Visiting Lucea
To be honest I didn’t go to Lucea.
As a matter of fact we spent a couple of days in a very good resort that, back home, I noticed that it was located in Lucea.
It surely deserves the notes that I’m going to post here.
Martha Brae
I know the only two persons who went to Jamaica without descending a river on a bamboo raft. We didn’t share that rarity, and did it in Martha Brae, near Lucea.
There are many other alternatives locally announced in the hotels, and they may be better than this – we had a calm descent for about 45 minutes, in what turned almost in a “botanical parade”.
Nice, calm, relaxing, but without the touch of emotion providing by a section of fast running waters.
Sunset Cove
The most beautiful beach that I saw in Jamaica was a private (I think!) one in Palladium hotel – the water… the trees… the proportions… everything perfect.
Typhoons
Typhoons are common in Jamaica, and a risk that everybody may consider before leaving. They compromise the touristy activity and prices, though the tourism is investing to minimize the menace.
The new hotels are being built expecting to be crossed by frequent typhoons, with the least possible damages. The solutions go from strong walls facing the sea to open spaces where the winds may pass with ease.
We saw it in Palladium, a brand new hotel, where the lobby and restaurants where widely open and covered spaces. When the next typhoon comes, they will only remove the furniture and let it pass.
Grand Palladium Lady Hamilton Resort & Spa
We went to Palladium by… hazard!
We were staying in Runaway Bay, and our hotel invited us to a free trip to Negril, with one or two nights in… Palladium. We accepted, and it was a wise decision.
Palladium hotel is a new and huge complex, that promises great vacations in the future. It was starting to operate (I think that we inaugurated our room, still smelling ink), with a low occupancy, and the staff somewhat insecure. Sympathy and enthusiasm replaced experience, and our short stay was perfect.
Being an extra in an all-inclusive package we had no idea of its prices.
Address: 5 Km east of Lucea
Everywhere Bars
The main restaurant in Palladium had a good buffet, but the most interesting aspect was its wide construction, prepared to face hurricanes.
Being an all-inclusive resort, everywhere was a good place to eat and drink, even in the middle of the pool, where 5 Spanish spent almost two hours holding glasses and talking around a missing table (yes, 5!)
Conceived to act as a real city, the big resorts have a complementary shopping area that goes far beyond the common gift shop.
The variety is not too big, and the prices are high, but if you go outside and visit a mall, you will find out that it is almost the same, since the malls are also oriented to tourists.
