ST JAMES, Jamaica — S Hotel Montego Bay has secured another major international accolade, placing second among hotels in the Atlantic, Caribbean and Central America in the 2026 Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards.

The result represents a significant jump for the Jamaican-owned hotel, which placed fifth in Condé Nast Traveler’s 2025 ranking of hotels in the Caribbean and Central America.

The number one property in the wider 2026 category is located in Costa Rica, effectively making S Hotel Montego Bay the highest-ranked Caribbean hotel in the category.

The recognition adds to an expanding list of international awards for the Montego Bay property. Earlier this year, S Hotel was voted Best All-Inclusive Caribbean Resort for 2026 in USA Today’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards.

Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett congratulated the hotel, describing its latest achievement as particularly significant given the challenges faced by Montego Bay following Hurricane Melissa.

“I congratulate the entire team at S Hotel Montego Bay on another outstanding achievement. To deliver at this level in a year when Montego Bay felt the full force of Hurricane Melissa is truly remarkable,” Bartlett said.

“The hotel was full when the hurricane struck, yet guests spoke of receiving ‘10-star service’ from a team that went above and beyond under extraordinarily difficult circumstances.”

Bartlett also pointed to the hotel’s response in the months following the hurricane, including its S for Shelters programme, through which staff and guests helped construct 63 one-room shelters for families affected by the disaster.

“What is equally impressive is what happened afterwards. Through the S for Shelters programme, the hotel’s staff and guests came together to build 63 one-room shelters for families affected by the hurricane within just a few months. That combination of world-class service and genuine commitment to community represents the very best of Jamaican tourism,” the minister said.

S Hotel Montego Bay General Manager Anne Marie Goffe-Pryce said the latest recognition was a tribute to the property’s employees.

“Our team is very happy for this recognition. Our staff are deeply committed to delivering the best possible guest experience in Jamaica, and this award is a strong indication that our guests recognise the work they put in every day,” Goffe-Pryce said.

The latest ranking continues a strong run for the hotel in the Condé Nast Traveler awards. The publication lists S Hotel Montego Bay as a Readers’ Choice Awards recipient in every year from 2019 through 2025, while describing the property as combining a relaxed Jamaican experience with contemporary style and private access to Doctor’s Cave Beach.

The latest achievement also comes just months after S Hotel topped the USA Today Caribbean all-inclusive ranking, an award Bartlett at the time described as evidence of the resilience of Jamaica’s tourism properties and their continued commitment to service excellence following Hurricane Melissa.

S Hotel Montego Bay

S Hotel Montego Bay

S Hotel Montego Bay