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Karma Bay, Tryall Club

Montego Bay, Jamaica

About the home

By Becca Blond, Jetsetter Correspondent

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Our editors have been here and it has met our standards.

The Skinny In the Tryall Club, a sprawling residential resort on Jamaica’s north shore, Karma Bay is a six-bedroom complex, with three separate living areas connected by covered walkways.

The Look Cheery interiors are done up in bright hues like lilac, teal, red, and canary yellow, with local artwork everywhere. Furnishings are island-eclectic and a bit weatherworn, though the effect is shabby chic rather than shabby. The villa seamlessly merges indoor and outdoor space via oversize windows and glass doors, and seems even airier thanks to pitched Polynesian thatch roofs.

Would Suit First-time villa vacationers. With access to resort amenities – the Great House, golf course, tennis courts and the beach are a 10-minute golf cart ride away – Karma Bay is a private home experience with a safety net.

Room to Nab The bedroom next to the media room is the most private – and it's a short stumble from movie night to bed.

The Wow You have the best of both worlds: ultimate privacy (and the option, if you’re so inclined, to spend days napping beneath mosquito netting with windows flung wide open and the sound of waves crashing in the near distance) and world-class amenities at your fingertips.

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Setting

In one of the Caribbean’s largest villa clubs, Karma Bay has a private beach and access to resort-style amenities.

  • Tryall Club is a 2,200-acre plantation with 85 villas
  • A complimentary golf cart is provided at check-in
  • The villa has access to club’s restaurants, 18-hole golf course and tennis courts

Bed & Bath

The house sleeps 12 in six bedrooms, some with private patios and ocean views.

  • Bedroom adjacent to media room is good for teens who want privacy
  • One of the bedrooms has a King that converts into two Twin beds
  • Most bedrooms have en-suite marble and teak baths

Common Area

Bright colors, local art and island furnishings give Karma an authentic Caribbean feel.

  • The marble pool terrace has bold red chaise longues and a daybed
  • The media room has a supersized television, DVD and CD library, plus a computer and printer
  • The outdoor dining area has a bar (and on-staff bartender)

About the area

Villa Viviana is one of 85 private homes in the Tryall Club. The sprawling resort on Jamaica’s northern coast has plenty on offer, from tennis and golf to yoga and beachside barbecues. Still, it’s worth exploring the surrounding area, known for its championship golf courses, historic great houses and immaculate beaches. Nearby Montego Bay has excellent dining options, from roadside jerk stands to white tablecloth establishments. Go any day except Wednesdays, when cruise ship passengers flood the streets.

What to do

  • Eat. The Tryall Club has a number of dining options, the best of which is the waterfront barbecue, held every Wednesday night at the Beach Café. In Montego Bay, Scotchies has the island’s best jerk chicken — plus beef sausage, hush puppies and rice and peas.
  • Drink. The Houseboat Grill, located (as its name implies) on a moored double-decker overlooking the Montego Bay Marine Park, has excellent lobster — and a rooftop pub, known as the Moondeck. Go for happy hour, when rum punches are half price. Dress the part for drinks at the Ralph Lauren-designed Cocktail Bar at the Round Hill Hotel. Try the Round Hill special, a potent concoction made from pineapple, lime and three different types of rum.
  • Beach. In Montego Bay, Doctor’s Cave is renowned for its pristine white sand beaches and clear, calm turquoise waters. Or stay close to home and take advantage of the Tryall Club beach, which offers complimentary kayaks and sailing lessons.
  • Ride. Chukka Caribbean Adventures offers daytrips — horseback riding, river tubing, mountain biking — all over the northeast coast, and has a desk at the Great House.
  • Golf. The Tryall Club’s 18-hole golf course — onetime host to the Johnnie Walker World Championship — stretches along the northern shoreline and flirts with the edges of jungle ravines. The championship courses at White Witch and Half Moon are musts for avid golfers.

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