ABOUT US
The last 30 years at Good Hope Estate has been a process of transformation into what it now is - a quality of bohemian chill within gorgeous architectural structures.
Tony Hart (deceased 2020) purchased Good Hope in 1989 after coming upon the property and discovering it was for sale; the land and the buildings were in desperate need of attention. He gathered other investors to restore the buildings on the property, to provide employment in the community, plant citrus, preserve the historic buildings and created accommodations for visitors at Great house and Coach house
In the late 1990’s until 2010, Good Hope had many weddings, anniversaries and company award celebrations, pottery workshops (with the local international potter David Pinto who still works at his studio on property), photo shoots for magazines with the top photographers and models of the time, and was a location for films and tv shows including Martha Stewart, Two Fat ladies and How Stella got her Groove back, among others.
In early 2000 Good Hope welcomed retreat leaders seeking off the beaten track experiences and welcomed Amrit Desai, Jai Uttal, Sarah Powers all hosted by local yogis Sharon Feanny, Nicola and Caroline Delisser. Other retreat leaders included Laura Jane Mellancamp, Katy Knowles and Sheila Wilson (who married potter Pinto and is now our resident Yogi).
The popular Good Hope summer camp started in 2002 and children from all over Jamaica and the world enjoyed camping out and connecting to nature. In 2005 Good Hope purchased their Negril vibe Sangha Beach, a 25 minute drive from the property. In 2010, the Falmouth pier opened, and Chukka adventure tours partnered with Blaise Hart (Tony Hart son) to bring cruise passengers for a day experience on the property including river tubing, zip lining, atv bikes, and softer tours including the Great house tour with afternoon tea. Prince Harry visited, as did Usain Bolt, who is from the parish of Trelawny, where Good Hope is situated.
The overnight guest experience had a pause, then in 2016 the owners renovated and upgraded the Coach House and the retreats and family holidays began again. In 2019 Wates Sport Horses revived the stables at Good Hope with horse back riding events, lessons and trail rides. With the advent of covid in 2020, the decision was taken to transition the Great House in 2021, to again welcome overnight guests to our newly renovated Country House.
And through the law of attraction, retreats, workshops and family reunions of all kinds felt the magnetic pull of this special property. Good Hope indeed is a place to remember the essential Playful and Resilient nature of the human spirit- to open the Heart, to Heal, Restore and ultimately, to Celebrate.
GOOD HOPE
OUR LOCATION
Good Hope is 45 minutes from the Donald Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay. From the historic seaport town of Falmouth, the villa is 5 miles into the island’s interior, bordering the magical Cockpit Country region.
Falmouth & Cockpit Country
The Cockpit Country is the natural habitat for most of the island’s endemic flora and fauna. The landscape is dramatic with its green conical shaped hills, valleys, caves, and rivers.
There are magical country roads that border Cockpit Country, carrying you through traditional rural villages, with names like Unity, Sherwood Content and Friendship, which typify a way of Jamaican country living. This is where Maroon history feels most vivid. The Maroons were slaves who escaped to the Cockpit, set up their own communities and fought for freedom.
Falmouth can boast the largest and most concentrated collection of Georgian Architecture in the Caribbean. It is also the Caribbean’s newest Cruise Ship destination. Tour Falmouth, as the guests of Falmouth Heritage Renewal, an organisation saving the cultural and architectural heritage of Falmouth.
