Let’s start at the beginning. We were at GLN last year and loved it. So choosing Super Clubs, and Grand Lido was a no brainer. Almost every trip report we read arrived at the same conclusion. If you liked Negril, you would love Braco. I’m not going to bore everyone with our flight details other than to say that our travel day started at 2 AM. Our flight arrived on time, and within 20 minutes of arriving at the Super Clubs desk we were on our way. There were only two other people on our bus with us, so we were able to stretch out and enjoy the ride. (about one hour). Carol chose to ride shotgun, and described the experience as the next best thing to being on a tilt-o-whirl!!
Check in was a breeze, (less than 15 minutes), and included a cool wash cloth and choice of beverage. (champagne of course). We had reserved an ocean front jr. suite on the a/n side. Thanks to the helpful tips on the other trips reports and message boards, we faxed ahead and requested a room on the third floor, (best view) and a king sized bed. Apparently this is an upgrade. We were granted both….no problem mon. Being the seasoned Grand Lido travelers that we now are, I immediately went over to the concierge and made reservations for the French and Japanese restaurants. We were able to get into Piacere that night,at 6:30 which was great because we knew we would be crashing early. (refer to above start time) We were then escorted to our room, champagne in hand , to start our week in heaven.
We were walking by the a/n pool, feeling like a couple of pale faces, when we saw Rick and Nancy, a couple we met in Negril last year. We didn’t know they were going to be at Braco. We were beginnig to feel at home already, and we hadn’t even been there an hour.
Within 15 minutes of being in the room, someone knocked on the door. I said to Carol,”Must be the champagne”. It was, along with a nice plate of cheese and fruit. What a life!!! We finished unpacking, stripped down, and headed down to the pool to start working on our all over tans.
A little about the room…..While not quite as elegant as GLN, it was a far cry from Motel 8. The room was far too big for our needs. As you entered, the first area was the suite area. This included a TV armoire with drawers underneath, a sofa and chairs, a small sink , stove, and mini refrigerator,(well stocked with Pepsi, Ting, bottled water, Red Stripe, MGD, and Miller lite). This area also had it’s own a/c unit, ceiling fan. and phone There was a small hallway and door separating this area from the bedroom. The suite contained 11/2 baths which were spotless, two closets, and a writing desk. The bedroom also had its own tv, a/c unit, ceiling fan, and phone. The next step was onto the balcony (much larger than GLN) with two Adirondack chairs, and a breath taking view. The only negative about the room was the shower. The water pressure was fine, but the temp would fluctuate when someone else in the block flushed….just like at home!!! We were able to leave the balcony doors open every night…NO BUGS.. A gentle breeze and the sound of ocean waves lulled us to sleep…..Heaven.
I am not going to list a breakdown of day to day activities. The only one we missed was the Thurs night PJ party. (again refer to 2 AM start time), but we heard it was a blast. The Friday night block party is a class act, tons of food , and plenty of dancing. Tues night is toga night…..gotta have one to get into the disco….I’m not sure which was more fun, the party itself , or the toga tying demo by the a/n pool in the afternoon. Wed. night is the beach party. Dinner is served on the beach . followed by a cabaret show and bonfire. Don’t miss the crab races, held before dinner twice a week .( the Jamaican crab was disqualified for using dope) lol. Be sure not to miss the daily scheduled activities, (posted on the chalk board near the pool bar) Fuzzy duck and mixology were our favorites. On a serious note, Carl gave a great class on Jamaican history. These people love their country and are proud of it. They want us to know that Jamaica is more than just a tourist spot.
Last year at GLN they had a boom box at the pool bar. After two days of nothing but hip-hop and rap music, I decided to bring out a couple of mix tapes of my own. I’m a stereo nut, (drives my wife crazy). I’ve never met a CD I didn’t like. I love to make mix tapes to listen to on the plane or while laying on the beach. My tastes run from Jimmy Buffett to ZZ Top along with some Sinatra for good measure. This year I got the bright idea of making some CDs to bring and leave at the resort. I titled them Braco 1-5 Hot Tub Tunes, and just for good measure I dubbed the CDs onto tape, (just in case the boom box didn’t have a CD player) I figured I had all the bases covered. When we got down to the pool bar on the first day, (I’m scoping the place out) low and behold…..NO BOOMBOX…..The next morning I went to the concierge desk, explained how I had made the CDs….yada,yada,yada, and within 5 minutes was hooked-up with the entertainment director who produced one of the biggest boomboxes I had ever seen……YESSSS!!!! Got back to the pool bar, plugged the sucker in and loaded up two CDs…..NOTHING….Patting myself on the back, ( for being smart enough to make tapes too) I loaded those in…..BINGO….. But only the left speaker worked. This is a million dollar resort….gimme a break!!!! Carl one of the social directors sauntered by and wanted to know what was going on, so I explained the whole CD creation thing and my intentions of leaving the music when I left etc. etc. 20 minutes later, my CD’s were being heard over the PA system….Nirvana. Later that afternoon, Carl wandered over to perform his enviable job of chief spritzer, ( he comes around pool side and spritzs everyone with rose water so you don’t burn to a crisp) He said the entertainment director wanted to see me later. UH OHH I’m thinking to myself, maybe she’s not a Sinatra fan. I walked out of her office with t shirts, hats, insulated mugs…..Guess she IS a Sinatra fan!!! Soo anyway…..If you go there….ask Carl to play the Hot Tub Tunes just to see what his reaction is. He will probably wonder how you found out. (Our secret!)
Do not miss an opportunity to have a massage on the beach. Costs extra but worth every dime!!! And guys go for the manicure and pedicure. It’s free and nobody knows you there. (you don’t have to tell your friends back home)
A little about the restaurants……The French restaurant is as good as you will find anywhere. The wine list is not bad, and the service is flawless. The Japanese restaurant is fun. Make sure you’re hungry…the portions are huge. La Pasta, the Italian restaurant, while not little Italy, was very good. Great desserts there. Nannys Jerk Pit was a great stop for lunch or a quick bite. Then stop by La Pasta for some ice cream to put out the flames!!!!! The room service selection was very good. Nachos, potato skins, lamb chops, and club sandwiches. I’m not a big fan of lamb, but after hearing all the raves on other trip reports, I figured I had better give them a try…..besides, the price was right….I did, and they weren’t wrong!! The pool bar also has a grill and at lunch time they will cook up burgers or chicken, or chops along with French fries…..so nice not having to dress to eat. Just be careful not to dribble any BBQ sauce you know where…
For me, there is nothing like a nice cold beer on a hot afternoon. I also know that at most pool bars your lucky if the beer is wet….cold is expecting too much. Last year in Negril, your only choices were Red Stripe or Red Stripe. I like Red Stripe and some times I will pick up a six pack when I want to be reminded of my trip. But I was especially pleased to find that Braco also had Miller Genuine Draft and Miller Lite. ICE (and I do mean ice) COLD. Who could ask for more?
A little about the facilities….. The a/n side has the textile side beat. The pool is bigger and prettier. There is a lot more room for chairs, and several hammocks located around the area. The a/n hot tub is bigger than the c/o pool in Negril!! The temperature in the hot tub seemed to be pretty consistent, though one couple said one morning you could have poached eggs in it. The tub is soo big that one night a bunch of us ordered a bunch of food and drinks from the a/n clubhouse (24 hr room service). When the food arrived, we loaded it all on a couple of rubber pool rafts and floated them around the tub.
The atmosphere…….Everyone who has been to GLN says it’s quiet. I guess it depends on the week you are there.. Braco, I heard, was livelier. And in some ways it was. There was nothing wild going on, but people tended to participate more. The disco and the piano bar were both well attended. People are friendlier on the a/n side. We have noticed this at both resorts. If you wanted to be left alone, you were. If you wanted to mingle and join in the conversation groups or pool activities, you were always made to feel welcome. There were no cliques. The staff did a good job getting things started…pool volleyball etc. It seemed there was always enough interest to get a game going..
The staff……I can’t say enough about them. Carl, Renard, Ashley, Tamika…..they are the best. It is obvious that they enjoy their jobs, and they go out of their way to ensure that you enjoy your stay. Chester and Glenroy, the pool bartenders, got the drinks fast and right. Ask Glenroy to make you an IHO. He will probably fall on the floor laughing!! Cynthia, the fruit lady, is an absolute treasure, and we always looked forward to her poolside strolls to see what kind of exotic nibbles she would have this time. The chamber maids, bellhops and room service people were all top notch. The wait staff in all the restaurants was excellent and did their jobs well, plates cleared promptly, glasses refilled etc. The entertainment, while not Vegas caliber, was professional and fun.
In closing……We are already talking about going back next year. Which do we like better,GLN or Braco? I guess it depends….GLN has the yacht, and it is less windy. Braco has a much better pool and hot tub. And on the a/n side you can go a/n anywhere on that side . At GLN if you are on the second floor, ya gotta put something on to get down to the beach or pool. Decisions , decisions, decisions…..
We want to thank everyone who provided
travel board info. It helped make
our trip more enjoyable. Martha
and Bob at the Yahoo Club, Sharpfy,
Debbie H, Denny P’s web site….a wealth of information.
We could only hope to meet some of you someday.
Next year soon come …mon!!!!