How One Boutique Hotel In Jamaica Is Changing Lives—Against All Odds

Forbes

30-04-2025

Rockhouse in Negril, Jamaica, which is celebrating 50 years.
courtesy of the Rockhouse
If you asked me to pick one place that has shaped some of the most important chapters of my life, the answer is easy: Rockhouse, a hotel high on the cliffs in Negril, Jamaica. It's where I got married 15 years ago, where I celebrated my 40th birthday, where I spent my last vacation before getting pregnant—and where I took my daughter on her first international trip at just three months old.
And Rockhouse has always been more than just a hotel. It's a retreat, a reset—the kind of place that becomes part of your story. As the property celebrates its 50th anniversary with the release of a stunning new coffee table book, Rockhouse: The Book, owner Paul Salmon is reflecting, too—not just on the hotel's evolution, but on the life and business lessons he and his business partners have learned along the way.
Back in the 1960s, the cult classic novel Don't Stop the Carnival satirized the chaos that can come from running a Caribbean hotel. Similarly, Salmon's journey has been no less eventful—but far more rewarding. It started on a whim when he and two other Australian friends spotted a crumbling property from a glass-bottom boat in the early '90s and decided to buy it.
Rockhouse owner Paul Salmon.
courtes of Rockhouse
'When we found the hotel, it was this Robinson Caruso experience—very natural,' Salmon told me in an interview. 'It had this great organic vibe to it and a really great connection between the land and the natural landscape.'
Since then, the Rockhouse has grown into something much bigger: a model for sustainable tourism, a catalyst for community change and a beloved retreat for travelers seeking the kind of authentic Caribbean vibes that have been long at so many other corporate-run hotels.
'When Rockhouse first opened 50 years ago, it wasn't really a hotel,' says Salmon. 'Each room had its own little kitchenette, and it was more of a fend for yourself on the cliffs kind of vibe.'
But the setting was spectacular—and the bones were strong. The octagonal cottages were designed by two Frank Lloyd Wright protégés using local timber and volcanic stone. The cottages had thatched roofs, open-air layouts and no electricity, just butane lamps. And guests like musician Bob Marley loved it.
A guest cottage.
courtesy of Rockhouse
Over the years, the property expanded slowly and intentionally. Today, Rockhouse has 40 rooms, including sprawling ocean-view suites with wraparound decks that make the most of Negril's famous sunsets. There's also an organic farm, a woodworking shop where all the furniture is handcrafted and a deep commitment to sustainability and local culture.
These days, you spend your mornings dining on ackee and saltfish, drift over to the seafront pool for some serious lounging, then jump off the cliffs for snorkeling in Pristine Cove. Treatments at the hotel's holistic spa are legendary, with everything from deep-tissue massage to chakra balancing, intuitive healing and even psilocybin sound baths. (I still credit one masseuse for helping jump-start my path to motherhood—when I told her I was trying, she offered to do abdominal work she said might help.)
There are two standout restaurants: the elegant Rockhouse Restaurant for dining under the stars and the more casual Pushcart, with DJ sets and modern twists on Jamaican street food. Guests can also hop a free shuttle to the hotel's sister property, Skylark Negril Beach Resort, smack on Seven Mile Beach.
A jerk platter at Pushcart.
courtesy of Rockhouse (c)2015 [e-mail]
Rockhouse continues to evolve. Alongside the launch of the 50th-anniversary book, the hotel recently released Rockhouse Rum—a limited-edition, single-barrel Jamaican rum created in partnership with Worthy Park Estate. And there are new immersive experiences, like candle-making workshops and a 4,500-square-foot hydroponic greenhouse where guests can learn about organic growing, composting and the future of regenerative hospitality.
It's the kind of place that draws people back year after year. Luxury travel and lifestyle expert Ellen Asmodeo-Giglio, CEO of ExELLENce Group, first introduced me to Rockhouse—and this is her home away from home when she's not traveling the world. 'There's a feeling that I have when I'm there. It's like 'How Ellen gets her groove back,'' Asmodeo-Giglio told me in an interview. 'It brings me back to who I am. The people, the energy, the vibe, the food, the location, the caring. When you're there for half an hour, it's like you've been there for a week. It immerses you immediately and creates deeper relationships with the people you travel with.'
Rockhouse Foundation has helped build schools and fund education for the local community.
courtesy of Rockhouse
And for those who want their travels to mean something more, Rockhouse offers another kind of richness: purpose. The Rockhouse Foundation has invested more than $10 million into local schools and community programs since its founding in 2004.
'The Rockhouse team is serving the community, and I'd love to see them continue to serve, because one child in that school might be the next kid to find the cure for cancer or change the world,' the musician Shaggy wrote in Rockhouse: The Book. 'Jamaica needs more Rockhouses.'
'Their sustainability efforts have been going on for such a long time—before it was chic or necessary,' says Asmodeo-Giglio. 'And then you have the fact that they just built a special needs school. These things just open your heart.'
Here, Salmon shares a few of the lessons he learned from 30 years of running this small clifftop hotel in Jamaica—lessons that resonate far beyond Negril's shores.
A view of Rockhouse.
courtesy of Rockhouse
You Don't Need To Know It All Before You Start: When Salmon first arrived in Jamaica, he was working in finance—and had no background in hospitality. But he and his cofounders were drawn to the idea of creating something rooted in service, design and place. And that beginner's mindset turned out to be a hidden strength. 'Sometimes if you overthink things, you don't act,' says Salmon. 'We were naive when we started. But we didn't really know any better than to do it the way we've sort of done it. And I think that by staying committed to our values that's what made the difference.'
Be Clear About Who You Are—And Who You're Not: 'We're not trying to be the place for everyone,' says Salmon. 'We want people who appreciate what we are. That means staying true to our identity.' He recalls how some guests arrive with a Type-A mindset, anxious that their room isn't the 'best in category' and asking to switch. 'They're bringing their city self with them,' he says. 'But a few days later, they'll come back to the front desk—sometimes even apologizing for how they were when they checked in. They've transformed.' And that is part of Rockhouse's quiet magic, says Salmon. 'Whether it's the spa treatments, our great team, the lack of TVs, or just the cliffs and salt air, it unwinds you. It pulls you out of your normal existence. It helps you chill out.'
Dining at Rockhouse.
mausfilms inc., courtesy of Rockhouse
Lean Into the Imperfections: Rockhouse has never been about marble and glitz. Its charm lies in its hand-laid stone floors, locally built furniture and gardens that grow a little wild. 'It's this whole idea of rough luxury,' says Salmon. 'There are so many hotels that are so slick and everything is so hyper produced. And that to me is one of the things I love about the hotel—it's an overused word, but it's real and authentic.'
Play The Long Game: It took Salmon and his partners two decades to open a second hotel after Rockhouse. 'We did open Skylark on the beach about seven years ago,' he says. 'I think after 20 years of owning the hotels, we thought, 'Well, we've learned enough to do another one now.'' That patience defines Rockhouse's slow approach to growth. New ventures—whether it's a hydroponic greenhouse or a limited-edition rum—aren't rushed or trend-driven.
Gardening at Rockhouse.
courtesy of Rockhouse
Sustainability Isn't A Trend—It's A Mindset: Long before 'eco-travel' was a buzzword, Rockhouse was operating on principles of place-based design and community connection. As the hotel expanded, the team continued to build using local timber and volcanic stone, and furniture was handcrafted by Jamaican artisans in the on-site woodshop. Plus, the goal has always been to immerse guests in the real Jamaica—not wall them off. 'We've always been an open-door kind of place,' says Salmon. 'We want people to experience Jamaica—not just the hotel.'
Empower Others Along the Way: As Rockhouse has grown, so has its commitment to lifting up others. 'We partnered with a guy who had a great hydroponic farm in Green Island, but he didn't have capacity to grow for us,' says Salmon. 'So we said, what if we build a farm at Rockhouse and you run it? Now he's also managing the organic farm out back.' It's a model that Salmon and his team have repeated often—partnering with local entrepreneurs and giving them the infrastructure to scale. 'It's about empowering people through entrepreneurship,' he says.
Melvin's juice bar.
courtesy of Rockhouse
A Hotel Can Change Lives: Over the years, Salmon has seen the ripple effect of Rockhouse's presence in Negril. 'The average person at Rockhouse has worked there ten years,' he told me. 'The average tenure of our senior management is like 17 years.' In that time, he's watched team members buy cars and houses and have families and grow. 'I think it's in that cumulative effect that you realize that you have an ability to have a positive impact at a much larger scale than you ever aspired to when you started out.' Through the Rockhouse Foundation, the impact has extended even further. 'We started out sponsoring one breakfast program at a local school,' he says. 'Now we've spent over $10 million on local education.'
You're Never Done Learning: Even after more than three decades, Salmon doesn't pretend to have all the answers. 'I still feel like we're figuring it out,' he says. 'We didn't go to hotel school. But the truth is, nobody really knows. We're all just trying to work out how to do things the best way we can.' That humility—and willingness to keep learning—has helped Rockhouse stay relevant while remaining true to its roots.
A view of the pool.
courtesy of Rockhouse
In Tough Times, Keep Moving: Over the years, Rockhouse has faced plenty of challenges—from hurricanes to health crises. 'You have your ups and downs,' says Salmon. 'Lots of challenges in the Caribbean as the hurricanes kind of blow through. You've got challenges with all sorts of varying kind of airborne diseases. You kind of work out how to muscle through it all.' His guiding principle: Keep going. 'The worst thing you can do is not act,' he says. 'You've got to keep taking steps—even if they're in the wrong direction, you'll learn more and be able to set a different course.'