Tim and Kay 10/99
Trip report Hedonism III/Hedonism II (10/16-10/22)
This was our first trip to the Hedonism resorts. Due to a multitude of circumstances we opted to transfer from Hedo III to Hedo II after 48 hours. We have traveled to Grand Lido, Negril, during a tropical depression three years ago and had very little sun and lots of rain and doubted we would ever return at that time. We have traveled to many Club Meds, as well as all inclusives in Mexico (5). We have spent our last six years sailing Moorings yachts in the Caribbean and the South Pacific cruising for a total of three months.
We agree with the experience of others in terms of travel to and from the resort, however, when we arrived at Hedo III at 9 in the morning the staff was kind enough to allow us to check into our rooms early. They were no where near full occupancy. When we returned at 2 PM for our orientation there was none. We did not get champagne or an activity coordinator.
Hedo III, in general, the grounds and facilities were spectacular. Our room was one of the nicest we have ever stayed in. It was oceanfront overlooking the nude pool, second story. (We were disappointed in the presence of security people posted outside our windows day and night) The crashing of the waves on the coral gave a continuous reminder of our beautiful surroundings. The staff could not have been more anxious to help at every level. The food was excellent and the dining room/entertainment area had a very expensive and well-lit ambiance. The other guests were definitely up scale but at any given time during our two day stay over the Jamaican holiday (Heroes Day) the Jamaican tourists far outnumbered the 50 or so couples staying there. The TV’s, in our opinion, were too tempting to many of the guests and kept them from being active, especially in the evenings. The nude hot tub had only 4 people in it at 1:00 am while 6-7 of the rooms in the adjacent building had TV’s on. The entertainment there was excellent but the activity level was seen in the coordinators and the employees while the guests were primarily spectators at all events. On masquerade night the guests were being turned away from the disco because they were not dressed in costume and the disco stayed empty all night.
Hedo II, in general, the grounds were beautiful but the physical structure was below average in need of refurbishment. Our room was on the prude side as the nude side was full. This was peaceful and quiet. Our air conditioner didn’t work well. There was no TV (thank goodness) The amenities were quite comparable. The shower water pressure was definitely better at Hedo II. The staff was friendly and typical of what we have experienced at other resorts. The food was average. The energy of the coordinators particularly "Sizzler" was unique and unparalleled in any place we have ever visited. The energy of Hedo II while stimulated by the coordinators for the most part was sustained day and night at high pitch by the guests. All ages and types of guests were present and there was most definitely "everything for everybody"!!! The nude pool and disco were always active.
Specific comparisons.
Water. Hedo III is more exposed to wind and waves than Hedo II. Guests spent hours in the water at Hedo II and we rarely saw anyone in the water at Hedo III. Apparently the water sports at Hedo III required more supervision because of the rougher water. Taking a hobie cat out for a sail was allowed only with a captain to pilot the 16-foot boat. This was never the case at Hedo II. Swimming and floating on rafts was limited to the beautiful and artistic pools at Hedo III.
Beaches. No comparison. Hedo II has great sand and shade at water’s edge and the water is totally smooth and there are two swimming docks. Hedo III has a coral shoreline with a small nude beach, which has been blasted out of coral with hard concrete like bottom. The beaches were not used at all at Hedo III when we were there.
Clothing. Hedo III is clothing optional over the whole resort after midnight according to the staff. Again, the only nudity we saw was limited to the nude pool area.
Summary. We were very pleased to have been able to visit both resorts and never had any inclination to take advantage of the Hedo III offer of free days next October because the resort was not up and running at full speed. This is a beautiful resort that is just developing its patterns of clientele and activities and their attitude and respect are wonderful and we will look forward to going back again. Hedo II was equally a delight and stimulated our senses in slightly different modes but with equal doses of respect and attitudes. We hope to return here as well and won’t be newbies at either place next time. We recommend splitting a 10-day stay with 5 days each place and perhaps superclubs will formalize and market such an opportunity for its guests. One can’t lose however you visit these resorts.