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The Resort
A boutique resort that exudes personality and charisma. Local artwork reflecting the imagery and craftsmanship found in Treasure Beach is a feature of the uniquely styled cottages. The core philosophy of the resort revolves around respect for the community and the environment. The hotel staff and management work hand in hand with the local community in an effort to create a sustainable future for all.
Formed in 1998, BREDS is a non-profit organization concerned with the promotion of Education, Sports and Heritage in Treasure Beach. BREDS is run by volunteers and is funded by donations, the Dollar-a-Night initiative by which participating guest houses contribute US $1.00 for each room night rented, and annual fund-raisers such as the Treasure Beach off Road Triathlon and the Treasure Beach Hook 'N' Line fishing tournament.
Projects to Date include:
- Established a Computer Lab at the Sandy Bank Primary School
- Constructed Basketball / Netball court at the Sandy Bank Primary School
- Sponsors Treasure Beach United soccer team
- LSponsors Treasure Beach Riprris Basketball team
- Sponsors Annual Treasure Beach Gospel Christmas Party
- Maintaining beach clean up at Treasure Beach
- Addition of canteen / library and bathrooms at Gods School, Sandy Bank ( in conjunction with the Rotary Club of Zionsville, Indiana)
- Upgrading of soccer / cricket pitch at Sandy Bank Primary School
- Introduced Sports Trust Program, with sports equipment and training to 13 basic schools
The hotel actively encourages guests to spend the time meeting and getting to know people from the local community stating that “you will encounter an exceedingly friendly local population of farmers and fishermen whose survival is based on their intrinsic knowledge of nature’s elements”.
The hotel features links to the “Pack for a Purpose” scheme that enables guests to bring much needed items to support local projects. Ideally located between Pedro Plains, the “Breadbasket of Jamaica” and Pedro Keys, home to the most fertile fishing grounds in the country – Jake's is perfectly poised to showcase everything local and delicious in Jamaica.
The kitchen uses 90% local fresh produce in its meal preparation. With farms located no more than 15 miles away, fresh vegetables are an easy get! The menu also features 80% local meats and 100% of local seafood. Wherever possible, processed items produced in Jamaica are used - this includes traditional processed spice mixes such as curry powder, allspice, and pimento.
Fresh fruit is all island-grown, with mangos being at the heart of St Elizabeth. Jakes also receives fairly frequent deliveries of organic oranges for morning juice, all island-grown. Jake’s has a “treasured” relationship with the Treasure Beach Ital Farmers Association (TIFA), which keeps the kitchen stacked with organic local items. TIFA provides Jakes with a weekly staple scallion supply (essential for rice and peas), and seasonal loads of items like arugula, romaine lettuce, herbs such as basil, cilantro and lemon basil, bok choy, and gourmet greens.
Specialty items arrive as part of a "farm to kitchen" agreement, in which TIFA notifies Jake's of local produce in stock and Jake's agrees to serve dishes highlighting those items. The partnership has given birth to popular dishes like a fresh picked arugula salad with a light lime dressing and shaved parmesan. The TIFA farm that supplies the items is about as local as it gets - roughly five miles from the property and run by a Jamaican.
As a tour operator
People and places. When you think about it, that’s what holidays are all about. As the UK’s leading long haul tour operator we want to protect them both by striking a balance between having a great time and acting with consideration for the planet and its people. We are working to achieve this balance in 3 ways:
Getting our business in order
We are working hard to address our own direct impacts. These are mainly energy, water use and waste disposal and of course the holiday brochures we produce each year. At our Head Office we are focusing on reducing our energy usage and carbon emissions and of course recycling is law.
Being a good partner
As part of being a good partner we aim to work with our suppliers to encourage them to be more sustainable. We audit our hotel suppliers under the Travelife Sustainability System. This scheme assesses hotels for environmental impact, staff relations and level of community support. Successful hotels can qualify for a bronze, silver or gold Travelife Award.
We also want to highlight excellence in sustainable tourism. That's why we act as headline sponsor of the Responsible Tourism Awards each year and through our own in-house ‘Partnership in Sustainability Award’.
We realise our suppliers face many challenges and are often not large businesses themselves. That's why we invest in destination initiatives that help make it easier for our suppliers to do the right thing. Some of the projects we are currently supporting are;
- A joint project with Oxfam and the Travel Foundation to help Caribbean farmers to grow more and encourage local hotels to buy it, supporting local economies and reducing the reliance on imported goods.
- Switch Off - Save Big; a project with the Travel Foundation to encourage Caribbean hoteliers to save energy and water.
- A Travel Foundation project in Kenya to empower local Maasai communities to earn a fair wage from tourism. The income generated helps the village to provide health care, fresh water and education for the community.
Giving something back
We are committed to helping youth shine by providing life changing opportunities for young people both in the UK and overseas. Through our Caribbean scholarships and support of numerous destination projects we are helping youth shine in whatever they choose to do.
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