Great Huts

Great Huts (US$60-400 nightly) is a stylishly rustic accommodation option in the heart of Boston, offering Bedouin-style tents, breezy cottages and tree houses. Great Huts is the brainchild of Brooklyn native Paul Rhodes, who has been shuttling between his medical practice in Washington D.C. and Jamaica since the 1970s, building great hunts, coordinating volunteer work and performing what he calls his 'labor of love'. The progeny of this love are 18 rustic bungalows and tree houses, made of wood, bamboo, zinc and canvas, recreating an African-Amerindian village vibe. Fabrics and masks reminiscent of the sub-continent cover doorways and walls. Structural norms like perfect right angles and level surfaces have been completely ignored in favor of a more Jamaican slant. Modern amenities like fans, mosquito nets, mini-fridges and plumbing bring comfort to the open-air environment, welcome companions even if the reminders of modernity seem awkwardly integrated and out of place. A proud Jewish-American, Rhodes is known to kick off the weekly cultural show on Saturday evenings by serenading guests with the Israeli national anthem and lounge classics from the '50s, before Kumino-inspired drummers and dancers recount Jamaican history from the plantation to the dancehall with energetic rhythms and sensual movements. Royal Hut may be the choicest digs at Great Huts, with a stunning view of Boston Bay from the queen-size bed and bathtub. African Sunrise is ideal for younger folk with its panoramic views out to sea in the cozy quarters accessed up two flights of ladders. Sea Grape is also a great option, with a roomy exterior interior and a private cliff-top bathtub. The property is not for the physically challenged as loose stone pathways and stairs abound.