Built on love, tested by storms

WESTERN BUREAU:

On a weekend devoted to love, a Jamaican returnee finally opened a resort built on it.

As Valentine’s Day celebrations unfolded across the island, Annika D’Andrea officially launched Tiamo Beach Resort and Spa in Pear Tree Bottom, Runaway Bay, the third attempt to bring the 36-room boutique property to market after successive hurricanes derailed earlier plans.

The name ‘Tiamo’, meaning ‘I love you’, carries both romantic symbolism and personal significance.

“This place was built on love,” D’Andrea said quietly, reflecting on a journey that tested her financially, emotionally, and professionally.

D’Andrea first sought to open the property ahead of Hurricane Beryl. That storm removed newly installed rooftops and forced her into a scaled pre-launch phase in April. Plans were then set for a full November 2025 opening.

However, Hurricane Melissa struck in October.

“She was relentless,” D’Andrea said. “We thought we were looking at maybe US$80,000 to US$100,000 in damage. Then we realised it was about four times that.”

The roof system alone costs roughly $10 million to replace. By the time final assessments were complete, repairs had climbed beyond US$320,000 ($51 million).

For a first-time hotel operator financing the venture largely from personal savings, the setback was sobering.

“This is my life savings,” she said. “I worked very hard to come back and build something here.”

A trained nurse who left Jamaica as a teenager, D’Andrea returned home with a vision of creating a boutique ocean-front retreat that blended intimacy, wellness, and natural design.

The reality of construction challenges, contractor hurdles, and escalating costs almost pushed her to abandon the project altogether.

“I wasn’t prepared for the Jamaica I returned to,” she admitted. “ I was at the point where I thought I might have to pivot.”

The result is a property that now stands fully operational.

Tiamo currently offers 36 rooms, including connecting configurations for families and suites with living rooms and kitchenettes. Three two-bedroom cottages nearing completion will increase inventory to 40 rooms.

The property operates under the European plan model, with breakfast included and additional services customised. Dining concepts include a main restaurant, a vegetarian-focused outlet, and a fine-dining restaurant slated for launch in March.

D’Andrea is targeting curated experiences rather than high-volume traffic.

“This space is small enough and large enough to create retreats,” she explained. “Family reunions, full property buyouts, wellness gatherings.”

At the same time, she is intentional about welcoming Jamaicans.

“I don’t want it to feel like a place our own people can’t access,” she said, acknowledging that balancing local inclusion with boutique operations requires careful management.

The spa anchors the property’s positioning.

Current offerings include massage services, steam room, sauna, and hot-and-cold plunge pools. Plans are under way to introduce hydration and IV therapy services pending regulatory approvals.

Outdoor massage areas, hammocks, and shaded nooks create what D’Andrea describes as “a cosy little cove”.

“It’s not loud, but it’s balanced,” she said. “Some days you want peace and quiet. Other days, you want the vibe turned up. We’ll create that rhythm.”

Weekend programming may introduce livelier elements while weekdays remain intentionally calm.

Design throughout the property reflects D’Andrea’s preference for natural materials. Massive slab tables rest on guango tree-trunk bases. Countertops and fixtures were crafted from reclaimed hardwood sourced primarily in Westmoreland, her birth parish.

She deliberately avoided cutting down healthy trees, opting instead to use fallen or storm-damaged timber, much of it brought down by Hurricane Beryl.

“I don’t want to cut down a tree in its prime,” she said. “I wanted trees that already had their stories.”

Beyond the architecture and spa amenities, the natural reef system just offshore offers an additional draw.

D’Andrea describes the snorkelling in this stretch of coastline as among the most vibrant she has experienced globally, with visible coral beds and marine life even from surface level.

“It’s protected in a way that is special,” she said.

In a north coast tourism belt still recovering from hurricane impact, Tiamo’s opening adds boutique inventory to the market, but for D’Andrea, the milestone is deeply personal.

After three attempted openings and two major storms, she stood at the property last weekend and watched guests arrive under a name that means love.

“It’s a story,” she said. “Out of wreckage, something beautiful can come.”

And for one Jamaican investor, Valentine’s weekend marked not just a opening but the realisation of a promise to herself to return home and build.

janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com