Scotch on the Rocks

The Skinny On a rise overlooking Sandy Bay, Scotch on the Rocks is a five-bedroom villa with uninterrupted Caribbean views. Surrounded by orchid-filled gardens, with hammocks and benches set beneath towering palms, the home feels like a secluded hideaway, but Ocho Rios is five minutes away.

The Look With its tiered verandas and terraces, the two-story villa vaguely resembles a teal-and-white wedding cake. Inside, however, the house is more handsome than pretty, with travertine floors, mahogany furnishings and comfortable overstuffed sofas — interiors befitting its original owner, the Scottish-born Earl of Mansfield, who built the home in the 1950s.

Would Suit Naturalists. The kidney-shaped freshwater pool is secluded enough for skinny-dipping (though with a staff of five you’re rarely completely alone).

Room to Nab The master suite has a sitting area and dressing room, but any of the three upstairs bedrooms, with private verandahs, antique furnishings and crisp white linens, will do.

The Wow Taking in the views of the vast, turquoise Caribbean from the second-floor deck, with Bryan’s famous rum punch in hand — and the smell of Ms. Cherry’s honey hoisin pork chops and chocolate black satin pie wafting from the kitchen.

About the area

Scotch on the Rocks is a five-minute drive from Ocho Rios, a port town on Jamaica’s north coast and the fictional home of Miss Taro in Dr. No. It was here that Ian Fleming and Noel Coward settled in the 1950s, lured by verdant flora and sugary stretches of sand. But the beach isn’t the only draw. There are ample opportunities for other outdoorsy activities, from waterfall hikes and zipline tours to a jet ski safari and rain forest bobsled ride.