This trip to Jamaica I was traveling as a single Mom with my two and half year old so I elected to stay at a local resort FDR since it is geared for small children and offered full time nanny service. I had stayed at Carousel in the past so I reached out to Jen and Bill the owners of Carousel for some assistance. I wanted to arrange private transport to FDR since I had some concerns that the transport company FDR uses couldn't provide a car seat. Jen offered me her car seat from the villa and set me up with a private transfer and even was gracious enough to fax my itinerary over to the villa so my driver Robert could pick it up. In addition Jen and Bill loaned me their Digicel's cell phone so I wouldn't have to purchase one and so that I would have a phone at all times during my trip. They also shared with me their updated Tings to Do guide that they give to villa guests and offered me a day at the villa. They are truly lovely people and the villa and staff is amazing. Even though I didn't stay there this trip, I will certainly be back and I did get a chance to visit Millie and Ozzie there and tell them how much I missed the food! (: Soon Come Back!

The Carousel is a slice of heaven. We stayed at the villa in late February and early March of 2010. I returned home relaxed and rejuvenated and already planning our return trip.

The transportation to the villa was handled seamlessly by Eric and his large van. He was on time and is a very safe driver. Eric is very knowledgeable and pointed out local landmarks along the way. It was a nice introduction to the island. We stopped at a local store and Eric picked up a few cold beers for us to drink on our journey. He made the time fly by. If you're thinking of doing some side trips from the Carousel, consider hiring Eric as your driver. He's a gem.

What makes the Carousel so special is their staff. They are all so kind and hospitable. We had many questions about local customs, shopping, food, etc... They always time to sit down and talk or take us by the hand and show us the way.

The grounds of the Carousel are lush and beautiful. There are banana, june plum, grapefruit, kiwi, coconut, lime and ackee trees. Colorful croton shrubs line the property along with blooming vines and beautiful flowers at every turn. John the groundskeeper took us on an incredible garden tour. He cut a fresh coconut from the tree letting us drink the fresh coconut water, what fun. Thanks to John for the beauty he creates and maintains.

The inside of the Carousel is more beautiful than the website pictures show. The artwork, furniture, planters, foliage and flower displays create a tropical paradise. It was all kept impeccably clean and cared for by Angela. Our laundry and sheets were line dried and smelled so fresh. Our beds were made in the morning and turned down at night. We felt like royalty because Angela took care of all the cleaning details for us.

Blue who is the night security man, kept us safe and secure making his rounds and standing watch at night. It was a great peace of mind and we slept well without a worry. We loved Blue's stories which gave us a greater insight into Jamaica and it's people. Blue is also an artist and created some beautiful carvings for us.

The food at the Carousel was delicious. Millie (who is officially retired) oversees it all. Millie was always asking about what we liked or wanted to try. We opted to go with her Jamaican specialties and were glad we did. We were introduced to new fruits and vegetables that we loved. Angela was so sweet to take us to the local fruit and vegetable market in Brownstown to see Jamaica's bounty first hand. It gave us a true taste of Jamaica and added zest to our experience there. Millie even made us a from scratch lime meringue pie, she's the bomb. We were also fortunate to get to spend some time in the kitchen with Millie and learned some of her cooking magic. We talked with Millie about starting up a cooking class at the Carousel because she was such a great cook and teacher. We hope with the help of Jennifer and Bill it will come to fruition because it really added some Jamaican spice to our time there.

Oswald is the main man that makes it all happen. He showed us the way to the beach the first time, introduced us to aloe vera as not only for your skin, but also a drink for your stomach. He surprised us with fresh sugar cane by the pool and taught us how to chew on it to get the sugar out. He kept the pool in pristine condition and always kept an eye on us and our needs. Oswald has an incredible eye for detail, remembering what we drank with meals, the hot pepper sauce that we liked or keeping the frig stocked with beer so we always had a cold one. He seemed to know what we wanted before we did. Oswald also makes a mean rum punch and a sweet and delicious beet and carrot juice. Oswald makes the Carousel go round.

From beginning to end it was a first class vacation staying at the Carousel. Bill and Jennifer have everything so well organized with the "Tings to Do" book sent in advance by email and also an expanded hard copy at the villa. It lists information about restaurants, golf, activities and day trips plus all of the contacts and phone numbers to make it happen. They communicate well with their guests giving great advise and helpful hints. They called our first night there to see if all was perfect and it was. They also followed up with a phone call after we returned home. When was the last time a hotel, restaurant, or all-inclusive resort did that?

We can't thank Jennifer and Bill enough for our great vacation experience at the
Carousel. The staff: Millie, Oswald, John, Angela, Blue, Sandra and Coco are the hallmark of hospitality, excellence and kindness. They are true good will ambassadors for Jamaica.

What can I say that has not already been said, this villa is AMAZING! The number one thing that stands out in my mind is that with the rental of this property, you also get a family for your stay. The staff at the house are exceptional, Ozzie started by having some rum punch as well as cold Red Stripe on hand for our our arrival, and the service remained impeccable for the duration of our stay. Millie's cooking is second to none and Angela keeps the place spotless! Blue has the security buttoned down at night and has some pretty interesting stories to tell! We hired Eric to take of the transportation and enjoyed his company, as well as his knowledge that he so willingly shared with us. The entire villa and pool are very private and beautiful! I will definitely be returning!

We spent 10 days at the Carousel Villa. It was like staying at home with all the amenities available to ensure a very relaxing vacation. The villa staff do a great job cooking us great meals and keeping the villa nice and clean. I especially enjoyed the veranda overlooking the golf course and my nights spent looking up at the stars. The owners have taken special care to make this a comfortable retreat for all to enjoy. Eric the driver with the villa was absolutely wonderful, informative and made our trip so enjoyable with his knowledge of Jamaica. He took us on tours to Dunns River Falls, Bob Marley`s mauseleum, Reggae Sumfest (brilliant) and to visit family in Port Antonio where we got to raft on the Rio Grande. We have plans to return to Jamaica in the very near future. Thank you Jenn and Bill for the use of your villa - it gave us a true taste of the real Jamaica!