Rose Hall Great House Named Caribbean’s Leading Tourist Attraction 2026 in World Travel Awards: A Triumph of Resilience and Determination

Montego Bay, Jamaica – October 2026 – When Rose Hall Great House Tours was nominated for the World Travel Awards (WTA) Caribbean’s Leading Tourist Attraction 2025, the team could not have known that it would mark the beginning of an extraordinary journey.

After securing its first WTA title in 2025, Rose Hall Great House was faced with one of its greatest challenges. On October 28, 2025, Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica as a Category 5 hurricane, causing significant damage across western Jamaica, including to the historic 18th-century Georgian mansion and the homes of many Rose Hall team members.

Among those severely affected was Norda Stephens, Supervisor at Rose Hall Great House Tours, whose family home and vehicle were destroyed by flooding in Catherine Hall, St. James.

“We all were devastated. It was the worst thing I’ve ever experienced. In just a little under 24 hours, I had no home, no car, no clothes except what was on my back. My children were scared, I was scared. Then to think I had no job either? How was I supposed to recover?”

Yet, even as team members dealt with their own losses, the Rose Hall family came together. Staff from Rose Hall Great House and the wider Rose Hall (Developments) Limited team rallied to provide food, clothing, mattresses and other essentials to colleagues and their families.

Then they turned their attention to the Rose Hall Great House.

Within days, staff including tour guides, cashiers, supervisors, managers, housemen, everyone,  began the difficult work of cleaning and restoring the property, determined to reopen the attraction and restore a sense of normalcy for both the team and the community.

While communities across western Jamaica continued their recovery and many hotels along the Elegant Corridor of Rose Hall remained closed, the Rose Hall Great House staff continued working to restore the attraction. On December 1, 2025, Rose Hall Great House reopened its doors to visitors. 

That reopening was more than the return of tours. It represented hope, perseverance and the determination of a team that refused to let Hurricane Melissa define its future.

Almost one year later, that same determination has been recognised once again on the international stage, as Rose Hall Great House Tours has been named the World Travel Awards’ Caribbean’s Leading Tourist Attraction 2026.

For Angele Nunez-Rhooms, Operations Manager, Rose Hall Great House Tours, the award belongs to the entire team and the community that supported them throughout the recovery.

“Thank you to all our amazing guests and community members who helped in the recovery from Hurricane Melissa, and to everyone who voted for us. We are forever grateful for the love and support.”

Nunez-Rhooms was also recognised earlier this year as Tourism Employee of the Year 2026 at the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) Awards Luncheon in June 2026.

For Rose Hall Great House, the latest World Travel Award is therefore about much more than a title. It is a celebration of the staff members who returned to work despite their personal losses, the team that helped rebuild, and the community and guests who continued to show their support.

“Even the worst situation couldn’t stop the dedication and passion for our craft at Rose Hall Great House Tours,” said Stephens.

Today, Rose Hall Great House stands not only as one of Jamaica’s most iconic heritage attractions, but as a symbol of the resilience and determination of its people.

Norda, Angele, and other members of the Rose Hall team attended the World Travel Awards 2026 Gala, held on October 11, 2026 at the Princess Grand in Green Island, Hanover, to receive the prestigious award.

The Caribbean’s Leading Tourist Attraction 2026 title is a victory for Rose Hall Great House, but most importantly, it is a victory for its people.

 

Experience the Magic at Rose Hall.

Rose Hall Great House’s annual Halloween Haunted Night Tours take place October 28–31, 2026. Guests are encouraged to come dressed in costume, especially for Halloween night on October 31.

For reservations: 876-953-2456 | greathouse@rosehall.com | rosehall.com/halloween2026/