We arrived at Jungle Bay at dusk – my husband, 2 children ages 10 and 13 and my father-in-law. We were met in the reception area by the owner, Sam Raphael, and personally escorted to our cottages. Talk about personal service! We felt immediately at home. It is a fairly long but pleasant walk up the road from the main building (parking is in the lot by the main building). There are paths off the road leading up the steep hillside to 35 individual cottages, all basically the same except some have 2 queen beds and some have a king bed. We stayed in cottages 14, 15 and 16, which were perfectly situated, being fairly close to the Pavilion Restaurant and pool. Be aware that it can be a long walk to your cottage, as they are dotted across a very steep rain forest hillside, which also makes the atmosphere of the resort very relaxing and lush. This is an eco-lodge, but while it is not fancy, it is quite comfortable, and charming in a rustic way, and very open to the outdoors. It was definitely my kind of place. I love to go to sleep at night to the sound of tree frogs and waves, and wake up to the chirping of birds. There is no AC (and we didn’t need it – great breezes and a ceiling fan made for good sleeping), no radio, no TV. There are phones and electricity (even though the island is 220/240 the voltage and outlets in the rooms are all 120/240 and work with U.S. power cords), and I had pretty good cell service most places on the island. There are mosquito nets over the beds, but these are mainly decorative, as there was no need to use them. We were there during an unusually wet dry season, and even with rain showers I had one mosquito bite the whole week. I never had to use insect repellent, even when hiking in the jungle with shorts and T-shirt.

Sam’s vision of an eco-lodge extends to include forging relationships with the neighboring towns and improving the local economies. As such, they make all the furniture on site (even the restaurant table and chairs and the pool chairs), and they serve meals cooked with locally grown ingredients. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are all served at the open air Pavilion Restaurant. The breakfast buffet is fine, with scrambled eggs, pancakes, fruits, cereals, breads and juices (the grapefruit juice is delicious) and good local coffee. Lunch has mostly salad and sandwich offerings. I loved the Dominican Delight – a sampling with chicken or fish, and “provisions” (rice, beans, salad, plantains etc.). The dinner menu changed nightly. The food is quite good, but the menu is limited, offering a chicken dish or 2, a vegetarian selection, and a catch of the day (in March it was always either mahi-mahi or kingfish), so by the end of the week we longed for a bit more variety.

The main building is a gorgeous wood and stone building that houses a stunning yoga room, gift shop, front desk, rec room (TV, ping-pong, pool table, books and games) and a room offering 2 computers for Internet access (no charge). Sam’s wife, Glenda, teaches yoga. My kids and I tried a 7:30 a.m. yoga session and really enjoyed it – very relaxing!

Many guests opt for the all-inclusive package, which includes airport transfers, accommodations, all meals, spa treatments and activities. We have never been big fans of all-inclusive travel, preferring to do our own thing. We went with the room and breakfast plan only. We rented our own vehicle and planned our own activities (Canyoning with Extreme Dominica; SCUBA diving with Nature Island Divers; Guided hike to Middleham Falls with Paul Crask). We are very glad that we chose this route, although if you like the ease of all-inclusives, the other guests seemed to enjoy themselves, too.

The downside to staying at a single location is the amount of driving to get to any of the sights (whether you are driving yourselves or on a tour with the lodge). When we go back to Dominica, we will consider staying in a few different locations and enjoying what each place has to offer.

Visiting Jungle Bay Lodge in Dominica was a great trip! Each day, I would ask my husband how many shades of green he saw on the hillside. The density and diversity of the vegetation was a visual treat. The mountains, descending to either cliffs with pounding waves or rocky beaches opened your senses to the natural beauty and the sounds of the water, the birds and the gentle breeze across our bodies was refreshing. Two words – “fresh” and “refreshing” – capture our experience at Jungle Bay Lodge & their all-inclusive activities & excursions. Fresh – a wide array of fresh fruits and vegetables (I never knew how good a truly fresh banana tastes!), all locally grown in the area served at the Jungle Bay’s restaurant, clean air, refilling our water bottles on a hike from a local fresh water stream, fresh ginger or cinnamon ice tea. Refreshing – all the staff are locals and their genuine friendliness was refreshing & makes Jungle Bay an especially warm & comfortable place, the local rum and beer, morning yoga in an open air building made of natural materials, late afternoon massages in a spectacular setting overlooking the water and the sounds of crashing waves, sleeping comfortably at night with the sounds of the ocean and the windows wide open to the evening breezes, hanging on the hammock or sitting in a chair and absorbing the stunning view from our cottage’s balcony and on excursions, seeing plants cultivated at home such as impatience flowers, growing wild by the roads, soaking in a hot spring, or swimming at the base of a waterfall,. The Jungle Bay Lodge activities and excursions offered options of varying levels of physical challenge, so we were able to do some really enjoyable hikes as well as ocean kayaking and snorkeling. Many excursions ended with a refreshing (there’s that word again!) soak in a hot spring or the ocean! There were also options to experience the culture of Dominica. Jungle Bay Lodge is just a terrific place, with a relaxing ambience and well run personal management by the owners. Dominica isn’t the standard Caribbean island and is a hidden gem. It was absolutely worth the travel time to get there.

We have travelled to at least a dozen Caribbean Islands and stayed at some of the best hotels and resorts but Jungle Bay has won our hearts. They do an amazing job of combining luxury with the outdoors. We felt almost entirely outside during our stay but had the natural comforts of any highly rated hotel. The jungle cottages are amazing and perched perfectly into the steep hillside. The food was 95% locally grown and the kitchen creativity perfect. The more we read about this resorts activities in the local community, its philosphy, and dedication to environmental and social sustainability - we could not stop talking about our next visit back.

Best,
Brandon and Shannon

This is the most wonderful place on earth; a true tropical paradise. Exquisite scenery, surrounded by tropical birds, soothing sounds of crashing ocean waves, birds, tree frogs and a constant warm ocean breeze. The staff bends over backwards to please and is warm and welcoming. You need to love "living in nature" and peaceful surroundings. The food is very fresh, well prepared with healthy choices at every meal. Be prepared for rain, as it is the "rain forest". I highly recommend this resort and plan to return again when the hustle and bustle of daily life in the modern western world requires a "time out".