Program Reviews

I was amazed by how beautiful the house was. The experience was a once in a lifetime. From visiting the Rastafarian camp, exploring the beach, enjoying the native cuisine, to attending university in Jamaica--every experience was worthwhile. I'm definitely going to miss the staff at Smokey Manor. Maureen is THE perfect host! Would highly recommend the adventure for those interested in experiencing the true culture of Jamaica.

This adventure was so much fun and learned so much more than you would imagine in just 2 days and counting. Being here is such a difference experience compared to living in the states. Everyone is so friendly and you learn a lot just from the people in the area. Overall, I would recommend this for anyone who wants to leave their comfort zones for something new.

Our guide and all the staff went above and beyond to ensure we got the most out of our experience and felt comfortable. You get a sense of what it is like to really live in Jamaica (not just a resort)

I loved every moment of my time in Jamaica here with the Volunteer in Jamaica program. At the begging of the week we were told we would never want to leave once we got, and it's true! Thanks for the memories, I will NEVER forget them (Especially the Rastafari's. . . Jah Rastafarai! ;) ). Thanks again and I hope to be back in the future.

Smokey Manor is a wonderful place to stay and to undertake your Kingston exploration experience. Tucked into the hills above Kingston, the house is beautiful in a safe and quiet neighborhood. The staff is more than accommodating. 30 minutes to anywhere in Kingston we visited many of the fantastic sites around town including Blue Mountain, Strawberry Hill, Hellshire Beach, Devon House and Bob Marley Museum. I would recommend time at Smokey Manor to anyone who wants an authentic Jamaican experience.

Good trip. Rustic homestead experience on an authentic homestead. No frills. Beautiful location to escape city life and experience real Jamaica. Excursions were well planned. Transportation wasn't the most comfortable (old, uncomfortable buses) but it was tolerable and overall a quite enjoyable experience.

We had a wonderful time...Maureen and Staff are personable, reliable, informative and just delightful. The activities all met our needs - I am already planning to come back with another group. We especially love the cooking and meeting so many friendly people. Accommodations were great - safe and beautiful. And the staff went the extra mile to provide unique things we wanted like the Bobo Camp. Thanks to all - it is like home away from home.

This is my second time as a school group leader working alongside Jamaica Volunteer Programs, and they have been terrific. The minute we arrived in Jamaica, we were greeted by friendly staff who treated us like family. Throughout the course of the week, our group was immersed in the Jamaican culture by traveling through the city and countryside, trying authentic food, visiting beaches and venturing up into the Blue Mountains. JVM helped us fulfill our goal of teaching at a local school, and the students I was in charge of said that was one of their highlights. I would recommend Jamaica Volunteer Programs to anyone looking experience this incredible country!

I would have liked it a lot better if we had been allowed to pick which programs we wanted to do and the ability to choose the different culture experiences. I also this it would have been nice to have a better break down of the cost because there were expenses we were not informed about that caused us to run out of money. The cost for transportation at night to go done a hill to the supermarket of to do something in the city was outrages. I think that this should have been allowed without having to pay, since it is only a five min drive. Another things is I didn't realize that none of the money going to help the children. I thought that was why it cost so much.

I really enjoyed working with the children. This was life changing, but I felt like I could have done more if part of the money we payed was going to help the children.

The volunteer aspect was incredible. The kids were great to work with and I'm happy we found them through the Jamaica Volunteer Programs. The excursions were cool, I just wish there were more options to choose from. It was a bit expensive and no money was donated to the schools/orphanage. However, breakfast and dinner was provided and we felt very safe. The environment was relaxing. I wish we got to interact with the locals at night more often. The view is incredible.