The historic Round Hill hotel and villa resort near Montego Bay in Hopewell, Hanover,

Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...

opened in 1952. It is located on a peninsula that was originally a sugar plantation and subsequently changed to

coconuts The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family ( Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, the seed, or the ...

and allspice. It has entertained many celebrities and politicians including

John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination ...

, Ralph Lauren, Paul Newman and

Bob Hope Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was a British-American comedian, vaudevillian, actor, singer and dancer. With a career that spanned nearly 80 years, Hope appeared in Bob Hope filmography, more than 70 short and ...

. Ian Fleming was a frequent guest at Round Hill during his time in Jamaica.

History

Round Hill was conceived by

John Pringle John Pringle may refer to: *John Pringle, Lord Haining (c. 1674–1754), Scottish landowner, judge and politician, shire commissioner for Selkirk 1702–07, MP for Selkirkshire 1708–29, Lord of Session *Sir John Pringle, 1st Baronet (1707–1782) ...

as a private haven for celebrities. Twenty-nine acres of the estate's land were set aside for the resort. Investors supplied money to build a hotel, and built their own cottages on the site. Shareholders have included Noël Coward,

Adele Astaire Adele Astaire Douglass (born Adele Marie Austerlitz, later known as Lady Charles Cavendish; September 10, 1896 – January 25, 1981), was an American dancer, stage actress, and singer. After beginning work as a dancer and vaudeville perfor ...

Bill Paley William Samuel Paley (September 28, 1901 – October 26, 1990) was an American businessman, primarily involved in the media, and best known as the chief executive who built the Columbia Broadcasting System ( CBS) from a small radio network into ...

, Oscar Hammerstein, and

Clive Brook Clifford Hardman "Clive" Brook (1 June 1887 – 17 November 1974) was an English film actor. After making his first screen appearance in 1920, Brook emerged as a leading British actor in the early 1920s. After moving to the United States ...

. Round Hill has been host to the ''Sugar Cane Carnival,'' a fundraising event for a Jamaican charity, for over 50 years.

In popular culture

Scenes from the American movie ''

How Stella Got Her Groove Back ''How Stella Got Her Groove Back'' is a 1998 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Kevin Rodney Sullivan, adapted from Terry McMillan's best-selling 1996 novel of the same title. The film stars Angela Bassett, Taye Diggs (in his film ...

'' were filmed in Cottage 11. A collection of Jonathan Routh paintings is on display throughout the property. Jonathan stayed at Round Hill frequently and painted scenes depicting Round Hill. Scenes from ''

In Like Flint ''In Like Flint'' is a 1967 American spy fi comedy film directed by Gordon Douglas, the sequel to the parody spy film ''Our Man Flint'' (1966). It posits an international feminist conspiracy to depose the ruling American patriarchy with a f ...

'' starring James Coburn were filmed at the hotel in the summer of 1966. Round Hill was featured on the finale of '' The Amazing Race 7'' with the final three teams finishing the first half of the episode at Villa 16.

References

External links

Round Hill Hotels and Villas Resort
Resorts in Jamaica Buildings and structures in Hanover Parish Tourist attractions in Hanover Parish Hotel buildings completed in 1952 Hotels in Jamaica {{Jamaica-struct-stub

History

In popular culture

See also

References

External links