Promotion
Round Hill Hotel & Villas
Caribbean elegance
01/08/2026 Reading time: 2 Minutes
Why do guests at the ' Round Hill Hotel & Villas ' in Jamaica feel at home? Hotel manager Josef Forstmayr explains what matters.
The Round Hill Hotel & Villas, nestled in a 25-hectare plantation on the north coast of Jamaica, has established itself as an oasis for those seeking peace and quiet. In this interview, Managing Director Josef Forstmayr explains his philosophy.
Guests describe Round Hill as a "home away from home". How do you achieve this?
At Round Hill, hospitality is personal, attentive and genuine. Many of our guests have been coming back for decades, often across generations. We honor that trust by creating an environment where people feel known and truly welcome - not just checked in. Our team memorizes preferences, greets guests by name and fosters relationships that feel more like family than formality. The place itself also naturally encourages this feeling.
Design plays a big role at Round Hill. How do you balance tradition and contemporary elements? Round Hill's design philosophy is rooted in timeless Caribbean elegance - light, natural, clear and deeply connected to the place. The longtime influence of Ralph Lauren at Pineapple House underscores this attitude: clean white palettes, organic textures and a purist, high-end coastal aesthetic. We honor this heritage by carefully evolving it.
Hurricane Melissa hit Jamaica in October. How do you prepare for such events? Preparedness and care are at the heart of what we do. We have comprehensive operational plans, trained teams and clear communication protocols in place to ensure the safety of guests and employees in the event of weather events. But resilience at Round Hill goes beyond planning, it is embedded in the community. After the hurricane, we were quick to support our team and our neighborhood: We provided shelter for employees who were affected, prepared meals for those in need and supported emergency responders.
www.roundhill.com
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Guests describe Round Hill as a "home away from home". How do you achieve this?
At Round Hill, hospitality is personal, attentive and genuine. Many of our guests have been coming back for decades, often across generations. We honor that trust by creating an environment where people feel known and truly welcome - not just checked in. Our team memorizes preferences, greets guests by name and fosters relationships that feel more like family than formality. The place itself also naturally encourages this feeling.
Design plays a big role at Round Hill. How do you balance tradition and contemporary elements? Round Hill's design philosophy is rooted in timeless Caribbean elegance - light, natural, clear and deeply connected to the place. The longtime influence of Ralph Lauren at Pineapple House underscores this attitude: clean white palettes, organic textures and a purist, high-end coastal aesthetic. We honor this heritage by carefully evolving it.
Hurricane Melissa hit Jamaica in October. How do you prepare for such events? Preparedness and care are at the heart of what we do. We have comprehensive operational plans, trained teams and clear communication protocols in place to ensure the safety of guests and employees in the event of weather events. But resilience at Round Hill goes beyond planning, it is embedded in the community. After the hurricane, we were quick to support our team and our neighborhood: We provided shelter for employees who were affected, prepared meals for those in need and supported emergency responders.
www.roundhill.com
