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We recently spent a week at the Blue House and had a wonderful experience. Elise was a gracious and attentive hostess who met our every request, with a smile. She is a real pleasure to be around. Chef Darryl provided food you would expect to find only in the finest restaurants and we were treated to many wonderful traditional Jamaican dishes. The villa and the rooms were clean and comfortable, spacious and lovely. Our week at the Blue House was the most relaxing of my life; I came home refreshed, rested and with wonderful memories. Thanks, Elise! Becky & Lee Washington, DC |
"A Hidden Jamaican Jewel !" |
Elise's brother Darryl is the house chef and his cooking made us never want to eat anywhere else. Between breakfast and dinner, every bite we ate was spectacular. Elise and Darryl knew we wanted to try all of the local cuisine and and we were presented with a fantastic meal at every sitting. Darryl went out of his way to make sure that each meal suited our tastes and everything was DELICIOUS! Oh, how I miss his cooking :) From going to Reggae Beach almost every day to our awesome day-trip to Kingston and the Blue Mountains, Lesa made sure everything was perfect. She is an excellent guide and now a great friend as well. Elise knew we wanted to visit the Blue Hole and we went on our first full day. The natural splendor of this secluded area made it the one of the most stunning places I have ever been. Milky turquoise water, lush forest, and levels of waterfalls and natural pools...I could've spent all day there. It's the kind of place that I hope stays a secret and a trip the Blue Hole is an absolute must! Elise and the staff at The Blue House provided us with so much more than just a place to stay. We met some terrific people, had great conversations, and were shown a side of Jamaica that few people get to see. I would like to publicly thank Elise for providing us with a phenomenal experience that was so much more than we could've ever expected....Thanks Elise :) Not only do my wife and I plan to return one day, but we are sending my parents there for their 60th birthdays later this year. I cannot recommend The Blue House enough and I hope you enjoy your time there as much as we did. Josh and Michele, Philadelphia, PA |
My husband and I do not care for the "plastic feel" of the all-inclusive resort, so whenever we travel we most often stay with friends, family or at B&Bs. The Blue House started out as a B&B adventure and ended up feeling a bit like the other two! Elise Yapp is an excellent hostess, who runs a quality business in a lovely, clean, light and well-kept home. The grounds of the home are filled with the beauty of God's creation, a myriad of colours and sounds. We especially enjoyed watching the hummingbirds at several different feeders Elise has placed around the property. The so-called "Doctor Bird" with his long braided tail and reddest of red beaks was our favourite. Elise's staff are all very friendly, helpful, polite and kind. We particularly enjoyed the last day of our stay when Elise's niece, Lesa took us around a bit, to drink coconuts, eat sugar cane and local food. All in all, I have to give "The Blue House" a mega "WOW!!!!", which was Lesa's son's Adam favourite word :-). If you are considering a trip to Ocho Rios, you simply can't go wrong with a stay here. |
When we arrived at The Blue House we were overwhelmed with the beauty of the house and the lush landscraping with an amazing and lovely variety of trees and plants. When Ms. Elise said, "This will be your home for the next six days," we couldn't have felt more welcome. We stayed in the aptly named Serenity Room which is comfortable and serene. Who knew we would have a 5 star restaurant just 20 feet from our bedroom door? I joked that I needed one of the staff to wheel me away in a donkey cart when it was time to leave. Elise is the consummate hostess who understands how to make her guests feel pampered and relaxed. Her well-trained staff is friendly and personable. I enjoyed kidding around with Orlando! By the way, the pool area proved to be our favorite hang-out. If you want to experience Jamaica in a beautiful home with fabulous food, then spend some time at The Blue House. You'll be in good hands with Elise and her family and staff and their exceptional hospitality. Tim & Sherrie |
We stayed for 3 nights at the Blue House in January 2009. I had high expectations from the other reviews I had read and really hoped that the Blue House would be like staying with family friends. Having high expectations is risky; that Elise managed to surpass them is therefore all probably the best description). Elise has a knack of making everyone feel welcome and comfortable; we immediately felt at home. And the great reviews about the food are in no way exagerated! The Blue House had 3 rooms plus a cottage in the grounds. One unknown is who the other guests are and how you all get along. Although it is only one option (Elise was very discrete in asking if we wanted to eat alone or in a group), we ate breakfast and evening meals with the other guests. We felt we had been lucky that the other guests were entertaining and that we got along famously, but judging from other reviews this seems to be a common occurence! |
“A Special Place You Know You Will Return To” Travelling is our passion and we have been very lucky to have travelled to many beautiful places and met wonderful people. Leaving is always hard when you have had a good trip. Standing in line at the airport waiitng for our plane with tears streaming down my face, was a first! After 6 beautiful nights in Negril we travelled to Orch Rios to stay with Elise and Daryl at everything we were looking for but a little out of our budget. However we needed a break after experiencing a diffiuclt year so we managed to convince ourselves that this would be worth it. I don't want to make it sound like the accomodation was expensive, but given our financial was everything and more than we could have expected. I felt like I had met a part of my family that I was meeting for the first time. Elise goes out of her way to make sure that you have the best possible experience. Just mention a fruit or food that you have not tasted and you will see it on your plate for the next meal! The rooms are beautiful with attention to small details. The pleased when it comes to food). We spent New Years Eve at the house and the food was to die for! Tessa and Robert Detroit, MI |
Our stay at The Blue House was in one word SUPERB |
When we first thought about visiting Jamaica, the options available were mainly "all inclusive" big hotels on the beach. In spite of travelling with a 5 year old child and being tempted by the "kids clubs", it was not quite what we wanted. We felt that Jamaica is neither an all inclusive paradise nor a dangerous crime scene, so we tried to find a place that would help us to discover the real Jamaica as well as relax and go to the beach. The Blue House in Ocho Rios was the right choice! The owners, Elise and Darryl Yap, are wonderful hosts. They showed us some hidden treasures and were always available to take us here and there. During our conversations with Elise, we learned a lot about Jamaica, its traditions, history, ways of living, habits, points of interest, and more. Through Elise's charity work, we had the opportunity to get in touch with the local community, visit villages and families and their local church. Also to be aware of the daily difficulties that Jamaican people have to deal and live with as well as the good things. |
moment we arrived at this charming, luxury B&B ( past midnight due to a three hour flight delay), we were made to feel like old friends or family. We stayed in The Upper Room, a large deep periwinkle-colored refuge with an adjoining large bathroom featuring a rain-forest shower. Fresh flowers adorned the room, towels folded in decorative shapes with floral petals foliage and the pool. We chose the breakfast-dinner plan and were thrilled with the food. Darryl, the "barefoot chef" has gifted hands! He prepared food according to our personal dietary choices ( we don't eat seafood or pork) and was able to wow us with typical Jamaican delights, even with our dietary restrictions. were served in the lovely dining area facing the mountains. Elise, our hostess has a tremendous gift of hospitality. We were blessed by her presence at our meals, and learned much about her native Jamaica, and about her heart for the poor among her people. Elise accompanied us to her neighbor Betty's yard where we encountered an "orchid paradise". Betty is president of the Orchid Society and has a yard filled with perhaps 10,000 orchids of all colors and varieties. I have perhaps 10 orchid plants in my backyard here in Ft. Lauderdale, but never in my life have I seen anything like this! To top it all off, Betty welcomes guests of The Blue House to take a dip in the White River that runs behind her house: a crystal clear cool ( but not cold) pool that was truly heavenly! Elise personally took us to Reggae Beach, extended hospitality to some friends who stopped by to see us, and asked her brother to take us to The Blue Hole - an out of the way, local swimming hole that again seemed like the Garden of Eden with its beautiful waterfall and natural "jacuzzis". One of the local boys asked if we would like to see another waterfall. Darryl went with us as we trecked through the forest for about 25 minutes until we came upon a hidden waterfall and another heavenly blue pool. We jumped in and the refreshing was phenomenal. Darryl personally escorted us to a local supermarket to buy Blue Mountain coffee ( very smooth and delicious), and to a local place to try their Jamaican beef and chicken patties. Does this sound like individual attention?? We have traveled all over the world, and have seldom experienced such unique, giving hosts!!! Jamie and Neil, Florida |
The Blue House in Ocho Rios was nothing short of sublime! The owners (Yap family) were very gracious and hospitable. The food was 5 star, and the accomodations were stunning! I checked numerous web sites in the search for a suitable place to stay; from Mo Bay, Negril, And Ochi, this was the only place I saw where every reviewer gave it positive marks. It deserved them. Michelle & Nelson |
When planning our trip to Jamaica, the only thing we were clear about was that we didn't want to stay in an all-inclusive. Then we stumbled across reviews of the Blue House on Trip Advisor , and suddenly we knew where we wanted to stay! But once it was booked I started to wonder - could it really be that good? Well, I can assure you it can and is! We had a wonderful stay here and our only regret about choosing it was that we hadn't booked for longer ;) Everyone who stays here seems to enthuse about the hospitality of Elise and Darryl, and rightly so. We really felt as if we were staying with friends rather than as paying guests in a B&B. Nothing was too much trouble - a lift to church or to a local restaurant, a call to pre-book an excursion, checking shipping schedules so we could avoid the crowds at Dunn's River Falls, and so on. Darryl's cooking is another plus point. From the first evening, when we were welcomed with a dinner of curried goat and rice and peas, we realised we were in for a few treats. Both breakfasts and dinners here afforded us lots of welcome opportunities to sample Jamaican specialities - ackee & saltfish or rundown for breakfast, conch or that goat curry for dinner. We also enjoyed a lovely Chinese meal one evening. We HAD planned to only eat a couple of dinners here and go out for the others, but the combination of tasty food and good company was too hard to resist! But in enthusing about the hosts, I should also mention the house itself, which is very stylish and set in a pretty garden. Maybe its distance from town (about 2 miles) is a small drawback, but more than compensated for by the quieter location - apart from the crickets and frogs, that is! My favourite spot was the terrace, in the early morning before breakfast, with a mug of Darryl's strong coffee to wake me up and the hummingbirds flitting among the blossoms :) And our room, the "Sanctuary", lived up to its name: cool and comfortable after a day's sightseeing on the island. An added bonus of staying somewhere like this is that you meet like-minded travellers. Within a few hours we had hit it off with Monica and Javier (see their review here too!) and with Michael, and had agreed to do some of our sightseeing together - which added to the fun and reduced the costs. And great company on those outings. Thanks to all for a great stay, Sarah & Chris, UK |
We stayed at The Blue House for six days with our two young children and were thrilled with the accommodations, the generosity and the food. This was nothing less than the best experience we could have had in Jamaica as a family, no doubt. Our children are picky eaters and the first evening we wanted to eat. And then they provided those things. All the while making the most delicious, authentic Jamaican cuisine for us each meal. Darryl and Elise shuttled us to the beach, shopping and local attractions and we were very grateful for that. They provide top-notch service for their guests and genuinely care, a rarity in these times. We will be back to The Blue House, no question. |
A Week Living Like Royalty |
Truly Deserving Of #1 Rating On Tripadvisor |
“A Special Place You Know You Will Return To” |
“A Real Jamaican Experience” |
“Unsurpassed hospitality and fabulous cuisine” |
“Really Excellent B&B - Incredible Food and Lovely, Personal Service” |
AMAZING Time At The Blue House |
Boutique, Luxury Hotel” |
“The Blue House is the place to stay in Jamaica! |
A Real Find |
My wife and I just returned from an unforgettable eight night vacation at The Blue House B&B in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. My wife is 6 months pregnant and we were looking for one last relaxing getaway before the baby arrives. From the moment we arrived, I knew we made the perfect choice. The grounds of The Blue House were immaculate and everything about our stay there was top notch. The staff was incredibly helpful and friendly and the owner, Elise, treated us like family. |
and when we wanted to explore the town we were always able to thanks to Lesa. She had a great amount of knowledge about the area and made sure that we saw everything we had asked about. We checked out some of the local beaches, had lunch at Scotchie's and the Ranch, shopped for local spices and sauces at the supermarket, and did so much more. |
husband’s birthday. The meal for his birthday was absolutely delicious with a Chinese theme followed by a scrumptious Lychee cake. Elise told us that the record for return visits was 9 and we told her that we hope to break that record someday. On our return home last night we kept saying this was our best vacation ever. The Blue House run by Elise and her gourmet cook brother Darryl, the “Barefoot chef” exceeds expectation. All Darryl’s meals are simply superb not only to the eyes but the palate. While the location of The Blue House set in the lush hills of Ocho Rios well above the hustle and bustle of downtown, we told Elise it’s not only the brick and mortar of the building which makes it a great place to stay but the fantastic hospitality of her and the staff. Elise is a great conversationalist and even more evident at dinner with her interaction with the guests. She knows every corner of Jamaica and places to see and things to do to suit every taste. We could not stump her with our many questions on Jamaica and even stumped me when she said the Island of Jamaica was one of the first places in the world to get electricity. On our last day we went to purchase some groceries for the needy families she helps in the Ocho Rios area. We went with her to visit and deliver the groceries and it was an emotionally satisfying experience. Later that day Elise arranged with a local fisherman named Mr. Brown to take us on a water tour of the Ocho Rios area. This should be a must for a different view of Ocho Rios from the sea. On Monday, December 7 she arranged for Patrick, a driver, she uses to take us to the airport for our flight home. Patrick is courteous and professional and Elise call upon him to take her guests to various places. So Elise, only 8 more visits to break the record of return visits! We are already planning another trip. Regards to everyone at The Blue House. A Blessed Christmas and a Healthy and Prosperous New Year. Howard And Violet New York |
Paradise Re-Visited |
Rios. It was punctuated by great hospitality and personalized care. The owners and staff did a tremendous job in meeting our every need -- excellent food, service, accommodations. Our family, including 3 children (ages 15, 12, and 2), stayed in two rooms, which were large and comfortable. They provided an additional single bed for our 2 year-old daughter, as she slept in our room... The beds were very comfortable. The pool and backyard were beautiful and inviting... We greatly enjoyed the White River, a stone's throw away (see Betty's Backyard Tour on The Blue House's web site), Reggae beach, and of course, Dunn's River Falls. Elise called and found the right time to visit the very busy Dunn's -- when the cruise ships were not in... The tour of Walkerswood Foods factory was very interesting and enjoyable (impossible not to buy some products after taste testing!). Denton, Texas |
"Jamaican Hospitality" |
I've rarely written one of these reviews, but after staying at the Blue House this past weekend with my husband, I am compelled to sing its praises. Let's begin with the food - consistently, the meals far surpassed anything you could ever get at a restaurant - either in Jamaica or I'd venture in the US. Gorgeous presentation and amazing variety. And it's all personalized. He and Elise the owner made sure to get our food preferences well ahead of our arrival so she and Daryl could plan our meals according to our tastes, down to her daily trips to the fish, meat and fruit markets. As for Elise, I have never had such lovely, personal and warm treatment at any hotel or B&B. She joined us for meals and was a delight to talk with. She knows everything about the Island, its history, politics and its people and she's a fantastic resource as a result. And she really runs the place as if it's a joy to open her home - not just a business. Each night she had special drinks concocted for us and invited us to watch the exotic hummingbirds congregating outside her window. As for the house, it's really a small island mansion of sorts, with an individual bath for each room, lovely gardens in the back and a pool. Elise has great taste and the house is very clean (the staff is incredibly polite, trustworthy and a pleasure to see each day, by the way) and every aspect of it it designed with the guests in mind. Some rooms are larger than others, so if that makes a difference, let Elise know. Reggae Beach is very nice for day jaunts and we walked there with ease, though Elise will shuttle you via car over any time you like, which I thought was a great touch. We actualy splurged one day and bought a day pass to the resort across the street, and had a nice time, but the food really sucked, actually, and the beach was no different than Reggae Beach, just more tourists and worse service. The one thing to keep in mind is that the Blue House is a home, and you will be interacting with people, from Elise, to the staff, to the other guests, at meal times and such, so if you are looking for complete seclusion or the anonymity of a larger resort, where you don' have to chat with others, this is not the place for you. If you want a warm, affordable, lovely atmosphere, with the best cooking you can get in Jamaica, then this is definitely the right place for you. One last note, I recommend getting the breakfast and dinner option as there is very little in the way of good restaurants in Ocho Rios, and Daryl's cooking is so truly authentic and varied and delicious and fresh, it's so worth it to eat at the Blue House for as many meals as you can. We LOVED it and can't recommend the Blue House enough! Lindsey, Washington DC |
“Just returned home, already thinking of next stay at The Blue House!” |
Bed and Breakfast resorts usually are simple establishments offering a nights stay followed with a quick breakfast to get you going on your way. Not here. If I could take this resort and bring it with me to all my vacation spots, I would. The rooms are comfortable and homey with plenty of room and the ac will freeze you if thats your thing, you get an amazing breakfast outside on the second story balcolny overlooking the lush garden with plenty of wildlife to view such as the humming bird, better known as the doctor bird in jamaica. With the help of Elise ,owner, your day can be planed out, no need to pre-plan before the trip, she knows everyone! When returning from your day either at the private beach down the road, which is one of the best from what i have seen, or hiking to the blue hole and Cranbrook, horseback riding, river tubing, zip line, dune buggy etc.... you return home and this is where the best part of the day, for me at least, starts. Darryl, the brother, is a self taught chef who picked up cooking from his mom, grandparents, friends and just living in Jamaica who cooks meals that you don't want to miss. After you try the first meal, whether its whole fish with lobster along with pumkin rice or chichen and pork BBQ along with shrimp rice or homemade dipping sauces, you plan your day around his dinners - not wanting to be late!! The side dishes alone are amazing. All and all the Blue House comes through, nothing can beat this and I recommend it! The Blue House made my vacation one of the top vacations I have taken, and I have taken plenty. Luis & Tik, California |
“True Bed & Breakfast Stay With Family Touch and Dinner!!!” |
“Absolutely Incredible!!” |
The difference in the blue house can be summed up in one word, its people. To be honest I was very disappointed when we initially got to the blue house. WE were on a bus from the airport and all these people were getting down at these glitzy all inclusives and when our bus finally dropped us we got down at this house. I was expecting something a lot bigger. After all this was my honeymoon. Then I wanted to go out in the evening but it was dark and I felt like we were forced to eat dinner at the blue house for what I felt was an exhorbitant sum for Jamaica $40 per person for dinner. This was my first time to Jamaica or for that matter to the Caribbean and I was expecting thrid world prices. Thankfully my better half had more sense than me and convinced me to have dinner at the Blue House. Darryl's food is simply magic there is no other way to describe it. It would be doing him a disservice describing his food as five star or homecooked or homestyled. The best word is wizardry I tell you. Then, Elsie turned out to be an unbelievable host. The first night she took us into Ocho Rios because one of the guest was promised ice cream but she had some incredible bread pudding instead. I also had the ice cream (Devon House, again incredible) on Elise's tab after having the bread pudding. Now that's service. This was repeated every day. Getting up to incredible breakfast, then going sightseeing in the morning with the other tourists (thereby splitting the tab) and Patrick, the driver who was also simply great. Then coming home getting rested and getting ready for an incredible dinner and incredible conversation with Elise and the other guests. We went to firewater, Dunn's River Falls, the market and Mystic Mountain, all must sees. Darryl's cooking ( I ate so much my wife claims I embarassed her :), Elise's hospitality and local knowledge, Orlando and Michael (the help), Patrick ofcourse and the interaction with the other guests make this a must visit. By comparison check my review of the Sunset at the plams whwere we stayed next whcih absolutely blew compared to the blue house. Ofcourse this brings me to the one problem that I had with this place. It absolutely ruined my all inclusive portion of the vacation since I couldnt help but sorely miss the blue house and wanted to go back. We loved it so much that we intend to go back with our entire family in Nov. 2010 (at thanksgiving) and book the entire house. Elise if you are reading I am expecting a good rate ;) Guys keep up the excellent work. |
We started our day Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee with We started our day balcony. Breakfast Jamaican Blue started with fresh fruit Mountain coffee with followed by an We started our day the authentic Jamaican entree such as ackee and saltfish, sardine fritters(Sherrie's favorite), and cassava pancakes. Darryl is a gifted chef who prepares a fantastic variety of Jamaican dishes for breakfast and dinner. All dishes were skillfully prepared and beautifully presented. |
The Blue House experience was truly wonderful. The staff was really attentive and they did all they could to make our wedding day a special one. This is the perfect place for a private, intimate wedding embedded within a lush, tropical atmosphere. Our wedding was held in the garden, and the package was exactly what we wanted for our day. All the meals were excellent. The accommodations were ideal. Provisions were made for the little ones to be comfortable (9 months and 8 years). The Upper Room is an excellent honeymoon suite. The house, in general was very comfortable and had a real down-home feel. I would definitely return to The Blue House! Nadene Brazil |
“Wonderful Intimate Wedding Experience” |
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