Location: Treasure Beach on the south coast of Jamaica.

First impressions: If your clients are looking for butlers, gold taps, marbled bathrooms and soft fluffy towels, Jake’s is not for them. But if they are after total tranquillity in the most beautiful of surroundings; a discreet hideaway, with the most friendly and attentive service they could ask for, then Jason Hensall’s hotel can’t be beaten.‘Barefoot Bohemia meets luxury’ or ‘laidback Luxe’ are just two of the phrases Jake’s uses to describe itself, and are spot-on. We were greeted by ‘Miss Yvonne with a cold flannel and a sorbet to refresh us after the rough ride from Montego Bay along some pretty bumpy roads. This woman lived and breathed the place, and recognising one of the other journalists from a two-night stay five years ago, she proudly claimed to “never forget a single guest”. I didn’t doubt it.It was dark when we arrived and stepping over massive crabs and other crustaceans along the tiny path to my little villa did freak me out initially.But I woke to the sound of the ocean crashing against the rocks immediately outside my verandah doors, and the sunlight straining to burst into my room through the slats in my blinds and I’d never felt more relaxed or romantic – unfortunately, I was on a press trip, not with my husband, but Jake’s would be the ideal retreat for a couple on honeymoon or just looking for some time alone together.I threw open my doors and the view was breath-taking. My decking stretched out over the sea and I sat there on my private lounger watching the sun come up as birds dived for fish into the ocean and I couldn’t see or hear a soul around me.I later wandered back to the main reception area, which had a tiny salt-water pool, bar and breakfast area, and ordered a huge bowl of fresh fruit and yoghurt as a chef cooked omelettes on outdoor stove.

The facts: There are 26 rooms, five cottages and four villas, all of which have views over the gardens or the sea and are characterised by their eclectic mix of antiques, bric-a-brac, mismatched collectibles and local art, often inspired by the location and nature.My room, ‘Cockles’ was small with an enormous bed, draped with white, romantic-looking mosquito net, louvered windows and a huge selection of well-thumbed novels. My shower room, liberally sprinkled with brightly coloured glass, bead and shell fretwork, was at the back, but some rooms had outside showers.

Wow: For someone who lives in a very fast-paced world, constantly on the end of a blackberry, nothing could have been more luxurious…the luxury of silence, of privacy, of beauty and of well-being. Jake’s says it is about love…love for the place and love for its people. Anywhere else, that might have sounded cheesy. Here it seemed completely genuine and I would go back like a shot.

How much: Seven nights from £1,199 with Virgin Holidays + Hip Hotels