Donway polishes MoBay

Karrie Williams, Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

Branded Montego Bay's 'total venue' for its multiplicity of facilities, Donway, a Jamaican-style village located along Gloucester Avenue, is fast developing a reputation as the Second City's leading all-in-one chill spot.

According to co-owner Ambassador Donald Rainford, Donway is the quintessential "entertainment and accommodation facility that caters to everyone".

The property boasts immaculate and beautifully landscaped surroundings with ample parking, and offers a gourmet restaurant, wine bar, coffee shop, nightclub, amphitheatre, sports bar, gift shop and a 22-room hotel among its many amenities, all adequately housed under one roof.

Managing director of Donway Donnal Chung shared with Outlook the vision of how the complex came about.

"Myself and my father, Ambassador Donald Rainford, conceived of the idea of Donway as bringing a complete venue to Montego Bay; hence it is built as a village to facilitate everyone.

"We are not all-inclusive, but when you come here, there is no need to leave ... our intent is to allow people to escape from the rigours of life and other day-to-day issues. People need to be able to just rest, relax, laugh, and enjoy themselves and that is what we do here at Donway," Chung explained.

True to the standard of catering to all, the setting at Donway is characteristic of a European, North American, and Jamaican way of life, all combined. Its coffee shop, which is a clear indication of its international flare, starts serving breakfast at 7 a.m. daily and offers everything from bacon, eggs, and bagels to ackee and salt fish and stewed chicken. The coffee shop, which Chung says was inspired by her daughter, Christa, offers both indoor and outdoor dining.

Where entertainment is concerned, Friday and Tuesday nights are the most popular with patrons who want to experience live shows and get their groove on. But simultaneous users of other facilities at the village need not worry about a noise disturbance. According to Chung, Donway's amphitheatre, which is where most live shows occur, seats up to 1,000 patrons and was "specially designed to contain the sounds it generates".

Donway is also fast developing a reputation as the place to 'pop the question'. Chung adds that Friday nights are the most romantic, with many proposals occurring at the village's famed wine bar, which stocks a wide variety of international wines.

In the meantime, the managing director is encouraging more Jamaicans to experience all that Donway has to offer.

"My vision is to have my staff deliver that 'wow' experience to everyone who comes to Donway. When you walk on to the property, we want you to feel welcome, like you belong, so we ensure that we deliver that service that will keep people coming back ... that is our daily goal and ultimate objective that we strive for every day," she added.