For the first time ever, we’re experiencing a serious case of the off-season doldrums.

Rather than have too many unoccupied weeks, we’d prefer to fill both Rainbow Tree and Rainbow Point—even at an unprecedented discount.

So we’re offering 35% off all rental rates for stays which are completed by 10/30/10. That means the weekly rental rates are slashed to

• $1,267.50 for Rainbow Point Villa
• $1,560 for Rainbow Tree Villa

The above rates are for up to four people—and include all taxes. Each person in excess of four costs an additional 10% of the rental rate. For instance, a fifth guest at Rainbow Point would add $126.75 to the weekly rental; a fifth guest at Rainbow Tree would increase the weekly rental by $156.

Rainbow Point can sleep up to 10 in five bedrooms. Rainbow Tree can sleep up to six in three bedrooms. Each villa is on the sea, has a private freshwater pool, spacious verandas, and beautiful grounds. A/C is available in all bedrooms.

Rental rates include the services of our warm and professional full-time staff at each villa: a resident caretaker; two cooks/housekeepers for Rainbow Tree, and a cook/housekeeper at Rainbow Point. Loving, responsible nanny service is easily available. Food and beverage supplies are additional and are purchased for you by the staff and charged at our cost. (Staff tips, transportation, excursions, and incidentals are not included in the weekly rental rates.)

For full details on both villas, please go to www.RainbowTreeVillas.com. To reserve your week or ask questions, call me at 703/948-0651 or email me at Peter@RainbowTreeVillas.com.

Please excuse the error about the number of people our villas can sleep. (I reversed the information on the two villas.):

• Rainbow Tree - up to 10 people in 5 bedrooms

• Rainbow Point - up to 6 people in 3 bedrooms

The rest of the information is correct, including the rates (which include all taxes).

Extraordinary offer. I wish I could take advantage of it but I can't get away until spring. My vacation time is gone for this year.

SIGN OF THE TIMES
These are amazing Rental Prices from the Kennedy's, some of the most knowledgeable & experienced villa owners, local employers and community activists on the South Coast.

If you happen to have one of the old-time Jamaica road maps (I believe originating from the Esso company) from many moons ago, there were only a few accommodations actually listed in red for Treasure Beach...Jakes & Rainbow Tree made the cut.
The Kennedy's have been working it, community tourism, a long while.

Examine the potential "villa treatment" for two couples (or 4 friends), at the 5 bedroom Rainbow Tree, at US$1560/week ÷ 7 days=US$223/day ÷ 4 persons = US$56/person per day plus whatever food/beverages/liquor you custom stock the refrigerator/pantry with for one of Treasure Beach's best cooks to prepare to your delight... Or all the fruit that's been dropping off the trees & vines for your mango-ritas & melon sorbets.

All this value is on acres of land, a pool, steps from the beach.
It seems to me that with all that space, each of the 4 guests could flop in their own bedroom and have an extra bedroom left over for roaming... Don't forget the stated gratuity for the staff
...One suspects that staff/employee's welfare and the steadying of their income might have factored into the desire to raise occupancy rates by whatever reasonable means necessary.

We can only imagine that if the Rainbows had to resort to these deep discounts for a premier property ( an unprecedented "serious case of the off-season doldrums"), what does this say about the smaller "mom & pop" establishments, barely getting by on US$45/$50/nite room rentals?
We've witnessed several lay-offs and par-timing of staff as realities have set in.

What do the "doldrums" indicate for the prospering of the local economy & tourist travel prospects to Treasure Beach, as the global recession and deep austerity measures seem to be taking hold while frugality & rebuilding savings & assets rules financial planning?

Stick your finger (economic barometer) in the air or read the tea leaves (many printed in the media) and conflicting reports abound:

Tourism's Cry for Help
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/Tourism-s-cry-for-help

Jamaica Enjoys 52% Repeat Visitor Arrivals
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/business/Jamaica-enjoys-52-per-cent-repeat-visito r-arrivals--Bartlett_7820874

Jamaica's Economy 10 Times Worse Than the Region
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/business/J-can-economy-10-times-worse-than-region _7829358

Are We Preparing for the Cuban Economic Hurricane/
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/editorial/Are-we-preparing-for-the-Cuban-economic -hurricane_7818426

All Hotels,Guesthouses,Villas,and not only on the South coast,going to a very rough time.
Only the loyalty from our staff keeps us all alive.!!!
We all hope for better times,soon come ?To much love is in the Property's,the staff and the Island of Jamaica,we all have to try harder,better ideas,new innovations,even more work for less money-but-we believe in Jamaica -the first class vacation destination-special Treasure Beach ,out of this world,you do not get this nowhere,let,s stick together,start a new beginning-out of many-one people,see above the articles,we have to fight,more than ever!!!

Sounds wonderful but just not an affordable option for us at the moment. Flights which just 2 years ago were available for £300 are now over £700. This year,and last,we holidayed at home (in the rain!!) but it's all we can afford. We really miss Treasure Beach and all our friends there. One day we will be able to return to take a look at our likkle piece of land (and maybe one day it may have a likkle house on it !!!) One love

A very interesting set of comments from you, Zed. My feeling is the tourism sector is being hurt by the economic climate in the countries which send the most visitors to Jamaica and Treasure Beach. The recent violence in Kingston didn't help things. AIs provide a relatively inexpensive vacation package; while the people who choose to vacation in them contribute to the island's overall tourism figures, it's difficult for me to believe those tourists would seek out a place like Treasure Beach, a place I consider the anti-AI.

If nothing else, the Kennedys are being honest about their villas being practically empty for the next several months. I happen to know their staff is salaried and they do not lay off people or cut their hours back when it is slow, so a dip like what essentially everyone is experiencing could hurt them even more. I also know several of their staff members have been with them for about 20 years, so they are considered one of the best employers in Treasure Beach.

How can the smaller establishments survive in this economic climate? I have no earthly idea. Why would someone stay at a small guesthouse or even a hotel when they can have acres to themselves, a personal staff, a big and comfortable house, a private pool, and more? Oh that I could get in my automobile and drive to Jamaica. I would be at one of their villas in a flash.

The number of villas for sale is scary. too much ocean front land could come into the wrong hands. If I had deep pockets I'd buy one (or more)



"call some place paradise kiss it good bye" (the Eagles The last resort)

I like Peter Kennedy's honesty in his posting. You have no idea how many times I've called villa owners and managers during what I KNOW is a slow time and they start hemming and hawing about any possible discounts. I always get the feeling that they do not give their discounts evenhandedly. One of the owners doesn't even publish rates, making me imagine I'm in Tijuana bargaining over a purse. Others conveniently "forget" they didn't mention to add on the taxes and other charges kind of like the airlines do when they hook you in with "special sale prices". Others tell me it costs such and such for a meal plan even though we are small eaters and go out for several meals.

There are too many additional tourist accommodations being constructed in Jamaica. Too many of them are of the large resort and all-inclusive type. The Jamaican Government seems to be encouraging this for some reason unknown and not understood by me. The result is too many rooms for not enough tourists. We are even seeing more tourist accommodations in Treasure Beach. No one can stop another guest house or small hotel from opening but I wonder why people are doing this at a time when tourism is so bad. Do people with new accommodations think they are an exception? This is like 10 new hardwares opening when the few we have are not busy enough.

I bet a lot of the smaller ones were built or planned when tourism was doing better. I can not blame a person for trying to make an honest living.

But, the big foreign (Spanish) hotels I have a problem with. I would only stay in one if I won the trip.

I have a problem with Sandals even though it is owned by Jamaicans. If you go inside one it doesn't even seem like you are in Jamaica. You could be on any island. They pick you up at the airport and do their best to keep their guests inside their gates and never expose them to anything else. Another thing is they will do almost anything to fill the places down to almost giving vacations away. A lot of the time they have travel agents there for free so they will recommend it to their clients. I guess that makes them feel obligated.

JD has a good handle on things. Look what someone could do with Button Bay, the Bakers' place, Nannyland, the land between Rainbow Tree and La Casa Duna, La Casa Duna and Hikaru. They are not all adjacent, but they are on the seaside and this is merely in one part of Treasure Beach. Someone with deep pockets who can afford to sit out this economic crisis could do quite well.

I have been looking for an excuse to come back, it has been a few years now and I miss the days of going to the TB area 2 times per year.

The Kennedy's post may be just enough to get a few other couples together and take advantage of a GREAT deal.

One big problem with buying land or property in TB. Try to get a mortgage. That becomes a joke or an excercise in futility. Need REALLY deep pockets to buy.

By JD is right on Saturday, July 31, 2010 - 02:32 pm: Edit Post
JD has a good handle on things. Look what someone could do with Button Bay, the Bakers' place, Nannyland, the land between Rainbow Tree and La Casa Duna, La Casa Duna and Hikaru. They are not all adjacent, but they are on the seaside and this is merely in one part of Treasure Beach. Someone with deep pockets who can afford to sit out this economic crisis could do quite well.

I wish I had the $$ to buy one or two to block this and have a larger piece of heaven than I have ( I have a small house lot in Great Bay)and to block something bigger that I do not think would be good for the place that in my heart is my home.

I talked to a relative who I hear has $$ (not enough to buy them all). I told him to have a look on this site if he is interested in buying an awesome vacation home and investment. But we all know that if things were good so many villas would not be on the market.

I am very scared for TB.

By anti Sandals on Saturday, July 31, 2010 - 05:19 pm: Edit Post
I have a problem with Sandals even though it is owned by Jamaicans. If you go inside one it doesn't even seem like you are in Jamaica. You could be on any island. They pick you up at the airport and do their best to keep their guests inside their gates and never expose them to anything else. Another thing is they will do almost anything to fill the places down to almost giving vacations away. A lot of the time they have travel agents there for free so they will recommend it to their clients. I guess that makes them feel obligated


I agree. I am pretty anti AI. I prefer to see the $$ spread around around (Mom & Pop guest house, a taxi driver , cook shop here a likkle bar there.

Unfortunately some people only want to go AI. I worked with a woman who went to some AI on some Caribbean island almost every year. As long as there was a white sand Caribbean beach and it was AI it did not matter what island she was on. If she ventured off the resort at all it would be on something purchased on the resort. To each their own.

I went online to see what it costs to stay at Sandals and I was shocked at how expensive it is. My idea was to book a very short package there including the airfare and then spend another week or two in Treasure Beach and then return home on the special package airfare price. I may have done something wrong in my search but my brilliant inspiration doesn't seem any too brilliant.

The Kennedy's post may be just enough to get a few other couples together and take advantage of a GREAT deal.


I emailed those post to my brother in the Boston area. He has only been to Sandals in Ochie (wife liked it he did not).

I talked to my other brother who has never been to Jamaica and told him to check it out. I told him that he could probably bring his family of 4 for what a package for him ant the wife would cost.

I wish I had $$ to do it my self.

By Sandals high rates on Sunday, August 01, 2010 - 03:24 pm: Edit Post
I went online to see what it costs to stay at Sandals and I was shocked at how expensive it is. My idea was to book a very short package there including the airfare and then spend another week or two in Treasure Beach and then return home on the special package airfare price. I may have done something wrong in my search but my brilliant inspiration doesn't seem any too brilliant

Sandals is not my cup of tea. But I hear you can sometimes get a "deal" when they are having a special. I think you are more likely to get a deal for an older Sandals like Ochie than a newer one like Whitehouse.

For me AI does not make sense. My food and drinks would be paid for on the resort and I would be off the resort buying food and drinks.

JD, can you either refrain from copying other's posts in your replies OR formatting them better. Currently, its a little confusing as to what you're trying to say.

A couple of ideas are to
1) only use the @ and the posters name to indicate who you're responding to. Like @TBNet
2) put the quoted material in italics or bold so that they stand out more. To make something italics use the example below and remove the space between the b and the {
\b {this is in bold} = this is in bold

Thanks,
-TBNet

Book by Friday August 6, 2010
Air Jamaica


BETWEEN AND ONE-WAY FARE
New York/JFK Kingston $89*
New York/JFK Montego Bay $129*
Phildelphia Montego Bay $135*
New York/JFK Montego Bay $140*
Taxes are extra

GOOD PRICES

I just got tickets for my parents, round trip from Ft. Lauderdale to Mobay for $255 ea. inclusive of taxes, etc.

Everyone seems to have a different opinion of WHY things are so slow this summer. Someone mentioned the possibility of a hurricane to me but I am thinking if that happens you merely cancel or postpone your trip. I understand money is tight but I am wondering if there are other reasons. I am curious to see what people think because the way I see it there are some excellent airfares and excellent rental rates to be had.

Just got our tickets....round trip from Orlando to Mobay nonstop - $227.00 on Jet Blue...heh, you can even still check in a bag for free.

Jet Blue is such a nice airline. Big seats. Clean planes. Your own TV. Wish they flew from Baltimore or Washington to Jamaica. I would take them in a flash. We lost Air Jamaica from here.

Love Jet Blue: are you saying Air Jamaica no longer flies out of Baltimore to MoBay?

We lamented Jamaica Air pulling out of Boston; we loved to fly Boston-MoBay non-stop. Now getting to Jamaica from Boston is a bit of a drag, with having to stop, get on another plane, etc. Sometimes coming back in to this country is a hustle, if you have to dash to get through immigration. Ugh.

Some people just love to toot their own horns continuously but it's hard to get the jest of what they are trying to get across.
HELP!

Hindy: Air Jamaica no longer is flying out of Baltimore. First they took their wonderful schedule which departed early morning from Baltimore and left MoBay late in the afternoon and reversed it to leave Baltimore late and depart MoBay so early we would have had to leave Treasure Beach at about 4 am to get to MoBay for the flight. This must have gone over like a lead balloon because the next thing was total cancellation of their service out of Baltimore.

Love Jet Blue: not sure my message got sent to the site. Again, yes, awful that Air Jam cancelled its non-stop flights from cities like Boston and Baltimore. The early morning flights we took on Air Jam to Montego Bay were always full.

So, how do you go about persuading (fat chance, eh?) Jet Blue to fly out of those northern cities, since so many winter-weary denizens of the north head to the islands for a break from the ice, cold, snow, etc.

Jet Blue flies direct to MoBay from Boston. Also JFK in NY. Also Orlando. Excellent fares. Wish we could get them to go to MoBay direct out of Washington because they already have a lot of flights to other places from there. I presume they will do so if they believe they'll have sufficient traffic.

Book by Tuesday August 24, 2010
Air Jamaica

BETWEEN THESE CITIES ONE-WAY FARE
Phildelphia Montego Bay $129*
New York/JFK Montego Bay $129*
New York/JFK Kingston $134*
Phildelphia Kingston $174*

*Taxes are extra. You can check two pieces of luggage.

Re Tourism.I have the good fortune of being able to travel some.I have been a guest in some of the gated hotels.Out side the gates there is a mob wanting to sell awalking stick; on the beaches the guys offer ganga,a man and a woman.Luckily I cuss in our language.TB is a modle for tourism in Jam.I have walked from Jakes to Great Bay,Lewis and Moxamtowns to Billys Bay and Blacksprings.I had pets who lovingly adopted me.I cannot find words to discribe the wonderful staff.They make a stay at Jakes perfect.Guys you could train others in the industry.YOU create fond memories see you soon Jenny Reynolds Nelson.