Pampering on a budget
Year in and year out, you take care of others — husband/boyfriend, children, friends, co-workers and even your elderly parents. You give asking nothing in return and receiving exactly that. But it is time to care about and for yourself.
The recently held Mind Body and Soul Retreat, in Ocho Rios, turned our attention to the pampering of self.
The ladies were pampered and taken care of by a dedicated team of professionals. There were motivational speakers, a poet, a fitness instructor, a belly dance instructor, and of course the requisite exclusive spa with a view of the Caribbean sea.
Okay, you don’t have that kind of money to spend on such a retreat. But you can treat yourself to a weekend or even a day of pampering on a budget.
One of the hallmarks of a retreat is that you get away from your everyday surroundings. Now, a five star all- inclusive hotel would be nice, but if you are on a budget, you have to compromise. So Pinching Pennies has looked at a few places that are at or under J$5,000 per night. Another important ingredient to have in a retreat are spa treatments. Again, you are on a budget so we looked at spas that offer massage, facials, and mani/pedi for under $3,000 for each treatment.
Now, other elements of a retreat are:
*lunch/dinner at a restaurant that serves something different. Don’t eat what you would eat at home, the goal is to treat yourself to something new.
*shopping, buy a hat, a dress, a pretty vase. Anything that will remind you of your retreat and put a smile on your face.
And this is something that you must plan for because retreats are usually once per year and so paying for it should be incorporated into your budget. For example, if you can only put $500 away each month, within a year, you will have $6,000 to treat yourself. With $2,000 per month tucked away, you will have $24,000 just to spend on yourself. Now, we picked five locals where you can visit ú Kingston, Port Antonio, Negril, Ocho Rios and Montego Bay. Note that not all towns have the same level of spa services, so you could visit one area to chill out overnight and another spot for special spa treatment. Our picks for each town is not an endorsement of the product, neither do we vouch for the level of service they give, our picks are strictly about price. So call around and see what strikes your fancy and book the 2 ú 7 day retreat that you deserve.
Affordable spots
Kingston
1. Morgan’s Harbour Hotel,
Port Royal
2. Alhambra Inn
Portland
1. Paradise Inn,
Snow Hill
2. Trident Villas
3. Holiday Home Guest House
Ocho Rios
1. Little Shaw Park Guest House
2. Pier View Vacation Apartments
3. Fisherman’s Point
Negril
1. Thrills
2. Sandi San
3. Palm Beach Hotel
4. Foote Prints On the Sands Hotel
Montego Bay
1. Richmond Hill Inn
2. Brandon Hill Guest House
3. Ocean Crest Villa
Spas
Kingston
1. The Face Place
2. JenCare Skin Farm
Montego Bay
1. Blends
Negril
1. Burkeshire Day Spa
