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Reviews of Idlers' Rest Beach Hotel

2.5 out of 5
Idlers' Rest Beach Hotel
Parottee Road, A2, Black River, Saint Elizabeth

Reviews

7.6

Good

Rating 10 - Excellent. 21 out of 84 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 35 out of 84 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 17 out of 84 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 6 out of 84 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 5 out of 84 reviews" "

8.0/10

Cleanliness

8.0/10

Staff & service

6.4/10

Amenities

7.0/10

Property conditions & facilities

7.6/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

6/10 Okay

Owen

Travelled with family
Liked: Staff & service
Idlers Rest is essentially what you see in any other review, it's good for what it is and the location is not terrible. Where they excel they excel wonderfully but they're shortcomings are also as dramatic. I particularly did not enjoy hearing the dogs bark and the roosters crow throughout the night. However overall it was a comfortable enough stay where is it.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2024
Response from Mo on 6 Apr 2024
Dear Owen:We appreciate your VALUABLE feedback and will always try to use them in improving our performance.

10/10 Excellent

Seth

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great people. Clean cozy individual rooms.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2024
Response from Mo on 6 Apr 2024
Dear Seth:Thank you for your review and hope to host you againTake care and all the best

8/10 Good

Harold

Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2023

8/10 Good

sherrie

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Quaint little beach hotel
This hotel is on a secluded beach in a little beach town. The staff is accommodating and quite welcoming. Make sure to order your meals 12 hours in advance. This is a really nice place to stay.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2023

8/10 Good

Christine

Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2023

8/10 Good

Dania

Travelled with family
Liked: Amenities
Was a great choice for stay.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023
Response from MO on 22 Sept 2023
Dear Dania:We are appreciative that certain concerns did not deter you from your overall experience at Idlers'We value your feedback to help us improve.Thank you and all the best

10/10 Excellent

Dyanne

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Great little comfortable place on the beach
The staff can’t be nicer or more helpful. The beach is beautiful. Juliet, the owner is super accommodating and helped with every aspect from cabs to tours and things we needed on the property. She was very good at explaining details about things you may not know about so you’re prepared.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2023

8/10 Good

Naudrea

Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2023
Response from MO on 22 Sept 2023
Hey Naudrea:Thank you for your ratings.We appreciate you taking the time to do so.All the best to you and we hope to host you againJuliet and Team

8/10 Good

Yvonne

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2023
Response from Mo on 18 Jul 2023
Dear Yvonne:We thank you for your visit and do appreciate taking the time to write us a review, we value your feedback and hope to see you againIdlers' Team

10/10 Excellent

Rhonda

Stayed 1 night in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Nicole

Stayed 14 nights in Jun 2023

6/10 Okay

Dukiemar

Business traveller, Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Okay property
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2023
Response from Mo on 28 Jun 2023
Dear Dukiemar:Thank you for review and hope to host you againIdlers' Rest

8/10 Good

Lorna

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Laid back
Had a wondweful sray and will be going back, very relaxing and laid back, If your looking for a real taste of jamaica, then this is it very unique setting,, be prepared for mosqitos at night due to the wondeful foilGe of plantz and trees, lavender oil and spray will repel them
Stayed 4 nights in May 2023
Response from Mo on 28 Jun 2023
Hi Lorna:We thank you for your review.I have ordered some lavender plants:)See you soonIdlers' Rest

6/10 Okay

Damion

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2023
Response from MO on 5 May 2023
Thank you Damion for your valuable feedback

10/10 Excellent

Michael

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
I had an excellent experience, the staff is friendly, the dinner options were fantastic, the food was yummy, I was treated like family. Juliet helped me get transportation, I went out on three excursion, Black River is close by, I got to swim in the Caribbean Sea, I'm planning my trip back.
Stayed 5 nights in Mar 2023
Response from MO on 17 Mar 2023
Hey Mike:We appreciate your review and would be delighted to host you again.Take care!Juliet and Team

8/10 Good

Robert

Travelled with group
Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Our kind of people. So nice...
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2023
Response from MO on 27 Feb 2023
Dear Mr. Polo:We thank you for your review and business.Othniel is on a shopping spree for cups for your friends.PS. Rum delivered.Take care and tell everyone hello form all of us. Juliet

8/10 Good

Gillian

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
I basically just sleep there i didnt hang around for long. First nite was fine place look decent but the second morning i saw a lot of bugs. I wont starly ther again as this was a 1 time situation
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2023
Response from MO on 24 Jan 2023
Dear Gillian:Thank you for your feedback.We are sorry for the bugs and have been trying to get rid of them, we have a lot of trees and notice that these ones have been coming unto our walls a lotPlease take care and all the bestJuliet

10/10 Excellent

ANNIE

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Idlers Rest is the best!!
We had an amazing experience. The staff went above and beyond to make our stay a memorable one. We attended a wedding for a family member. Even though it really ran late, the staff was very patient and stuck it out with us. Kudos to the kitchen staff, front desk clerk and even security. Idlers Rest is the place to be and a great wedding destination. We enjoyed our stay!! Awesome
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2023
Response from MO on 7 Jan 2023
Dear Annie:Thank you for a great review, we appreciate your feedbackPlease stay safeJuliet

8/10 Good

Nita

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2023
Response from MO on 6 Jan 2023
We appreciate your reviewThank you

10/10 Excellent

Samuel

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
It was a quite an calm environment
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2022
Response from MO on 6 Jan 2023
Thank you for your review.Please stay safe

8/10 Good

Debra

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
I love that the hotel is right on the Beach. Every day I would walk almost the full length of the beach. Very relaxing. The breakfast area overlooks the beach. Amazing view. There are a few seafood resturants along the beach. You could actually walk to them or take a taxi. We went by taxi to eat but I passed them every morning while walking. Juliet the manager is very accommodating and receptive to suggestions. We ended up in a large room/ suite with a sitting area and a large bathroom at no extra cost. Staff is very friendly and helpful. Sister and Daughter (their call names) are the housekeepers/ cooks and very helpful. Sister cooked some sumptuous Jamaican breakfast upon request for an additional cost. The hotel itself is very pretty and Caribbean colorful. Lots of pretty colorful foliage around the hotel. Hotel could use some updating such as better lighting in the rooms, accessible electrical outlets for electronics, good WiFi and some countertop in the bathroom area for toiletries. Better drainage when it rains. One night we had to wade through water to get to our room. There is no public transportation. Hotel staff arranges taxi service which is reasonable. Overall I would return.
Stayed 5 nights in Oct 2022

10/10 Excellent

Jacqueline, Winter Springs

Travelled with family, Travelled with family and small children, Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities
The staff was super nice and the place has such good character and ambiance. If you are looking for a quiet stress free getaway for a weekend this is a great place. It’s not the Ritz or the W but if you love nature, the beach and just kicking back then this is the place. Just bring mosquito repellent because they are vicious here. Lots of great food and entertainment nearby. Much less congested and busy than the North Coast or Mobay
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Andre

Travelled with family, Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful and quiet!
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2022

4/10 Poor

Hughton

Travelled with family, Travelled with family and small children
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The place was not clean overall. Understaffed. Toilet issues, television does not work, Wi-Fi is pointless, mosquitoes everwhere. Place just not properly maintained. No staff to attend to you at night.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2022

8/10 Good

Ayesha

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Convenient and perfect location for what we wanted
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2022
Response from MO on 29 Jun 2022
Dear Ayesha: Thank you for your review and we look forward to hosting you again Please take care and stay safe Juliet

4/10 Poor

Hyacinth

Travelled with family, Business traveller
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
It could have been better no water the breakfast was terrible. no garbage can in the bed room.
Stayed 1 night in May 2022
Response from MO on 29 Jun 2022
Dear Ms. Hyacinth: I really do apologize for your experiences with us as we strive to improve our customer satisfaction: The water situation was indeed baffling to us as we could not figure why some rooms had water and some did not when they were all feeding from the same source, we know this was uncomfortable but gave thanks that you did not suffer this ordeal throughout your stay. As it relates to the garbage bins, we put a bin in the bathrooms only , we can revise this setup in the future or ask tell our guests at check in to request an extra bin as the need arise. Regarding the breakfast , i am not sure what was terrible about it, the site you booked on said it is at a cost and we offer a complimentary continental breakfast consisting of ; coffee, tea, eggs, toast , fruit juice , fruits, jelly and butter, Jamaican breakfast is ordered at an extra cost, so I am unable to comment on this matter I do hope your experience was not one that will make you never visit us again. Please take care and stay safe Juliet

6/10 Okay

David

Travelled with family, Business traveller
Disliked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities
Property is old and needs repairs.services was Terrible. Would not use that Hotel again
Stayed 5 nights in Apr 2022
Response from MO on 3 May 2022
Dear Mr. Laird : We at Idlers' value your feedback as we use this to gauge our customer satisfaction, we are currently working on improving the overall maintenance of the property, as it relates to the services offered we would appreciate more specification, and we do apologize for you having such a horrible time as to never visiting again. Please take care and all the best Juliet

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Great place to idle !
The staff were very friendly and accommodating. The property sits on a beach with a great view out to the water and sunsets. Morning breakfasts (included) served on the lovely patio deck were delicious and the service attentive. Spacious rooms with nice outdoor areas, benches and hammocks! The property needs some repair & maintenance after a couple of quiet years with few guests due to the pandemic, and the area seems under populated overall. But two lovely busy restaurants are a short drive away along the water, the Black River safari was an amazing day trip, as was an afternoon outing by boat to Floyd's Bar in the ocean ... and the nearby town of Black River bustles during the day with vendors, banks and food stops. The value and overall experience was perfect for our group of four.
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2022
Response from MO on 3 May 2022
Dear Anonymous: We appreciate your feedback and your understanding of our maintenance issues. Thank you and please stay safe Juliet

2/10 Terrible

Maybelline

Disliked: Staff & service
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2022
Response from MO on 3 Mar 2022
Dear Maybelline: I am sorry that we did not meet your expectations Take care and all the best Juliet

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Comfortable Stay
Location of the hotel is great, close to all anyone would need for a pleasant getaway. Staff was pleasing and the accommodations met our needs, would stay again.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2022
Response from MO on 26 Jan 2022
Dear Anonymous: We were delighted to have you stayed with us and enjoyed your company. We appreciate your review and hope to see you again The staff appreciates your generosity. Please enjoy the rest of your time in Jamaica Take care and all the best Juliet and Team

10/10 Excellent

Racquel

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
My stay at Idler beach house was a good one. I first met Juliet upon entering the property she was very professionally answered all my concerns. Her staff members are all welcoming and professional. Idlers beach hotel gives off a tropical oasis with beautiful trees and plants and for the most part the along side the beach. Does need a little upgrade? Yes. However, for my few days of stays it was well worth it. If you are looking for Sandals resort go to Sandal resorts. Idlers beach hotel carry’s their own identity and comfort. My son and I was served breakfast by the beach by one of he kind and gentle person I’m so sorry I can’t remember her name but she bring out the place very well. Idlers is a down earth place I welcome all to come and check it out it robust and full of nature characteristics made it worth while. Was not expensive at all. I give my stay 4.5. Thanks To all the Idlers staff members!
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2021
Response from MO on 3 Jan 2022
Dear Racquel: We thank you for booking and staying with us and appreciate your review. Please take care and stay safe Juliet and Team

4/10 Poor

Mckell

Travelled with partner
Disliked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities
I like the location to the beach the property was rundown
Stayed 10 nights in Aug 2021

2/10 Terrible

Dorothy

Travelled with family
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
VERY DISAPPOINTED
Was meet at the gate and told our room number. The place was run down and had rotting car on the lot. Didnt feel safe there therefore i decided i couldnt stay. NO ONE ELSE THERE. NOTHING LIKE THE PICTURES WAS TOLD TO BRING OWN FOOD
Stayed 3 nights in May 2021
Response from MO on 2 Jun 2021
Dear Dorothy, Thank you for expressing your concerns with us I am sorry that even though the security was the one who checked you in, you still felt unsafe and with other guests on the property you felt isolated. I was the one who suggested you eat on the road as you had asked about late check-in and I told you to remember the curfew Our maintenace issues are being addressed Please accept my sincere apology for your disappointment Juliet

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Staff & service, room comfort
Good but not worth it.
Decent but would not stay again. Great location but that's about it, the place hat potential but seems to be hit hard by current world events. I would not recommend.
Stayed 4 nights in May 2021
Response from MO on 2 Jun 2021
Dear Mr. Parchment, Please accept our sincere apology for your experience with us. We pride ourselves in giving the best possible guest experience, and I am sorry we fell short in delivering this to you. Take care of yourself and all the best Juliet

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
The location on the beach secluded and quiet The staff was very attentive and accessible.It not loud and combustible but quiet and quaint exactly what I needed
Stayed 2 nights in May 2021
Response from MO on 22 May 2021
Dear Anonymous, We thank you for your patronage and hope to host you again Stay safe Juliet

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2020

10/10 Excellent

C&G, United states

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The hotel and staff were excellent for a not All inclusive hotel The manager Juliet Had everything set up for us when we got there easy check in Because of covid19 you had to Sanitize Our hands Before entering got our temperature checked we had to wear masks if we were out in the public witch was not a problem Miss sister was awesome if we need anything she was right there to get it she's cooked ever day fresh all we did we tell her the time and what we wanted and it was ready she always had a smile on her face we will Definitely stay there again we also loved the beach every morning we would take a walk at sunrise it was beautiful and it took about 2 hour down and back we would see all the fisherman pulling in their nets witch was great to see all the different fish, snail's and crabs they would catch they also had a Great security on duty every night the room was cute big Comfortable bed large bathroom and air conditioner worked great also had a couple chairs TV and table in our Room plenty of Room to move around We will definitely stay here again
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2020

6/10 Okay

Sue, Wyoming, USA

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Second time here. Very quiet, not a busy place. Stayed 3 days 2 nights. One lady was the front deck clerk, the cook, the bartender and the maid. Security guard took over those jobs when he came on in addition to gardener. It seems to work if you don't mind looking for them when you need something. The view is wonderful as is the peacefulness. The rooms are very nice. If you ask for a boat to take you to Floyds Pelican Bar (highly recommended) don't fall for the guy who drives you to his boat. If you pay for a boat tour you should get a boat tour. They can and should pick you up at the hotel. I will stay here again.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2020

8/10 Good

Aneta

Stayed 7 nights in Dec 2019

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Staff & service
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2019
Response from MO on 18 Dec 2019
Thank you for your review...……….. take care and all the best Juliet

10/10 Excellent

Samantha

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Swesone6
My stay there was amazing the place is very clean and quiet
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2019
Response from MO on 25 Sept 2019
Dear Samantha, Thank you for your patronage and kind review Take care and all the best Juliet

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Don't even know where to start, first off the girl that was working when we arrived didn't know how to use the machine for us to pay, second they had absolutely nothing on their menu except fish, for people who don't eat fish then you went hungry, the had only 2 things to drink which was either Pepsi or coke, the mosquitoes were absolutely unbearable, the beach was not clean and the ocean water was exceptionally muddy, for the price i paid i would rather have stayed anywhere else!!
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2019
Response from MO on 6 Aug 2019
Dear Patricia, I am truly sorry for your experience with us in checking on your concerns: 1st the card that you were using was not accepted by our point of sale machine, each time you asked to try the message was the same, the check in agent should simply tell you that your card is not accepted. 2nd The menu that was given to you had Pumpkin soup/calaloo soup with shrimp/vegetable soup/ chicken wings served with garlic bread/ shrimp done curried/garlic or lemon/ chicken done baked/sweet and sour or curried/ Stir fried Vegetables/ cake and ice cream. from our menu we have taken off crab meat/kingfish/fillet and lobster.......your companions decided to have fish and you did not want any soup/chicken/shrimp or vegetables 3rd...... Our property is a very small one and as such we do not have a premium bar however what is stocked are cokes/pepsi/tropical rhythms which are gruiy juices/malta/beers/stouts/bottled water/ wines red and white/red rums/white rums/brandy//vodka/liqueurs I really do not understand what was said to you 4th.......Mosquitoes were really unbearable the past few weeks, we have been getting the rains and despite our efforts along with the Ministry of Health fogging schedule they are a nuisance at this time 5th....The beach is raked every morning however with the rains the river water comes to the seas changing the colour of the water and because the tide is high it will from time to time bring the cockles and other shell creatures unto the beach as well as debris from the sea floor. We thank you for your feedback and will use your experiences to see how better we can improve our service Idlers' Rest Team

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Off the beaten path. Friendly service. Conveniently located to town and other local areas of interest
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2019
Response from Julsd on 7 Aug 2019
Thank you for your valued feedback

6/10 Okay

Cynthia

Liked: Cleanliness, room comfort
Idlers Rest Antique Look.
Appearance needs improvement, staff was friendly & nice breakfast was very good.Grounds needs improvement on the lawn & trees.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2019
Response from MO on 7 Aug 2019
Thank you Cynthia, We appreciate your feedback in order to improve our service...........thank you

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Stayed 1 night in Jul 2019

10/10 Excellent

Steve, Torrance, CA

Travelled with group
Liked: Staff & service
Make mistake reservation made but Hotel from Juiet send email let me out wrong booking. I was looking at near San Cruz, CA but made Jamaica.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2019
Response from Juls on 7 Aug 2019
No problem Steve

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner, Travelled with group
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The overall look of the place was cute. But the most important thing was not, which was the condition of the rooms. The rooms had foul odor. The a/c did not work properly and kept shutting off in 90 degree weather! The shower was not clean and there is mold in between almost every tile/stone, so bad I had to shower in my slippers to avoid contact with bare feet. The bed felt like i was laying outside on concrete/asphalt so needless to say i did not sleep between the sweating and pain in my back from bed. Everything in the room was dusty! i was so uncomfortable that I got there at about 4 in the morning and left at 8am! I will be expecting a full refund for the 2 overpriced rooms I got!
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2019

10/10 Excellent

Michelle

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Good Value For Your money
This property has a lot going for it: it has a nice, friendly staff, the room size was really spacious, it had good hot water pressure, the continental breakfast was decent, it's centrally located to a lot of activities including YS Falls, Appleton Estate, Black River Safari tours, Negril and it's close to town, etc. You can get food onsite, cooked to order. If you're lucky, you get to meet some of the local fishing community out to get their catch of the day. Overall, this place offers convenience and value for your money. It could do with a bit of sprucing up though; the furniture is dated, there is no in-room fridge or mini fridge and it would be nice to have an extra spread on the bed. I enjoyed my stay and I will definitely stay again when I'm in the area.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2019

8/10 Good

Gloria, Michigan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Idlers Rest has ready access to the waters of the Caribbean. A great place to relax and recuoerate from the hustle and bustle of daily work life. The Owners have made some noticeable repairs and made the rooms more comfortable. However a Wifi that covers the property is work in progress. We will return to Idlers Rest.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2018
Response from MS. Mo on 14 Nov 2018
Thank you for your review Take care of yourselves and it was our pleasure having you............when next you visit hopefully the WiFi will be better All the best Juliet

8/10 Good

Anthony, Manchester UK

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A quiet country retreat
This hotel is a couple's retreat & not suited for children in a package holiday sense..... That's unless your children enjoy quiet seclusion. The rooms are huge, with large bathrooms & offer all the basic necessities needed. The decor is very Jamaican & in this sense the rooms offer a better sense of the real Jamaica, the one away from the corporate world of the hotel chains. The overall look of Idler's had the look & feel of a large colonial style abode, but with a splash of Jamaican colour. We chose the breakfast only option which comprised of fruit, scrambled or fried eggs, toast, coffee or tea & fresh orange which was served in a tiny glass which was only half full!! On the first morning, I was very thirsty after many hours if travel. I asked for more juice but was told by the waitress that she'd have to ask to see if another glass was permitted! She came back & said another tiny (half) glass would cost a further $150 JMD! I hadn't had time to exchange my £'s yet, but refused the additional glass on a point of principle. The room cost £640.00 & the boss was begrudgingly charging me extra for a glass of juice??? No chance! However moments after my refusal, the waitress came back with a 'complimentary' glass of juice, so it seemed the bosses came to their senses after all. This type of petty penny pinching is the sort of behaviour which discourages customer loyalty & would make me choose another hotel next time. I would still highly recommend Idler's.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2018