Just published on fodors.com
TRAVEL TALK FORUMS:CARIBBEAN

"TRIP REPORT
16-20 JAN 2005
MAR BLUE.VERANDAH
TREASURE BEACH, JAMAICA

"Last fall my husband and I decided that instead of our regular gift exchange for the holidays this year that we would put our money towards a short trip to the Caribbean. After some initial research and finding out that dates and islands I could use my Delta Skymiles for getting two tickets, I contacted a man named Sasha Davidson
at http://www.jamaicaescapes.com who helped me decide on the new MAR BLUE.VERANDAH that just opened in December 2004. I can't stay enough great things about Sasha, who not only kept in
steady contact with us during the months leading up to the trip, but also put together an extensive welcome kit on Jamaica containing maps,
activities, history of the island, a local magazine and a custom-made CD of Jamaican music.
Anyone considering a trip to Jamaica who seeks a custom tailored vacation off the beaten track should check out his website right now.

We departed on Sunday, via Atlanta and arrived in MBJ around 1:30pm. Lines for immigration were very
long and we waited for just over an hour before heading through customs and out to meet our driver, WESTIN. We stopped by a grocery store to pick up a few snacks and change some money and headed off on the 2 hour drive to Treasure Beach.
The ride was beautiful but we were quite glad to arrive at Mar Blue at cocktail time. AXEL and ANDREA, the owners, and DENNIS, a staff member,
greeted with with cold towels and a cold green coconut drink that was more refreshing after a long day of traveling than I possibly have words to describe. Axel showed us to our room on the second floor where we changed clothes and headed out to walk along the beach for sunset.

Our suite was on the second floor with a vaulted ceiling, large bedroom with king bed, spacious bathroom and a large open living room with balcony. The furnishings were simple and done mostly in dark woods with 'world-inspired' accessories such as pillows and throws. We spent much of our early mornings and evening in the living room -- my husband on one of the chaises while I sprawled out on the day bed. The room wasn't quite finished yet -- the ceiling fans and window screens were yet to be installed -- but we did not feel lacking in any way. The first night we were hesitant to open the windows without the screens and opted to use the a/c in the bedroom, but after that, we left the windows and doors to the living room wide open and we didn't encounter a bug the entire trip.

The beach immediately in front of Mar Blue is mostly rocky, as the last hurricane eroded over 10 feet of sand from the shore. We did not chance the water there, but a 10-15 min.walk away in either direction provided a handful of small coves for swimming. At first, we were disappointed with the state of the beach, but after falling asleep and waking up the next morning to the roar and crash of the water on the rocks, it was bliss. Felt like the best of both worlds to have the wave action and music of the surf right there, with a calm beach just a short walk away.

The food at MAR BLUE is simply equisite.

We were the only guests there at that time who were not friends or family of the owners, so we had essentially a private dining room for all our meals (Sasha put together a package for us the combined breakfast with a 3-course nightly dinner).
Breakfast was cooked to order each morning, and my husband and I are still talking about the omlets -- the best we've ever had. Each day AXEL
would inquire about our preferences for dinner
that night, after letting us know what was fresh available that day. Paricularly memorable were the red snapper, the coconut curry shrimp and mango custard.

On one day we booked a tour with DENNIS ABRAHAMS
to take us on a tour of the Black River. We rode along the coastline for about an hour in his boat, stopping a couple of times to observe the dolphin pod playing in the water around us. Then we headed up the river, pausing here and there for a closer look at the crocodiles who live there. Since we were in a smaller boat, we could pass under a bridge that was too low for the resort/cruise people's boats to go under. And that took us to a wide place in the river where the water was beautiful and clear, where we could get out and have a Red Stripe and jump off a rope swing. The two young men in the boat with us who are working with the Peace Corps in Jamaica entertained us with their antics on the rope swing. After that, we retraced our journey back to a restaurant called Tasty's where Dennis had called in our fish order by phone so that it would be fresh and waiting for us upon arrival.
After a leisurely lunch, we headed to the Pelican Bar, an offshore bar built on stilts that was probably the highlight of our trip. Probably 1/4 mile offshore and looking somewhat rickety
(but actually it was quite sturdy). There were two young men working the bar. The six of us from our boat climbed up and enjoyed the views, the breeze, the conversation and the Red Stripes.
Most of the time I was blissfully aware that there is nothing in Massachusetts that could possibly compare to these simple pleasures.

Our other days were divided among reading on our balcony, walking the beach, swimming, checking out tidal pools and walking along the roadsides and stopping in various places for a cold beverage. We enjoyed our local lunches -- I sampled ackee and curried goat for the first time -- but most of all we enjoyed being in such a community-based place. We walked through neighborhoods to get to lunch and every hundred yards or so along the road someone was selling beers or sodas. We enjoyed talking with the folks who live in Treasure Beach and the other visitors there who also discovered it.

We loved our stay at MAR BLUE and definitely recommend it to folks seeking a quieter pace, surrounded by local culture that is not remotely
tourist-driven. I think it is an excellent middle ground between being in a private villa and staying in a hotel. AXEL, ANDREA, and all of the staff were gracious and welcoming and we cannot wait to return. The only drawback was the long drive to get there combined with our short stay -- too long in transit for just 4 days."