Grand Lido
Braco
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18/01-2/25/01
We have been island hopping for years and have really enjoyed Jamaica and as a result this was our third trip there. Our first year was at Sandals in Negril and a visit to Hedo II. The next year was at Hedo III and this year, for us, the crown jewel GLB. Having been married for 30 years and outgrown our frat party days, Hedo II was not for us, not putting it down at all, just saying, not our style. Heard Hedo III was more mild and less wild and maybe more to our liking. Enjoyed it but not to the point we would return without checking out other properties. Based on what we read on these boards as well as the advice from a couple we met at HIII who recommended GLB, we made our decision.
And as you read the rest of this report you will see why we enjoyed this resort so much.
We submitted 6 rate requests from different agencies as well as our own local travel agent and got 3 immediate responses and 3 not so immediate so we ended up using Jennifer at Castaways Travel and were pleased with them with the exception of Sunburst Holidays which you will read about in a short while.
We were simply looking for a very peaceful and relaxing week with each other and an escape from the mundane and stress filled work world. We were not looking for tours to Dunn’s River falls, horseback riding etc, just a week in which to veg out and enjoy.
Boston Logan airport can be a wonderful place as I frequent it regularly for business but for pleasure I had a different mindset. I was already in the island mode. We were scheduled to depart Boston at 10:00 am and arrive in Jamaica by 2:00. Sounds good so far. We arrived at the airport on Sunday morning with the total absence of the normal crazy Boston traffic and parked in the garage and walked over to the International terminal. We had arrived at 7:30 and grabbed some coffee as the masses started to appear. There was some semblance of a line and the prior tour director from a cruise line said no line until 8:00. Now you can begin to sense the fun huh? At 8:00 the “rush” to get in line was like a blue light special at K mart. Great people watching; and you thought Boston drivers were rude and obnoxious. Not fair to judge the whole crowd by a few including the lady who arrived after everyone else and grabbed a choice spot in line. Well the laughing and chuckling on my part came to a halt when the Sunburst rep came out and said. “We have a problem”. It appears that the flight originating in NH Pan Am 221 had a mechanical and would be delayed. Long story short, Sunburst bussed 16 people down to Logan from NH. They told the NH people that there were mechanical problems
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In Boston and told us there were mechanical problems in NH. Turned out to be, no plane mon! After getting Allegro Airlines for a 4pm flight we stopped touring the airport bars and boarded our much delayed flight which by the way served unlimited tequila and beer. Thank you Sunburst for a complete lack of information at the departure gate, and folks stay tuned for the departure story, it’s even better.
More beer, more tequila and another nap.
MOBAY at 8:20, through immigration, get luggage and to the Super Club desk for a bus ride to GLB. You have all done it I am sure, no big shakes except at night the goats are harder to see and stop for.
And this is where our trip takes a giant step forward and fits into our plans as we anticipated and expected and even then some. Needles to say arriving at 1030pm there were 3 couples on the bus and we were whisked off to our rooms immediately. We had received a quote for a Jr. suite on the au naturel side and when we opened the door were pleasantly surprised with the upgraded one bedroom suite on the first level right across from the au naturel clubhouse and a patio on the beach. Things had certainly changed for the better. I immediately walked to the clubhouse in full northeast apparel, jeans and a shirt and ran into a naked partying crowd playing pool. Got a bottle of red wine, two glasses ordered two cheeseburgers from room service and that was about all for our first night.
The resort is everything that we expected and then some. The pictures on the sites come close but don’t do this resort justice. All our time, other than meals and some touring of the site was spent on the nude side so can’t tell you much about the other side but do know they were crowded.
Breakfast was either a continental breakfast in the clubhouse, room service or Victoria’s market. We ate at Victoria’s each morning. The variety and quality are excellent. Eggs benedict, omelets, bakery items, fruit, cereals, bagels, lox, cheeses mimosas, and the list goes on and on.
Lunch: neither of us is fond of lamb until the lamb chops at the nude grill. I never had any idea lamb tasted so good. Some good choices there as well but don’t look at the chicken Caesar salad as a complete lunch. Nanny’s jerk restaurant in the clothed area provided more than one good lunch for us with the jerk chicken and rice or the jerk pork and rice.
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Dinners: A word to the wise, if you are going to eat in the French or Japanese restaurant, make your reservations the day you get there, as they will fill up fast. We were lucky to get in to both as we waited until Monday afternoon after 5 pm, which meant Tuesday at 9 am. We ate at the Japanese restaurant one night at the main dining area that is comparable to a benihana type menu. The other night we ate at the sushi bar, which seat eight. If you enjoy sushi, you will love this array as well as O’Neill Thompson, your sushi chef. This was Sheila’s first real plunge into the world of sushi and she loved it. I think I may have created a monster, as trips to the sushi bar were my last bastion of my maleness alone.
The French restaurant was outstanding. The service, the ambiance, the food were nothing short of excellent. A most enjoyable last night out for us on Saturday evening. Our only regret, not to have booked there one other night previously, so heed our advice, book immediately upon arrival with the concierge OR even e-mail them a week before.
As I said, since our time was only spent on the one side our comments are on the au naturel side. The pool is extremely good sized and as a result you are not on top of one another as the chairs are spread out generously. Towels were always available with never a need to ask. Mats and chairs were plentiful both at the pool and on the beach. GLB is on the windward side of the island so as usual there were some breezy days that were more protected at the pool. Bar was always accessible and drinks were readily available. Hot tub is huge and accommodating.
The attitude of the entire staff was laid back and attentive. It was exactly what we were looking for on this vacation. No bicycle rides, no horseback riding, just some R&R. We talked to couples that used the spa and they were extremely pleased with their service.
The bottom line is that we have done some island hopping and as well as some resort hopping and this is the first one that we will return for a second time BUT not with Sunburst holidays. We met some great people and had a great time. We will return.
You have to read this as it made us appreciate GLB even more being sandwiched in by two Sunburst disasters. Departed to MOBAY for a now 7pm flight, originally 4pm. Plane was greeted by fire engines. “Small” electrical fire on landing. New plane tomorrow am and depart at 8 am. Everyone back to check in gate, reclaim your bag, and board a bus to Whyndam and this mayhem is another whole story of poor service to the max that I will not bore you with the details. In the Wyndham in mass where chicken fingers and French fries were available as we slid to our room and called room service. Up at 5am, back to the airport, check back in, guess what same plane, yes it had been fi3ed and was safe to fly. Sunburst rep puts Pan Am captain on the spot to answer questions about the fire,
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What a PR disaster. We boarded the plane minus a few couples that would not go on board and threatened legal action. We had had such a wonderful week, even this was small potatoes. Thanks GLB for such a great week to put our minds in the state that simply demonstrated the first class service they provided vs. the less than adequate service provided by Sunburst. Like I said we will return to GLB but never as clients of Sunburst Holidays.