Staying in an oceanfront bungalow on Jamaica’s South Coast changes your sense of place from the first minute you wake up. The coast here is rock and tide pools, not long stretches of white sand. Waves break close, the sound carrying straight into the room. Step outside and the sea fills your entire view.
At Jakes Hotel in Treasure Beach, that proximity has always defined the stay. The property doesn’t follow the blueprint of Jamaica’s larger resorts. There are no uniform blocks of rooms or long interior corridors. Buildings rise in bold colors and uneven forms. Paths curve between them toward the water. Walls show the hand of the people who built them.
Now, there’s a new way to stay here.
A Reopening With New Oceanfront Bungalows
Jakes has unveiled six completely reimagined oceanfront bungalows, introduced this spring following the hotel’s reopening late last year after Hurricane Melissa. The storm struck in late October 2025 and led to a full restoration across the property.
The new accommodations include three Octopussy Bungalows (a nod to the Jamaica-loving 007) and three Seapuss Bungalows, each positioned directly at the water’s edge with uninterrupted views of the Caribbean.
Each bungalow includes a private deck facing the sea. The Octopussy Bungalows add open rooftop terraces above the main living space. The Seapuss Bungalows include expanded outdoor bathing areas, including soaking tubs positioned toward the water.
Following the storm, the bungalows were rebuilt with new layouts, finishes, and expanded outdoor space.
Handcrafted Interiors With A Clear Identity
Jakes was founded by designer and artist Sally Henzell, and her approach runs through every part of these bungalows.
Each one is different.
Walls are sculpted plaster, finished in saturated tones. Headboards include inset fragments of stained glass in blues, greens, and reds. Sunlight passes through the glass and reflects across the walls. Beds are layered with batik and African-print textiles in indigo, red, and gold, set beneath white mosquito netting.
The colors reflect what you see outside: turquoise water, coral textures, and the greens of nearby palms. Nothing is standardized. Layouts vary. Details shift from one bungalow to the next.
Outdoor Showers With The Sea In Front Of You
Every bungalow includes an outdoor shower as a central feature.
Each one is enclosed in sculpted stucco walls painted in the same tones as the interiors. A matte black rainfall head and handheld fixture are standard. The opening faces directly toward the sea, leaving the view unobstructed.
Details differ by unit. Conch shells are embedded in the plaster in some. In another, a driftwood branch runs through the wall and doubles as a hook. The Seapuss Bungalows also include outdoor soaking tubs with the same direct view.
You’re under running water with waves breaking just beyond the wall, the sound carrying clearly.
Rooftop Terraces Above The Water
The Octopussy Bungalows extend the experience with private rooftop terraces.
A short staircase leads from the main level to an open platform above the room. From here, the view stretches across the sea and up into open sky, uninterrupted.
You’ll find yourself using it without planning—sitting at sunset, staying outside after dark, watching the light change across the water.
Jakes has long been known for nights spent outdoors, with guests gathering near the water. These terraces offer a private version of that experience, directly above your room.
What’s Inside Each Bungalow
Each bungalow includes air conditioning and a ceiling fan, along with high-speed Wi-Fi. There’s a mini fridge, coffee maker, and tea kettle, plus a Bluetooth speaker and digital safe.
Bathrooms connect directly to the outdoor shower spaces, where rainfall and handheld fixtures are standard.
What To Do Around Treasure Beach
The bungalows encourage you to stay put, but the surrounding area offers plenty once you step outside.
Treasure Beach spans several small bays, each with a different feel. You can walk or bike between them, passing local bars, cafés, and guesthouses.
At Jakes, Jack Sprat serves as the main restaurant and bar, with regular live music and an open-air layout. Nearby, Dougie’s Bar draws guests for late drinks by the water.
A short distance away, Smurf’s Café serves breakfast, including callaloo and other Jamaican staples.
Further inland, YS Falls offers cascading waterfalls and zip-line runs. Lover’s Leap, a cliffside lookout, is reachable by bike along quiet coastal roads.
Back at the hotel, you can join a mosaic art class or take part in a cooking session focused on jerk. Some nights include outdoor film screenings under the open sky.
How To Get There
Getting to Jakes Hotel takes a bit more time than Jamaica’s north coast resorts. You’ll fly into Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay or Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston, then continue by car.
From Montego Bay, the drive takes about 2.5 hours, crossing the island through the mountains before reaching the South Coast. From Kingston, it’s closer to 2 hours on a more direct route. The hotel can arrange private transfers, and the final stretch into Treasure Beach brings a quieter road and a slower pace before arrival.
A Clear Direction For The Next Phase
These six bungalows continue what Jakes has always done, with more direct access to the water and more outdoor living space built into each stay.
You’re close to the sea here, closer than at most resorts in Jamaica. Design comes from the hand, not a template. Each bungalow carries its own layout and details.
With rooftop terraces, open-air showers, and fully rebuilt interiors, these new spaces add another layer to that experience on Jamaica’s South Coast
Prices at Jakes
This is one of the best things about Jakes: the value. You’re getting an authentic, cool, independent hotel that delivers a real Jamaican experience for a very attractive rate. And I mean really attractive. On Google Hotels, basic rooms can run for well under $200 a night. And for these oceanfront bungalows, I found rates as low as $256 per night. For an oceanfront bungalow. In the Caribbean. Yes, you read that right.
Jamaica’s Tourism Comeback Is Already Underway
Jamaica’s tourism recovery is moving quickly, and you’re already seeing it across the island’s hotel landscape. Just months after Hurricane Melissa, most of the country’s major resorts are open again or firmly back in operation, with travelers returning across Montego Bay, Negril, and Ocho Rios.
In the all-inclusive sector, Sandals and Beaches led the early return. Resorts including Sandals Dunn’s River, Sandals Royal Plantation, Sandals Ocho Rios, Sandals Negril, and Beaches Negril resumed operations in December 2025, bringing back full-service stays across key destinations.
That momentum continued across the island. Resorts in the RIU, Iberostar, and Couples portfolios reopened through late 2025 and early 2026, restoring a significant share of Jamaica’s core resort inventory.
On the luxury side, flagship properties are welcoming guests again. Round Hill Hotel & Villas is open, with its villas, beach club, and dining spaces back in operation. Half Moon has also resumed stays, with its villas, Eclipse section, and beachfront experiences available once again in Montego Bay.
Boutique hotels are part of the comeback, too. Island Outpost’s collection, including GoldenEye, Strawberry Hill, and The Caves, is open, alongside Jakes Hotel, which returned in December before debuting its new bungalows this spring.
Some resorts are still completing upgrades, with a few Sandals properties scheduled to return later in 2026. But across the island, the picture is clear: Jamaica is open, operating, and welcoming travelers again, with both longtime favorites and newly refreshed stays ready for bookings
Karen Udler
2026-04-19 02:02:00