From its inception, the ROK Hotel was never intended to be a Jamaican resort; it was conceived as a place that would capture the soul of downtown Kingston. Music, arts, and food are the heroes and design-driving factors that determine the overall vibrance, colour, light and texture for the palette. Throughout every space, you’ll likely never experience the same thing twice. Each venue was designed with a unique concept as if each space was sub-leased by different operators thus creating an inherent uniqueness to each space.

The lobby grabs colour inspiration from the breathtaking sunsets that envelop the city at dusk. Through its distinctive pattern, the hombre chevron flooring guides you to the glazed ceramic vibrant yellow-tiled reception pods. By hand-placing every single tile, we were able to create a fusion of hues that mimic the sunset, beginning with lighter, subdued beige tones towards the point of entry and more saturated browns and yellow as you approach the sun or in our case the reception pods. Wood slat clad columns create a frame around the double height space which features Laura Facey’s Me with a Box on My Head sculpture and an architectural black metal plastered staircase that guides guests from the lobby to the pool deck, a place where the music of downtown Kingston literally takes centre stage.

The ROK is conceived as an extension of downtown Kingston, designed around the soul of downtown. It is an urban and fresh culturally inspired hotel that is meant to bring light to everything Kingston is and has the potential to become.