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Story By Yvonne Yorke
Photography courtesy of Ritz-Carlton Golf & Spa Resort
The Ritz-Carlton Golf & Spa Resort, Rose Hall, Jamaica
When I arrived at the Ritz-Carlton Golf & Spa Resort in Jamaica’s exclusive Rose Hall plantation area in Montego Bay, I knew I was set for a weekend of indulgence and warm island hospitality. Everything from the pineapple-scented cold towels proffered at check-in to the outsized Piaget clock hanging above the reception desk suggested at the refined pampering yet to come.
While there are many sumptuous hotel properties in the Caribbean, not many have such a colorful history attached to it, and my sense for the dramatic was piqued when I discovered the legend surrounding Rose Hall: a tale filled with sexual intrigue, black magic, and revenge that has enthralled island natives as well as generations of visitors.
The Rose Hall Great House was built in the late 1770s by the Honorable John Palmer, and in 1820, his grand nephew John Rose Palmer married a beautiful 18 -year old English girl named Annie. Apparently, Annie had lived in Haiti as a young child where a Voodoo high priestess schooled her in the art of black magic. When she married John Rose Palmer, she moved into Rose Hall Great House and despite being mistress of a sugar plantation, it did nothing to sweeten her disposition. She terrorized the plantation slaves by whipping and torturing those who displeased her. Out of boredom and sheer wantonness, Annie would also take slaves as lovers and then killed them when she grew tired of them. It didn’t help her reputation any when all three of her wealthy husbands, including John Rose Palmer, died under violent circumstances. Despite her protestations of innocence, the plantation slaves firmly believed that Annie had done away with them, and thus, she became known as The White Witch of Rose Hall.
I guess the Black Widow moniker had already been taken, but in any case, the slaves who despised and lived in fear of their mistress finally took matter in their own hands and plotted her demise. This came to pass in 1831 when Annie was found dead in her bedroom. It should be noted that there are no historical facts to substantiate the sensational aspects of this story. However, the White Witch legend continues, and there’s even a Johnny Cash song entitled “The Ballad of Annie Palmer”.
After Annie’s death, the Great House went into a long period of decline and abandonment when finally it was listed as a national monument in the 1960s, presumably due to its architectural merit. John Rollins, a former lieutenant governor of Delaware, then restored the Georgian mansion to its former splendor and decorated it with antiques and colonial-style furnishings before opening it to the public in 1971. Today, it’s a museum owned by Ritz-Carlton resorts - sitting  majestically on a hill with a panoramic view of the coast and overlooking the 18-hole White Witch Golf Course. The house is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Jamaica.
Given the unromantic nature of the legend behind the Rose Hall Great House, it is ironic that the building is a sought-after venue for weddings and receptions for guests of the nearby Ritz-Carlton, which is built on land once part of the thousands of acres of the Rose Hall sugar plantation.
The Ritz-Carlton Rose Hall is an AAA Five Diamond Resort located on a secluded stretch of private beach on Jamaica’s north shore, and set amidst luxuriant tropical gardens with expansive views of the Caribbean Sea. The interiors of the main building and the four separate guest wings are decorated in traditional British colonial style, and imbued with the feel of a Jamaican plantation home. There is a sense of space with arched doorways and vaulted ceilings prevalent throughout the property, and depending on where your room is situated, it can mean a long walk before you reach it. I counted seven turns in the corridors before I arrived at mine.
Each of the 427 rooms, including 51 suites and the Ritz-Carlton Suite boasts private covered balconies with ocean or garden views. There’s no doubt that you’re in the tropics when you take in the colorful hues of the walls, the rattan furniture, and the floral (some might say, busy) prints on the upholstery. There is also a Ritz-Carlton Club with a concierge and a private lounge offering  complimentary food and beverages.
Speaking of food, I wasted no time in going down by West Beach to the Reggae Jerk Center restaurant where I indulged in authentic Jamaican specialties of succulent jerk chicken and native breadfruit while the sound of reggae music wafts through the sea air. If this doesn’t appeal (then seriously, what’s wrong with you?), there are four other dining options on the property. There’s Mangos which serves Caribbean fare with Jamaican influences in a casual oceanfront setting, Horizons – an indoor and outdoor seating restaurant with a Mediterranean menu, and White Witch for casual patio dining overlooking the golf course. Lastly, don’t miss the old-English club atmosphere of the Cohoba Lounge where a rummier (yes, I didn’t know there was such a thing either until I came here) can assist you in deciding between the 150 varieties of Caribbean rums they offer. This lounge is also a big hit in the mornings with caffeine-seeking guests as there is a complimentary Blue Mountain  coffee station set up between 6 to 10am daily. So you can grab your cup of joe before going out for your day of activities such as nearby sailing, snorkeling or deep-sea fishing.
However, one of my favorite activities when I’m staying at a holiday resort is to head for the spa. Since the word ‘spa’ figures prominently in the resort’s name, I had high hopes for what I was going to find in their 8,000-square foot spa and fitness center. I wasn’t disappointed. Carrying on with the coffee theme from this morning, I went with the ‘Jamaica Coffee Body Scrub’ which polished my skin silky smooth with coffee grounds and sugarcane. A glance through the spa menu unveiled other gastronomy-inspired treatments such as the ‘Chocolate Jubilee Facial’ which uses organic Hungarian cocoa with its high antioxidant content to revitalize the skin, and the ‘Tropical Carrot Cake Wrap’ that features a hydrating wrap made of organic grains, honey, vanilla and clove.
With visions of lunch now dancing in my head, I decided instead to look into one of their more unusual therapeutic treatments. My personal modus operanti when I’m at a spa that I haven’t been to before is to experience therapies and treatments that can’t be found in every other spa in the world. After all, why go for the Swedish massage when I can get that anywhere? The Ritz-Carlton Rose Hall’s ‘Shell Massage’, for instance, is definitely not run of the mill. It utilizes four Tiger Clam sea shells which are filled with dried kelp and algae and then heated to provide an invigorating full-body, deep-tissue massage that melts the tension out of muscles. Guests can also take advantage of the spa’s steam and sauna rooms, a cold plunge bath, a fully-equipped gym and a full-service salon. From May 1 to November 15 2009, the resort is offering 15% off on all spa treatments.
Now in case you’re wondering if the Ritz-Carlton Rose Hall is just about delicious  food and an even more delicious spa, it turns out they have something else to be really proud of – their White Witch golf course. This 18-hole championship, par-71 course has been voted the best golf course in the Caribbean by Travel + Leisure Golf magazine. It isn’t hard to see why. Carved out of 600 acres of greenery and a rolling hillside 1000 feet above sea level, 16 of its 18 holes award panoramic views of the Caribbean Sea. Caddies for the course serve as personal concierges for golfers. For variety, there are also two other top-ranking golf courses in Jamaica, Half Moon and Cinnamon Hill, which are within five minutes from the hotel.
Not surprisingly, such a gorgeous tropical setting frequently evokes feelings of romance, and Rose Hall offers a picture perfect backdrop for weddings and receptions. The Ritz-Carlton even has its own Engagement Concierge which assists guest prior to their arrival in preparing for the proposal. Everything from an upholstered chair for ladies, or a tasseled pillow for gentlemen to get down on one knee, to intimate candlelit tables with champagne and rose-covered floors are provided. For the big event, the Wedding Advisor is there cater to all details in creating the dream wedding matching the individual personalities of the couple. Some possible wedding locations include the wedding gazebo in a remote beachfront location on the resort’s East Lawn with sunset and ocean views, or the Rose Hall Great House surrounded by verdant gardens and a private pond.
For information and reservations on the Ritz-Carlton Golf & Spa Resort, Rose Hall, call toll free 800-826-9430, visit The Ritz-Carlton Web site at www.ritzcarlton.com. For additional information on Jamaica, go to www.visitjamaica.com.
© June 2009 LuxuryWeb Magazine. All rights reserved.
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