Hotel Stay with Optional Packaged Meal Plan at Whistling Bird Resort in Jamaica. Air not Included.

Whistling Bird Never disappoints!! Always , welcoming staff, Great Food and Stunning Location!

The Accommodating Staff, The Great Food and The Beautiful Beach with Pristine Water!

My husband and I arrived to Jamaica for the first time today and is take about 2 hours from the airport to get to the resort i suggest use the shuffle service. The whistling bird is very private beautiful and exotic. Perfect couples vacation that peaceful and quiet. The staff is very friendly and helpful. The chef food is delicious and fresh. My rooms it nice and everything works properly.

Wonderfully rustic and right by the beach Loved this place. We stayed in the Woodpecker cabin. No AC, no TV; just two wonderfully comfortable beds, a fridge and enough fans to keep us cool day & night. There were a number of other more upscale options available, but we fell in love with the Woodpecker. And one more thing: The sweetest little cat named Papaya, adopted us soon after we arrived and slept at the end of my son't bed every night. Don't tell Bavra, but I did spoil Papaya a little bit with milk and sardines. Just to be clear, I only started spoiling her after she adopted us, so that's not why she adopted us. The place felt so safe and secure we left our door open day-and-night. There was a safe in the room for us to store valuables and there was always at least one person on the property doing security. We found the food at the restaurant expensive, but one day they had a barbecue by the beach with sliders, kababs, chicken and fish. It was just great. Lots of good music and lots of fun. I just wish it had happened more often during our nine-day stay. They've done some obvious upgrades and added new cabins recently. My hope is that they don't do anything to our Woodpecker. I love its rustic nature. By "our" Woodpecker, I mean we will definitely be going back and that's where we want to stay. The only thing on my wish list is to have access to a kitchn. There is a fridge in every room so it would be nice to have a place to cook somewhere on the premises. The only downside, and this applies to the whole beach, is the nightclubs nearby that blare really crappy music well into the wee hours of the morning. The worst offender is the Jungle across the road. I don't know why the hotel owners nearby don't get together and pressure them to tone it down. It is really inconsiderate and ruins it for all of us. I really want to give a shoutout to Bavra and all the staff. We were treated like family and made to feel so welcome. I can hardly wait to see them all same time next year.

Detailed review March 2025 For my 16th visit to Negril, I booked Whistling Bird for my friend and I. We stayed in Doctor Bird. We arrived in a downpour and I couldn’t tell if it was the sudden rainstorm or just a typical thing for most staff to seem unsure of what they were doing. An actual front desk would be ideal, especially if it’s your first stay and are confused by the uncertainty on display. More on the lack of a front desk later! Our room, with comfortable beds and a generously sized bathroom, was fairly cute and adequate but DARK! Even on the sunniest of days, we needed lights on to see well, and if there were clouds or it was nighttime, it’s hopeless. Good luck finding anything you might have placed in the closet area! Once the first shower was taken, the bathroom remained damp for our entire stay. My friend did fall once, and fortunately only suffered a few bruises, but we had to put down a lot of towels at all times to prevent additional slips and injuries. While several windows had very acceptable, functional screens, some were a little less than ideal. Those windows were ones we never opened. I could see daylight coming through multiple cracks and openings in the ceiling. This would have been reason to immediately demand a different room/hotel had it been my first trip to Negril, but I have come to accept it as what you’ll get if it’s authenticity that you seek in your vacation. I’m fairly sensitive to mosquito bites but we kept fans on high speed and utilized the AC at night. I also brought mosquito repellent that I didn’t mind having on my skin overnight, as I had read reviews and knew there might be some minor bug issues. I had less than five bites total. Because of my research before our stay, we also brought flashlights and Christmas style string lights (fairy lights). These were useful and I strongly recommend. They made our room more cheerful, and the flashlights were a necessity. There are signs to turn off lights and appliances when not in the room. We turned our AC up, to not run very much in the morning as we got ready, but sometimes forgot to turn it off when we left. I also purposely left it on a few mornings as I was intending to return to the room after breakfast for a short nap; unfortunately an illness I was battling prior to vacation had relapsed, leaving me feeling poorly and with a slightly elevated temperature for a couple days. Housekeeping ALWAYS went through by time breakfast was over - not to actually service the room, that happened later each day, but rather to turn OFF our AC. It left us feeling like we were being watched, and being treated like petulant children. Unfortunately they didn’t open our windows when turning off the AC, resulting in a stiflingly hot room and leaving me near heat stroke one of the days and contemplating a trip to the hospital. I simply couldn’t cool down. We never got hot water in the shower by the way, but considering how I was feeling, lack of hot water was never a problem. Cold showers were a perk on this trip for me! Housekeeping also took our towels every time they serviced the room! We did not leave them on the floor; we hung them up to be used again. According to the signs in the room, a towel hung up would be left in the room. We don’t need fresh towels every day and were shocked, quite frankly, that they took them every day after they made their desire to save on electricity so clear. They also added a $12.50 fee per day to cover the increased prices for power in Jamaica! The mixed signals about replacing towels, and reminders about turning off appliances, yet not even opening our windows (which would have indicated they cared about guest comfort) when they turned off our AC, combined with the added fees for power (so why can’t we have a lightly running AC?), resulted in my opinion at least, of them not really being sure of what rules they wanted to enforce, who the rules were for, and that “the customer’s needs come first” weren’t a priority. Other guests said they were able to leave the AC on in their rooms. Other guests also said they could choose how frequently they had their rooms serviced. Having a front desk at check in, where you can discuss guest needs, property rules, expectations, and special requests would create a more professional and seamless experience, while maintaining the authentic Jamaica experience that Whistling Bird tries to create. I must also mention that I reached out to Whistling Bird in the weeks leading up to my stay with a few last minute questions and did not receive any response. I tried calling, email, and WhatsApp messages, all without success. I’m actually surprised I was able to make reservations (back in October), now that I’ve seen how difficult it is to reach anyone. Sadly, there were a few mentions from other guests, that management isn’t interested in improvements because of the popular following they have from long time returning guests. While having returning guests can be a good indication that a place is good, it can also indicate that upgrades don’t matter as much because some people return no matter what. Mr. Calvin, I do hope you will give consideration to suggestions made by your guests. While I would likely return, I personally will always write detailed, honest reviews, because people save a long time for vacations, can’t take frequent vacations, and deserve to know everything when deciding how to spend their hard earned income. Some great things at Whistling Bird were Rosie, the massage therapist! She is a force! She took it very personally to help me feel better when I was ill, and along the way I felt like I had made a friend. I will return to see her even if I don’t book at Whistling Bird again. Milton, the beach security guard is also a valuable asset! He kept all of the peddlers and vendors at a distance and made the beach experience infinitely more relaxing. On Milton’s day off, the vendors were slightly more annoying and WB staff seemed less interested in limiting them, than Milton was on his days working. Milton is particular about spacing of chairs, etc., but as long as you let him organize the way he wants, he can be your best friend. He knows what he’s doing and has everyone’s comfort prioritized. He is also great about recommending the best options for parasailing or other activities on the beach, and he can advise you on what prices you can expect to be fair for excursions or other purchases. Be sure to recognize his assistance with some cash tips daily or at the end of your stay. Rosie, too! Another major perk in my opinion was coffee ready at 5am and available all day! Whistling Bird’s beach is really wide with lots of shade available! Not all of the properties on Seven Mile Beach have those perks. WB is in the center, my favorite part, of Seven Mile. Bars and restaurants, gift shops, coffee, ice cream, music venues, and anything else you want, are multiple and in both directions as you walk off the property and down the beach. You may want ear plugs, as some nearby clubs play loud music a few nights, but weren’t bothersome for us.

The best place on to stay on Seven Mile beach If you don't want to read my narrative... just read my pros and cons at the end. I'll include some advice about vacationing in Jamaica in the details. We stayed at Whistling Bird for two weeks this February. My wife and I had a wonderful stay at this special resort. Immediately upon arrival all the staff are introducing themselves like new friends. You feel like family here. The staff are very responsive. For example, our toilet wasn't working when we checked in but it was fixed immediately. I've been to 5 star resorts and it can take an hour for maintenance to show up. Here, it was 1 min. The resort consists of 15 odd cottages named after birds. We stayed in Dr Bird. Some are quite large and could sleep 3 couples comfortably. The one bedrooms basically are just a bed and bathroom. The two or 3 bedroom have a sitting area, tables and sofas. TVs are in the cottages but few work. Air conditioning is good in the bedrooms and ventilation excellent with overhead fans elsewhere. Good screens on all the windows. There are safes in the rooms to lock up valuables. We opted to have housekeeping every two days. There is a small fridge in each of the rooms. The rooms are clean and sleeping is comfortable. Water pressure and temperature is iffy at times but typically Jamaican. Power went out once during our stay. Rooms are quite dark. Be sure to bring a flashlight. Overnight security is present. During the day security keeps unwanted vendors from harassing you on the beach. There is some construction ongoing on site and next door but it's not noisy. What is noisy are the various venues nearby... Roots, Woodstock, Wavs and the Jungle. The music is LOUD and doesn't stop till 4 in the morning. It was tolerable this year. Two years ago at Villagate beside Wavs, my hearing was comprised for several weeks. Take ear plugs. In my mind and probably showing my age, they need to shut down earlier and lower the decibels. It is not good for Negril tourism. The beach is the best part of this resort. Gorgeous views with white sand that slopes into the water for 20 m . There is ample shade from palms and trees on the property. The resort supplies towels and loungers free of charge. You have to be careful to get permission from Milton (security guard) to move a chair as he gets quite obstinate. He prefers you to have the white plastic loungers but they are not very comfortable without cushions. Some of the blue fabric loungers are broken and have sharp screws sticking out. Be careful to cover with your towel. There is plenty of space on the beach, so you aren't all lined up row upon row. Several trees have come down during storms and hurricanes, so there is a large area of brush and logs which the grounds people are chipping away at. They do a wonderful job of taking care of the pathways that wind past palms and bamboo clusters. The restaurant onsite has basic Jamaican fare and some American dishes. The food is good and inexpensive. Service from Roneka is fast and friendly. Chef Kevin went to culinary school and prepares delicious meals. Miss Bavra runs the front and keeps accounts. She is one of the nicest people I have met at any resort. Calvin in Miami owns the place and is accessible by phone and WhatsApp. He was at the resort when we arrived. We actually were supposed to be here in Feb 2024 but cancelled due to a bad storm that dumped a meter of seagrass along the beach. Calvin was kind enough to honor our reservation a year later at no cost. There are many repeat customers coming here and this demonstrates why. Every Saturday, Tuesday and Thursday is Seagrape 3 for 3 day. At 3pm its 3 wings for $3, sliders, red stripes and rum punches for $3. It's extremely popular. The hotel has an arrangement with a Westend resort so people from that resort can visit with a regular shuttle back and forth. We didn't take advantage to see how the other half lives. Taxis. Getting to Whistling Bird by cab is arranged by the resort. Devon from Jacky Taxi was great. Cost $100 a couple. Takes about 2 hrs. from MBJ. Getting around Negril along the beach is an easy walk. You'll need to cab it to go to Westend and it will cost you $70 round trip per couple. If you take a cab back from HI-LO it will cost you $5 to $10 per person. Highly recommended if you're carrying a lot from HI-LO Internet. The resort has free Wi-Fi but it is unreliable at times. It is either fantastic or absent completely. Be prepared to use data roaming. Other Amenities. There is no pool, spa, gym or gift store. This is basic accommodations. The closest gift store is at Woodstock 5 min down the beach. They do have on the property Rosie's Therapeutic Massage. She is the best masseuse I have ever encountered. She will make you scream with an incredible deep massage. She did successfully unlock my left hip and help my shoulder. My mobility in my hip and torn shoulder felt much better. Safety. Never felt unsafe in Negril but there are some shady characters about. Just be wary, especially at night. You'll have a lot of people come at you trying to sell you things including their body. Never accept anything placed in your hand. Keep your wallet in a zipped pocket and your purse close to your body. Do not take off your purse when sitting at a restaurant. Have a flashlight when walking at night. It's best to stay in a group. If you buy any marijuana, your cab driver is your safest choice. Money. You'll need about $150 US a day for drinks and regular fare. A bit more if you want to give to the higher end restaurants. There is a an ATM about a 20 min walk near the HI-LO (a grocery store). Most places accept VISA but always have cash in case the internet is down. I prefer carrying US dollars, as everything is priced in US. The ATM dispenses both Jamaican and US. You can run a tab at Whistling Bird and pay at checkout with VISA but there is a 4% charge. If you pay your room in total prior to arriving you save some money because the hotel tourism tax is exempt. There is also a new $12.50 per day utility tax that is added to your bill at checkout. Pros • Unique boutique hotel resort • Nice beach with shade • Few people on beach • Wheelchair accessible • Comfortable clean 3 star rooms • Great restaurant onsite and many nearby • Incredible masseuse • Excellent friendly staff and wonderful service • Fantastic location central to beach Cons (few and minor in nature) • Slightly officious security guard during the day concerning chairs • Water pressure and temperature varies but typically Jamaican • No TV • Internet can be temperamental • Broken loungers • Construction • Nearby loud music Overall ... highly recommend this beautiful little resort. There are many repeat customers. You too will soon be family. And I almost forgot ... the resident cat Papaya is adorable.