Where to stay · Montego Bay · Jamaica
Where to stay in Montego Bay
6 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Van Atrecht, CC0
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Hip Strip (Gloucester Avenue). Beach clubs, bars, jerk stands and mid-range hotels along the bay. Best alternatives — families: Ironshore.
Key facts
- First visit
- Hip Strip (Gloucester Avenue)
- Families
- Ironshore
- Budget
- Hip Strip (Gloucester Avenue)
- Nightlife
- Hip Strip (Gloucester Avenue)
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Hip Strip (Gloucester Avenue) | Beach clubs, bars, jerk stands and mid-range hotels along the bay |
| Families | Ironshore | Resort coast and residential area east of the airport |
| Couples | Ironshore | Resort coast and residential area east of the airport |
| Budget | Hip Strip (Gloucester Avenue) | Beach clubs, bars, jerk stands and mid-range hotels along the bay |
| Luxury | Rose Hall | Large all-inclusives, golf courses and the hilltop great house |
| Nightlife | Hip Strip (Gloucester Avenue) | Beach clubs, bars, jerk stands and mid-range hotels along the bay |
| Solo travellers | Hip Strip (Gloucester Avenue) | Beach clubs, bars, jerk stands and mid-range hotels along the bay |
| Quiet stays | Montego Bay West and Hopewell | Exclusive villas and boutique resorts west of the bay towards Hanover |
| Beach | Ironshore | Resort coast and residential area east of the airport |
Montego Bay neighbourhoods in detail
$$ · Best for first-timers, nightlife, budget and solo travellers
Hip Strip (Gloucester Avenue)
Gloucester Avenue, known as the Hip Strip, runs along the bay from near the airport to the edge of downtown. Doctor's Cave Beach, Aquasol and smaller beach clubs sit between hotels, bars, restaurants and souvenir shops. It is the liveliest part of town and the easiest place to stay outside an all-inclusive.
- Good
- Walk to beaches, bars and restaurants; Close to the airport; Wide price range of hotels
- Watch out
- Persistent vendors and hustlers; Noise from bars and traffic
- Nearby
- Doctor's Cave Beach, Montego Bay Marine Park, Dead End Beach
$ · Best for culture and budget
Downtown Montego Bay
Downtown is a busy working town of Georgian and Victorian buildings, markets and traffic around Sam Sharpe Square, St James Parish Church and the Charles Gordon Market. Few visitors stay here, but it is worth a guided walk for its history and everyday Jamaican life.
- Good
- Local atmosphere and history; Markets and street food; Lowest prices
- Watch out
- Congested and hectic; Few visitor-oriented hotels; Best explored with a guide
- Nearby
- Sam Sharpe Square, St James Parish Church, Montego Bay Cultural Centre
$$$ · Best for families, couples and beach
Ironshore
Ironshore stretches east of Sangster International along the coast, with all-inclusive resorts, villas and a shopping area at Fairview and Montego Bay's main highway. Beaches here are mostly in front of resorts, and the area is convenient for both the airport and Rose Hall.
- Good
- Close to the airport; Resort beaches; Quieter than the Hip Strip
- Watch out
- Car or taxi needed for everything; Resorts dominate the shoreline
- Nearby
- Sangster International Airport, Rose Hall, Half Moon
$$$ · Best for families, luxury, couples and beach
Rose Hall
About 15–20 minutes east of the airport, Rose Hall has some of Jamaica's largest all-inclusive resorts, three championship golf courses and the Rose Hall Great House on the hill above the coast. It suits travellers who plan to stay inside their resort and take organised excursions.
- Good
- Big resorts with many facilities; Golf and spas; Closer to Falmouth and Ocho Rios
- Watch out
- Little to do outside the resorts; Taxis into town add up
- Nearby
- Rose Hall Great House, Rose Hall golf courses, Greenwood Great House
$$$$ · Best for luxury, couples and quiet stays
Montego Bay West and Hopewell
West of town, across the bridge at Reading, the coast road leads to Hopewell and Sandy Bay in Hanover, home to some of Jamaica's most exclusive villa resorts, quiet coves and golf. It is about 20–40 minutes from the airport and well placed for Negril.
- Good
- Secluded, upscale resorts; Calm coves; Halfway to Negril
- Watch out
- Expensive; Isolated from town
- Nearby
- Round Hill, Tryall, Negril road
$$ · Best for culture, quiet stays and families
Falmouth and Trelawny coast
Falmouth is one of the best-preserved Georgian towns in the Caribbean, with a cruise pier and a grid of 18th- and 19th-century buildings. Nearby, Glistening Waters on the Luminous Lagoon, Martha Brae rafting and a few resorts along the Trelawny coast offer a quieter base.
- Good
- Heritage architecture; Close to the lagoon and rafting; Halfway to Ocho Rios
- Watch out
- About 40 minutes from the airport; Busy when cruise ships dock
- Nearby
- Luminous Lagoon, Martha Brae River, Falmouth historic district
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Hip Strip (Gloucester Avenue) | $$ | Doctor's Cave Beach, Montego Bay Marine Park, Dead End Beach |
| Downtown Montego Bay | $ | Sam Sharpe Square, St James Parish Church, Montego Bay Cultural Centre |
| Ironshore | $$$ | Sangster International Airport, Rose Hall, Half Moon |
| Rose Hall | $$$ | Rose Hall Great House, Rose Hall golf courses, Greenwood Great House |
| Montego Bay West and Hopewell | $$$$ | Round Hill, Tryall, Negril road |
| Falmouth and Trelawny coast | $$ | Luminous Lagoon, Martha Brae River, Falmouth historic district |
Getting to your hotel
Sangster International Airport (MBJ) is about 5 km from the Hip Strip and 15–25 minutes from Ironshore and Rose Hall resorts. Most visitors use pre-booked resort transfers or JUTA taxis from the arrivals area. Negril is about 1.5 hours away and Ocho Rios about 1.5–2 hours.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Montego Bay for first-time visitors?
Hip Strip (Gloucester Avenue). Gloucester Avenue, known as the Hip Strip, runs along the bay from near the airport to the edge of downtown.
+Where should families stay in Montego Bay?
Ironshore: Close to the airport.
+Which area of Montego Bay is best for a budget stay?
Hip Strip (Gloucester Avenue) ($$): Beach clubs, bars, jerk stands and mid-range hotels along the bay.