"Nuestra Casa Guest House is a highly recommended B&B at Billy's Bay. This gem is run by Lillian Brooks, a delightful English lady, and her son Roger, a burly chap with a giant size humour. A wide verandah has rockers, and a rooftop sundeck is shaded by umbrellas. The reclusive three-bedroom house is tastefully decorated. Two rooms share a bathroom; a third has its own. All have lofty wooden ceilings. It's a tremendous bargain at the rates, which go down for longer stays."

• Lonely Planet Guide to Jamaica 3rd Edition

Billy's Bay is one of five bays that make up a sprawling fishing community known collectively as Treasure Beach on the South Coast of Jamaica. In 1987, we built ‘Nuestra Casa’ as a home for us, and a special retreat for you.

‘Nuestra Casa’ is a large, comfortable house with all modern conveniences on two acres of land overlooking the bay, and just 100 yards from the beach. You can have TV, radio, bar service, sun-loungers, a sun roof and veranda, laundry service, ceiling fans but perhaps more importantly... a special welcome as a house guest.

You can enjoy Billy's Bay in peace and quiet or if you want conversation, advice on local sites or even a game of dominoes... we're here to make your stay something special.

Whether it's bed and breakfast or half-board, a short stay or a whole winter's getaway, we're here to make sure you have a special break. With three double bedrooms [1 twin and 2 double] we've plenty of room for a special holiday.

We’ve been highly commended in all three editions of The Lonely Planet Guide to Jamaica.

Billy's Bay is conveniently located between Montego Bay and Kingston's international airports... and we're happy to pick you up!

Our Guesthouse:

“Nuestra Casa” [Spanish for “Our House”] was built directly opposite Billy's Bay fishing beach in 1987. It is a small guesthouse with a difference. With only 3 double rooms we offer you most of the conveniences of a modern hotel [fans, television, radio, bar service, sun-loungers, sun-roof, beach shower, laundering etc.] but with all the friendliness and informality of being a house-guest. At the same time we naturally respect your privacy, and right to peace and tranquillity. However if you want the companionship of casual conversation, advice about local beauty spots, a partner for a game of dominoes or cards, or simply someone to join you for a cooling drink, then we will do everything in our power to meet your needs.

We welcome the independent traveller. Whether it’s swimming, snorkelling or sun-bathing… fishing, walking or painting… reading, writing or riding… or whether it’s just the need to relax and have everything taken care of, we invite you to share and enjoy the comforts of our ‘home away from home’.

Billy's Bay:

Billy's Bay is an ideal place for a quiet, away-from-it-all holiday. It is a beautiful, unspoilt and relatively remote fishing village tucked away on Jamaica’s undiscovered south coast. The pace of life is slow, and in-tune with Nature. The locals wake early, with the sun, to make the most of the warm fresh air.

Once a week the ‘donkey lady’ rides down from the gentle hills that rise up behind Billy's Bay to sell her freshly picked fruit and vegetable crops [mangoes, paw-paw, bananas, sour-sop and passion fruit; callaloo, ackee, bammy, yam, sweet potato and pumpkin]. Meanwhile the fishermen prepare their small boats to sail out to the Pedro Cays, a rich teeming fishing ground due south of Billy's Bay, from which they return two or three times a week around sunset to land their catch.

The scene of grading and weighing the fish by hand – in the balmy warmth of a tropical night, is almost biblical in its unspoilt simplicity and dignified humanity. For most visitors in search of respite from the hectic, incessant pressures of modern city living, the rhythm and pleasure of the fishermen’s safe return is a ‘treasure’ amongst many ‘treasures’ to be found in Treasure Beach.

Treasure Beach:

Treasure Beach is made up of five bays each with their own character, charm and community. Starting from the east Billy's Bay is the fourth of these five.

The others are Great Bay, Calabash Bay, Frenchman’s Bay and Fort Charles. Each bay has its own fishing beach which supports the small local community that surrounds it. The Lonely Planet Guide to Jamaica describes Treasure Beach as "a gem for travellers in search of the off-beat.

You won’t find a more authentically charming and relaxing place in Jamaica. Treasure Beach is the generic name given to coves… that stretch for several miles… their rocky headlands separate romantically lonesome, dark coral-coloured sand beaches."

Jamaica's South Coast:

Jamaica’s South Coast is one of the last undiscovered treasures of Jamaica.

The island’s two major cities and international airports lie 100 miles to the east [Kingston – 3 hours drive] and 75 miles to the north [Montego Bay - 2½ hours drive]. Because of this relative isolation the south coast hasn’t succumbed to the predations of mass-tourism.

It remains filled with a gentle rustic charm and civility that marks it out as a special place where the mind, body and spirit can be refreshed and renewed in equal measure.

Treasure Beach itself is located in south Saint Elizabeth, the largest of Jamaica’s 13 parishes, often referred to as the ‘bread-basket’ parish, because of the fecundity of its deep red, bauxite rich soil and the abundancy of fruits and vegetables that flourish from it.

Local Excursions:

We are able to offer you tailor-made local excursions through Canute, a local fisherman, who also takes care of the gardens at Nuestra Casa, with Jeremy as your guide.

There are several out-of-the-ordinary and interesting local excursions near to Billy’s Bay. Examples include the Black River Safari to see the crocodiles; Pelican Bar, an off-shore bar & restaurant built on stilts; Sunny Island to spear and barbecue lobster; Lovers Leap; YS Falls; Appleton Estate and Rum factory; Bamboo Avenue; the Ostrich Farm; etc.

Excursions can be tailored to suit your needs. Prices are reasonable and are based upon the length of time and distance involved.

‘Possibly the coolest bar in the world’

Under this front-page headline Decca Aitkinhead wrote a feature length double-page spread for The Guardian [Travel Magazine]:

“… Jamaica’s ultimate beach bar is the Pelican Bar run by Floyde Forbes just about a mile offshore from Treasure Beach… a remote rustic hideaway. Floyde claims he simply dreamt one night about a bar built on stilts out in the sea. The dream was uncommonly precise; it would be round, made of wood and thatched with palm fronds… By last summer, Floyde’s bar has become Treasure Beach’s biggest attraction. If you visit by day you’ll soon see why he called it Pelican Bar. Great flocks used to gather on the sandbar, and now they smother the roof of the bar, indifferent to the mesmerising turquoise watery mosaic below. Fishing boats taking visitors to see the crocodiles in Black River stop by summoning Floyde from his house ashore. He comes puttering out in what is barely bigger than a rowing boat, weighed down with fresh ice and supplies.”

29th January 2005 guardian.co.uk/travel

Guest Services:

We are pleased to be able to offer you the following services:

Staff Team:

There is a team of four staff to welcome you and make your stay comfortable. They are: Anika [housekeeper - mornings]; Canute [gardener & excursions - mornings]; Jeremy [helper & local guide - evenings]; Venneth [helper – afternoons]. The team is there to help you, so please don’t hesitate to ask them for anything you might require.

Guest Rooms:

There are 3 bedrooms available for guests. Two rooms are to the front of the house and share one large bathroom. These are the Green Room [with a double bed] and the Yellow Room [with twin beds]. One room, the Red Room, is to the back and has its own bathroom.

Airport Pick-up & Drop-off:

Transport to and from Jamaica’s two international airports can be arranged at reasonable rates. Kingston is 95 miles away [3 hours drive] and Montego Bay is 75 miles away [2½ hours drive]. Discounts can be offered for combined pick-up and drop-off bookings.

Drinks:

A private bar is available to our guests. Hot and cold drinks can be served at any time either in your room or anywhere else in the guesthouse or grounds [for details please see separate Drinks Menu].

Breakfast:

Please see separate menu for a choice of either English or Continental breakfast.

Local Restaurants:

There are two simple restaurants in Billy’s Bay [Lenny’s and Shanine’s]. In addition there are several restaurants at Frenchman’s Bay and Calabash Bay [1½ to 2 miles from Billy's Bay].

Sun Roof:

There is a spacious sun-roof with sun-loungers and cushions as well as night-time lights.

Beach Shower:

There is an outside bathroom and shower provided for your convenience when returning from the beach. Billy’s Bay beach is just a 100 yards from Nuestra Casa’s gateway.

Books:

There is a wide range of books and other reading materials as well as games and jigsaw puzzles available for your relaxation and enjoyment.

Television:

For additional entertainment two of the three guest rooms, as well as the living room, have television sets.

Internet:

Internet access will be available for a modest charge from September 2006. Until then it is available on an intermittent basis.

Telephone:

For your convenience telephone calls can be made to both local and international destinations for a modest charge.

Fans & Room Spraying:

For your comfort each room has both ceiling and free-standing fans. In addition each guest room is sprayed at sunset to repel flying insects attracted by the light.

Emergency Supplies:

For you convenience and comfort ‘Nuestra Casa’ has its own stand-by generator as well as storage tanks to ensure that there is no disruption to supplies of either electricity or water during your stay.

Guest Book:

A guest book is always available for your comments on our service and facilities. We value and welcome your feedback.

Trust:

We like to operate the guesthouse on the basis of openness and trust. This means, for example, that we are happy to open a Bar Tab when you arrive so that you can help yourselves to drinks and chalk them up for yourselves.

Atmosphere:

“Nuestra Casa” is a place to escape to. It lies hidden from the only road that runs through Treasure Beach, nestling between the beach and the gentle hills that rise up quickly from the shoreline. The beach is 100 metres away and the sound of the sea is always part of the background soundscape. “Nuestra Casa” is a perfect place to unwind, relax and reflect. It is filled with gentle peace and soothing quietness.

Breakfast Menu:

Breakfast includes juice, cereals, 2 eggs any style, fruits in season, bread and/or toast; butter and/or margarine; jam, marmalade and/or honey; pot of tea or coffee

Continental Breakfast includes bread and/or toast; butter and/or margarine; jam, marmalade and/or honey; pot of tea or coffee.

Note 1: Breakfast is served between 7.00am and 10.30am

Note 2: Children can have extra juice in place of either tea or coffee