TOWER ISLE, St Mary — Long known to savvy travelers as the sleepy neighbor to Ocho Rios, Tower Isle has entered a new chapter—one defined by thoughtful modernism, boutique-scale development and a renewed respect for the coastline that put this stretch of Jamaica on the map. The area’s transformation is neither hype nor happenstance; it’s a story years in the making, rooted in a hospitality heritage that goes back to 1949 and now accelerated by compact, design-forward residential projects.
The historical through-line matters. Tower Isle is where Abe Issa opened Jamaica’s first year-round resort, the Tower Isle Hotel, a pioneering move that effectively seeded the north coast’s tourism economy. That property evolved into today’s Couples Tower Isle—still a bellwether—and its continued draw underscores why the district is once again in developers’ crosshairs. Even practicalities align: Ian Fleming International Airport sits a short hop away, with transfer times to Tower Isle in the 15-minu…
