This review was originally published in May 2018. If you’re not a destination writing student of mine and have stumbled onto this post, please note that this review is not up-to-date. Please check the Sea Cliff Resort website for current information.

Before I begin this review, here's a bit of back story on how my visit came to be.

Roughly a year prior, I was out in Portland reviewing the beautiful San Bar Villa. The butler from that villa accompanied me to Reach Falls one day, and on our drive back, he pointed out a new-ish resort property in the area and suggested we stop in there for a drink.

Side note: If you’d like to know how awesome my butler was, you’ve gotta read this!

That resort he took me to happened to be Sea Cliff Resort, and as luck would have it, the owner was on site the day we stopped in, so he bought us a drink and offered us a tour of the property. After telling him about my Jamaica blog, he invited me to come back anytime for a few nights to review and feature his property.

Fast forward to a year later, and I found myself heading back to Portland for this review. I'm so glad I went!

The Location

Sea Cliff Resort and it's accompanying restaurant and bar called Cliff Hanger, are located in Long Bay, in the parish of Portland - a LONG way from any form of tourism on the island. The nearest major town, Port Antonio, is approximately a four-hour drive from Montego Bay Airport and about two hours from Kingston's Norman Manley International Airport.

If arriving from the Montego Bay side, once you reach Port Antonio, Sea Cliff is roughly another 45 minutes away, heading east. The town of Long Bay is the nearest, but it's very small, so this resort is about as remote as you can get.

Once you arrive here, you'll discover the amazing secret this rustic hideaway boasts.

What's The Secret?

I can't beat around the bush on this one. The secret that will take your breath away is THE VIEW! Jamaica offers incredible views all over the island, but not all of them come with surround sound!

The views at Sea Cliff are powerful, majestic, breathtaking, and you can hear it! The constant white noise of the Caribbean sea far below the property is incredible, and I dare you not to miss it once you've had the pleasure of falling asleep to it a few nights in a row.

Their website reads, "On The Edge of Beauty," and that's certainly no overstatement.

This is where the REAL pot of gold at the end of the rainbow happens. This rainbow magically appeared within my first hour on the property!

The Accommodations

Sea Cliff Resort has several accommodations ranging from standard rooms to master and grand suites, ALL with majestic ocean views as far as the eye can see. The standard rooms are on the ground level, and while they still have an amazing view, it's not as full a view as the master suites on the top level.

Regardless of which level you stay on, every room is as cozy and rustic as the next, featuring hand-built, bamboo bed frames, showers made from natural rock carefully pieced together, quaint, handmade fixtures and fresh, white linens. The decor is truly unique, right down to the hand-painted artwork on the walls and towel hooks made from rock.

The mastermind behind building this property, Errol Hannah, definitely had a vision for how he wanted these rooms to feel. Rustic is the only word that comes to mind.

Each room is air-conditioned, has ceiling fans, hot water, and even thoughtful details like shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel in each bathroom.

Study each of these photos and take note of the small details. The bamboo beds give a true Caribbean vibe, and the wood trim everywhere provides a homey, cabin-ish feel.

Standard Room

(Click images to enlarge)

Grand Suite - Top Floor

(The room I stayed in)

Cliff Hanger Restaurant & Bar

Dining options at Sea Cliff include the on-site Cliff Hanger restaurant. For guests, it's an easy option for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I was on the road most days, so I only opted to eat dinners on the property.

The menu was decent, offering several fish dishes, chicken, and a variety of other items. They also seemed flexible and were willing to make up vegetarian and fish options for me. I had the "Drunken Lion Fish" my first evening and a coconut curry vegetarian dish the next evening. I loved the coconut curry veg so much that I had it twice.

(click images to enlarge)

It is worth noting that menu prices reflect the fact that this is a boutique establishment, so be prepared to spend when dining. It's also fair to mention that an automatic gratuity (called a service charge) is added to your bill. Our first night's dinner for two, including two cocktails each, was nearly $100.00 USD, inclusive of GST and service charge.

Other dining options in the area include numerous local cook shops along the road towards the town of Long Bay and beyond. Sea Cliff is also only a twenty-minute drive to the famous Boston Beach and jerk center. It's worth checking out for lunch one afternoon. People say you can't visit Portland without trying Boston jerk.

Cliff Hanger also features an extensive cocktail menu for those who prefer something a little different from a plain old rum and Coke.

If you prefer a beach, Long Bay Beach and Boston Beach (with paid access) are a short drive away, as well as several beautiful strips of uninhabited beach along the road after you leave the cliffs.

At Cliff Hanger restaurant and bar, they host numerous social functions, including meetings, parties, and weddings. I follow their Instagram accounts, and I can see they're pretty busy with these functions in addition to just being a tourist resort. In addition to what I've shown in the photos, this property features expansive lawn areas, perfect for hosting social functions in a beautiful location.

Check their website for more details.

What's Nearby

The entire parish of Portland is home to some of the most beautiful attractions in Jamaica, and all are within driving distance to Sea Cliff resort.

Follow this link to the excursions page on the Sea Cliff website for many excursion options in Portland, which I highly recommend!

The town of Port Antonio is 45 minutes away and offers everything you might be looking for, such as ATM machines, a beautiful marina, Folly ruins and lighthouse, and so much more. Port Antonio is a bustling little town that's fun to experience, and then you can retreat back to the calm of Sea Cliff at the end of your day.

What to Expect While Staying Here

There are a few points I'd like to highlight so you know what to expect. This is a remote location, so it's good to be prepared.

Morning coffee: There are no coffee facilities in the room, so you'll need to walk over to the restaurant area to grab your first cup of the morning. I was told that a complimentary coffee station is usually set up over there for guests to help themselves, but we didn't see one on any of our mornings, so we had to ask a staff member. It was a bit inconvenient to have to wake up, get dressed, and go find coffee, then carry it back to our room. I like to wake up and chill before having to see anyone.

Beverages in room: There are no mini-fridges in the rooms; however, the staff were more than happy to accommodate us with an ice bucket, allowing us to keep our in-room drinks cold.

Remote location: As mentioned above, Sea Cliff is in a relatively remote location, so you'll likely be at the mercy of dining options here during your stay, unless, of course, you have a vehicle or don't mind taking public transportation to explore other dining options. I drive, so it wasn't an issue for me.

Security: As the only guests on the property on our first night, we always felt very secure. Several large dogs on the property do a fantastic job of securing the grounds. We learned that on our first evening, when we invited friends over from the area, the big dogs surrounded their truck until they knew we were okay with our visitors. It's good to know the dogs are on our side.

So......would I recommend travelling the distance to experience Sea Cliff resort?

If you're looking for something far more unique than your average Jamaican getaway, ABSOLUTELY come stay! This resort is very removed from the typical tourist areas, which is so refreshing. You know me, I can't handle the crowds in the popular Jamaican tourist towns, so this was a perfect hideaway.

If you want to truly RETREAT and be at one with nature on this gorgeous side of the island, you should definitely come check out Sea Cliff.

Please let the owners, Errol and Brett Hannah, know that you saw this review. I would love for them to know that their investment in my stay was worth it!

Sea Cliff Hotel - Portland, Jamaica