Hotel Mocking Bird Hill

Overview

Description

Port Antonio offers a unique combination of the Blue Mountains and the tropical forest valleys of the Rio Grande. The region is known for its unusual beauty and is the most unspoiled, lush, natural area of Jamaica. The valleys and nearby hills are home to numerous endemic birds and the endangered swallowtail butterfly (Papilio dardanus), the largest butterfly in the northern hemisphere.

Numerous waterfalls, rafting on the Rio Grande, and a number of coves and beaches offer guests a range of attractions and activities including hiking, bird-watching, snorkeling, diving, and cycling from the Nonsuch Caves and in the Blue Mountains. There are also day trips offered to Charles Town, a Maroon village where tourists are able to gain an insight into the local cultural heritage, and experience historical interpretative tours of Kingston, Port Antonio, and Port Maria, as well as tours of working plantations.

Other attractions include visiting various projects and schools, attending church service, eating at small eateries on the beaches and in town, or even volunteering to help with community projects in order to meet the people and get a sense of the local environment and culture. The marina also offers opportunities for yachts and sailing.

Rooms

10

Making a Difference

Number of employees: 18

Percentage of local employees: 100%

In order to help improve our environmental performance, we have secured grants and coordinated activities including trainings and general environmental audits.

We have personally conducted a number of seminars in four local communities to raise public awareness about environmental issues and offer training in best practices.

The management has accessed grant funds to offer literacy classes to all staff employed in the tourism sector in the destination of Port Antonio.

With funds received from the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica, we organized training for unemployed persons to learn to make high-quality crafts, donated our art gallery as the venue for the week-long class, hosted the trainer, and provided most materials. They may now sell their products and exhibit their works in the gallery, where we encourage visitors to buy local crafts and support local skills.

In terms of general education, we initiated the ENOUGH (Education Needs Our Urgent Generous Help) Program. We send information about ENOUGH with every reservation confirmation we send out, and guests are asked to assist in whatever way they can in securing supplies for the Shebian school in Port Antonio. Aside from helping to raise funds for the school, the program provides an opportunity for a positive and enriching cultural exchange, and learning experiences for both guests and the children.

We work closely with Nature’s Handmade Paper Co-operative, a women’s group that makes handmade, recycled paper products. We have assisted them with their product development, accessing funding to purchase equipment, marketing assistance, and a seminar on packaging. We give them our used paper and then buy back stationary and sewing kits from them to use as amenities for our guests. Guests can also visit the project, meet the ladies, and see how the paper is made and purchase items.

We promote guided hikes with local guides, which enables them to supplement their income earned from their traditional subsistence farming.

We support and work with many community-based organizations. Culturally, the most important group is the Maroons in Charles Town. We promote their annual celebrations and offer tours for guests to experience and learn about their culture and history, and to help them financially.

We share information regarding our environmental commitment and provide tips on how guests can help, motivating them to make a conscious choice by emphasizing the high level of service and quality in conjunction with being environmentally-friendly. Quality equates to a cleaner, greener, quieter, pollution-free environment. We promote participatory, nature-oriented, soft-adventure holidays to facilitate better understanding and appreciation of the environment.

Hotel Mocking Bird Hill has always operated along the guidelines for sustainable and environmentally-friendly tourism. In 2007, we underwent an energy audit and contributed to the "My Climate" program to offset the negative impact of our operations, while continuing to strive to improve our environmental performance. We are now currently in the process of expanding our use of renewable energy beyond merely solar water heating, which we have used since opening almost 15 years ago. We have already installed a solar powered water landscape at the entrance to the hotel, and converted our pool filtration pump to solar power. We hope to have other areas of our operations powered by solar panels by the end of this year. We look forward to converting more and more of our operations to solar power over time, thus reducing our carbon emissions.

Hotel Mocking Bird Hill participates in the Pack for a Purpose program, where guests can bring school supplies, medical supplies, and other small items from home to donate to the local community. Guests simply drop off their donation at the hotel's front desk, and Hotel Mocking Bird Hill will deliver it for them.

Rates

$150 and up

Peak season: December 20 - April 30.

Low season: May 1 - December 19.

Rates apply to accommodation, including local government taxes, but not meals.

Getting There

Nearest international airport: Kingston (KIN); Montego Bay (MBJ)

The hotel can be reached year-round by road. There are currently no scheduled air services to Port Antonio, but small planes for groups can be chartered from the two international airports.

Additional Information

Other Certifications

Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism (CAST)

Date This Information Was Provided

May 2011.

Photos courtesy of Hotel Mocking Bird Hill, Jamaica, for SustainableTrip.org.