My name is Jem Winston, born & raised in south east England. I built, own and manage, 3 Rivers & Rosalie Forest Eco Lodge. I first discovered Dominica in 1990, during my years of backpacking, in my early 20’s, and fell in love with the place instantly. That love has never faded, and I am proud now to also be a Dominican.
After my backpacking days were over, I returned to England to save to money to buy land in Dominica, to fulfill my dream of living in The Nature Island of The Caribbean, Dominica. I drove a taxi for a few years, doing several other little jobs on the side, saving and saving. During this time my brother expressed an interest in joining the project, making it a real possibility.
So it began, on an overgrown banana plantation, in a remote part, of a remote island in the Caribbean; now my home, The Commonwealth of Dominica.
Click here to see our story through some short films.
Finally I moved to Dominica at the end of 2001, and work began on clearing the land, in preparation for building. By the end of that year, 3 Rivers Eco Lodge opened with one cottage, Rose, and a small restaurant/bar, as well as the foundations for 4 more lodges and what is now the two storey Ocean View Cottage and Lime Apartment. All of the infrastructure was set, and by the time the money was spent, sometime in 2003, we had 3 cottage accommodation to rent, my home (now known as Ocean View), and the restaurant/bar.
In 2004, some of the forest at the back of 3 Rivers went up for sale. In order to prevent the area from continued logging (which had begun), and for the feeling, the honour, and the responsibility of owning some real rainforest, I decided to buy a piece of the jungle at the back of 3 Rivers Eco Lodge. Thus establishing Rosalie Forest Eco Lodge in harmony with the original 3 Rivers, providing bamboo tree houses and Carib Indian Thatch Cabins in the rainforest.
Myself and my most excellent team of local staff are proud to say that today, Our Eco Lodge is a true back to nature experience: Offering a range of activities for all, and a variety of cool and sustainable accommodations, in incredible natural surroundings, safe and secluded in the jungle.
From the beginning, the idea was to create the ideal getaway, respecting the environment and working closely with the locals to create an ambience that is a mixture of cultures, where people on any budget can enjoy the natural wonders of Dominica, whilst minimizing the environmental impact and aiding the sustainable development of the local community. The project is a mix of ideas I saw in my travelling days, my own initiatives, and the thoughts and ideas of our staff and visitors over the years.
HURRICANE MARIA – SEPTEMBER 18 2017
Hurrican Maria devastated our island and our lodge, in just a few short hours, half of our work of 20 years was destroyed, and island the destruction was massive. I’m proud to say that we worked tirelessly for the following 2 years, bringing our award winning eco lodge back from the ashes, nicer, stronger, and even more cool than it was before the storm.
Together with an excellent team of local workers, 3 Rivers & Rosalie Forest Eco Lodge is now receiving a steadily growing flow of guests and eco awards for our environmental work.
I hope that you will enjoy 3 Rivers & Rosalie Forest Eco Lodge, and all the wondrous beauty that this incredible island has to offer.
Click here to see our story through some short films.