 |
Rio Bueno - Jamaica |
Here are a few trip reports submitted by
some of our clients. |
| April 2008 - Brend & Linda |
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We flew Delta ( never again ) out of
Denver through Atlanta. They were stunning in their ability to separate
families ( some with small children ) throughout the plane. My wife and I (
same address, last name, reservations made together ) were seated 6 rows away
from each other in middle seats, in spite of the plane showing half-empty at
booking time, and having chosen an aisle and middle seat together when booking
the flights. Many others at the boarding gate had similar experience. I weep
for Northwest. We arrived in Montego Bay at 1:00PM on a Thursday. Immigration
was fairly quick ( the expansion at Sangster is pretty impressive, and was a
bit disorienting at first ), and then down to wait for luggage. And wait.
Somebody could make a killing with a Red Stripe stand in the baggage area. Took
about 45 minutes to get two bags, and clear Customs ( about two minutes in
Customs ). Then off to SuperClubs desk for check-in. Very smooth, we were on a
bus less than ten minutes later. Had just had a lousy experience with Delta,
not in a social mood, so kept to ourselves on the big bus with maybe another
ten or twelve couples aboard. A group of couples also headed to Braco, did a
great job of keeping activity/noise level up ( in a mostly good way ) with the
help of some vodka. Ride was smooth and quick.
Check-in was
effortless. Arrived a bit after two, room was ready. Stayed in B Block, second
floor, on A/N side. Junior Suite. The usual terrible view of the ocean ( had to
open the shades ), and had to walk nearly 90 seconds to get to the club house
or the pool bar, down an entire flight of stairs. Room was clean upon check-in,
stayed that way throughout trip, towels in usual animal shape, repeat guest
letter waiting for us, along with a couple of complimentary T-Shirts for coming
back to paradise. Found Mike and Linda from Wis-Can-Sin ( short overlap this
year with them ) by the pool, and proceeded to drink. Merrily. Pool was
gorgeous ( thank you, Dan-i-el! ), drinks were good ( Wayne was out with new
baby first couple of days we were there - Congratulations on the latest
addition! ), and the company was the usual mix of folks hanging out and having
a good time chatting, floating, and drinking. We stayed for eight nights. Rich,
Sandy, Mike, and Connie ( Wis-Can-Sin and Chicago ) came in on Friday, and
stayed through following Friday. Hit, at one time or another, the Italian (
very good ), the Japanese hibachi ( very good ), and the French ( actually made
it _almost_ worthwhile to put on long pants ). The restaurants were amazingly
gracious in getting us all together for meals, regardless of numbers. Our first
experience with sushi was with O'Neil at the sushi bar at Braco several years
back, and went back this time and were not disappointed. We were thrilled with
the meal. We made it across for breakfast in the main dining room four or five
times, and it was quite good. The omelettes were exceptional, service was good.
There was always a spread of continental breakfast-style stuff ( fruit,
pastries ) in the A/N clubhouse. Lunch was on the A/N side throughout the trip.
On occasion, a few of the wives would venture across to get some different
fare, and were always kind enough to bring some back for the rest of us.
Quick run-down on the A/N side ( the primary reason that we continue
to come back ): Merle is gone. This was weird. We had lowered our expectations
heading down this time, knowing she would not be there. We were beyond
pleasantly surprised. As a matter of fact, we were overwhelmed with the job
that Wayne is doing managing the A/N side. It's like he has found his perfect
place in the world. Juliet and Shanoy were amazing; we never went thirsty. The
drinks were as strong or as weak as we wanted them, and ( with the exception of
Connie's Jack Daniels ), they were never out of anything for more than ten
minutes. For those of you with specific tastes in liquor, I'd call their
selection a limited, solid range of mid-tier top-shelf liquor. Vodka ran from
Popov to Smirnoff to Absolut to Stoli. Rum was the usual well stuff all the way
through the short-bottle Appleton Estate. Tequila was rough, but I've never
seen decent tequila down there, and I don't expect it. Was able to get Johnnie
Walker Black everywhere I went. They had Tanqueray at the pool bar on the A/N
side, for the gin drinkers. Champagne was plentiful. Entertainment staff was
great as well. The usual trivia, body painting, and toga demonstrations
abounded. Kemar spent an hour and a half talking Jamaican history and culture
with us one afternoon; he had most of the guests on the A/N side gathered
around by the end of the talk. It's inspiring to hear someone take so much
pride in their people and country. Gawayne was a pain in the, errrr, a lot of
fun. Stuck around for an hour and a half after being off-shift just to hang out
and keep us entertained. Karl was his usual, obnoxious and entertaining self.
Pool volleyball happened every morning, and probably half of the afternoons (
got a little quiet once Glen from Alberta left ). We picked up the ocean kayak
one day and carried it up to the pool for time trials. When the watersports
guys came to take it back, Ann Marie was kind enough to let us keep it. As a
matter of fact, when we went across to pick up a paddle boat from the textile
side for pool use, she arranged to have it transported over for us. There's
nothing quite like watching a kayak/paddle boat race in a pool, naked, with
drinks in hand. It makes you glad to be alive.
On the textile side:
The main bar is 180 degrees from what it used to be. The smell is gone. The
attitudes are gone. The service was spectacular. Courtney was a machine behind
the bar ( quick-witted, kept the ladies very entertained, and knocked out
drinks in masterful fashion ). Latoya was a fantastic server, all kinds of
personality and joy. Couldn't help but smile around her. We stuck around one
night for the Elvis show, and it was quite good. Didn't spend much time on the
textile side beyond eating and drinking in the main bar ( but then, we never do
).
Trip back was the usual, smooth departure and ride to the airport.
Delta, once again, did an amazing job of separating families on the flight
back. We had a four-hour layover in Atlanta, so managed to embarrass the gate
clerk into seating us next to each other.
The bottom line is this:
This was probably the best trip we've had to Jamaica since our first time on
the island ( when everything was brand new and exciting ). Wayne is doing a
wonderful job on the A/N side; it hasn't missed a beat. It's still, as far as
we're concerned, the best A/N resort we'll ever see. |
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| April 2008 - DM |
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Castaways
Note: Compare the above and below reports for an example of how experiences
can be inconsistent from visit to visit... even at the "best" resorts. This is
frustrating not only for the guests... but us as well.
Having
been there 5 previous times we feel we are well qualified to compare the
property to visits of the past.
Upon checking in we told the
receptionist that this was our 6th visit to Braco if possible could she give us
a good room. She replied that she had us booked in a Garden room. We did tell
her that we usually stay on the A/N side but there was no availability. We
weren't asking for an upgrade just a nice room. The bellman took us to room
915. When we entered the smell was overwhelming (mold, musty,etc.) He said that
this room is not clean and called the front desk for us to be given another
room. He was totally 100% correct. It was dirty, crumbs and sand on the floor,
and we would not consider staying in that room. Then he took us to room 921. A
better room and from appearance sake, acceptable to us. I went into the
bathroom and the toilet appeared to be clogged and not repaired or cleaned.
This time I personally called the front desk and explained the problem. We
waited quite a while until another bellman appeared and took us to room 1133.
This room was much better.
The tables never had salt and pepper on
them. Many times we had paper napkins instead of the cloth ones. Was told they
ran out. Not one time did we sit down for a meal in Victoria Market that we did
not have to get up and get our own silverware, salt, pepper or perhaps a cup
and saucer. This was not evidenced in our previous visits. (Last one in
Sept.2007)
We are not trying to be picky or cantankerous but feel that
these problems are getting worse instead of better. The price keeps raising and
the service declines.
As this was our first time on the prude side we
were surprised of the general conditions of the rooms with banged up furniture,
dented walls, stained tile floors and showers. I realize this is not the US but
we have traveled extensively to Jamaica (20 times) and 23 other Caribbean
Islands so we know what is normal.
The last time we were there (Sept)
there was no recognition of us being past guests at all. Not even a simple
thank you from the management. (die, no wine, t-shirts, welcoming tray or a
simple little thank you note) The only thing they did was invite us to the
Manager's cocktail party. Whom we have never seen.
We are not guests
that require a lot of attention. We drink very little (2-3 drinks a day) stay
at the pool or beach all day only to return to get a shower and ready for
dinner. We do not use the golfing, water sports, trips outside the resorts,
etc. which costs the resort money. We just want to relax in a stress free,
carefree environment, but not stay in a depressing beat up room. Even the TV
had to be repaired. A cable was loose and they were in our room fixing it for
about an hour. We really enjoy a Jamaican vacation but will be considering
other resorts. Oh, we did receive a call at home but we were on our way home
from Atlanta. She left a message stating that she wanted to talk to us about
our remarks on the comment card and would call back the next day. We did not
get home until midnight. She never did call back which in our opinion means
they just don't care. We do appreciate your company, and especially Jennifer
McCoy, and your concern about our trip which is far more than Braco did.
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| March 2008 - JK |
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Just a not-so-quick report on the goings-on
@ Braco based on our recent visit.
Overall, I imagine the property is
"about the same." As with other years, some things better, some things less so.
Check-in was good. During our first few visits it seemed that checking
in was a new experience for the staff each time a guest showed up. The new road
is great. We got lucky with the line at immigration, but I think it was about
90 minutes from tarmac to lunch in the Market.
Food was about the
same. They now vary what is served at the A/N lunch buffet, which is a great
thing. We had a better cook for Japanese this year and a great table of folks -
which makes all the difference. We were so loud another table even complained
and we had to dial it back! Food in the French restaurant was good, but we
still miss Ralston and were sad that Wilson was gone. The new "in charge"
didn't even both to stop by and say "hi."
Victoria Market continues to
be hit or miss for dinner with food and service. One day very prompt and
another day - well, our before dinner drinks showed up for dessert. We're not
big on room service, but the one time we ordered (including some soup from the
French restaurant) it arrived promptly and was good. We just love the cheeses
and as usual, they were great, as were the lamb chops (we had hopped for
lobster at the street party, but no luck).
We had a A/N Jr Suite which
was, well, about the same. Sadly, the air conditioner leaked water. As it
worked, we didn't bother calling for repair (not having much success
previously). The new bathrooms are nice, but ours was starting to fall apart
(handle on the door half connected, the spray unit no longer allowed a
selection). The bottom sheets still come off the bed. The room was very clean
and supplies always there (last year I think they ran out of shampoo). We had
an electronic safe this year and liked that a lot. As usual, most of the doors
and drawers really didn't shut.
The grounds overall looked really good
and there were always people around trimming, washing, and such. Maybe they
should reassign a couple grounds people to room maintenance? Anyway, there were
a few heavy storms that rolled through with the water causing rocks and mud to
go here and there - pretty much everything was cleaned up as fast as I could
imagine.
The sand gravity afflicts us so we rarely make it to anything
in the evening. This year we geared ourselves up for the A/N bonfire but the
wind and rain caused it to be cancelled. Similarly, the A/N buffer was
cancelled.
The wait staff on the A/N side were pretty good. Wayne was
in good spirits even as is his new child was about 3 days old when we arrived.
The new bartenders didn't know how to mix some drinks, but took direction well.
Sometimes they would chat between themselves and forget the guests, but it
didn't happen too often. Shanoy (not Shandy as some have reported) was
friendly, efficient, and very stealthy - drinks would show up during volleyball
almost without anybody noticing. They seemed to not have (as opposed to run out
of) some things. For example, tequila was hard to come by early in the day. We
had no idea why because there didn't seem to be a problem later in the day. We
missed Merle.
Some of the entertainment is getting a bit stale -
certainly great for the newbies, but it would be nice if there was some
variation over time for us return guests. There was an Elvis impersonator that
wasn't bad - don't know if he was fairly new or we just never got out of our
room on the night he was there. On Sunday morning they had a guy singing that
was just great. He did a lot of Marvin Gay and Barry White types of things.
Very mellow and sultry.
Lots of turnover in the EC staff. Kemar is
still there and we like him a lot. Didn't see Gwayne much. Karl is there and is
getting a little mellower. I'm forgetting a guy that we liked ... maybe
Richard? The new female ECs didn't seem to have much of a personality - they
might sit by you at lunch, but then not interact. On the other hand, we really
liked Oral and hope he sticks around for a time.
The staff seemed both
more relaxed and more tense - although the later was typically when some senior
Super Clubs type might be wandering around. Saw a bit more management this year
than last, but they didn't seem to offer opportunities to talk with them,
except for the bread and pastry chef. We chatted with him at the repeaters
party and asked him about the coco bread recipe. He went way out of his way to
get it to us the next day before we left. Very nice.
The smell in the
piano bar was gone! :-)
The above might sound negative, but we really
do love the place and so long as the prices don't go crazy, we'll be back. We
meet all kinds of wonderful people on the A/N side - some new friends every
year, and some old friends we see regularly. My wife won't let anybody sit
around the pool without at least responding directly to a "Are you playing
v-ball?" question. We've gotten so many people over the years to play and so
many of them have said that they would have likely sat on their lounge for the
duration. While they said they might have had a good time sitting around, they
allow that they had a great time after participating and getting to know folks
(last year an investment banker from Norway actually extended his stay as a
result).
This year Nigel from the UK, Steve from KY, and Wiley the
tuba player from Atlanta all got into the act and I wouldn't be surprised if
they all don't come back.
As I said, some better, and some worse. But
we have a wonderful time and will be back. |
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| December 2007 - B&C |
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We absolutely love Braco. Have been going
since 2000 and continue to return. I find the 'regulars' (though they keep
changing) to be be fantastic (Wayne, Meryl, Tameika). The food is always great
(love them little baby lamb chops). The Au-Naturel beach and pool area is the
best we've found. We like it a lot better than Negril even though we sound like
we are in the minority when you read the websites.
We have never
experienced the 'difficulties' that others have whined about. Sometimes I think
people feel they need to complain about something when asked their opinion.
That said, if we could fix 2 things (albeit minor) we would like to
see some upgraded wines (would even pay more if we could get them...not overly
expensive but stuff that you would pay about 15 bucks for in the US liquor
stores). Secondly, I wish there was a way for Braco to 'know' you are a
frequent return guest. When they greet you they should not ask 'is this your
first visit?' when you've been there 10 times. And maybe a room upgrade if they
have them available even though sometimes we go the ROH way. This time we were
put in a dark, non-balcony, narrow garden room. We didn't even know they had
rooms so small and dank. A quick call to the desk fixed it, but it would have
been nice if they already knew we were the 'twice every year' frequent visitors
so you didn't have to beg. Small problems but I thought you might like to know.
Regarding your site, I love the instant quote and your agents if we have to
call or schedule anything. Always helpful. Keep up the good work |
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| December 2007 - B&C |
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This was our 6th year @ grand lido and it
may be our last. The service @ all the restaurants was poor especially the
Italian It appears they were short staff this year.
We go every year
and meet the same group of friends from all over the world. Really look forward
to it. If it were not for the great staff @ the pool bar. (Especially Wayne and
Meryl) we would not have enjoyed the trip. Also the loud music @on the nude
side was a pain to all. Had to ask them to turn it down more than once, just
want to relax with some good conversation and doze off after lunch. I am sure
you know what I mean.
Oh one more very important thing. The small
fleas were a pain. My wife and others were bitten (looks like mosquito bites)
Why / because they were not spraying. Had to ask the head of maintenance. His
reply was the “fogger has been broken for some time” after many many
protest, guess what? They started fogging that night.
Resort staff
needs some work. All in all, it was a disappointment especially for the amount
of money we all spend for this vacation. |
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| November 2007 - Teri Thomas |
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I had my first trip to Grand Lido Braco
from 11/21-11/26, 2007 . I traveled with friends in the Castaways' Bob &
Darla group. It was obvious my first day why my friends return year after year.
It was also my first AN experience. The staff at Braco was the best I have
seen. I was introduced to the AN side staff once and they called me by name
from then on. I told them what I was drinking once and my cup was never empty.
Castaways' Bob & Darla group was great fun and extremely friendly.
I was actually viewing my calendar for when to go next year when I received
this email. Aside from weather delays on my return home, my trip was top notch
and I plan to stay longer next year. Thanks to Jennifer at Castaways for
answering numerous questions prior to my trip and to the entire staff at Grand
Lido Braco. This was an amazing trip and I did not want to return home and
leave all my new friends sitting at the pool! |
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| Fall 07 - CS |
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We have been going to Grand Lido Braco
through Castaways for several years now, and have been mostly satisfied, but
this last rip was marred by the fact that we did not get our requested room on
the ground floor of b Block, and even though Jennifer requested this for us the
staff denied all knowledge of the receipt of same.
But, really the
place is going downhill in quite a few ways anyhow, eg: yellowing limp table
napkins, ridiculously small portions in the Italian restaurant, bad food at
dinnertime in Victoria Market and the ever ever constant screeching of the
maids outside our door,every afternoon. and the Chilean wine (Undurraga) which
RETAILS here where we live in Nassau for $7.00 per bottle is very very poor,
both red and white. Once ago there was a Valpolicella available at the Italian
restaurant, which was acceptable, but this now seems to have been discontinued.
Also the room service pizza which last year was delicious in now inedible.
Also, while most of the entertainment staff seem to be O.K it would be
nice I think if the persons in charge of asking the trivial pursuit questions
at the pool had better reading skills.
So there you are - you asked
for it!!!! |
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| Oct 07 - LoveToTan |
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In Sept/Oct 2007 we made our third trip to
Grand Lido Braco Jamaica.
We were there again during their Best of
Jamaica week. Additional shows, displays, events and booths were made available
during this time.
This was our first time with the new master bathroom
in the A/N suites. Very nice updates of the bathrooms.
Also our first
time since the solar water heating assist and so there was always hot water no
matter when you showered.
We took advantage of our repeater night and
booked 8 while paying for 7 nights.
We also took 2 couples with us who
were new to GLB and therefore they counted toward our referral credits. I
confirmed at checkout that we were given credit for 2 referrals and they
assured me that I would be getting an additional free night letter. Although it
now is a week later and to date I haven't received anything.
We only
tried the PJ party in the disco this year and were disappointed. Low to no
attendance, which the DJ played rap music to which only 3 of the girl staff
danced to. |
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| July 07 - FDS |
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Grand Lido certainly lived up to the
expectations that were promised.
My wife and I are not regular "nude"
travelers, although we have enjoyed St. Martin beaches and many topless beaches
in the carribean. We were very very comfortable in this great resort and never
at any time felt anyone "encroaching" upon our level of comfort. Sex on the
beach is a drink at Grand Lido Braco, not an activity(lol). Whatever sexual
activity we witnessed was somewhat discreet. The age of most at the resort on
the nude side was over 40. I think that had a lot to do with the focus
remaining on nudism as opposed to sex; sometimes found at other resorts.
The accommodations were above average for sure; probably on the verge
of outstanding. The staff, with a couple of exceptions we chose to ignore, were
friendly and accommodating. The only slight disappointment came from the hotels
lack of attention to a few details. The in-room fridge was not re-stocked
regularly. The hot tub temperature was not watched and kept at reasonable
levels, and if one bar did not have something there was no effort on their part
to get it for you. I'd give them a c+ on their training program for waitstaff.
I'd give the waitstaff itself an A, since they were genuine in their efforts to
be friendly. Of course there were a couple of exceptions that one must just
overlook.
Most of the food was very good, not necessarily excellent,
but very good. The nude side pool bar served grilled lamb chops daily, which
were out of this world. The French restaurant is worth putting a jacket on to
enjoy and the Japanese restaurant I would rate as average. If you are looking
for seasoned foods, don't bother with their main-stay restaurant; Victoria's
Market. The Jerk chicken was especially good and a great afternoon snack if you
get hungry. And we did use the 24 hour room service at 2am and were served
quickly.
The 9 hole par 3 golf course was perfect for an early
morning, quick and easy "golf fix". The in-house pro was on hand to give
lessons and there was a visiting pro available to help work on your game. While
not in perfect condition, I give the little golf course an A+, especially with
the helpfulness of two pro's.
Overall, Grand Lido Braco was a great
place to relax, be pampered, and leisurely entertain yourself. We seldom return
to the same place when traveling. We're already trying to figure out how and
when we will spend a few more days at Grand Lido Braco. We were on a short trip
this time, only four nights. It was perfect. We didn't have the time to get
acclimated to the island and didn't need to. Grand Lido Braco pretty much had
all we needed for a long weekend. We never left the resort.
Lastly, we
must thank Tammy with Castaways Travel for making this possible. This was our
first trip booked with Castaways and everything was done perfectly. Tammy was
great in answering our pre-trip questions and getting our restaurant
reservations made before we left. Thank you Castaways Travel and
Tammy.
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| Sept 2006 - Brian |
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Overall we had a great time and would
reccomend Grand Lido to all. However, upon arrival we were disappointed with
the room, we had been to Hedo 3 on 2 previous trips and had higher expectations
of the Grand Lido room. In our opinion the rooms at Hedo 3 were nicer. We were
on the textile side as we had 3 other couples joining us over the 10 days (they
had not previously been to an A/N resort). I spoke with the manager Ron D. and
was disappointed to hear that an upgrade would cost us $150/night more, and
that company policy was not to make any exceptions. We opted to stay where we
were. As our vacation progressed, we noticed a heightened sense of service
level that we had not experienced at Hedo. The staff was great and more than
made up for our perceived shortcomings in the room. We are planning a return
again with our friends and plan to book an A/N suite. We have been told that
the A/N accomodations are nicer. |
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| June 2005 - Jeff & Jen |
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WOW. This place was fantastic! When booking
be sure to reserve a room in the nude side, because the ocean view is twice as
beautiful with NO boats parked in the water to obstruct the view; also it was
much less crowded, in the sense of being further from the center of the
resort... added bonus! The nude pool made the whole resort! Especially with all
of the great drinks made by Wayne the bartender, and plenty of volleyball games
beeing organized this was pretty much the only place we bothered to venture to.
Nude Clubhouse cafe? Fantastic! And every day at around noon the kitchen staff
there would offer a buffet right at the nude pool's bar which was MUCH better
than the Victorian Market. The four other restaurants were phenominal, with
Piacere being the best by our opinion, and the Raggae Cafe and Munasan having
such extremely delicious specials each day. The Italian restuarant offered
excellent fare as well with close proximity to the Piano Bar that had very high
quality drink selections.
The discoteque also offered a great selection
of high end liquors, and there was always plenty of time to dance the night
away.
Again, if you are serious about going, DO go to the nude side,
and if you get to stay in on of the rooms, you'll never want to venture out for
more than an hour a day. Also be sure to greet yourself and be friendly with
the staff, but that won't be a problem at all!
To be objective, I will
say that out of a score of 10, Grand Lido Braco gets an 8. Everything was
great, however the weather did lead to a few activities to be missed.
Again, an OUTSTANDING resort, and definitely worth going as many times
as you can! |
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| May 2005 - S & J |
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We had a great time at Hedo III. Wish we
stayed 4 nights instead of 3. Room and service was great. Only down side ! They
cleaned the pool during the day. As a result! no one was allowed in the pool.
GLB was very nice but we wish we were on the nude side. The walk over
was not bad but the prude side appeared to be dead. Service was very slow! It
was hard to get a drink or food delivered. It rained one day so we got a coupon
for a free night on our next trip. Is this ticket good only at GLB or cab we
use it at Hedo III?
Overall we had a great time. Weather was perfect
except for 1 day. Food was very good and we learned some new drinks. We did
meet a group of people and we are now trying to form a group trip. Will let you
know if this happens. Right now it looks like New Years or next
May. |
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| April 2005 - DG |
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I have never vacationed at a clothing
optional all-inclusive resort and was somewhat apprehensive about how I would
feel about it. It turned out to be a wonderful vacation in every aspect and I
would highly recommend Grand Lido Braco to anyone considering this type of
vacation. It turns out that there is nothing that feels better than floating
around a pool or in the ocean, naked!
Castaways Travel was very
professional and helpful to me in answering all of my questions. All legs of
the trip went smoothly and when we arrived at the report, we were treated as
special guests by everyone at the resort. That includes all the activities
people, wait staff, housekeeping, etc. I couldn't believe how many people
remembered our names! The resort is so beautiful, the food was all delicious,
especially the French restaurant and the nachos at the 24-hr. clubhouse!
We took advantage of the many exercise options, including power walks,
yoga, pilates, and water aerobi! cs. My husband also enjoyed the water
volleypool in the nude pool. The nude pool is beautiful and we loved the foam
mats that we could float around on for hours in the pool and in the ocean.
There was plenty of shaded areas on the beach and by the pool too, when you had
gotten enough sun. The couples massage on the beach under the trees and the
body polish and pedicure I had were excellent! We took advantage of the
snorkelling a couple of times that left in the boat from the resort twice a day
and had a great time zipping along in the boat and then spending time at the
reef.
I think I ate my weight in fresh pineapple and papaya over the 9
day period and loved all the other fresh fruit as well every day! Our room
looked out over the ocean and I loved sitting on our little patio with a book
and a cool drink while listening to the sound of the surf. We will definitely
go back to this resort again and again! Everything was awesome! |
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| November - December, 2000 - Pam |
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This resort is the BEST! We've been going
to Couples for 7 yrs and this is now our new home. Nude side is
spectacular...weather was bad 3 days, gave us credit for them! Food was good,
fellow visitors...the best...staff is outstanding....we will return again and
again and again... |
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| November, 2000 - Rob & Lori-Anne |
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We just came back from 10 fabulous days at
the Grand Lido Braco SuperClub resort and it was fabulous. We arrived on a
Friday afternoon and after the bus trip from Montego Bay Airport to the resort
we were ready to get naked. The bus trip was interesting and the driver stopped
half way to allow us to get some “Red Stripe” beer (Jamaica’s
National Beer) at a local roadside establishment. Actually we think he stopped
to partake in Jamaica’s “other” National product but can’t
be sure. The sun was getting ready to set at about the time we arrived, so we
checked in and got to our room fast and got comfortable. The Au Natural side
unfortunately emptied out quickly due to the fabulous Street Party being put on
in the common (read clothed) area of the resort. We were disappointed by the
fact that we had to put clothes back on to partake, but it was worth it. All
the bar-b-que’d lobster you could eat and lots more.
This resort
has one of the largest au natural areas of any of the Super Clubs – in
fact, the nude side is bigger and nicer than the prude side. Even the beach
area seemed nicer. EATING: There is a small bar/eating area on the nude side,
but all the good stuff requires clothing of some sort. If Japanese or French
dining is your thing, remember to bring pants (for the guys) and some shoes or
they wont let you in. We can’t comment on either of these two facilities
first hand as I (Rob) had no suitable pants or shoes (I wanted to be nude the
whole time). We heard the French restaurant was first rate and the Japanese was
so-so. Food in Victorias Market was well prepared and varied. We tried the
breakfast buffet (once) and lunch (once) and they were good as well. The best,
tho, is the small Italian Pasta place – we ate there a lot. Great
Pasta!! |
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| September 2000 - Gary and Synda |
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What a great vacation! From the time we got
off the plane to when we got on the plane in Montego Bay we had a wonderful
time. Superclubs is doing a great job of managing the administrative part. Once
we got to Braco we felt we never wanted to leave. When we checked in they
mistakenly gave us a room on the "wrong" side. I called and said we were
supposed to be "au natural" and they immediately corrected the error and
upgraded our room. This place is quiet and very tranquil. If you are looking
for a party place, this is not it. But for us, it was perfect. We found the
staff attentive and the services above average. But, we still don't understand
why they shut down and clean the pool at 6:00 at night. We will be back next
year. |
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| September 99 - Jim |
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My wife and I made our first trip to
Jamaica this September and I’m happy we chose Grand Lido Braco for our
initiation visit. The facilities were beautiful and the food and drinks were
plentiful and the service was excellent. We had originally reserved an ocean
view room on the clothing side of the resort but upon arrival I asked for an
upgrade to the “al natural” side and to my surprise we were upgraded
to an ocean view junior suite on the “al natural’” side.
We were a little uncomfortable at first but quickly got over it once we
started to enjoy our beautiful surroundings. The wind, sand, water, and sun
were wonderful. We only had two afternoons that brought rain. We both came home
with all over tans. I can’t say enough about the staff and facilities,
everything was excellent. However I did have a couple of experiences that were
initiated by other guest that I wished hadn’t happened. I won’t go
into detail but the guest staying in the “al natural” section should
realize that this is a clothing optional facility and guest from the other
section can use the “al natural” facilities if they choose, clothed
or otherwise.
PS The flowers from Castaway Travels were beautiful. My
wife wanted so badly to bring them home. The champagne was excellent also.
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| July, 1999 - Bob & Sheila |
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Once again we are happy to write our report
on what we believe to be the most spectacular resort in Jamaica. We spent our
vacation during the July 4th week and were glad to see that many guests
returned from the previous year that we had met. This year two couples from
Texas that we are friends with decided to join us at Braco. One was a repeat
guest and the other one was new to the whole Jamaican scene. Once again we
enjoyed ourselves at the resort by participating in the activities such as body
painting, water volleyball, trivia, snorkeling, hot tubbing, pj party, and rock
and roll contest. One of our Texas couples had their wedding vows renewed and
the affair was just beautiful. Bob and I are planning to have our wedding vows
renewed next year when we again return to the resort. This time we plan on
taking a longer vacation. Hope to see y'all there. |
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| July, 1999 - Dana & Tracy |
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We booked our second trip to Jamaica and
first to Grand Lido Braco via Castaways Travel and were more than pleased with
all the info and courtesy, so we hope to return some by filing this report. We
just returned and do not have all our pictures yet but will have some
forthcoming. Since our first trip was to Hedo II in Aug. of 97, we wanted
something more plush but would still retain some of the fun via al natural.
Grand Lido Braco seemed to be the logical choice. To make it easy, we'll just
list the things we liked and a few things we were dissappointed in.
Things we liked:
•The rooms. We booked for a Garden View
room on the prude side of the resort but Castaways sent us an upgrade and we
were moved to oceanview upon check-in. It even seemed they upgrade us to the al
natural side since the resort was not full but we liked our room and it's
proximity to the town sqare. (building #2).
•James and Champaign's
little surprise for us in our room. I won't tell here but I must say that
others at the resort were envious of our travel agents.
•The Food.
Delicious food, almost anytime, anywhere. The water was pure and never made us
ill once.
•The ambiance of the resort. Most beautiful resort we
saw in Jamaica.
•Size of the nude pool and beach. Huge area to
relax or have fun.
•The politeness of the staff and rest of the
Jamaican people. Road and trip to resort. Not nearly as bad as Hedo II.
•The Street Party! It was a blast. This was our second night at the resort
and we had made some good friends to eat and dance with. This event was the
highlight of the week.
•The three Jamaicans in green pants and
straw hats that sing at the nude pool. They were great and the party really
kicked |
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| May, June, 99 - Wendy & Paul |
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Wow, where to start. Thanks for a great
trip. Everything from Jennifer booking a very complicated itinerary to
ChampagnE coordinating the flowers for the renewal of our wedding vows was
handled with great professionalism. This was our first trip with Castaways
Travel. It most certainly will not be our last!
We had been to Grand
Lido Negril two years ago and the experience was outstanding so we were a
little reluctant to go anywhere else. We are glad we did. Grand Lido Bronco was
equally as nice and unique. As soon as you arrive you, know you are in for
something special. You cannot help but think you are on Main St. in a small
Caribbean town. It has a Disney quality to it. Once again, we were greeted with
cocktails and a smile in the tradition that Grand Lido is known for. From that
point on our every wish was granted (although you have to get use to the
Jamaican sense of urgency or lack there of). We were escorted to youR well
appointed room on the "Au Natural" side of the resort. The nude pool was at our
front door and the nude beach with its spectacular views (both human and
scenic) was out our back porch. (See photos). Unlike Negril, the pool was
gigantic and never crowded. The beach was very private and well groomed. Plenty
of chairs and cabanas.
We especially enjoyed the "Main St." theme. This
served a number of functions. It acts as a gathering focal point, a buffer
between the "au natural" and the "textile" side of the resort and it isolates
most of the evening activities away form the lodging, creating a very quite and
relaxed atmosphere so you can enjoy the comforts of you room or the romance of
the moon on the beach if you choose not to partake in the evenings
entertainment at the main stage.
The staff was not as well trained as
their counterparts as Negril. At times, some of the staff seemed annoyed to be
there and uncomfortable to be working on the nude side of the resort. This
experience was rare and most of the staff was very attentive. After talking to
Jim and Champagne, we learned that the current management team had only been in
place for two years and since the resort manager formerly managed Grand Lido
Negril, we know in time the service will meet or beat Negril. We suggest that
you bring a couple of beach towels since hotel provided towels become scarce at
night. The swim up bar was very nice at both the pools but not manned very well
at the nude pool. We were told the normal bartender, Denton, was ill. It seemed
odd to have a swim up bar with a full time bartender since almost everyone was
in the pool and not at the land bar.
The atmosphere and Castaways more
than made up for any staff shortcomings. If you are looking for a relaxing,
pampered vacation, we would highly recommend Grand Lido Braco. It is not a
non-stop party like Hedonism II but if you put your clothes on (why?) and
venture out to Main St. at night, you will find a good age mix and something to
do. Say hello to Fruity the dive instructor and take the resort dive course.
The underwater scenery is almost as spectacular as that on the beach! Thanks to
all the crew at Castaways for a great time! Special thanks to Jim and Champagne
for all their help making this trip memorable. We are looking forward to our
next adventure with Castaways. |
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| July, 1998 - Bob &
Sheila |
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My husband, Bob and I , consider Grand Lido
Braco as paradise. Our visit to the resort in July 1998 was our second time
there. Each time it gets better. This time we stayed in the au natural section
and the accomodations were excellent.
With the opening of even more
restaurants than the previous year, you have quite a choice on where to eat.
The quality of food was unbelievable. We still can't get over the size of the
pool on the nude side or even the size of the hot tub. Bob does snorkeling and
was able to see a nice variety of fish right off of the beach. The activities
that were held on that side, like nude volleyball, mixology class and trivia
were a great way to meet other people. We are again planning to return for the
summer of 1999. It seems we just can't get enough of this place.
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