Phil & Jen - 12/06

We have just arrived to our home in Northern Ontario, Canada after a fun filled week at DESIRE. Wow good time. I will not bother you with usual stuff, but did enjoy the short ride by bus to the resort from the airport, compared to other resorts. I am going to compare to Hedo alot here, with both winning and losing.

We decided on Desire because of $$$ with Desire winning. All week long we compared things to hedo with the winning ball bouncing back and forth between them. Another PLUS for us was at Desire it is couples only, no single men hitting unwanted on your wife. Also, they do not allow 'Locals' to pay a small price to enter the resort and dance at the Disco and become a part of our expensive vacation that took me a year to save for. Also at Desire you do not have to worry about cameras at the disco, not at all. Something that was rampant at hedo 4 years ago. Music was similar. Desire has fun stripper poles that were well used during our stay. But they should remove the stage they are on and that way expand the smallish dance floor. Move it back a bit to the couch and chair area and light it up! The play room was and is a good idea for most, but not our cup of tea. To each their own.

Service goes hands down to the always smiling and ever present Jamaicans. At hedo I never had to look for someone to fill my coffee cup at breakfast, while enjoying the view of the grounds and ocean, (at desire you look at walls). At dinner I like to pick out my own food and hedo wins there as well with the huge buffet dining room, again in the wide open space overlooking everything while being constantly entertained by going-ons on stage. Desire has beautiful restaurants, one being so posh that when I arrived in my best dinner shirt and dress shorts I was turned away, Sorry Senore we have a DRESS CODE. I was forced to go back to my room and put on my ONLY long pair of trousers/pants, them being a pair of light jean style (in black), I had brought for my trip home. While we waited for our table a rather undressed lady was allowed entry with her whole ass showing and breasts in almost full view. That did not bother me at all, I love to see a woman's body and sluttier the outfit the better! But I guess my white Canadian legs are too shocking for the other patrons eating. Another miss was the couple whom we had dinner with were in a passion suite, costing double the standard room we were in ($640.00 per night USD), which allows then to have reservations for dinners, etc; Upon walking in we had to sit and wait, (gave me time to change into my long pants) and they charged them for a requested bottle of wine. Hedo wins on food and restaurants for me.

Entertainment was lame at Desire around the pool and I was not impressed with the energy level throughout the whole resort. But on that note, we came away more relaxed and rested, I think. We do feel we met a more 'Quality ' of person at Desire, many whom we will have for friends for ever. (At hedo we made some great friends too and still keep in touch with them), but at Desire it seemed to be easier to get to know new friends. Was it the slower pace with less energy???

Staff was plentiful at Desire, but sometimes hard to get served at bars as they were distracted by the nudity around them. I loved their sense of humour and smiling faces. Of note: Miguel...one I would be proud to have as a friend and come visit anytime, thanks for your friendship and keeping my glass full of Amaretto...and Denise, who's smile could start wars and when working had me in constant supply of coffee and food, thankyou Denise keep smiling and you will go far. The picture of us together I will cherish forever.

One big miss for Desire is the pressure and exposure upon checking in to "TIME SHARE PURCHASING". What is that all about. I spend thousands to be there and before I can get my room I have to listen to that bullshit? I don't think so. AND, upon checkout...if I pay in American Dollars, I want American Dollars back, not freaking Pecos to take home to sit in a drawer. I told them to get a manager and some American dollars suddenly appeared.

Something I really missed was Glen tinkling on his piano keys providing some of the best laughs and entertainment I have ever had. It is at a time when we needed something to do, (before disco). Desire did have a small band playing around the lobby bar a few nights. They were very good and we enjoyed them tremendously. They could drop the volume slightly and/or move back a bit or re arrange the tables/couches to accommodate the dancing and make more room for the band. We loved the unexpected entertainment though. They also had a Saxophone player on other nights who was really very good. But lacked the fun of Glen and his big smile when he saw some foreign, "PIE".

Water sports available were non existent, unless you want to snorkel in the ocean turning brown from the swamp draining into it, I suppose you could wrestle a Crockadile in the murky water hiding snakes too. Missed the sailing every morning at hero that took up some time and kept me away from the bars and food. Hero wins on water sports.

Grounds are nice and very young after the hurricanes. Plenty of photo opps. Beach beds are nice, if you can get one. We were never up early enough I guess. Pool area is nice too but do need more umbrellas for skin sensitive people like me. Towels...you had to sign them out???? And if you lost them you had to pay... What the....? Big win for hedo!

That's about all I can think of. I liked them both and still would be undecided if I was travelling tomorrow to either. Money talks and for us the 'couples only' played a big factor. Oh and the fact you could go naked almost anywhere was great...no PRUDE area and no SEX POLICE...you could be naked and boink anywhere, at least that is what I saw..except in the lobby areas and restaurants, of course! Again thanks to all whom we met and now are friends. We will enjoy our memories of you and Desire for a long time.

Phil & Jen - December, 2006