Island gems: Trident Hotel - Luxe living in nature's paradise

Garfene Grandison, Assistant Lifestyle Coordinator

Luxury living converges with
nature's natural paradise on the northeastern coast of Portland. The
lush, cool parish known for its natural aesthetic glamour and cultural
legacy, was the birthplace of Jamaican tourism in the early 1900s. This
magnificent destination did and still manages to inspire and lure
international travellers, fashion and luxury magazines to experience a
small piece of paradise on the Rock.

Last Saturday,
when the Outlook team visited, we encountered
photographers, models and fashion insiders from the marie
claire magazine who were doing an editorial photo shoot
featuring the Geejam Collection. On the verge of a total style
renaissance set against the backdrop of the coveted Blue Mountains,
Portland, or 'Portie' as it is more commonly called, is fast becoming
one of the main Caribbean travel destinations.

The
most recent property to stir the Portie renaissance talk is the Trident
Hotel. Owned by Jamaican/Canadian billionaire business tycoon Michael
Lee Chin, the property is operated by hotelier Jon Baker under the
Geejam collection umbrella. Situated on the Dolphin Bay peninsular this
magnificent oasis offers the best in luxury living with a world-class
restaurant, private beaches, plunge pools, and a fabulous spa, just some
of the countless amenities that make a stay there
memorable.

The landmark hotel got a total overhaul
last year at the hands of young architect Vidal Dowding and his team,
with its Jamaican-Georgian inspired exterior and a contemporary tropical
interior featuring some of the most interesting décor pieces inspired
by the 1950s and 1960s. Some of the pieces used inside were from the
original Trident Hotel that were restored and
remodelled.

The luxe furnishings inside the
double-height lobby and the great JJ floor lamp was a favourite of ours,
as well as the custom-built Murano glass chandelier. Très
chic! Proceeding to the luxury villa that awaited us, we
stepped through 14-foot-high custom doors and descended a few steps to
the 60-foot-long reflecting pool which led our eyes to an alluring
infinity pool at the edge of the property with a stunning view of the
horizon and the gorgeous dodger blue Caribbean
Sea.

Each of the 13 well-furnished luxury villas are
outfitted with spacious living areas, bedrooms, soaking tub, and
infinity plunge pool with the sounds of the ocean crashing against the
peninsula, creating the ultimate calm.

The property
also boasts a state-of-the-art ocean-view spa, a private gym, as well as
a private beach situated at one end of the property with a beach bar
and a children's play area. For the technocrats, there is unlimited WiFi
that runs throughout the property, an Apple TV in each suite, and the
42-inch Samsung Smart TV.

Is that the perfect picture?
There's more. Perhaps one of the most stunning attractions found on the
property is the infinity pool that has a spectacular view overlooking
the Dolphin Bay and transcends to the horizon.

Fine
Food

For the connoisseurs of fine food, guests are
treated to the absolute best Jamaica fusion cuisine inside Mike's Supper
Club, the five-star restaurant that crafts some of the most tantalising
cuisine. One corner of the restaurant is furnished with a stunning 1919
Ferrari red Steinway grand piano that was recently restored - one of
Baker's most prized possessions. The Explorer Lounge boasts a library
that contains some very fashionable reads as well as a 1930s Brunswick
billiards table.

If that's not your interest, then
make your way up a few flights of step to the large screening room where
you will be able to partake in any movie of your choice. Ours was the
Academy Award-winning movie Black Swan, starring
Natalie Portman.

The plans and expansion are far from
over. The work left to be done will begin with the Trident Castle and
then the Blue Lagoon, which all fall under the Geejam Collection. When
completed, they will transform the region into the new tourism hub that
will boast a modern contemporary style of living fused with the rich and
cultural heritage that Portland and Jamaica have to
offer.

grandison.garfene@gleanerjm.com

See
this week's Lifestyle Today at www.jamaica-gleaner.com/videos as we
explore the luxe life of the Trident
Hotel.

Photos by Gladstone
Taylor/Photographer