Frenchman's Cove Hotel. Has great house and villas on 43 acres. The cove is an estuary which gives one the opportunity of swimming in fresh and salt water at the same beach. One of the island's best beaches, and day passes are available to the public.

• Canadian Mr. Garfield Weston purchased the cove in early 1956. His son, Granger, took over the project. The first work was to turn the approaches to the beach into a tropical paradise.
• In the December 3, 1957 Gleaner [see below] the hotel announced that work on the project will begin in a month or so, and it will open in May 1958. With accommodation for about 60 guests in cottages. It will be very expensive and very luxurious. The Hon. F.V. Grosett was chairman of Frenchman's Cove Ltd.
• In 1958 work was going ahead on the 40-room hotel (80 persons). It was to open that December.
• In 1962 the hotel opened as Jamaica's first all-inclusive resort. The hotel was to cater to the most discerning tastes and offer everything that would appeal in luxury to the world's rich and famous, including complete privacy. They could accommodate 50 guests in a stone-built Great House and 18 rustic cottages. Minimum stay was two weeks. The tab covered everything, including the use of a helicopter.
• In March 1966 they hosted Queen Elizabeth. Many other celebrities also stayed there.
• By 1968 minimum stay is one week, except in February when it was two weeks.
• In July 1968, Mr. Edward 'Ted' Ruddock, general manager, tells of plans for refurbishing before the next season. The ten upstairs Great House rooms are to be refurbished, making them into five deluxe suites, and improvements are to be carried out to the houses where necessary. The "buggy" fleet is to be replaced with modern golf carts. New Holdens will be added to the fleet. And repainting. [when did he start managing?]
• In 1969, a helicopter on its way to the hotel crashed into the Kingston Sea. The pilot, the sole occupant, was rescued by fishermen.
• The dream of exclusivity lasted until about 1975, and then as tourism slumped, the hotel fell into hard times with long periods of closure on a hit-or-miss basis.
• In winter 1979 the hotel reopened after being closed for eight months.
• In July 1979, General manager Greg Weston, the owner's son, says U.S. backing is being sought to finance refurbishing.
• In August 1980, waves from Hurricane Allen washed away the tennis courts and damaged some cottages. It took a while to recover.
• In 1985, Greg Weston said he was planning to do a steady renovation "until a standard of excellence has been achieved."
• In December 1986 the hotel reported 85% occupancy level.
• In March 1987 the hotel reported a 100% occupancy level, and projected 80% for the rest of the season.
• On October 27, 1987 the hotel closed, reportedly because it does not have a manager. An informed source told the Gleaner that the hotel had been operating without a licence and that the closure followed an inspection by the Portland Health Department. A spokesman at the hotel said the present closure was to facilitate refurbishing.
• In May 1988, the Canadian-based Clarendon Enterprise Development Corporation secured a 25-year lease from the Weston family and took over the operation of the hotel. Mr. Alan Lawley, president of the development company told the Gleaner that between US$500,000 and US$1 million are to be invested in expanding and upgrading the hotel over the next two years. Ten suites in the main building and two villas are to be constructed and existing facilities are to be renovated. They want to recapture its reputation as one of the most prestigious hotels in the West Indies, catering to an upscale clientele. In the meantime the hotel remains open.
• In September 1988, the hotel housed 70 film personnel for a remake of Lord of the Flies. They stayed through Hurricane Gilbert and wrote the hurricane into the script.
• At the beginning of 1989 the hotel closed, with no projected reopening date.
• In May 1991 the hotel was still closed. In August the hotel was considered derelict.
• In March 1992, Mr. Frank Lawrence of the hotel was congratulated for a big cleanup job of the property's cliffsides.
• The hotel reopened some time before November 1993. [when?]
• In 2009 there were nine villas and 12 rooms in the Great House.
• [Wikimapia]
• Still there.
• Street View of Frenchman's Cove Beach