Drambuie Estate • Montego Bay, Jamaica Villa

About Drambuie Estate

Built in the 1940‘s by the Duke of Marlborough, Drambuie Estate is a slice of old Jamaica when lively drawing room conversation and gracious service ruled the day in an extraordinary private setting.

• deluxe 7,200-square-foot 5-bedroom villa
• located 1,500 feet above sea level on beautiful 35-acre hillside estate
• staff of 8: chef, butler, bartender, housekeepers, laundress, gardeners
• 28’ x 65’ private pool and adjacent shaded lunch pavilion
• DVD, VCR’s and 6 cable televisions
• sound system and CD players
• pool table, ping pong, croquet, books, games, videos, large cassette and CD collection
• complimentary ADSL Internet access, plus wireless network for laptop users (bring your laptop)
• complimentary international phone calls to the United States, Canada and the UK
• massage tables
• breathtaking views day and night
• complimentary fulltime private driver and air-conditioned van for excursions to the beach, etc.
• The Tryall Club membership: complimentary beach, tennis, gym, pool, Hummingbird Kids Club, non-motorized water sports, Internet room, new Usain Bolt Games Room for kids, teens & adults, jogging trail, afternoon tea & Manager's Cocktail Party. For various fees: golf, tennis lessons, Happy Hour, hair salon & spa, bars & restaurants, boutique, motorized water sports, beach parties Mon-Wed-Fri

Built in the 1940‘s by the Duke of Marlborough, Drambuie Estate is a slice of old Jamaica when lively drawing room conversation and gracious service ruled the day in an extraordinary private setting. Today this remarkable hideaway retains many exquisite original features plus contemporary amenities of air conditioned bedrooms, cable televisions and Internet access ~ the best of both worlds from two centuries.

Drambuie is exquisitely furnished with Chinese rugs; original art; 1930’s French posters; carved sculpture from Jamaica, England, China and Africa; and Chippendale and Queen Anne treasures ~ complemented by casual wicker verandah furnishings. A few steps across a grassy lawn are the large pool, umbrella tables and shaded luncheon pavilion. Each night, the lighted town of Montego Bay and cruise ships in the harbor twinkle like a diamond necklace in the distance. Star-gazing through Drambuie’s telescope adds magical nighttime drama.

The Drambuie chef indulges guests in many specialties including Seafood Royale (fish, lobster and shrimp in cream sauce), Quesadillas, Lobster Thermador, Sweet & Sour Pork, Key Lime Pie, Banana Pudding, Crepes ~ and artistic presentation at every meal, served on Wedgwood bone china. The night view from the dinner table is incredible, beautiful beyond words.

Cut stone walls brought from England 200 years ago as ship’s ballast comprise the 18-inch walls of the Main House. Vaulted ceilings are 16 feet high. Floors are cool tiles from England, Mexico and South America. The Main House consists of the Great Room with pool table, large screen television, VCR and sound system; inlaid games table for chess, checkers or backgammon; and comfortable sitting area. French doors open to a 330’ wrap-around stone verandah furnished with al fresco dining tables, wicker sitting area, tempting hammock and lawn leading to the pool. Through tall mahogany doors is the large master bedroom suite. Also in this building are the powder room, butler’s pantry and kitchen.

A tiled path leads 30 feet from the Main House to The Cottage. Here are three more bedrooms which can be connecting for parents and children or kept private via locking doors. A furnished verandah fronts The Cottage. Nine steps down from The Cottage is the fifth bedroom, an intimate hideaway for two.

The Drambuie staff are delighted to take guests on property tours to explain how the estate operates and to point out the many varieties of tropical flora, fauna and birds that thrive here. Tutu will climb a coconut palm and bring down its fresh fruit for tasty jelly and healing water (always available for guests) ~ and deliver fresh coconuts to your chef to shred for tonight’s coconut cream pies.

Drambuie’s complimentary fulltime driver will handle all airport transfers as well as excursions to beaches, water sports outlets, restaurants, shops and various tour destinations. Guests are asked to tip their driver locally.

Drambuie’s staff and owners love their dogs, free to run the property if you wish. They are calm, friendly and gentle with children. On request, the dogs can be kept in their large fenced yard all day during your vacation.

Drambuie is an exquisite wedding and honeymoon location.

Accommodations

Five bedrooms are privately located under three separate roofs and are accessed by connecting pathways. All five bedrooms feature air conditioning, cable television, boom box and mini-fridge stocked daily with ice and drinks. All bathrooms are en-suite and provide hairdryers.  There are 4 additional twin beds available upon request at no extra charge.

Master Bedroom - 22' x 30'
Kingsize 4-poster antique canopy bed; large en-suite bathroom with dressing corridor, double vanity, bidet, glass-walled walk-in shower, sunken tub and fanciful etched-glass mirrored walls and ceiling. A mahogany desk holds the computer with complimentary Internet access. French doors open to the verandah, lawn, pool and breathtaking view.

The Cottage
Bedrooms 2, 3 & 4
Kingsize beds in bedrooms 2 & 3; en-suite bathrooms with tub-shower combinations. Green Room and Blue Room are 14' x 18'. Yellow (middle) Room is 18' x 18'. All three bedrooms have connecting doors which can be locked for privacy or unlocked for families with children.  Bedroom 2 can be converted to twin beds.

The Hideaway
Bedroom 5
Queensize bed; en suite bathroom with tub-shower combination. Twelve louvered doors open the west wall to a wrap-around verandah with breakfast table, sitting area and hammock overlooking a cool green ravine. Private 14' x 24' hideaway ideal for honeymooners.  Bedroom 5 can be converted to twin beds.

The Tryall Club Membership

A significant amenity for guests in this villa is membership at the excellent Tryall Club.  On 2,200 acres, Tryall’s golf course is among the most beautiful in the world.  Its 18 hillside and seaside fairways have been home to the Johnnie Walker, Mazda and other PGA championship events.  The resident pro offers workshops and private lessons.   The Tryall tennis club features nine Nova Cushion courts, some lit for night play, with world-class pro’s on call.  All whites required. 

The beach is well planned for parents and children. Have lunch at the beach bar.  Work out in the well-equipped gym and compete in the new Usain Bolt Games Room at the Great House (teens love it).  Jog the marked trails. Snorkeling, kayaking, Hobie Cat and sunfish are complimentary.  Glass bottom boats, charter fishing, a boat to the reef and any captained craft attract various fees.  Enjoy the week’s events, including the Monday Night Manager’s Cocktail Party and the Wednesday and Friday night beach parties and buffets.

On the hill, enjoy the historic Great House for daily 4:00 tea and sweets. Shop at the convenient commissary and chic boutique, and meet for happy hour and snacks at the casual bar.  Also at the Great House is the new Usain Bolt Games Room open all day and night for ping pong, pool, air hockey, foosball, shuffleboard, chess and checkers, board games, comfy reclining chairs and HDTV. And don’t miss the massive Tryall pool (ping pong table there too). The Tryall Club is thoughtfully designed to please toddlers, preteens, tweens, moms, dads and everyone from teens to octogenarians.

For a great write-up of the Tryall Club, see Dana Vachon's article Club Jamaica in Departures Magazine.

The Tryall Club was chosen by Condé Nast Traveler for its Gold List of "the best places to stay in the whole world.”

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ALL GOLFERS PLAYING THE TRYALL CLUB COURSE FROM MAY 1, 2013 TILL NOV 1, 2013.

Rental Rates

Guest Reviews

• Dear Linda,

  We had a fantastic week. Craig, Charles and Rico really took great care of our group. I'm having a tough adjustment back to cold Detroit! Thanks for all your help. We will definitely recommend your company as well as the Drambuie Estate.

  John H. – Detroit, MI – February 2013

• Dear Linda,

  My family had an absolutely superb trip to Drambuie this past March. The pictures on the website don't do justice to the beauty of the views: you lounge on the veranda enjoying cool breezes as the day winds down. The accommodations are spacious and the d'ecor eclectic, with a mix of Eastern and Western designs that gives a real sense of authenticity. No one should ever think that Drambuie is just another Caribbean villa - it's much more real than that.

  But Drambuie isn't about the views or the accommodations - it's about the people who make every effort to ensure your experience is memorable. In the morning, as you get up, you hear the sounds of Ferdie at work in the garden. Then as the sun comes up Craig discreetly places a pot of Jamaican coffee (unbelievable stuff, and I'm not a coffee drinker) on the verandah and you watch things come alive. When everyone finally crawls out of bed, Damian is already at work in the kitchen, whipping up a starter plate of fresh fruit followed by pancakes or omelets or salt fish and ackee. My children were so excited by the surprise each meal presented that when they heard Craig come around the corner with the next course, they would chant "Cart, cart, cart"! Cheryl manages to tidy everything up while you're out during the day or enjoying your meal on the veranda. And if you go, make sure to ask for Rico as your driver. An amateur historian, he took us on some adventures around the island that we will never forget.

  My family has been going to the same summer vacation spot for years, so we're used to having a sense of "place" on our trips. Drambuie didn't disappoint. Hopefully we'll be back soon!

  Rob M - Philadelphia, PA - March 2011