We had booked 5 nights at Zion country, really looking forward to it, after having seen the various comments on TA as well as the beautiful pictures.
To be truthful, the place is nice, mainly owing to incredibly luxurious gardens ! The rooms (adjacent in one cabin) are ok but very small (approx 6 m2), with no soundproofing at all between the two rooms. There’s a small (screwed in the wood) fan, mosquito nets were broken, no cupboard nor shells to place your clothes, WC are at the top of very steep stairs, next to the breakfast place, showers are at the very bottom of the same steep stairs, by the beach. About the beach, you need to know that it is not sandy but grass, and that the water is not Jamaica’s best as it is a mix of sea water and fresh water (there’s a river throwing itself in this cove).
We’ve been “welcomed” there in a rather careless manner by the cook who was busy preparing the meal for other guests and later had a a not so charming (close to condescending) encounter with the owner of this place. We had to ask whether there was a bar, got told “yeah, over there” as if we had been explained the premises before – which we hadn’t…. We got shortly explained how breakfast works (served at 9 am at the ring of a bell !). No one offered us the possibility of lunch or dinner either.
As mentioned before, we had booked 5 nights, paid 3 in advance, and our plans suddenly changed. We informed the owner the first night of our arrival that we could only stay two nights, got told we’d have to pay for the extra two nights (as we had already paid 3 !). Looking on various websites, cancellation policy is 72 hours and when we refused to pay the extra 2 nights, we ended up in the most unpleasant argument where we got lamely insulted by the said infuriated (and infuriating) shaking owner, who told us that this is because of people like us that businesses get ruined ! He still charged us for extra breakfast coffee (you’re only allowed one cup apparently !!! and please note that you have to beg for extra milk, as we got “served” about half a deciliter of milk for 8 !!! ) and, talking about breakfast, don’t be surprised is you only get 3 pieces of toasts cut in half, one with tuna, one with jam and one just plain, plus a piece of pumpkin cake….). I’m being mean, we got served a hard boiled egg on Sunday !
So, all together, not a place to recommend at all ! Expensive for what it is, a super rude, full of himself owner (you’d think he’s embraced the welcoming attitude of the natives after 22 years !), clearly our WORSE experience in the one month that we’ve spent in Jamaica, outside of the all inclusive hotels !