The arrival at Grand Lido
Braco was easy and efficient.. We were promptly greeted and offered Mimosas while the
minimal paperwork was accomplished with dispatch. The arrival at Grand Lido
Braco was easy and efficient.. We were promptly greeted and offered Mimosas while the
minimal paperwork was accomplished with dispatch.
ACCOMMODATIONS
We stayed in Room 3019 in the Au Natural section overlooking the beach. The AN section
is new, fresh and much better than the original section. It is just down a short path from
the main section of the resort. Our room is classified a "suite" though that is
a misnomer. It consisted of a single room with a bath, and a stove/refrigerator unit. Why
anyone staying in an all-inclusive with 24 hour room service and an in room coffee maker
would have a need for a stove is beyond me. However, the refrigerator was nice for late
night and early morning soft drinks or Red Stripe. You see, it was stocked for you!
The view from the room was terrific! However, the air conditioner unit was a model we recognized from our days in Japan. It is a small plastic wall mounted unit wholly unsuited for the tropics. There was a ceiling fan that cooled the room at night, and with the French doors left wide open the temperature was comfortable in January. I imagine that it will be sweltering in August. For this reason, I recommend a second or third floor room so that the balcony doors can be left open all night.
DINING
The restaurants were great, well, three of the four were. You see, we tried to eat at
the Italian/Pasta restaurant, but after waiting 20 minutes for service with only two other
tables occupied, we gave up and went to the "Market" buffet restaurant where the
service is the best and the food surprisingly good and the menu varied. Waitstaff
practically hovered, with glasses of wine and water and coffee kept brimming at all times.
Dirty dishes were whisked away almost before you could finish chewing the last bite!
The French Restaurant, La Piachere, was superb. Music was provided by a wonderful Cuban
Harpist who played the most exquisite Baroque music during dinner. The Waiters were
discrete and professional, though their pronunciation of some of the dishes' names were
imaginative! The food was as good , if not better, than most Stateside French Restaurants.
You will not be disappointed.
Victoria's Market, an open air venue, provided breakfast and lunch buffets with a
pleasing variety of foods, and quick service. Breakfast included eggs/omelets as you like,
bacon, sausage, Caribbean favorites, fruits, breads, pancakes, bagels, cereals, and champagne
. Lunch included a variety of hot and cold meats, salads, vegetables, etc.
Nanny's Jerk Pit served spicy jerk chicken and pork dishes with sides like cole slaw,
salad, corn, and rolls on wrought iron tables under market umbrellas. It located near the
Main Pool behind the Main Bar complex.
Still under construction is the new Japanese restaurant. We were able to go into the area.
It looks like it will be a fun place to eat! The Teppanyaki tables are pretty much
complete but the place is still probably several months away from operation.
The Au Natural pool Bar and Grill: The grill facilities were installed and inaugurated
during our tenure at GL Braco. They served grilled hot dogs, hamburgers, and jerk chicken
with French Fries. It was overseen by one of the resort chefs. The food was really good
and convenient! Please look up Denton! He was the boss bar man at the Au Natural pool bar!
He is the friendliest person we met at GL Braco! Ask him how the fishing is on his day off
(wink, wink)!
AU NATURAL FACILITIES
The Au Natural facilities
can be considered world class by any standard, clothed or otherwise. The pool is huge and
the design includes island planters, bridges, a swim up bar, a pool volley ball arena, and
sloping beach type entry. There is ample seating provided by lounge chairs, and shaded
tables. There are even two styles of pool floats, though some look quite old and left over
from the Braco Village days. The area was sparsely populated our first 2 days there. We
were told that this area was not officially Au Natural yet, but was in a transition phase
and would be clothing prohibited in the near future to discourage the idle curious. The
swim up bar is the venue for afternoon games and hi jinx organized by the staff.
The entrance to the Au Natural beach is located just behind the bar. It was very popular in the morning and late afternoon.
There was still
construction going on in and around the AN areas. The large Jacuzzi was completed and
filled. However, construction continued on the deck and rails around it. The water was
cold and dirty, probably to discourage use in a construction area. Interestingly, more
progress was made during the two rainy days we had than on all of the sunny days combined.
It became obvious that construction workers considered their jobs a "spectator
sport". The small Jacuzzi was operational and heavily used on the two rainy days. The
landscaping around it and the pool is very immature, but you can see the enormous
potential for future lush vegetation.
By the end of our stay, the AN area was heavily populated, more so than the main pool.
In fact, the sign from the other side announcing the entrance of the old Nude Beach was
"removed" by some of the guests and re installed at the new AN Beach entrance!
The tennis court looks completely finished to me, but no one used it while we were
there. Currently it is on a major "commute route" for the Jamaican construction
workers that may discourage its use.
CONCLUSION
As It stands now, Grand Lido Braco is a great vacation package, especially for those who enjoy a clothing optional vacation and who can afford luxury digs. For those of us who are not interested in grocery shopping and cooking on vacation, or finding ourselves paying for "rustic" accommodations and trudging down a road, or following a set of cryptic directions to the clothing optional beach, this is the place. Six months from now, GL Braco will be fantastic! It will be unbeatable in the world for an Au Natural holiday in the Caribbean.
Thanks to "sawbone2" for the above report.