Debbie’s Beaches Royal Plantation Trip Report September 28, 2001 – October 4, 2001

 

Background:  This trip report was written while in Jamaica.  We stayed from September 28-October 8.  We spent 10 nights on the island, and only the first 6 were at Beaches.  Therefore, this report only covers that portion of the trip.

 

Written September 28, 2001 06:19 PM      

Well, we got up at 3:15 this morning to finish getting ready for our 7:40 flight. We left around 5 a.m. w/ three hard-sided carry-on sized bags (one w/ stuff for the schools) and the big golf bag and a tiny computer bag w/ the laptop, digital camera w/ regular batteries and 4 magazines and our paperwork and passports.

The parking lot was full at city economy, as they have been telling everyone terminal lots in Houston are closed. They are open but require vehicle inspection. Ick.

Most people seemed to have a ton of luggage.

At the international terminal, we got a big bunch of hassle because our ticket said 9/29 instead of 9/28. Thankfully, we had a fax from Lynn at Discount All-Inclusive that I had asked for to get proof of the spa booking promotion (more on that trouble later).

We carried on my purse and the little laptop bag. No prob. Nothing searched. Everyone around but us got a body scan and bag search. Looking conservative helps!

We searched high and low for the first class lounge. Between gate 8&9 encompasses a lot. Go to the one that reads "British Airways" that is by the one w/ a big list of airlines. There are two British Airways lounges.

We had a lovely glass of chardonnay and some snacks. I had pretzels, and Todd had the little fish crackers. He had juice, and I had club soda.

The 7:40 flight boarded at 7:15. There were 79 out of 133 seats filled (59.3%). Eleven on twelve were full in first class.

We had a nice champagne breakfast w/ omelets after a warm towel and soft drink. We saw a movie w/ Danny Devito, Martin Lawrence, and Nora Dunn. The sound was hideous. The flight left 7 minutes early.

Today was to be a rainy day, and it was, but it was before we came.

We got thru customs quickly since we were in row 2 on the plane. We got our bags and went out to the Air Jamaica Vacations area where we were greeted w/ a bunch of orchids for me and a "Welcome back Todd and Debbie and Happy 40th birthday, Debbie" sign (thanks Sue and Lynn). We were deposited into a Toyota and shipped off to BRP with a chatty dude.

We got here a little before 1:30. We checked in the lobby, not our room. Got a cold towel and champagne. We are in room 206, a two category upgrade from what we booked. It is a lovely room. There are some things better about this room and some better about the category below. I will talk about that in another post.

This room has a lovely 4 poster bed and armoire w/ TV and vcr and more satellite TV than anywhere we have stayed in Ja. Second TV in living room. Nice balcony. Two bathrooms, one w/ lovely jacuzzi in the window and a big chaise. Bar in bathroom w/ lots to drink. Four top shelf liquors and champagne, beer, and lots of soft drinks. Lovely body scrub and other bath stuff.

Big closet w/ twenty hangers (still not enough and a lot of shelves and a really nice digital safe.

We went to eat at Bayside. I had salad w/ tiger shrimp and mango vinaigrette and mixed seafood grill w/ shrimp, same (fake) scallops as GLSS, and two types of fish. Todd had chicken fetuccini Alf redo and a shrimp Caesar salad. You can have a 5-course lunch if you want. I wanted the seafood salad in papaya, but they were out. We got a lovely bread basket and were offered drinks.

The GM and 3 others were inside. Too much smoke. We sat there to avoid the chatty couples outside. I've seen an least 30 unique people so far (they accommodate 148 here), don't know how many are here.

We still didn't have our bags when we got back from lunch. Had to bug them to bring them. Had to ask for connection for phone dial out to be enabled. Had to ask for room service menu. Still struggling w/ the spa promotion. Our promotion includes $500 free at the spa, but they are clueless on it, I will obviously have to push for it. I wasn't up to it today. We mentioned it 3 times. I am going to the spa tomorrow to pursue.

We unpacked and went to the double deck jacuzzi for a while. I love it. One drains in a waterfall to the other. The views are lovely. The temp is perfect in there at 96. Todd went back to the room to wait for the guy that was coming about the phone connection. I chatted w/ a honeymoon couple from Houston.

We are signed up for snorkeling tomorrow. They have it at 11 and 3.

It sounds like the shuttle runs every hour. BGS looks walkable, and SOR is definitely walkable. Our hot breakfast will come at 7:45 tomorrow. I might walk after that.

Having a wonderful time. I am enjoying everything to the fullest. I feel great w/ the freedom to fly. We are up to 25 Jamaican resort stays now. This seems so good to us. Water seems bluer, etc., as we are just so happy to get to be here.

Written September 29, 2001 08:28 AM    

Well, last night I soaked in the tub in the room for a couple of hours while Todd took his turn at the computer (fantasy football addict) and sampled the minibar. We couldn't see the sunset from our balcony, maybe you could see it from that chaise in the room where the jacuzzi is. That is where the bar is.

They have some yummy stuff for the bath, all signature stuff w/ lemongrass. I tried the bath gel and the body scrub. I didn't want to get out to go to dinner.

We decided to head over to Bayside at 8 p.m. We were really disappointed with the menu, then we both figured out there was a second set of pages!

Todd had the spring roll (raw kind) appetizer, I had shrimp cocktail (4 large shrimp). We both had the conch chowder. It is red based and was great, too hot for him. It was not presented like last time. Last time, it was served from a silver turine and they brought wine and pepper for us to put in it.

For the entree, I had crayfish. Todd had sirloin steak. The accompanything stir-fried veggies were great, but the potatoes were ice cold. It was like they had been on the plate for hours. Chef Hugo didn't come around this time,neither did the managers. I did see Chef Hugo, and he looked stressed. Probably working too hard.

These 4 courses were all we could handle. Wine and bar drinks were offered, but nobody offered dessert (I wanted to be offered even though I didn't want it, and our wine went dry, so Todd went to the bar himself. I guess they thought we were done.

We were serenaded to "Lean on Me" and "Rum and CocaCola" by the calypso band. They were fun. They sang on stage after they went to everyone's table. Then at 9:30, they had crab races. We had fun. Not that many people bet like they do at Braco. I think most people didn't understand. A lot of people watched. We lost $15. Coincidentally, we bet $15. They have 4 races, and one is for charity.

We headed up to the room and had a glass of wine on the balcony. At 10:30, we heard singing. I think they had a sing-a-long. People play billiards or chat in the bar here after 10:30 or go to Sandals Ocho Rios. It is right outside the gate here. We always go to bed then anyway. We checked CNN for awhile. Nothing new on the warfront, so we felt safe enough for bed.

I awoke at 6:30 when the light shone in from the jacuzzi room. Todd is still snoring away. Our room service breakfast was due between 7:45 & 8. It never showed up so far, it is nearly 8:30. Of course, Todd may have taken it down when he saw the time I picked!

Today, I have to figure out what is going on w/ the spa credit and how you sign up for golf, French place, etc. We are used to going back to places we have been, so I had forgotten the little annoyances that accompany going to a new place. They try to keep it non-intrusive around here, so you have to search and find all info!

If you don't get a room service menu, ask for one, as they have good stuff, and the tours are listed there, I think.

Written October 01, 2001 07:49 AM      

Saturday's Report

I got up at about 6:30. Breakfast was to come between 7:45 and 8. It never did. I reordered at 8:45, and it came a few minutes later. Yesterday I found the ticket on the ground, so it must have blown off. I had eggs and toast and a half papaya. Todd had a ham and cheese omelet. He had orange juice and mimosa. I drank Diet Pepsi from our refrigerator.

Regarding our spa certificate--it was on the ground underneath the couch. It had blown there when the pushed it under the door.

Yesterday, there was no New York Times fax. That happens at all the resorts, they just don't get it sometimes. The front desk made a note to bring it to us on the days they get it. Normally, you can pick it up at the front desk. They run out, though.

I went down to the spa and used the steam room. You can get it with eucalyptus or without. I went for eucalyptus. They check on you every few minutes and bring you water and cold towels. They are open from 10 a.m. until 8. They have robes and slippers and lockers. It is very nice. There is also a dry sauna.

I signed us up for the indoor couple's massage. It is $120 + the service charge, total of $138. If you come on the spa promotion, they just keep track of how much credit you have left.

At 10:45, we headed out for the 11 a.m. snorkeling. We got our fins and mask and sat in a swing with a soft drink. We signed up the previous day for snorkeling, but they said we did not have to. They go out at 11 and 3. All the people in the know at the pool on Friday said to get them to go toward Sandals Ocho Rios. He had planned to go the other way, but everyone wanted to go to SOR, so, "no problem". He let us stay out an hour. There were 16 people from Beaches Royal and a whole boat of people from SOR.

The water was crystal clear. There were so many colorful fish. Todd and I saw a black stingray with white spots. Nobody else saw it. We swam along with it for 5 or 10 minutes. It was great. Later, we saw a gray manaray. It was just laying on the bottom near the boat. Everyone saw that.

We got back a little after 12 and sat in the jacuzzi while we decided whether to eat at Royal Cafe or Bayside. Todd kind of wanted to go to Bayside because it was so good, but we decided we were a mess from snorkeling and ate outside.

Our waiter was Hiro. They bring out chips and salsa. I had soup of the day--cream of gungo. Todd had honeydew melon. He ordered chicken quesadillas and fries. I ordered the seafood salad with mango vinaigrette. The salad had a couple of small mussels, several large shrimp, and a lot of those fake scallops and some fish. I ate everything except the fake scallops. Todd's quesadillas consisted of chicken with cheddar cheese in tortillas, 4 pieces. We ordered another order to share. The soup was very good. I like bayside better. Both lunches were good, however.

I went to Sandals Ocho Rios and Beaches Grande Sport for photos and planned to play slot machines. Both resorts have a large number of slots, but they do not begin play until 5 p.m. at SOR, and I do not know the time at BGS. Both resorts are walkable from BRP. After dark, I recommend the shuttle. Also, if you don't want to climb the hill at BGS, you might shuttle there.

SOR is right next door to BRP. If you go to the other resorts, you must bring the membership card they give you when you check in. Show this to the guard, and you have no problems. Once on property, you can enjoy anything the other resorts have to offer. I arrived during lunch to get pictures of the buffets, but I found that after a few pictures, I accidentally stuck my camera in a strange mode and got nothing. I only got 7 pictures at SOR and zero at BGS! I walked that big hill at BGS and got rained on and fell on the wet pavement and didn't get a single picture!

At SOR, those that weren't at the buffet were either at the beach or one of the pools. There appeared to be quite a few people around. There were a number of people doing watersports and always seem to be, as they come by BRP all the time. A number of people do optional parasailing, too.

On the way to SOR, a lady asked me to look at her crafts. I did not. There are stalls on both sides of the road. Items appear to be of good quality. I did not look except from a distance. A few steps down, a guy asked me to take him with me. I just told him I had a husband. Thankfully, I arrived at SOR. I ordered a drink at the bar. I didn't like it, too fruity/sweet for me. I normally don't drink hard liquor but wanted to try something there. I could not drink half.

SOR seemed to have all amenities open and available as they do at BRP. Same story at BGS.

At BGS, there are golf carts and shuttles all over, and I think you can get a ride where you want to go. Both the Manor and Orchids were nicely decorated. The rock wall looked interesting but was not in use. The beach shuttle seems to run quite often. The villas seem to be a slightly different color from the last time I had been on the property.

It was starting to rain, so I headed back to BRP. The guard directed me to the fastest route to get there. I passed a number of shops and things. Just about every car honked at me and seemed to drive close to me on purpose, but nobody spoke to me or bothered me.

At 4:45, I did as Patricia at the spa had suggested, I called 15 minutes ahead to ask if we could go in the steam room together, as she said the experience would enhance our massage. We arrived and were given spa robes and slippers and were sent into the eucalyptus steam room (men's side). Todd needed lots of water and went in and out, but he enjoyed it as much as I did.

We did have to fill out a small questionairre (medical) before the massage. At 5:15, we were taken into our massage. We were taken to a room with side by side tables. The room was softly lit by candles. You can get this massage on the pier with candles for an additional $30, but I liked this experience with the steam room and all. I have heard nothing but wonderful things about the moonlight massage. That would be nice to hear the waves and such.

Anyway, I had Leone and Todd had Vera (I think). This is a 50 minute full body massage on both sides. They play soft music. Both of us received medium pressure. You can get a sports massage on this package (costs extra), so ask for it if you want it. What we got was just superb.

Next, it was time for the in-room jacuzzi and then getting ready for dinner. We were scheduled for the French restaurant, Le Papillon, at 7:30. We stopped by the drawing room where they have the cognacs set up. We did not have any, but we enjoyed pecking on the piano (we were the only ones there, and the door was closed).

Be sure to ask where entertainment will be before you decide where to eat. Only 3 couples were at Le Papillon. We all ate outside, and the view is lovely of the pool (lit up) and the entertainment stage. However, they had moved the entertainment indoors in case of rain (which did not come), so we didn't get to hear any. Everyone at Bayside ate inside that night, and it was lit up beautifully.

Our first course was a salmon mousse wrapped in smoked salmon. Next, we had a quiche. It was bacon and egg and was in one of the tastiest crusts I have ever had. Next, we had a palate cleanser sorbet. I believe it was grapefruit. For the entree, I had seafood rendezvous, and Todd had beef tournadoes. We both had broccoli and other vegetables. Todd had a potato, and I had rice. My seafood contained fish, shrimp and the fake scallops. I ate all except for the scallops. Todd ate everything. This was a very thick piece of steak, and he really enjoyed it. The vegetables were lukewarm, warmer than at Bayside.

For dessert, we had a creme brulee. Each of us received a small dish, and the topping was a blueberry and cherry pie filling type of thing. We had a little spun cookie thing in the top.

We left after that and went down to the bar. The waitress followed us there w/ petite fours and said she hadn't given us permission to leave! This petite four was something a chocolate lover would have died for. There was a sponge white cake, chocolate cake and a little chocolate mousse with chocolate sauce on top. I was already so full, but both of us ate it all. So far, that bathroom scale is up 2 lbs. (2 days).

We were back in the room at about 9:00 since Todd did not want to go inside to see if they had entertainment going on. I called Bayside to see when they might have lobster. She said it would be another day or two that they had expected it in already but had not received. I hope they have some before we go.

Sunday

We had scheduled breakfast for 7-7:15 so that Todd could be ready for golf by 8. At 7:15, I went down and found the continental breakfast. They had lovely pastries and muffins and some fruit and cereal. I got Earl Grey tea and a mini orange muffin and small piece of banana bread. When I returned to the room, they had called to say breakfast would be great. It arrived by 7:25, and we had it outside. The waiter spread out a cloth on our table and took the items off the tray for us. Very nice. My eggs weren't there, but I ate the fruit plate and a piece of toast and the muffin and banana bread. Todd ate his omelet and potatoes (write the potatoes in). We had also written in a bottle of champagne. Todd had hot chocolate and orange and mango juice. I enjoyed my tea.

Todd was on the 8 a.m. golf bus. The bus arrived at 8:05 or 8:10, and the guy was so enthusiastic. Todd was not, as he felt unrested and so forth. Anyway, he was off.

This morning, my plan is to go to the gym. I have not made it yet! I have a deep cleansing facial at noon. The time is supposed to be 75 minutes. I am looking forward to it. I think I will sign us up for a tour. It has been a long time since we have gone sightseeing.

Monday

Well, Sunday came and went.

I did go to the gym. They have great equipment there. Everything is new. They have treadmills, stair machines, elipsers, bikes, free weights and some stuff for exercise like a step, some mats, reflex band, and a few resist-a-balls. They don't have a weight circuit set of machines that I recall. I will go back and look. An instructor, Michael, teaches something every day except Sunday and is supposedly available for instruction. Since I went on Sunday, I am not yet sure. He is supposed to have a class by the pool today. I plan to go over there. I used one of the treadmills while I listened to a CNN interview of the president of Pakistan. It looks like little has changed on the potential warfront since we left. Before the gym, I watched 28 days on HBO. They do have good satellite television here, and this top room category has two tvs. It has one vcr, and they have a tape library, but we have not checked it out. There is a cd player, too, but we did not know it and bring any. I am fairly content to sit on the balcony and watch the waves and do nothing.

I returned from the gym and got in my swimsuit. I headed down to the beach to see what this beach butler stuff was all about. I think it was about 10:40. Wesley, a watersports guy, came by and offered me a drink and then asked if I wanted two. He came back w/ two club sodas with lime in a jiffy. He mentioned taking my better half and I sailing in the afternoon. He gave another couple a ride in a boat for pictures. The 11 a.m. snorkel went out with 4 people. On Saturday, our group had 16. They had a glass bottom on Saturday that had about the same amount of people. Everyone wanted to see things!

The waitress came around about 11 a.m. with the yellow flags that you put in the sand when you want something. The couple that was there tried it, as did I. Sure enough, she came and took our order. After sitting in the water contemplating the day, I returned to my seat and my white wine, wondering whether to read PC Magazine or look at the waves.

I headed to the room at 11:40 to shower for my facial. Todd had just returned from his golf outing. He spent $68 over there, he thinks. He said he thought the cart was $38, not $30 as it shows on the web. The caddy was $15, and he tipped $10, though he usually tips $15. The caddy was Wayne and asked when Todd would be back. The improved Todd's swing, and he is anxious to go back and see what else he can do. Todd loves the Upton course. He always says it is interesting.

I headed over for my treatment at about 11:53. I recommend going a few minutes early, because they want to show you the lockers and get you slippers and have you fill out a medical questionnaire even if you have already been there. No problem.

There was a sweet girl there that is getting married today, and she had pictures in her gown with her hair done. She had done this to show them how she wanted it done for her wedding.

I had scheduled a deep cleansing facial. My treatment was with Genevieve (Gene pronounced like "Jenna"). She did a terrific job in analyzing my skin and said that I should get a seaweed facial, as my skin was dry, and this would do deeper into the skin. Whatever. She knows best. The facial involved several layers of things and some steam. Lastly was a very thick peel off mask. She massaged my face and feet. The treatment went on until 1:35. After that, I got in the eucalyptus steam room for 10 minutes.

When I returned to the room, Todd was into football. We went to lunch, deciding to go for Bayside on this day. At 2 p.m., we were the only ones dining except for some staff. There were others down at Royal Cafe. We received incredible service. Our waiter brought a delightful California wine for us to taste and let Todd analyze it figuring he knows more about wine than I do (wrong). Anyway, we were pleased, and he never let our glass get below half full. We received a basket of French bread. Todd ordered the Caesar salad with tiger shrimp again and this time ordered the minute steak and fries. I ordered the same (not on the menu) salad--market salad with mango vinaigrette and tiger shrimp and again ordered the mixed grill. So far, the lunches have just been outstanding. The fish and seafood was grilled to order. I, again skipped those "scallops" and ate the grilled salmon and trout and the shrimp. Todd traded me a shrimp for a generous bite of steak. He contemplated quesadillas (which he didn't go get) at Royal Cafe while we chatted with the girl from Alabama that is getting married. This gave me enough time to order grapefruit sorbet. Yum.

Next, we changed into swimsuits and went down to the beach to ask Wesley about this sailboat ride. He said the wind wasn't just right (odd since there were 4 or 5 people from Beaches GS, SOR, and BRP out on such boats. I assumed he didn't want to give us the lesson, but can't say for sure. We (I) did get him to take us in another boat for pictures. I had bought an underwater camera at the gift shop--$20 for 27 pictures--it rang up w/ a value and came in at $17.69. I didn't know what that was about. Anyway, we took offshore pics of BRP, SOR, and the beach for BGS.

That beach at BGS is more narrow than the one at Enchanted Garden, I think (that one is next to Sandals Dunns River). They have a swim-up pool bar down there and the trampoline in the water. People were having a ball. This place is right next to the SOR restaurant, Arizona's.

Next, we got into the jacuzzi. The bottom temperature gauge said it was 104, and the top said 96. Todd sat under the waterfall there. We had a drink there and talked to the girl that was getting married today on her way to and from getting a painting. She had bought a beach silhouette and had asked for the bride and groom to be painted into it. She got it for $35. That is what we paid for a painting some years ago. She was elated. She showed us where she is getting married. She didn't choose any of the gazebos. She chose the deck by the jacuzzi because she likes the light fixture there and the statues from the jacuzzi area (a la Royal Bahamian). I would not have thought of this location, but it is overlooking the water, and I plan to go see her wedding today at 4:30.

I started smelling garlic cooking and did not know what it was about. It was down at Royal Cafe. Todd had gone to the room, and I didn't check it out. So far, I have not found "high tea" in the afternoons.

When I had gone over to SOR before, I had been told that slots open at 5 p.m. (11 when it is not low season), so we gathered $40 each and headed over there to arrive right at 5. We fet the birds at the aviary and the fish in the pond and then went into the lobby where the slots are. It was right at 5, but it is Jamaica, no problem. I had heard so much from Yahoo member comeagain2001 about the drink comeagain, so I ordered one for Todd and white wine for me. I tried that comeagain, and I could not resist several sips. I don't usually drink hard liquor and don't like those sweet rum drinks, but this was vodka based. That is why I liked it. Moments later, the girl showed up for slots, and we helped her get set up.

We tried slots and lost money right away. They were not loose at all. Our playing got others interested, so soon the place was active. There were pool tables and ping pong tables around in very active use. We discovered the video blackjack that is set up with several bar stools and has a talking dealer. This took $1 bets. We played there a long time. Todd never bets conservatively like I do, so he spent his $40 and $10 of my $40. I still left with $37. Not bad, considering I lost $10 in slots. They have a few quarter slots, a few dollar slots, a progressive machine, and some video poker. If we went back, I would just stick to that fun blackjack table. The only trouble with that thing is it expects you to be very fast, just a very few seconds. If you don't hit the "hit" button, you can end up w/ a 10 in your hand or something less. After contributing $43 to the local economy, we headed back to the now dark Royal Plantation. If I didn't mention it, they have a good number of slots and other machines at BGS.

We had gone to SOR in our dinner clothes in case we could not resist a sunset dinner at Reef Terrace. Since we missed sunset playing blackjack, we decided to return to Bayside. We arrived at just after 6:30. There were other diners already. They served everyone inside because the pianist was playing. This restaurant is so elegant. It really feels like different places wherever you sit. Outside has one ambiance. The greenish room has another, and then the big room inside with the deep reds has another.

They still had not received in any lobster. Both of us had the tiger shrimp appetizer. I had the market salad, and Todd had a Caesar salad. I had soup. We had soup. This time it was served from the silver terrine. It was similar to the conch chowder but was something else. I ate it all. Todd did not. For the main dish, I again had the prawns, and Todd had steak again. They have a lot of dishes, but we have been sticking to the tried and true. We did not have dessert. This meal was served with a savignoin blanc.

Our bed had been turned down when we returned. It had not been made up until nearly 5, and that is about the time the bar was stocked. Sunday is a big arrival and departure date, so expect late service in the room that day.

Now on to Monday, this morning I got out of bed at 5:45 and watched a very beautiful sunrise on the balcony. It is 7:30, and Todd is still snoozing.

written October 02, 2001 07:22 AM    

Monday

I got some excellent photographs of the sunrise this morning. Due to the layout here, there isn't much sunset to see. You can see the sunrise, though. I really enjoyed sitting on the balcony listening to the waves crash this morning.

I got the impression nobody used the French balconies. I haven't seen one open yet in the East wing but did see a few open today in the west wing.

We went to breakfast today at Bayside. You can get pretty much the same items in room service that you can get at Bayside, but the service at Bayside is great, so it is worth a try.

I ordered papaya and the American breakfast. There was no papaya, but I "settled" for a pineapple boat served by an apologetic waiter. Todd had a fruit plate. We received a pastry basket that we didn't order, but the banana bread was good, and there was some sort of flaky pastry with melted chocolate chips that was absolutely decadent. Yum.

We both had American Breakfast--steak, eggs, and potatoes and white toast. Todd had scrambled, I had over easy. Todd ate most of the steak and potatoes, but I got my taste.

We barely made breakfast by 9:30, as i was in the jacuzzi and Todd in the shower after we both surfed the net. I tried the funny looking shower by the jacuzzi, and it was great. We had a hard time going out to breakfast.

We finished breakfast right at 10. I intended to do the workout at 10, but it had rained a bit, and the instructor did not come. I went to the gym and rode the treadmill. Two others were there. I signed up for a hydrotherapy treatment for 1:45,the earliest I could get. Tomorrow, I will get a massage sampler where they do 4 techniques.

We sat in the jacuzzi for well over an hour. The drink ladies were not going around due to some thunder (no rain), but we "struggled" and went to bars on our own and managed to get Pinot Grigio and other stuff. The girl getting married was inspecting the situation. Snorkeling, scuba, sailing, waterskiing, and sailing went off as usual today. We are off to lunch now at 12:45.

Lunch was great. We both had a salad--Todd had his Caesar with shrimp, while I had market with shrimp. I had red pea soup. We both had the mixed grill and sorbet. It was all wonderful and cooked to order. Everything was so good. There were a number of people around eating and comparing food. I don't like calamari, but people were raving about it.

At 1:45, I had a hydrotherapy treatment at the spa. I was rushing eating the sorbet on the way. I don't know what flavor I had but it was citrusy and sort of yellow-orange.

At the spa, I again filled out the questionaire and received the robe and slippers. They asked me to get into the steam room until the therapist came. I did. The therapist said she was getting the bath ready. I had selected aromatherapy. I indicated that I wanted the underwater massage. She indicated that it was $10 extra. No problem, I have spa credit! The hydro tub has a number of water jets and a number of air jets. Twice, I was offered a bar drink and just took water. She (like other times I have had this done) kept turning it off hoping it wasn't intense. I wanted intense, or I would not pay $63 for a bath! Anyway, the underwater massage I have had in the past was by hand. This was with a "wand", it was a spraydown massage. I didn't like it because all the jets cut off when she did it. She had tons of settings on that tub, so she probably could have left it on. Criticism didn't seem to work, so I just laid there and made sure she turned the jets back on before I got out. I got back in the steam room, signed the payment slip and went back to the room to get Todd for snorkeling.

Todd was happily watching sports, but we headed on down to the boat. There were 6 snorkelers, and the watersports guy took us off to the right, even though everyone wanted to go left. As others have said, this side had more coral and smaller fish than the side by SOR, but it was fun just the same. The water was not as calm, and this time we were only allowed out about 35 or 40 minutes. It was enough for us this time.

I joined the crowd that gathered to watch a wedding planned for 4:30 for the sweet couple from Alabama. LeAnne was to come down her "aisle" between the pool and jacuzzi in her $1000 gown to have the wedding overlooking the water. She did not want one of the gazebos and chose her location due to the light fixture and statues that reminded her of home. (That would be why I wouldn't pick it since I came away to get married!). The wedding started late, and by then, Sophie, the strolling bar maid, had served up drinks for everyone one or two times and fried chicken to one couple. I don't like beer, but I did solve the mystery of where all the Heineken and Red Stripe light in the bottle came from. She got it for everyone while the main bar didn't have it.

The wedding was beautiful. None of us could hear much but saw it all from the pool and jacuzzi. Next, the couple signed the license and then went off to their reception.

Scott Werhun, the evening manager that I met in May called to say hello. He was back from his 30th birthday celebration in Daytona and had been happy to see his girlfriend (that he met on Aimster! and is quite in love with). We had a long talk with him at the manager's cocktail party. He jotted a few of our comments into his PDA. I liked that.

The manager's cocktail party was at 6 p.m. We spent a long time talking to Chef Hugo. We found out that he is from Vienna and worked in Canada and a friend told him to apply at Sandals for the Barbados property (that has yet to ever get off the ground), and he did and got on here. He indicated that it is tough right now with less food budget due to guest headcount, but that they work hard to keep it interesting.

We met several others at the manager's cocktail party that I have corresponded with before arriving or that we have seen around. We spoke to the drink concierge about getting a lot of Diet Pepsi in our room and getting a tour of the prime minister's suite. The resort has a governor's suite, too, and Butch Stewart has his own suite. The governor's suite is currently occupied.

The manager's cocktail party featured the calypso band. Only about 10 guests attended this. They had rum punch, some other punch and champagne and red and white wine. I had champagne, and Todd had white wine. Food trays were passed around. I tried the escargot! I thought it tasted a bit like sardines. We also had some littled fried pockets that I have had before and was given the name of, but could not retain the name.

I managed to break an empty glass. I was not tipsy, just waving my arms and having fun. I felt terrible.

The beach party began at 7. After talking Scott's ear off, we headed down at 7:10. There was a dessert table, a salad area, several grilled entrees, and a vegetable table. The soup was the red pea we had earlier. I tried it again. My favorite item of the night was a barely noticable seafood mixed salad of cold seafood. It had (REAL!) scallops, huge mussels cut in half, shrimp and calamara. I picked out calamari (I don't like it) and took a generous helping. There were smoked meats and cold cuts and other salads. I had market salad with mango vinaigrette. Other dressings were balsamic vinaigrette and thousand island. There was a huge shrimp tree where guests could take out shrimp on a stick. Cocktail sauce and limes were served with it.

The entrees included pasta cooked to order, steak on a stick, terrific jerk chicken, and a whole pig. There were also grilled crayfish. The vegetable table (that I never discovered) had potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, and rice and peas.

Dessert consisted of cherries jubilee cooked on the scene and some pastries made from shoe dough (??), a to die for chocolate mousse cake, cherry cheesecake, and several other cakes and a large fruit tart.

Hiro and the other waiters constantly assisted guests with their plates, brought drinks, and cleaned up the dishes.

The calypso band played during dinner, and the steel band played next. Everyone was wondering where the fire breather was. We were just told that he wasn't there yet. I don't know if he came. At about 9:20, everyone had either gone off for Monday Night Football (guess who did that?) or decided to go to the bar to chat (guess who did that?).

We had dined with a couple on their honeymoon (lots here on that) that had tried a few adventurous drinks. In the bar I met Chris and Donna, (lurker) members from my Yahoo board. They have been to GLN a few times and didn't like it last time at all and switched to Sandals. We talked a long time while they had cognac and I had white wine. Finally, I left and brought Todd a Hensley special from the bar. It was about 10:20. We watched Hardball on CNBC where they kept saying that Ashcroft said further terrorism attacks are likely.

Tuesday

This morning I watched the sunrise again on the balcony. Breakfast is due at 7, and Todd is going to golf at 8. I have a deluxe sampler massage at the spa at 10:15.

Written October 03, 2001 08:55 AM    

Another chapter:

Our room service breakfast arrived just after 7, right in the alloted timeslot. Todd had his omelet. I had my egg and toast. They called to say they were out of papaya again. We got a fruit plate instead.

They do have a wide variety of juices available here and also serve lovely tea in a silver bot. You always get china no matter where you eat. This time, we ate in the room rather than on the balcony.

Todd went off for golf on the 8 a.m. bus. A bunch of guys said they were going but were not on the bus. If you go at 8, you can come back when he drops the people off from the 11 a.m. trip, so you leave the course before 11:30. If you go at 10 a.m. you come back when he drops the 2 p.m. people off.

I had a nice jacuzzi soak and then headed off for the deluxe massage sampler. This time, they called me by name when I went in the door. I did not have to fill out the medical questionairre, and my slippers were already in the locker. I got in the steam room with eucalyptus and then went into the massage. This massage starts with a lengthy reflexology. Then it is followed by a full body massage that combines Swedish, Shiatsu, and Sports massage. She did a lot of good things with my neck and shoulders. That is where I am tense and knotted up.

While in the spa, I noticed a sheet showing a few packages. They have a bridal package, a groom package, the moonlight couples massage, and a few others. One of them was a Sea and Scrub. It is $60 or $70. You have a body scrub and then get in the ocean for the thalosso effect.

My treatment ended at noon. Do arrive early so you can use the steam room and that you will not get your treatment cut short. For Wednesday, I booked a paraffin wrap. This was going to put me at $6 or so over my $500 credit. Not too bad for 5 treatments for me and one for Todd. Just remember that they tack on 15% gratuity, so everything is always higher than the price sheet.

At 12:30, we went to Bayside to dine. Todd took the chef up on his offer of chicken fettucini alfredo (not on the menu). I had the cream of vegetable soup (outstanding). I had a market salad with tiger shrimp and mango vinaigrette. Then we ordered grapefruit sorbet. We had wine with lunch.

The guy that took our picture at the beach party came around to sell us the picture. It was awful and $8 US, but I bought it.

I was upset that I left my wine on the table, as the wine there is so good. I went back two seconds after I left the table, and it was already cleared.

We went down to Royal Cafe. Todd ordered quesadillas to go. I ordered jerk chicken. We took that to the room. Sophie gave Todd a Heinekin for later. I was disappointed to see that I forgot to ask for white meat. I only could eat one piece. I don't even like dark meat, but it was good. They gave us so many fries. We put all of that in the fridge.

I watched General Hospital while Todd watched the news. Then he took a nap while I went out. Alda Osbourne from the bar staff took me on a room tour that he had promised me at the manager's cocktail party. We went to the prime minister's suite, a deluxe room, a honeymoon junior suite, Butch Stewart room, and the rooms set up for families or friends where there are two beds. The prime minister's suite has a bodyguard room. The bodyguards are treated well! All rooms have some sort of area for sitting and some sort of area for dining. The west wing has better views of the waves. The east wing has more foliage. Right now, the first floor of the west wing and third floor of the east wing are closed due to low occupancy, but they are expecting more people in on Thursday and are opening up the third floor of the east wing.

After the tour, I had a drink in the bar and then went to the jacuzzis (both not that warm) and chatted with various people for a few hours, including Chris and Donna. One couple I spoke to had just arrived the previous day and was excited when I told them about the video blackjack. They were disappointed the resort is out of Jamaican patties. By the way, Sophie is so great, when I spotted her, I asked her to bring us drinks. She did and also got the maintenance guy to fix the jacuzzi temperature. Sophie goes home around 6. She is great. She brings you towels on the very rare occasion there aren't any (only when they thought it was going to rain and get them wet).

Todd had been napping. When I returned he was up and showered, and we went down to the jacuzzi. It was after dark, and the band started to play, so we sat and watched them in the jacuzzi and heard some great 70s easy listening songs. I felt like they were playing them just for me!

We went in and got dressed for dinner at Bayside. We were seated at a table right up front. Mark was our waiter, and he is a lot of fun. I ordered the bot stickers. It was 3 dumplings, pan fried. The sauce was spicey and good. Todd had the tiger shrimp cocktail. We both shared these appetizers. We had the cream of vegetable, again excellent. Todd had caesar, I had market salad. Always excellent. I had the lobster (yes!). Todd ordered surf and turf so that he could save me the lobster tail. Mark said it wasn't on the menu and that Todd would have to settle for the sirloin steak with it. That was fine! He said he'd have explaining to do to the chef. Herbert came out and made sure everyone loved the lobster. We were so full already. By now, we were into the second part of the entertainment and enjoyed a lot of reggae singing. The same band was playing but a lady singer was singing. I wish people had been dancing. Todd would never be the first one on a dance floor. We had them wrap all the lobster (I did eat a few bites) and the potatoes and vegetables (Todd ate the steak). They turned the foil wrapping into a swan and had me close my eyes to see it. Wine was served all throughout dinner. We finished with the cranberry sorbet. This was my least favorite, but I ate it all.

Wednesday

Well, I started my 40th birthday with champagne and chilled lobster on the balcony. Maybe 40 isn't so bad after all.

After another sunrise on the balcony, we eventually went to breakfast. Today, we were offered pastries on a tray. I had an orange muffin like I made with my grandmother when I was a kid. I had fruit and toast. Todd had an omelet and blueberry pancakes. Service was good again.

We spent some time in the jacuzzi and at the beach.

At 11 a.m., we met Richard, a cab driver we met in May, out in the driveway. He took us to Shaw Park Gardens. It was so beautiful there. We had a garden tour and saw many views of the waterfalls. At the end, Richard took us down below to Coyaba Garden for a few pictures. He charged us $33 for entrance to Shaw Park and for the time and ride. I gave him $35. We dropped Todd off at the hotel. He went to the room quickly to get me some camera batteries. Richard took me up to Beaches Grand Sport.

At BGS, I took pictures to replace those that had not come out a couple of days earlier. I went to the casino room, they had many machines and a pool table. The spa was lovely, nice aromas, and they had nice packages and a moonlight massage on Wednesdays for $57.50 pp for 45 minutes.

I had lunch at the resort, and I ate some shaved coconut, some mussels, and some papaya.

I took photos of the grounds--they had a squash court, a weight room with a smoothie and fruit juice bar, an aerobic room, a cardio machine room, the rock wall, and a lot of tennis courts. The main pool had two levels and a nice whirlpool and a grill.

Neither the main pool or the main bar had white wine. One offered red wine, the other champagne.

I walked back to the resort, and we went to lunch at Bayside. Todd tried to order chicken alfredo. They asked if he wanted shrimp. They brought pasta in a tomato sauce with shrimp. I had the mixed seafood grill. We traded. There was way too much pasta. Before that, we both had a leeks and onions nice soup. I had sorbet, also.

In the afternoon, there was more time spent in the jacuzzi. Then I went to the spa and had the paraffin wrap after a stay in the steam room. The wrap was nice, at least a gallon of water game off of me, and I received a foot massage, also.

At 6 p.m., we attended the returning guest cocktail party and dinner. We arrived at 6:10, and they had already done a couple of awards. It was nice. Everyone was seated in a circle. There were 4 couples and the general manager, Aram, and the public relations manager, Jenice Sabdull.

They brought around canapies and drinks (several times), and everyone chatted in one group about what they liked about BRP and other Sandals/Beaches resorts.

I was, again given the bad news about the problems with our "56" nights at Sandals.

At a little after 7, we went down to Bayside and dined together on a custom menu. We had some shrimp and salad and soup. I had the leeks and potato, while others had chicken gumbo. We had beef tenderloins, and they were melt-in-your mouth.

This night was my birthday, and the band sang to me, and I was brought a nice little plate w/ my blueberry creme brulee (everyone had creme brulee) that had "Happy 40th birthday" on the plate and happy 40th crossed out w/ 29th written in on a cute sign. It was lovely. Another couple had their 21st anniversary. It was a delightful dinner. Aram was a delight to chat with and gave us a lot of insight on Sandals, Beaches, other resorts, the history of Butch Stewart, information on his business, etc. Scott Werhun came around for pictures, and the chef came out to make sure my vegetables were hot!  I know I monopolized Aram’s time, but he and the others made my day special, and I know he could tell and delighted in that.

We heard lovely 70s music all evening until 10:30.

Written October 06, 2001 07:57 AM    

Thursday

As usual, I watched the sunrise on the balcony. I heard some thunder in the distance, but we never got any rain. Next, I got on the internet and saw that the laptop I was supposed to get for my birthday is no longer available in employee purchase, as I predicted it wouldn't be since Compaq started loading XP 4 weeks early on their machines, people are buying them up. Todd was really in the doghouse over that, as I tried to get him to order it several times over the last week, but he didn't want it to arrive while we were gone (translation, he was hoping I'd get over it).

The breakfast arrived at 7:05. Today's fruit plate had papaya on it, so they obviously got some in. It also had some very good watermelon and some honeydew and cantaloupe. Todd had his usual ham and cheese omelet, and I had eggs and toast. He ordered juice and milk. I did not order tea that day.

Todd prepared for golf, while I got into the jacuzzi. I really like the lemongrass amenities they provide, and I like the rinse-off shower that room has next to the bathtub. It looks like it would splatter everywhere, but it doesn't.

Todd was again on the 8 a.m. bus for golf. He again had Wayne as his caddy. Each of his three times, he had Wayne and spent $63. One guest said that they have two levels of club rentals (2nd level is Callaways). He rented the cheaper level played well with them (80). Todd had shot an 81 with his own custom clubs. Not sure what Todd got on Wednesday, but I will find out. Several people recommended Gideon and Vincent for caddies, and Sugar was caddy of the quarter. I got a copy of the Sandals Golf and Country club golf guide, so I will be eventually posting pictures up of all 18 holes if I can succeed in scanning from that little booklet.

I have not figured out what time the main bar opens, but I headed out to the jacuzzi with my Diet Pepsi in hand and stayed there a while. I tried the pool and did get waist high this time. Next I went down to the east beach and pulled a chair into the water. A lot of people do that. There were several people on the west beach doing that.

I saw several waterskiers from Grand Lido Sans Souci, and they were staring at us just like everyone claims people in boats stare at them at GLSS. It is natural to look around at other resorts when you are nearby and see if you might like to stay there on another visit.

The weather was perfect, not a cloud in the sky. The water was so blue.

At 10 a.m., I got dressed and went to visit with Aram, the general manager, and Jenice Sabdull, the pr manager. They gave me several nice articles, including a really nice article on the Mansfield Basic School that has Tracey from Yahoo Sandals Visitors Hangout in it.

Aram gave me Butch Stewart's address, and I plan to write him about our problem with getting credit for all the nights we have stayed. Paid nights are paid nights, and I had no idea that they donated that trip to charity, and if they weren't going to give credit for it in the number of nights needed for the free stay.

Next, Scott Werhun came in, and I mentioned that Aram had a task for him, that was to get me the breakfast and lunch menus for Bayside and email them to me. He gave them to me on diskette, so I now have a complete set of menus. I even have the bar menu from the main bar.

Scott and I chatted a little outside the office about his life plans. He is a good guy. It is interesting how diverse the staff is and how they came about to get into Sandals. It really enhances your experience if you get to know staff and feel like you are coming home to a resort.

I spent time packing. My room card had been deactivated, and I had to get in with the assistance of the drink concierge. Todd's card had not been deactivated, but wasn't there! They called to tell us our ride to the Grand Lido Sans Souci was there at 11:30. Todd wasn't even back yet! I guess they wrote that on the envelope with our bill, but I had not seen that on there, and Aram had said that we could stay in the room as long as we wanted and not even have to put our bags out untili we were ready. He was planning to tell the staff that, but he was busy w/ someone. Anyway, the maid came, the desk wanted us out by 1 (late checkout time) but said we could stay on property as long as we wanted, and they would get the driver to take us whever we were ready.

I settled our bill right at 1 p.m. It was $106 and some change. Not bad considering I bought two shirts and a golf towel at the gift shop and went a little over on the spa ($5.75) from the $500 credit and we had phone charges, even interparish long distance. I did spend $30 at the gift shop on little souveniers for coworkers, and Todd spent $189 on three rounds of golf (w/ his own shoes, balls, & clubs), plus we spent $45 doing Shaw Park Gardens and donated $43 to the slots and video blackjack.

We went to Royal Cafe to eat a last meal. They were serving us white wine in those tiny champagne glasses, but the waitress was keeping it filled. I tried to get a market salad with any vinaigrette, but they only had French, so I went up to Bayside and ordered one with mango vinaigrette while Todd ordered our food. We shared a bunch of quesadillas, jerk ribs (wow!), and French Fries.

At 1:45, I went to the main bar to get us a drink. I got Todd some sort of Pistachio shake (fabulous) and had white wine. I tried to get the picture of the group from the returnee night, but the resort took it for the newsletter, so I will have to remember to write Scott for it.

It is good that we were in such a rush for our departure because I would have cried otherwise. We were escorted over to GLSS in a nice Toyota and tipped the driver $2 for the one mile ride.

Written  October 06, 2001 07:59 AM    

Debbie's Ratings:

Check-in: Good (would have been nice to have it in the room the way they advertise. We were given cold towels and champagne (Todd asked for white wine).

Baggage Transfer: Fair (that is the best I can do. There was a glitch in that we had to ask 3 times for our bags and finally I wouldn't leave after two hours until they brought them up). Leaving, we just put them outside the room. They came up when they were ready. No big deal for us since we were off enjoying a great lunch.

Bar Staff: Excellent and efficient. Most are lively and fun. One or two are worried about the economy and their family (probably all are, but one or two are showing it). I sympathize and somewhat empathize. They can whip up just about anything, and there is usually at least someplace open. These guys can tell some interesting stories, too.

Strolling bar service: Excellent. Sophie is terrific. She remembers everyone's order but still makes sure that is what you want. She can bring around snacks if you want. I don't know her name, but the girl in watersports does a good job, too, and the girls that stroll on the beach give you a yellow flag to put out for drinks. If nobody is out to serve, watersports guys offer drink service if they aren't busy. We never stayed long enough to see it, but another couple did get offered fruit one day.

Room Condition: Excellent. Things are new. The nice dark woods are lavish, and the amenities are nice. I loved the lemongrass spa things--they give you shampoo, conditioner, body gel, body lotion, and body scrub. There was also a sewing kit and shoe shine and a shower cap. Everything was in great working order, and we always had towels.

Room Bar: Very Good. We did not always have what we wanted, but this can be the case everywhere you go. We don't like regular soda. All we really wanted was juice, soda water, Diet Pepsi, bottled water, beer and the liquors they give. Of course we wanted the champagne every day but didn't get it twice even when we specifically asked for it. We left a note for extra Diet Pepsi but only got one or two a day. I think it would be great if they left a list of what you prefer at check-in and tried to stock only those things. He did (unlike other resorts) notice what we pulled out of the fridge and didn't add more. We took out 7-up, tonic-water and Ting. We always had something to drink that we liked, and the bar is good. They only give you one little tray of ice, but there are ice machines at the end of the hall and a lovely crystal ice bucket and a nice wooden stand to put it in.

Bayside: Excellent. Breakfast had many choices. Now and then they were out of things--shredded wheat, papaya at breakfast. Other items now and then at lunch or dinner, however there were so many good things on the menu, there wasn't much to disappoint. I love the a la carte premise, and the lunch and dinners offer 5 courses. My dinner vegetables were not hot for days, but I mentioned it, and they fixed it and even came out to check the next day. The worst service we ever got was better than the best service we've had at other resorts, and it was often quite exceptional. Sometimes dining is offered outside. Other times, it is inside. Each of the two rooms inside has lavish decorations and feel like a different restaurant. Outdoors is delightful, especially when you hear entertainment.

Le Papillon: Excellent. We only dined here once, but the service was white glove. Most of the menu is set, but you have two entrees to choose from. We dined outside. I recommend selecting a night when the entertainment is outside. They move it inside when they think it might rain (then when it doesn't rain, they still keep it inside if they set it up that way). This restaurant requires reservations, but you can make them up to 3 p.m. at the front desk.

Royal Cafe: Excellent. They have a large selection and are quite a step up from beach grills. You get great service. Most items are cooked to order, so you have to wait for them. They bring chips and salsa out when you sit down (whether you want it or not). They have a coffee machine there with a lot of choices, as I have been seeing at other resorts lately. Royal Caribbean had it. They have an ice cream menu, but we didn't try it. The menu is diverse enough to dine in courses. I didn't like that I couldn't get the salad dressing I wanted, and they were out of conch fritters and Jamaican Patties (didn't bother us, but others did want these items). One guy offered a waiter $20 to get him a Jamaican Patty. The waiters were giggling about it. You can get your items to go here or dine at the restaurant.

Waiters: I liked Hiro and Mark. There were other great ones that I didn't get the name of. Hiro came over as a student from Tokyo. He studied hotel management. He stayed here after finishing. He is a delight. Mark made me a decoration out of my takeout foil!

Watersports: Excellent: Snorkeling was great. Scuba was also very popular, as was sailing. The equipment is all in great shape, and I really liked the resort's snorkel mask, as they had smaller ones for women. This kept the fog off the mask, and I was able to see all the way down in the crystal clear water. The staff was helpful and courteous.

Entertainment: Excellent. In this area, all that we saw was very good. We saw the pianist, calypso band, steel band, and singing (70s tunes, reggae, and jazz). The steel band even played Frank Sinatra! We did not get to see the fire breather or limbo or the Hatfield Social Group (we have seen them at Royal Caribbean, and they are excellent). When the hotel resumes to higher occupancy, they will put these acts back on. Some people went over to SOR for entertainment, but we enjoyed what we saw at BRP. Some people thought the acts were over when the artists took a break, but they have to give a 15 minute break after 45 minutes, so usually they came back for another set.

Transfers: Excellent. We had a private car on our transfers, but some people arrive in vans. It depends on when you arrive and how many people arrive.

Returning Guest Dinner: Excellent. One of the highlights of the trip and a great way to spend my birthday evening. Our group was 10. There were 4 couples and Aram and Jenice. They sat us all in a group and brought around canapés and drinks. Everyone talked as a group, just another example of the intimate nature of the group. One couple received their gold sandals, but she told that it was their second time around. They often stay in Negril and do like livelier night scenes. They were older than us but livelier than us. A couple from Denton, TX had previously stayed at Royal Bahamian and usually like lively resorts but booked a quiet vacation because of the year they have had and loved it at BRP and plan to return. The other couple called themselves SuperClubs deserters. They've been to GL Negril a few times and have stayed at SMB before and one or two other Sandals, I think (SOR?). That was Chris and Donna. While it was my 40th birthday, it was Chris's and Donna's anniversary. They left to go to the French Restaurant and joined in later. We had a special menu and received gifts in our room.

Manager's Cocktail Party: Very good. There were a few managers there and a few guests. I wish more had attended. We had wonderful chats with Chef Hugo, evening manager Scott Werhun, resident manager Suzanne Millwood and a few others. Rum punch, fruit punch, white wine, red wine, and champagne were served. I even tried escargot. It tasted like strong sardines. These canapés are often available at night in the main bar.

Beach Party: Excellent. This is reminiscent of a smaller version of the International Buffet that is done by Sandals. There was a lot of seafood and several grilled dishes, along with a roasted pig. Desserts were excellent, especially the cherries jubilee. The calypso and steel bands were nice, but I would have liked to have seen the fire breather and limbo.

Spa: Excellent. I love all of the spas I've been to in the Caribbean. I think this resort had the best service. You are pampered from the time you walk in the door. Everything is explained, you are offered water and cold towels, robes and slippers and use of the steam room before and after the treatment. There are many choices available here, hours are from 10 to 8. If possible, make appointments a day in advance.

Gym: Excellent for its size. All equipment is in excellent equipment. There are only free weights, no weight machines, but there are various cardio machines. I thought the instructor was not showing up for class, but you need to sign up at the spa so that they send over the instructor from SOR. This wasn't conveyed.

Beauty salon: I didn't use it but did see some of the hair they did, and it was very nice. I stuck to body treatments instead of nails and such this time.

Miscellaneous: The New York Times Fax didn't always come, but that happens everywhere. The resort almost always had towels either in the room for taking swimming or at the jacuzzi and pool or watersports area. If not, someone brought them around as soon as available. The gym always had towels. This is the best towel service I have seen. I liked the option of very early continental breakfast. The option to go to the neighboring resorts is great.

Guest ambiance: There were almost all couples. For the first couple of days, there were two ladies traveling together, and they do get in large family groups. We saw people from age 20 to 70. There were quite a few honeymooners. These couples tended to bond and hang around together. Most of the other guests (other than a few couples traveling together) would chat with whoever was around while they were there but not make arrangements to meet up later and would typically dine alone except at the special events. It was just perfect for me. People would socialize at night in the main bar.

Golf: I would put Todd on the 8 a.m. golf bus every other day. He would arrive back at about 11:35 or 11:40. The bus would arrive at around 8:10 in the morning. The buses go at 7, 8 and 10. Those going at 10 got back at around 2:25, and those going at 7 got back before 10:30. Todd loves the course.

Management: They really care about your stay and making you comfortable and happy. Even in the serious economic downturn, they are working very hard and long to provide the best quality vacation.

Wishlist: something to float on in the water, free laundry like Grand Lido, let guests pick bar items for their room from a list. I am sure there are other things, but the resort is top-notch.

Miscellaneous Comments:

The returning gifts were a bottle of Tia Maria and a wooden box like you'd put tea or something in.

BTW, the