Out of the Blue

Like travelling through a time warp, to visit Jamaica's south coast is to experience another Jamaica of 30 years ago. The pace is slow, the lifestyle uncomplicated, the people are kind and calm. An uncommon sense of bliss feels pervasive on this part of the Island. Out of the Blue is an oxymoron, a contemporary home in old Jamaica. And what a home it is! The villa sits on the longest uninterrupted expanse of sea view at beach level of any other beach property in this group.

Cordon bleu and steak tartar are certainly available on request. But the good Out of the Blue cook, like many in the uncomplicated town of Treasure Beach, tends to delight her guests with succulent roast chicken seasoned with herbs from her own garden, the freshest fish from the night's catch and the healthiest salads made with ingredients grown in the renowned rich soil of the south coast which are trucked to restaurants and supermarkets elsewhere on the Island. Try the local fare, sour sop juice to lower blood pressure and promote restful sleep, coconut water for heart health and hydration, ackee and salt fish to qualify as a Jamaican, and fried dumplings just because they are so good.

Live here with doors and windows open round the clock. Hear waves break on your beach, see the family of goats who visit the garden for snacks, marvel at the pelicans and, most of all, see the sea.

Smart design is by one of Jamaica's most-in-demand interior designers. Contemporary style is laced with rustic follies, sconces with twigs camouflaging light bulbs, driftwood shelving, water pipes inside hollow logs, an outdoor shower masquerading as a tree, and a stone garden walkway studded with 500 tiny squares of blue glass that gleam in the sun. A myriad of driftwood inventions soften and redefine the chic clean lines of this contemporary beach home.

In Out of the Blue, it would be out of line not to mention the sweet staff. Bev, Donna and Randy are warm and unassuming, slightly shy, surprisingly thoughtful, eager to please, and always ready with a Jamaican folk song and a laugh. Before bedtime, they may place night-blooming jasmine by your bed so that the clean Treasure Beach air is fragrant through the night.