Trip report on Grand LidoBraco
Our flight on Air Jamaica was very good as it has been in the past. Five hours non-stop from LAX to Montego Bay is a beautiful thing and the first class price is right. Service is quite good. Don't get me wrong, this isn't Lufthansa, but the price isn't either. Montego Bay airport sucks! Why is it that the best trips can be ruined by silly stupid impressions at airports. The airport connection to the resort is wrought with yoyos from Super Clubs who think we are all the stupid Americans, and said as much in the native dialect. What a horrible way to start a trip with some ignoramus in charge of my connection to the resort. It never ceases to amaze me how many hands are out on an all-inclusive trip. We were spoiled when we went to Negril in November when we took Air Negril to the resort. That was a nice 15 minute flight and a 5 minute cab ride. We didn't have the option this time, so we had to endure the life threatening drive with a Parnelli Jones wanna-be. Off to a great start! We arrive at the resort and it is quite large. You enter past their 9 hole golf course. Now, this isn't Palm Springs, but it's more golf course than having a net and a putting green. Just keep your expectations low, leave the clubs home and remember you didn't plan this trip around golf. There is quite the unique little village at the center of the property. It houses several little shops and restaurants. A nice change of pace from the normal layout of Jamaican resorts. One night during the week they set up tables along the streets of the village and serve dinner with an accompanying dance party after. Definitely one of the highlights of the week. There is a nice long beach, actually there are two nice long beaches. One for au-natural and one for the rest. There is quite the distinction between the two sides and it is maintained by the staff. This eliminates the gawkers. The nude side of the resort is quite amazing. It is huge compared with Grand Lido Negril. You could put four of Negril's pools in this one, likewise for the beach. Enough room to be by yourselves should you so desire, (great for first time nude sunbathing.) On this trip it was almost too much room. One almost had to work at trying to meet others. That is why God invented Jacuzzis. Our room was an au-natural beachfront suite. Quite large, well appointed, excellent view and close to the pool and the beach. This place is EMPTY! It's three days into the trip and we aren't meeting people. We are all spread out. I keep drawing comparisons to Club Med because we've been to so many. As most of you know, at Club Med, virtually all dining is family style, communal, everybody eats together at large tables. You're meeting new people all the time. We love it! All the Jamaican resorts are different in that you dine with who you brought. No "forced" interaction. Obviously, most people probably prefer that. Different strokes for different folks. The restaurants have not been as good as I had hoped so far. There is no evening buffet. At home, we wouldn't dream of going to a buffet, but on these trips we like them because you can eat very healthily as compared to all the saucy, fatty foods that are the norm in the "ala carte" resort restaurants. The service has been horrendous in some of the restaurants. What is a smile? It seems like some of those working act like they are prisoners or worse, slaves. What a contrast from Beaches Negril, where we were last November. Everybody there couldn't have been friendlier. They really liked helping you and looked like they appreciate the fact that because of you, they have jobs. Isn't that how it's supposed to be. I'm finding way too much bad attitude here. It seems like several employees don't want to work and those working act like they hate it. This has to be handled by management. Gather all the employees and make the pronouncement that all employees that know how to smile and want jobs, please report to your station, ALL OTHERS LEAVE! I know. I've done it in my business. There is no excuse for it. There are so many choices to spend my vacation dollar, why would I want to spend my time at a resort that employs people that don't want to work, don't want to smile and worse, make me feel uncomfortable by speaking about the patrons in a seemingly mocking fashion. The thought shouldn't even enter the mind of a guest. It's a shame because this is quite a nice facility. Management needs to step up to the plate. Sports is always a bit of a disappointment in Jamaica. Nobody does them! My wife and I went scuba diving. There was one other person on the boat. Another day we were by ourselves. I went to the tennis class and was the only participant. I've been the only guy to go out on a windsurfer. I haven't seen one other jogger. Contrast that to Club Med. Scuba is so popular at some of the clubs that they send out two huge boats. Tennis will be attended by a crowd. You see windsurfers on the water all day. Joggers nearly step on each other. I know this isn't the resorts fault, but I wonder why. What is the resorts fault, is not having proper equipment or attention to schedule. The sailboard selection involved 2 boards, both of which were on the extremes and not even close to appropriate for these conditions. One decent sail, but again the wrong size. My wife loves aerobics and looks forward to the classes. We checked the schedule and 4:30pm was the day's class. At 4:40pm still no instructor, and the girl at the desk in the gym interrupted her conversation with another employee to tell me she didn't know if there was going to be a class. What exactly was her job? So I go to the office and ask to speak with the sports director or somebody to help us figure out what the "real" schedule is. Out of the back comes the aerobics instructor. She informs me that the schedule is subject to change. I guess the conversation with the other employee she had going was more pressing than a scheduled class. So she follows me back to the gym and proceeds to do an abbreviated class with several participants. Thank you. Are these the sort of things one should have to deal with on a rather expensive vacation? I don't think so. It would be different if I hadn't seen it done right so many times before. Two days later the same "instructor" shows up 20 minutes late. What's up with that?
After a few sessions in the nighttime Jacuzzi, we met several other folks who had been at both Grand Lido Negril and Braco and garnered opinions of which they preferred. Negril seemed to get the nod, but many felt that this resort had great potential and needed time to grow into what could become lofty status in the realm of Jamaican resorts. The service needs to improve. More folks in the au-natural section would liven up the atmosphere. The fact that it is on the north shore, (the windward side of the island,) means the ocean is much rougher and almost impossible for mere mortals to participate in water sports. The breeze does help to keep things cooler, but more difficult to read those beachchair magazines.
I know this seems quite nit-picky, but this resort has so much potential and Grand Lido Negril has set such a high standard, (that is obviously obtainable.)
Our return to the Montego Bay Airport was once again horrible as it has been on the last four trips. Horrible lines, (fortunately we were in First Class and only had to wait one hour and twenty minutes, the poor souls in Coach were in lines like you haven't seen!) People were getting bumped left and right. Tempers were flaring and things were getting ugly. Life changed dramatically when we got to the Air Jamaica First Class lounge. They moved and improved it. Quite nice! They boarded the crowd in Coach and then called the lounge for us to come when we could just glide on. Nice touch.
This report contains a lot of negative comments, but all in all, we had quite a nice trip. Certainly glad we visited, but will need to hear of some much needed changes before we return, but am looking forward to returning to Grand Lido Negril.
Thanks for your time, Patrick
Thank you Patrick, for your time. - Denny