By Alexander Britell

You may not be familiar with Green Island, set off the highway between  Montego Bay and  Negril on the western corner of  Jamaica. But a pair of new resorts mean the area will likely soon be on the radar of travelers in a big way.

That’s the thinking behind  Jamaica’s two newest resorts, both under a brand that is new to the destination: Princess Hotels and Resorts, which has 12 hotels in the Caribbean spread across  Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic and the Rivera Maya on the Caribbean coast of Mexico.

The new Princess Senses, The Mangrove and Princess Grand Jamaica, which will combine for more than 1,000 rooms, are debuting soon, now with an official opening date: Sept. 15,  Caribbean Journal has learned.

So…what do you need to know about them?

Princess Senses The Mangrove is an adults-only all-inclusive: the rooms are all either suites (with ocean views or swim-out options) or a collection of overwater villas with their own private pools. That’s along with 14 eateries and 15 bars and lounges.

As for the Princess Grand, the resort is a family-friendly property, with a kid’s club for the little ones, a teens center, the option for hire nanny service and a host of sports options. Amenities include everything from three pools to eight bars to nine restaurants. In the mood for international fare? The culinary program has a multi-cuisine approach, from Mexican to  Jamaican to Asian fusion. And yes, there is a water park.

What about the cost?

Rates for the Princess Grand start at about $505 (if you book direct) for stays starting Sept. 15. That gets you a Princess Junior Suite on an all-inclusive plan.

Prices at the adults-only resort start at $579 per night starting the same date. That gets you a “Deluxe Junior Suite.” A swim-out room will run you $661 per night, an amenity that is always worth the splurge.

The debut of the new Princess resorts marks the first major opening of the year for  Jamaica, which says it has several more hotel rooms in the pipeline across the island (at varying stages of development).

The most anticipated of that group is almost certainly the first-ever UNICO resort in the English-speaking Caribbean, following the Uber-popular one in the Riviera Maya. The opening date for that resort, though, is not yet known.

Want to learn more? Visit Princess-hotels.com.

CJ Expert Take: This is a huge new addition to an area that has largely been devoid of tourism, between the two major poles of  Montego Bay and  Negril.

Publishers Note: We are happy to partner with Alexander Britell, Founder and Editor in Chief of the Miami, Florida based Caribbean Journal(CJ) and his staff contributing to the OTC and our Caribbean Connection Section. Check out the popular online magazine/website at caribjournal.com for valuable information on all fabulous travel options and things of interest in the Caribbean.

Green Island is a small town in northwestern Jamaica, located on the west coast between Negril and Lucea in the parish of Hanover. It is located close to Orange Bay.

History

Green Island was once a thriving market town in the days when sugar was king. It was supported by sugar plantations such as Harding Hall, Prospect, Saxham, Winchester, Rhodes Hall, Haughton and Glasgow. Sugar and other produce were exported in small schooners from the five or six wharves (such as Dixon Wharf) which were located in the harbor. Very little remains of these wharves today.

Saturdays were always bustling with activity as fishermen from as far as Negril, local rice farmers from Santoy and Westmoreland, and corn growers from St. Elizabeth selling their produce. Tobacco farmers would roll their dried leaves into a shape resembling rope, thus earning the name “Jackass Rope”, and sell it by the yard for smoking in chalk pipes.

Since the development of Negril and easy access to public transportation, commercial activities have dwindled. Tourism is now on the uprise and is sure to revitalize this part of Jamaica.