Birdie 'ill

Birdie 'ill (USD 4,000/5,000 weekly, low/high, USD 6,000 Christmas-New Year's) is a four-bedroom hilltop villa ideal for families or small groups overlooking San San Beach and Alligator Head. The bedrooms, three with king beds and one with two twins that doubles as an office, are found on the northeastern wing of the villa, a large marble-floored living room is in the middle and the dining room and kitchen on the southwestern end, overlooking a half-moon-shaped nine-foot-deep pool with arched nooks on either side that have sofas for relaxing in the shade to escape the mid-afternoon heat. Balconies are found throughout the villa, some ideal for sunning, others for dining. Built in the early '60s by the Woolworth family, the villa is today owned by Lord and Lady Needpath, advocates for marihuana and drug policy reform through their Beckley Foundation (www.beckleyfoundation.org). An excellent library of though-provoking books makes a great companion for days of leisure at the beach or amidst the five-acre gardens surrounding the villa. The structure itself is in excellent condition and comfortable by any measure. With some targeted spending on the kitchen, bathrooms and entertainment system, which are outdated and don't match the grandeur nor resplendent history of the place, Birdie 'ill would be among the most luxurious villas in Jamaica. Notwithstanding, for the price, it's an excellent choice and well worth a stay.