Whistling Bird Resort

For my 16th visit to Negril, I booked Whistling Bird for my friend and I. We stayed in Doctor Bird. We arrived in a downpour and I couldn’t tell if it was the sudden rainstorm or just a typical thing for most staff to seem unsure of what they were doing. An actual front desk would be ideal, especially if it’s your first stay and are confused by the uncertainty on display. More on the lack of a front desk later! Our room, with comfortable beds and a generously sized bathroom, was fairly cute and adequate but DARK! Even on the sunniest of days, we needed lights on to see well, and if there were clouds or it was nighttime, it’s hopeless. Good luck finding anything you might have placed in the closet area! Once the first shower was taken, the bathroom remained damp for our entire stay. My friend did fall once, and fortunately only suffered a few bruises, but we had to put down a lot of towels at all times to prevent additional slips and injuries. While several windows had very acceptable, functional screens, some were a little less than ideal. Those windows were ones we never opened. I could see daylight coming through multiple cracks and openings in the ceiling. This would have been reason to immediately demand a different room/hotel had it been my first trip to Negril, but I have come to accept it as what you’ll get if it’s authenticity that you seek in your vacation. I’m fairly sensitive to mosquito bites but we kept fans on high speed and utilized the AC at night. I also brought mosquito repellent that I didn’t mind having on my skin overnight, as I had read reviews and knew there might be some minor bug issues. I had less than five bites total. Because of my research before our stay, we also brought flashlights and Christmas style string lights (fairy lights). These were useful and I strongly recommend. They made our room more cheerful, and the flashlights were a necessity. There are signs to turn off lights and appliances when not in the room. We turned our AC up, to not run very much in the morning as we got ready, but sometimes forgot to turn it off when we left. I also purposely left it on a few mornings as I was intending to return to the room after breakfast for a short nap; unfortunately an illness I was battling prior to vacation had relapsed, leaving me feeling poorly and with a slightly elevated temperature for a couple days. Housekeeping ALWAYS went through by time breakfast was over - not to actually service the room, that happened later each day, but rather to turn OFF our AC. It left us feeling like we were being watched, and being treated like petulant children. Unfortunately they didn’t open our windows when turning off the AC, resulting in a stiflingly hot room and leaving me near heat stroke one of the days and contemplating a trip to the hospital. I simply couldn’t cool down. We never got hot water in the shower by the way, but considering how I was feeling, lack of hot water was never a problem. Cold showers were a perk on t

If you don't want to read my narrative... just read my pros and cons at the end. I'll include some advice about vacationing in Jamaica in the details. We stayed at Whistling Bird for two weeks this February. My wife and I had a wonderful stay at this special resort. Immediately upon arrival all the staff are introducing themselves like new friends. You feel like family here. The staff are very responsive. For example, our toilet wasn't working when we checked in but it was fixed immediately. I've been to 5 star resorts and it can take an hour for maintenance to show up. Here, it was 1 min. The resort consists of 15 odd cottages named after birds. We stayed in Dr Bird. Some are quite large and could sleep 3 couples comfortably. The one bedrooms basically are just a bed and bathroom. The two or 3 bedroom have a sitting area, tables and sofas. TVs are in the cottages but few work. Air conditioning is good in the bedrooms and ventilation excellent with overhead fans elsewhere. Good screens on all the windows. There are safes in the rooms to lock up valuables. We opted to have housekeeping every two days. There is a small fridge in each of the rooms. The rooms are clean and sleeping is comfortable. Water pressure and temperature is iffy at times but typically Jamaican. Power went out once during our stay. Rooms are quite dark. Be sure to bring a flashlight. Overnight security is present. During the day security keeps unwanted vendors from harassing you on the beach. There is some construction ongoing on site and next door but it's not noisy. What is noisy are the various venues nearby... Roots, Woodstock, Wavs and the Jungle. The music is LOUD and doesn't stop till 4 in the morning. It was tolerable this year. Two years ago at Villagate beside Wavs, my hearing was comprised for several weeks. Take ear plugs. In my mind and probably showing my age, they need to shut down earlier and lower the decibels. It is not good for Negril tourism. The beach is the best part of this resort. Gorgeous views with white sand that slopes into the water for 20 m . There is ample shade from palms and trees on the property. The resort supplies towels and loungers free of charge. You have to be careful to get permission from Milton (security guard) to move a chair as he gets quite obstinate. He prefers you to have the white plastic loungers but they are not very comfortable without cushions. Some of the blue fabric loungers are broken and have sharp screws sticking out. Be careful to cover with your towel. There is plenty of space on the beach, so you aren't all lined up row upon row. Several trees have come down during storms and hurricanes, so there is a large area of brush and logs which the grounds people are chipping away at. They do a wonderful job of taking care of the pathways that wind past palms and bamboo clusters. The restaurant onsite has basic Jamaican fare and some American dishes. The food is good and inexpensive

none of the bedding matched, the outside sink faucet broken and sharp, we were not in the cottage we were told we would be in, 3x week night club acroos the street prevented sleep, music thumping, tires squeeling..cockroaches, power went off several times, very limited menu with mostly american food. took 20 minutes to get a drink. The beach was very nice.

Whistling Bird is a beautiful property with wide beach with lots of natural shade. The staff are fantastic really warm and welcoming. I felt very comfortable from the day I arrived. I stayed in a cabin close to the beach, which had Wi-Fi, TV , mini fridge and air conditioning. Didn’t bother with the television, watch too much at home already. The cabin was nicely situated and laid out. The only issues I had was the bed is extremely high up. The frame is quite tall and they have a boxspring and a mattress on it. I had to kind of jump into bed every night. That being said, the mattress was super comfortable and they actually had blankets, which to me is a huge perk. The other downfall, which is not completely their fault is the water situation in Negril at the moment. Showers were quite week so you have to be careful. They probably could do with a better water storage tank, but these problems have been bad this season and it’s been a struggle for a lot of people, especially the locals that have to live with it. I would definitely come back to Whistling Bird, loved it here and the staff really make the place feel like home. Also all the guests were really great too!

If you enjoy a laid back Jamaican vibe, rustic lodging, nature, friendliness, relaxation, palm trees, beautiful beach, good food… this is the place for you.. As other reviewers have stated, if you need consistent water pressure and top of the line amenities, this is not for you. I had a wonderful time at Whistling Bird last month. My primary regret was that I only booked one week. I’m an older, friendly , solo female traveler who was made to feel so at home, welcome and comfortable by staff and other guests alike. Indeed, long time staff members and owner Calvin have established a resort that is a warm community. I loved so many aspects: several pots of coffee starting around 6 in the morning( thank you, Ryan!), plenty of shade and lounge chairs, camaraderie or privacy as you wish, beautiful sea, bar and restaurant area close to the water and as a central meeting place, quiet (except for Thursday and Saturday music/club night… bring earplugs, it’s life in Negril), peaceful grounds, great security, near local as well as tourist restaurants, a reciprocal relationship with the Cliff’s lovely hotel West Ender, with a back and forth shuttle about 3 times a day. I badly needed R&R, so pretty much stayed on the resort grounds all day. I walked the beach early (6:30) before it got too sunny, had my coffee and breakfast, chilled with other folks, read, swam, then back to my chaise in the shade. Had 2 great massages with wonderful Rosie. I can’t say enough about the kind, warm and professional staff: Miss Bavra, Roneka, Mr. Milton, Mr A, Chefs Kevin and Brown, Miss G, Ryan, Aaron, Wayne, Shorty, Shareen, Natalie, Tosh, Genius, Garwood… everyone: housekeeping, grounds keepers, security, restaurant staff, operations managers, airport car service. The week felt seamless. I loved Kevin’s omelets and vegetable curried stew, enjoyed nearby restaurants for dinner, as well as local Sweet Spot. I made new friends. Have already booked for upcoming winter. Quite a little paradise. I put off writing my review because, as others have said, it’s great that WB is kind of a secret, hidden spot. Very hard to leave. My love and best to all.

We spent a wonderful week at the Whistling Bird and felt transformed by the time we reluctantly had to leave. The location is exquisite with each of the 8 cottages literally steps away from the glorious crystal clear Caribbean ocean. Luckily, there we’re never more than two other couples there the entire time, so we had the entire place to ourselves. We’d recently stayed at a fancy large resort and were so relieved at the human scale at the Whistling Bird. Tucked among a canopy of tropical trees and gardens, each cottage had its own quiet and personal charm. It was just perfect for a quiet regenerative vacation. The staff was so kind and personable. They really made you feel at home. Some of the wonderful staff included Ranika, who was a wonderful and friendly server and advisor of all the many things that can be done in Negril. Amalia was another lovely waitress. Miss G, a bartender and server told us what bleakly weather is (cloudy and meh. Lol)! Milton was a great security person who always made sure there was a lounge chair and dry towels available. And finally, Berthra, one of the managers/hosts who was so incredibly warm and kind and made our stay so special. The day and night chefs were excellent and the food was an absolute highlight each day. We cannot wait to return.