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How to Jump Off a Cliff

Negril, Jamaica is famous for its cliff diving opportunities, both for guests at hotels along the West End Road, and for local pros, who show off their stuff diving for tips at iconic watering hole Rick’s Café. The turquoise water is so clear you can actually see the rocks on the bottom – making a…

Miami Beach’s Lesser Known Minority

Everyone knows Miami Beach is famous for sand, sun, fun, bikinis, and bods. What’s less known, at least to visitors, is that it’s also home to a thriving Jewish community. One site worth checking out is the Holocaust Memorial, about half a mile inland at 20th Street, in South Beach. It presents a sobering (and…

Hotel Death Watch: Barcelo Talanquera

Oyster Blog presents the first post in an ongoing series of hotels now serving guests in Eternity. Barcelo Talanquera (Late 1980s – May 1st, 2009) I will forever remember the sagging mattress and disintegrating wicker furniture in my first floor room at the Barcelo Talanquera, located in Juan Dolio, on the southwest coast of the…

Photo Fakeout: In which Mr. Model Man goes surfing in a hot tub

Last week, we showed you how hotels stage and Photoshop photos. This week, we show you what a little clever cropping can do. South Beach’s Aqua Hotel isn’t a horrible place to stay, but it’s definitely not all its website makes it out to be. Even granting that the hotel can’t be expected to have…

When Love is a Game

The Dominican staffers at Viva Wyndham Dominicus Palace Resort dubbed this the “Love Game;” Italian staffers called it the “Kama Sutra.” I’d say this relay race, in which guests assume suggestive positions while attempting to break balloons, is a bit much for 10 a.m!

Best Nude Beaches in Jamaica

Although topless sunbathing is widely acceptable in Jamaica, spots for full-on nude sunbathing are a little scarce — but there are a handful of good resort options for vacationers who prefer to tan au naturel, whether they are spring breakers or moms trying to avoid tan lines. Grand Lido Negril

Grime, Mold, and Cockroaches, Oh My!

Sometimes, it’s the little things that can make a hotel stay unpleasant — some grime under the sink, a wad of hair in the bathtub, a little bug that pops into your room. A lot of hotels have dirty little secrets, but our photos and reviews give you all the nitty-gritty details to make sure…

Farewell, Caribbean King of Pop

A moment for Michael Jackson. A moment for the man who lived long, lived hard, lived weird. No one loves the one-gloved-wonder more than the Dominican Republic, where virtually every all-inclusive resort is not complete without its own Michael Jackson impersonation night. Take a look at these dedicated fans, squeezing so much style from a…

Sipping Red Stripe in the Sea

Located miles from the mainland off Jamaica’s South Coast, there is the unusual Floyd’s Pelican Bar. To get there, you have to take a 45-minute boat ride, which the nearby Jake’s boutique hotel can arrange. While staying at Jake’s, I had to see the place for myself. I met my captain (and his dog) next…