993.7267 (office)
876.993.7133 (fax)
Skype: mockingbirdees
Email: shireen@hotelmockingbirdhill.com
Web site: http://www.hotelmockingbirdhill.com
Blog: http://mockingbirdees.wordpress.com

Welcome to Mocking Bird Hill and Lime Tree Farm

mockingbirdees — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 16:16:29 +0000

Welcome to Mocking Bird Hill on Jamaica’s north east coast and to Lime Tree Farm in Jamaica’s Blue Mountains. Your hosts are Barbara, Shireen, Charlie and Susie. We look forward to telling you about ourselves and our properties and to introducing you to a Jamaica you did not know existed.

Beyond the Beach in Jamaica

We’re Back!

Winnifred Beach

More about the Jamaican Woodpeckers at Hotel Mocking Bird Hill

The tale of the Jamaican Woodpeckers cont’d

A pair of Jamaican Woodpeckers nest in Gallery Eaves

A Honeymoon with Room to Breathe

QUOTES

RELATED LINKS

CONTACT INFORMATION

Welcome to Mocking Bird Hill and Lime Tree Farm