 |
|
||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||
| home | start here | over 300 villas |about Jamaica | getting there | fine resorts | weddings | event villas | getting around | reservations | contact us | |||||||||||||
High Hope Estate
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Jamaica's most historic and elegant bed
and breakfast.
High Hope Estate is a 15th Century Venetian-style villa set on 40 acres of land. The Estate is perched at an elevation of 550ft., offering panoramic views of the North Shore of Jamaica for 20 miles in either direction. Countless varieties of flowers, fauna, birds and wild life abound in the 40 unspoiled acres of the property. It is located in St. Ann’s Bay, 1 ½ hours drive east of Montego Bay Airport, or only 10 minutes from Ocho Rios. This historic villa accommodates up to twelve people on an all-inclusive basis - or for bed and breakfast - and offers a venue for corporate retreats and special events. Guests may bask in the luxury of this exquisite villa where beautiful arches, cool verandahs and 12,000 square feet of elegant living space greet them on arrival. The carefully trained staff of eight including a governess for those traveling with families, spare nothing to ensure the best Jamaican hospitality and service. Each bedroom is furnished with English and Jamaican antiques. Each rooms has its own private bath, reflects classic, individual design. Four have spectacular ocean views and verandahs while two face the mountains. Turndown service and nightly gifts are those little extras offered to guests. Visitors also have the pleasure of indulging in exceptional cuisine; freshly baked breads, soups, fruit and salads are served each day, many dishes having ingredients hand-picked from the property's fruit trees and vegetable garden. Guests have the choice of browsing through the villa's well-stocked library, lounging by the swimming pool or in one of the hammocks. They may also choose to spend a day at the beach, just ten minutes away, or venture into Ocho Rios for shopping and a climb up the famous Dunn’s River Falls The design and interiors of High Hope Estate reflect the personalities and taste of the villa's previous owners. The villa is furnished with priceless antiques accumulated by Kitty and Derrick Spence since they had the house built in 1961 at a cost of $2 million. 18th Century Moroccan harem screens, 19th Century Korean silk screens, a Steinway baby grand piano and other classic pieces adorn the entire house. The living, dining area and two master suites are floored with buttermilk and verdi marble from Carrara, Italy. None of the amenities for gracious living were overlooked by the Spences. 
top
High Hope’s Intriguing HistoryKitty and Derrick Spence loved to entertain and built High Hope Estate with hospitality in mind. The guest book is full of notables who have enjoyed the splendor of High Hope; Charlie Chaplin, Ian Fleming, Noel Coward, Max Lerner, Agnes DeMille, Kurt Vonnegut, Adlai Stevenson and Richard Helms, to mention a few. Their circle of friends came from all over the world to visit in Jamaica. They also had a country estate in England, a home in Switzerland, and an apartment on Park Avenue in New York. They enjoyed the company of politicians and the literary crowd. Kitty was a beautiful and fascinating woman. The extremes of her personality are seen throughout the property. For example, Kitty had Great Danes and Chihuahuas. She was married four times; Derrick was her last husband. Her second husband was Robert Lehman of the Lehman Brothers banking family who was one of the richest men in the United States during the mid-30s. Kitty's grandfather was William Jennings Bryan, who was well known as the prosecutor in the famous court battle known as the "Scopes Monkey Trial"; Bryan also ran for President of the United States on the Populist ticket. Kitty's mother was the first woman appointed an Ambassador from the United States in the early 1900s; she was assignment was Denmark. It was actually Kitty's mother who introduced her to Jamaica, which Kitty came to love. Derrick was an English gentleman whose family had a monopoly on the mining of alum in the mid-1800s for the entire British Empire. Alum was mined for dental use and holding colors fast in fabrics. While Derrick, better known as Derry, was chairman of the company which his grandfather had started, his true interest was in horticulture. While in England, Derry worked with orchids, but upon moving to Jamaica noticed that only three common varieties of hibiscus were to be found. He established a full scale nursery, still in operation, and from the red, white and yellow common hibiscus, developed over 560 varieties of hybrids. Today, High Hope still boasts one of the largest collections of hybrids in the world. Derry was known in Jamaica for his philanthropic work and Kitty as an eccentric, fun loving lady. She once had the pool moved from the upper level where the house sits to a lower level of the property because she enjoyed swimming in the nude and did not want to offend her guests. Derry died and was buried in Jamaica. Kitty, who earlier was invited to be an honorary member of the Mohawk Indian tribe died of natural causes, was cremated and her ashes were scattered over the sacred burial grounds of the Mohawks in upstate New York. Over 200 years ago, this property was the site of a retirement home for British Military officers. Before that, there is evidence that the indigenous people of Jamaica, the Arawak Indians found the property to be a useful vantage point (550 ft. elevation) ideal for observing approaching ships. It is fair to assume that the Arawaks were standing in the very place where the villa of High Hope now stands when they saw Christopher Columbus' ship arriving in Jamaica in search of the new world.
top
The Restaurant at High Hope EstateDishes prepared in High Hope’s cuisine are closely related to Jamaica and it’s abundance of fish, meats, unusual produce and fresh fruits. Our water supply comes from a natural underground mineral spring. Water quality tests are available if requested. Intimate and romantic with a variety of ambiance, The Restaurant serves organic, vegetarian, Jamaican and Italian dishes for lunch by the pool and intimate candle-lit dinners in the Meditation Hut or on your private verandah. The Restaurant is open daily, except Sunday, for the exclusive use of our guests. We personally hand pick or grow all of the lobster, fish, produce and fruits for your table ensuring the highest, quality. Organic products are used whenever possible. Special attention is given to your dietary requirements. Whole wheat breads, fresh lobster and fish are mainstays to our menus that change daily offering you a variety of choices. Special requests are never a problem and always welcome as we try to appease your every desire. Frequent culinary courses are offered in the kitchen of The Restaurant. Chef Evadney gives instruction on cooking and preparing traditional Jamaican dishes. You’ll leave with an appreciation for the spices and succulent flavors of the Caribbean along with the ability to prepare a Jamaican Bar B Que for your friends at home. Each morning you are treated to a continental breakfast of fresh fruits, fresh fruit juices, banana and coconut muffins, whole-wheat toast, mango jam, and Jamaica’s finest Blue Mountain Coffee, said to be the best, most expensive coffee in the world. Alla Carte items like banana pancakes, omelets, and smoked marlin with toasted bagels are available. Breakfast is served from 7:45AM until 10:00AM Lunch is casual and usually served by the pool or on your verandah. New lunch and dinner menus are made up daily and left in your room after your nightly turndown service. One of the hardest decisions you’ll have during your stay will be what to order for tomorrow. Dinner, served by candle light with the crickets and tree frogs providing background music, makes for another memorable evening at High Hope. Seating arrangements can vary from an intimate dinner in the Meditation Hut to a casual but elegant dinner for two on your verandah. Dining is always served outside, weather permitting, allowing you to enjoy a romantic dinner under the stars.
top
Special Events at High Hope EstateHigh Hope Estate has long been one of Jamaica's best venues for Gala Dinners and Special Events for corporate as well as private cocktail parties, product launches, banquets, weddings and anniversaries. Surrounded by 40 acres of botanical gardens boasting one of the largest hybrid hibiscus gardens in the world, the estate can accommodate groups of up to 500 people. The Italian-fashioned villa is 12,000 square feet and situated 550 feet above sea level, offering commanding views of the North Coast of Jamaica twenty miles in either direction. Cocktail parties and hors d'oeuvres for up to 500 guests can be lavishly presented in the Hibiscus Garden. The free-form pool is available for sit-down dinners of up to 90 guests with live entertainment under the pool cabana. Up to 300 guests can be accommodated for sit-down dinners in the Estate's courtyard and features some of Jamaica's top musicians. Specialized menus are available for any type of event: weddings, banquets, luncheons, dinners, charity events, birthday and anniversary parties. All food is made from scratch and only the finest ingredients are used. High Hope’s price list offers variety at competitive prices.
top
High Hope Rates
All rates are based on double occupancy and include taxes and a continental breakfast of fresh fruits from the property, fresh fruit juices, homemade breads and muffins, a selection of cereals and yogurt, with brewed Blue Mountain coffee or assorted teas. We also offer our guests an afternoon High Tea, complimentary. Our “boutique” restaurant is for the exclusive pleasure of our guests. We serve lunch daily (approx. US$7-$12) as well as dinner (US$12-30) and feature Continental, Jamaican, and fine Italian dishes. Dinners are offered by the pool, the mediation area, on your own verandah or in the Main Dining area. Rental of the Whole EstateIf you desire the exclusive use of this five bedroom, 40-acre estate, we are pleased to offer you this package for a truly memorable holiday: PACKAGE INCLUDES:
CHILDRENWe welcome children! Those under the age of twelve receive a 25% discount. Infants aged two years and under are free. Floor PlanNot available at this time
top
Villa Rates
Rates are weekly and stated in US dollars. Tryall Club Villas: Summer: April 16 - Dec 20; Winter: Jan 5 - April 15; Christmas/New Year: Dec 21- Jan 4;
top
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Key Features |
|---|
| · Villa operates as a Bed and Breakfast, renting by the room, includes breakfast |
| · Rent this on a “whole villa basis”, accommodating 12 people, on a all-inclusive basis |
| · 5 bedrooms plus a 2 bedroom villa |
| · A 15th Century Venetian Style villa |
| · Set on 40 acres overlooking the Caribbean coastline. 10 minutes from Ocho Rios, 80 minutes from Montego Bay |
| · 12,000 sq ft of elegant living space |
| · Cater for Corporate, Special events, Reunions, Weddings packages and Honeymoon packages |
| · Specially trained staff of 8, including a governess for those travelling with families |
| Each room has own private bath |
| · Turndown service and nightly gifts |
| · Exceptional cuisine, ingredients often hand picked from the property’s fruit trees and vegetable garden |
| · Well stocked library, swimming pool |
| · Furnished with priceless antiques, accumulated by Kitty and Derrick Spence since they had house built in 1961 at a cost of $2million. |
| · 18th Century Moroccan harem screens, 19th Century Korean silk screens, Steinway baby grand and many more. |
| · Floors have marble from Carrara, Italy in the living, dining and two master suites. |
| · Very relaxing, eco-friendly place. The botanical gardens surround you providing homes to countless varieties of tropical birds, flowers and fauna. |
|
