Elena Mallia 
The city of Montego Bay, located on Jamaica’s north coast, is a beach destination that will strike you with its stunning nature: sparkling blue waters, super long white sand beaches, waterfalls, green rainforest… a true paradise!
Being quite small, Montego Bay doesn’t have a lot of areas for visitors, so it could be quite hard to understand where is best to stay during your holiday.
For this reason, I created this guide with the top neighborhoods where to stay in Montego Bay for different interests, including hotels for any budget and a bonus with the best all-inclusive resorts.
Freeport is the best area to stay in Montego Bay if you’re coming for the first time, alternatively, you may prefer to choose Bogue Heights for a family vacation or Hip Strip if you’re looking to party!
So let’s start checking them out together, and remember to book your favorite hotel at least some months in advance: this is one of the best-known tourist locations in Jamaica, and I am sure you don’t want to lose the spot!
Let’s go!
Contents
If you are in a hurry
Here’s a list of the best hotels in Montego Bay’s main area, in case you don’t have time to read all the whole article:
Check out this map to get a mental image of all the main areas in Montego Bay, that I will be talking about in the post:
- Freeport : for first-timers
- Hip Strip : for nightlife
- Bogue Heights : for families
1. Freeport – where to stay in Montego Bay for the first time
Located on the tip of Montego Bay, 3 miles west of downtown, you will find Freeport: the area with the best location in the city, taking the name from its famous harbor.
Being close to all the beaches and top attractions while hosting many accommodation options, this area is definitely the best place to stay in Montego Bay if it’s your first time here!
Here you will find countless cool bars, many dining and shopping options (among which are the huge Freeport Shopping Centre), and the port of Montego Bay, around which the city spreads to the east and north.
In fact, the port is the final destination of many cruise ships and the starting point of boat tours and water sports like snorkeling.
Freeport hosts the largest number of exclusive hotels and resorts, but you can even find some more affordable options. But again, remember to book them as far in advance as you can if you don’t want to lose the spot!
I selected the main ones and put them here below, let’s check them out together!
Breathless Montego Bay Resort & Spa is one of the best Montego Bay accommodation options if you’re looking for a luxurious stay! In this incredible luxury resort, you’ll find a large spa and wellness center to achieve full relaxation, an outdoor pool, and access to a private beach. And if you want to stay active, you have plenty of options: a fitness center, water sports facilities (the area is popular for windsurfing), as well as billiards and tennis courts!
Other accommodation options in Freeport
This Montego Bay resort features spacious suites with private balconies and amazing ocean views!
You’ll love this beachfront Montego Bay accommodation offering free wi-fi, an outdoor pool, and budget prices
Check out this family-friendly apartment in Montego Bay, with an infinity-edge pool and playground for kids
Secrets Wild Orchid – Freeport offers so many luxury hotels, that I couldn’t avoid adding an extra one. Secrets Wild Orchid Montego Bay will blow your mind! This all-inclusive, adults-only Jamaican resort sits on a private beach on the Caribbean Sea and offers something to do from day to night. Here you’ll enjoy 19(!!) on-site restaurants, bars, and lounges – including a Swim-up Bar and a theater, and at night you can join cool theme parties at Secrets Wild Orchid!
Things to do in Freeport
- Go on an outdoor adventure combining horseback riding, river tubing, and hiking!
- Snorkel along Montego Bay’s beautiful coastline!
- Visit the Blue Hole, Dunn’s River Falls, and Secret Falls on a day tour
- Have a refreshing cocktail at 5050 Lounge Montego Bay
- Hop on this ‘floating party’ catamaran cruise with reggae music
- Check out the Art Gallery of West Indian Art & AMuse
- Visit the birthplace and hometown of reggae legend Bob Marley during this day trip
2. Hip Strip – the best area in Montego Bay for nightlife
Located north of Freeport, right in front of the Caribbean Sea, you will find the lively Hip Strip: known in all of Jamaica as the neighborhood that never sleeps. In fact, there’s no better place in Montego Bay than Hip Strip to find clubs and people ready to party!
Here you’ll literally be entertained from morning to very late at night. You can spend your days chilling on Doctor’s Cave Beach, engaging in water sports, or deep diving in the turquoise waters.
And when the sun goes down, be ready to try the delicious Jamaican Cuisine in one of the multiple restaurants or hit a cool beach bar and dance the night away!
If one day you want to take a break from partying and absorb some culture, this is the closest area to the famous Rose Hall Great House, a former Jamaican Georgian plantation house now run as a historic house museum, offering also panoramic views of the coast.
The area is also 5 minutes away from the Donald Sangster International Airport, perfect if you prefer to stay close to it during your holiday in Jamaica!
S Hotel Jamaica – Boutique All-Inclusive
Set in Montego Bay, walking distance from the beach, this Boutique 4-star hotel offers an all-inclusive service! Here you will have access to two incredible swimming pools with ocean views, bars, and multiple restaurants serving delicious Caribbean dishes. You will also love the spa and wellness center where you can get several massages and body treatments… you will never want to leave this place!
Other accommodation options in Hip Strip
Enjoy the best activities in this great hotel in Montego Bay. Don’t miss the tennis courts or horse riding
This bed and breakfast in Montego Bay offers budget prices and rooms with stunning ocean views
Have the best ocean views in this studio in Montego Bay, located right on the world-famous ‘Hip Strip’
Things to do in Hip Strip
- Relax and soak up some sun on Doctor’s Cave Beach!
- Have a traditional Jamaican experience at Harbour Street Craft and Cultural Village
- Try the best martinis in town at the sophisticated Blue Beat Jazz Lounge
- Gaze at the natural beauty of the stunning One Man Beach
- Visit the historic Rose Hall Great House
- Try the exciting water rides of Aquasol Theme Park
- Check out the beautiful Saint James Parish Church
3. Bogue Heights – where to stay in Montego Bay for families
If you’re looking for a place to spend a relaxing vacation with the whole family, you should check out Bogue Heights, located a 10-minute drive south of Freeport.
In fact, the Bogue Heights area offers a laid-back atmosphere and at the same time very easy access to the city’s best attractions, which all the members of the family will love visiting!
Some examples? Here you’ll find the Rocklands Bird Sanctuary, a beautiful green garden where you can feed thousands of Jamaican & migratory birds: get ready to see the most colorful and rare species!
If this excites you, you will also love the “Ahhh…Ras Natango Gallery and Garden”, located 2000 feet above sea level, an eco-tourism attraction offering the most spectacular views of the city, and local paintings of the island life, and of course… many birds!
But apart from magical gardens, the area also has a great location close to many eateries, and shops, and only 5 minutes from the beaches… great, right?
If it does sound great for you, check out the amazing family-friendly options in Bogue Heights, right below:
If you want to feel like you’re in a home away from home in Montego Bay, but at the same time you don’t want to renounce luxury, this is the place for you! This family-friendly Villa offers elegant interiors and is one of the best locations in Montego Bay. In fact, Villa Marlin sits in a very quiet neighborhood but at the same time literally a stone’s throw away from all the buzz and excitement of the city center.
Other accommodation options in Bogue Heights
Check out this modern and cozy home in Montego Bay, offering rooms with free wi-fi and private balconies
This Montego Bay accommodation offers great prices and access to both free parking and free wi-fi
Have the best ocean views from the rooftop pool of this incredible apartment in Montego Bay
Round Hill Hotel and Villas – There are so many great hotels in this area that I want to give you one more Montego Bay accommodation for luxury. Round Hill Hotel and Villas Montego Bay is the perfect place to have a stay full of comforts with the family! Here you can spend your days either relaxing on the golden sand beach and beautiful pool, eating at the on-site restaurant, or engaging in many activities. In fact, the resort offers the possibility of water-skiing, diving, playing on the tennis courts or using the kids club, for the youngest ones!
Things to do in Bogue Heights
- Feed thousands of Jamaican birds at the Rocklands Bird Sanctuary
- Hear some songs at African Symbol Studio & Record Shop
- Gaze at the best city views from Ahhh…Ras Natango Gallery and Garden
- Have some traditional Jamaican cuisine at Sweet Spice Restaurant
- Enjoy some peace at the reading beach
- Take a break from the sun at Fairview Shopping Center
- Try some delicious tasty food at Mosino
| 👑 Luxury price: | $450 |
| 💵 Mid Range: | $200 |
| 🛏️ Budget: | $100 |
| 🏠 Airbnb: | $150 |
| 💰 Accommodation prices: | High |
| 📍 Best area: | Freeport |
| 👪 Best area for families: | Bogue Heights |
| 🛎️ Best luxury hotel: | Breathless Montego Bay Resort |
| 💵 Best mid-range hotel: | Secrets St. James |
| 👛 Best budget hotel: | One Love Cozy Studio |
BONUS: Top all-inclusive resorts near Rose Hall Great House
Around half an hour driving north from Montego Bay lies the famous Rose Hall Great House. This is one of Jamaica’s most impressive plantation houses, now hosting many tours, events, and even a golf course… a must-visit in Jamaica!
The area surrounding the Rose Hall Great House is a great place to stay in Montego Bay because it hosts many incredible all-inclusive Jamaican resorts, where you can spend a holiday in full comfort without having to think about ANYTHING (anyone’s dream, right?).
And if one day you feel like getting out of your peace of paradise, the area also offers the opportunity to enjoy the many other natural attractions and golf courses… just nearby!
I gathered here a list of the best all-inclusive Montego Bay Accommodation options… they’re all in the luxury range listed in descending price order and offer access to all kinds of amenities: tennis courts, golf courses, spas, swimming pools, incredible restaurants, and much more.
1. Hyatt Zilara Rose Hall Adults Only
Do you want to spend a holiday in full relaxation, without the noise of kids crying? Check out this incredible all-inclusive resort, within 5 minutes drive from Rose Hall! Hyatt Zilara Rose Hall Adults Only offers an outdoor pool where you can chill and a beach-front Zen Spa to get the best massages. And if you want to have a refreshing cocktail, you’ll be just spoilt for choice here: you can choose from the Zilara lobby bar, Islandz swim-up bar, and the open-air bar!
2. Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall – all-inclusive
Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall is an amazing all-inclusive resort, offering luxury service and a great location within walking distance of Rose Hall. Here you will enjoy an international buffet featuring Italian cuisine, Asian fusion, seafood grill, Brazilian, and 8 other restaurants on-site… foodies will be in paradise! And to burn all the calories, there’s a tennis court, a fitness center, water sports facilities and a kids club for the youngest ones.
3. Jewel Grande Montego Bay Resort and Spa
Jewel Grande Montego Bay Resort and Spa will bring your stay in Montego Bay to the next level! This all-inclusive resort has the perfect location a 1-minute walk from the beach and 5 minutes drive from Rose Hall. Here you can spend your days relaxing in the swimming pool, enjoying evening entertainment at night, and going to sleep in your spacious and fully equipped room… you will love it!
4. Iberostar Grand Rose Hall Suites
This all-inclusive resort located a short drive from Rose Hall, is perfect for a holiday full of comforts with the family! In fact, Iberostar Grand Rose Hall has spacious family-friendly rooms hosting up to 4 people, an outdoor pool with a kid area, and several restaurants, so you can choose every day where to have the most delicious meals. And to start the day in the best way, enjoy the amazing buffet breakfast every morning!
5. Hilton Rose Hall Resort & Spa
Nestled on the shores of the Caribbean and a few minutes’ drive from Rose Hall, at this luxury resort you can enjoy a private beach, a full-service spa, and even a championship golf course! For the kids? Here you’ll find a water park with slides, terraced pools, and dive-in movies… so you can spend your days in different ways based on your mood! The rooms are also great, all featuring private balconies with views of the coast or nearby hills!
Frequently asked questions about Montego Bay lodging
📍What is the best place where to stay in Montego Bay, Jamaica?
The best place to stay in Montego Bay, especially if it’s your first time in the city, is Freeport, offering amazing luxury hotels like Round Hill Hotel and Villas and Breathless Montego Bay Resort.
👪 Where to stay in Montego Bay with the family?
The best place to stay in Montego Bay with the family is Bogue Heights, offering a laid-back vibe and access to many attractions. Stay at the luxury Round Hill Hotel and Villas or the affordable Jobs Inn Jamaica.
🎉 Where to stay in Montego Bay for nightlife?
The best place to stay in Montego Bay for nightlife is the famous Hip Strip, where all the best bars and clubs are located. Check out S Hotel Jamaica – Boutique all-inclusive for luxury or Mynt Retreat Bed & Breakfast to stay on a budget.
👑 Which are the best all-inclusive hotels in Montego Bay?
The best all-inclusive Montego Bay accommodation options are Hyatt Zilara Rose Hall Adults Only or Iberostar Grand Rose Hall Suites, both located close to the historic Rose Hall Great House.
Conclusion
Here we are at the end of this extensive guide to the best areas in Montego Bay, including hotels for any kind of interest and budget!
After all the different Montego Bay accommodation options that we’ve been through, you should know by now where to stay in Montego Bay for your travel needs and expectations!
But if you’re still undecided, check out my 2 absolute favorite hotels, both with great locations and reviews:
- Breathless Montego Bay Resort – one of the best hotels in Montego Bay if you’re looking for luxury, with access to a private beach
- Secrets St. James – this Montego Bay accommodation features spacious suites with private balconies and amazing ocean views!
I hope this guide will help you find the perfect place for your holiday, and that you enjoyed reading it as much as I did doing all the research for you.
If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to leave them in the comments below, I will answer you as soon as possible! And, I will say it again, remember to book your hotel far in advance if you want to secure yourself a spot in this paradise.
Have an amazing holiday!
Elena
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