Trip Report, N Resort, Falmouth, Jamaica, Jan. 8-15, 2011

Many of you have asked for a more in-depth trip report on the new “N” Resort in Falmouth, Jamaica, since its’ re-branding of the “FDR Pebbles”  Family Resort to a naturist, all nude, all-inclusive, Adults Only Resort…so here it is, with a couple of caveats:

 

1. A trip to Jamaica can be the best vacation of your life, or it can be a disappointment…which way it goes has a lot to do with what you are looking for and what you want to experience, so as they say, “ Your Mileage May Vary” from what I report here.

 

2. This resort has only been open slightly more than a month, and it’s a work in progress,  figuratively and literally.  There were only about 30 guests there (at the most) for the week we were there, so I’m sure that my impressions would be different if there were 140 guests.

 

Overall—My wife and I have been to Jamaica more than 16 times over the last 20 years, and have stayed for a week or more at most of the “clothing optional,” all-inclusive Jamaica resorts, including Hedo II, Hedo III, Grand Lido Negril, Grand Lido Braco and also at Desire Cancun.  My comparisons with “N” Resort are based on our personal experiences and what we’re looking for at a resort now, versus what we were looking for 20 years ago. 

 

For us, a week at “N” was probably our best vacation ever…great food and drink, an almost private beach, comfortable room, fun activities, relaxation, spending time with friends, and a staff that takes care of every request…kind of like a dream vacation where you get treated like VIP’s all the time.

 

For those who’ve asked, it’s not like Hedo II or III.  The emphasis at “N” is on fun and relaxing, not partying day and night.  There’s nudity pretty much everywhere at “N”, but not the overt sexuality of the resorts that cater to swingers.  For the most part, the crowd at “N” was well-behaved, but they still had a lot of fun.  It was a much smaller group at “N”, and it was much more intimate, because most everyone spoke to everyone else, and it was easier to meet others because there were not huge crowds, cliques or clubs.

 

Extraordinary stuff—We were treated very, very well by a hard-working and considerate staff from the moment we arrived to the parting hug.  Let’s see…what stood out?  How about when the grill bartender at the pool bar re-lit the grill to make my wife lunch because we had been having so much fun that we forgot to eat?  Or that a social coordinator (Shantell) followed us to the disco one night to make sure we were taken care of, and stayed to dance with us, teach us some new steps, and then brought us several rounds of drinks?  Or maybe it was that Freddy, the manager, was always around, and interested to know what they could do to improve…listening and making sure that everything was being done to make us happy.  Or maybe it was Jeffrey, the main bartender, who was always making sure we got the drinks we wanted all day long, then changing into funky clothes as his band played Reggae favorites for us to dance to later in the evening…and I don’t want to forget Christine, who remembered what each one of us were drinking and would bring a new round to us wherever we were…pool, hot tub, beach, or even to the porch outside our rooms.  I should also mention here the three other people who made our trip so memorable…Pam, Megan, and Leecia, all managers who did a lot more than manage, working for long hours every day to make sure we were well taken care of and happy, get us drinks, food, coffee or whatever we wanted…wow, we felt like rockstars!

 

Transportation—The usual airport hassles with immigration, customs and being “herded” were all present …but once we got to Jamaica Transport Limited, we were quickly on the bus and underway with a very informative and careful driver named Norman.  The resort was just about 40 minutes from the airport during a busy time of the day…less on the way back.

 

Check-In—Fast and friendly, the folks at N were ready for us and had our rooms assigned, fullfilling our request for adjoining rooms for us and another couple we were traveling with without the multiple trips to the front desk that would have been required elsewhere.  Drinks in hand, bags were taken to our rooms, and then we were invited on a quick tour by Leecia, Manager of the Coordinators, and newest coordinator, Shantell.

 

Rooms—If you like beautiful woods like Cedar and Mahogany, you’ll love the guest rooms, each with cedar-paneled walls, mahogany doors, tongue and groove cedar ceilings and even freshly sanded and finished wood floors.  It sounds dark, and could be, but there’s a lot of light from outside…both from the windows and door facing the ocean and from those on the “garden” side…and each side has its’ own covered walkway or porch.  Guest rooms are furnished with a king-sized bed, a little high on a pedestal, but very firm and comfortable.  The pillows, though, are a little tall for me, but that’s something others might see differently.  I think that the furniture was great, but in reality,  we rarely used much more than the bed and the wicker chairs out on the deck, which eventually got moved to the inside porch and walkway.  The bathroom was clean and functional, including the shower.  Others complained of not enough hot shower water, but I never had a problem…it’s important to remember that this is Jamaica, not the Hilton, so if you want a hot shower with a lot of force at the same time everyone else wants to shower (say, right before dinner) you’re going to have to deal with less water pressure…turn down the pressure, and the temperature goes right back up…or choose to shower before or after everyone in your building, and it’s not an issue at all.

 

Beach and facilities—The beach is not huge, but it is very nice, and the water is clear and fairly shallow for quite a way, with large sandy areas where you can walk and not worry about stepping on a sea urchin.  The waves are broken by a reef , so there’s not too much wave action on the beach, and the N staff was great about getting the sea weed raked up and removed.  If you take a left turn at the N beach and walk up the shoreline to the West, there are a couple of miles of undeveloped beach, shore, sand and beautiful clear waters to explore, and there’s some great snorkeling right off shore.  Make sure you take some water shoes, as there are some areas that are rough and rocky, and it’d probably be a good idea to take either a swimming suit or towel with you, too, in case you need to cover up.  N Resort’s facilities on the beach are not fancy, but they are quite picturesque, and the “boardwalk” pier was a popular retreat for sunning, and there was plenty of shade if you wanted it to read or nap close to the buildings or on palapa beds in a treed area.

 

Bugs, wind and sun…There are some bugs around, especially at night, so if bugs like to bite you at home, they’ll like you here, too…so bring some good bug repellent.  My wife gets bitten wherever we travel, so she brought some stuff with strong DEET.  When she used it, it worked great, but when she forgot to, or it washed off and she didn’t re-apply, she got bitten, but not nearly as badly as in Mexico.    I had no problem with being bitten, and I never used bug repellent, so I guess it’s an individual thing.  It is windy on the north shore of Jamaica, so it’s important to have a wrap in the evenings if you tend to get cool easily.  We applied sunscreen liberally every day, and had no problem, but one of our friends did burn some strategic areas, so make sure to take sunscreen and apply it regularly, otherwise the sun will lull you into thinking it’s not that strong, and then wow, you’re burned.

 

Food and drink—Without a doubt, this was some of the best food I’ve ever had in Jamaica.  It was not “fancy” food, nor were there dozens of choices and varieties as some other resorts do…but in my opinion, every dish was expertly prepared, perfectly cooked and beautifully presented.  The Italian Restaurant—Sabbia—was especially wonderful, with a delicious Fettucini Alfredo one night, and a “to die for” baked Escovitch Fish on another.   Daily fare from the beach grill was equally as good, with the standards of Jerk Chicken and Jerk Pork, plus some other veggies, fruits, fish, and more.  As for the promise of premium liquors, it was absolutely true.  Call brands like Grey Goose, Johnny Walker Black, Bombay Sapphire and more are there, but you do need to ask for them, as they’re kept below, and if you only ask for Vodka, Scotch or Gin you’re likely to get one of the “out in the open” bottles, which are also well-known with brands like Absolute, Teachers or Gilbeys’.  Also, don’t be surprised that the brand you want may not be instantly available…but no problem, mon…an enterprising member of the wait staff will trot off to the other bar to get it for you.

 

Pool, slide, hot tubs, disco, piano bar—the pool is large, clean and clear, and it always seemed to be just about the same temperature as the ocean.  The poolside needs more chairs, though, and more umbrellas or potted plants as there’s very little shade in the middle of the afternoon.  The pool itself is rather shallow, but perfect for the kind of sunning, talking, lounging we like to do, and the waterslide is a kick that you should plan to do a lot.  Leftover from the kid-friendly FDR Pebbles, management wisely decided that the water slide would be a fun thing for adults who want to act like kids—if even for a week…and unlike some of other resorts’ slides, this one is open almost all the time, so it’s ready for competitions and war whoops of all kinds.  The hot tubs (one on each side of the slide, adjacent to the pool) were opened after the middle of the day, and they were drained every night and refilled each morning.  There were some issues with the temperature of one of the hot tubs (too hot), but management was working on it, with multiple technicians working on the thermostat for the tub heater for several days.  The disco was fine, although there were not many people in it, and even though it was close to our room it must have had good sound insulation, as it never kept us awake, even when we went to bed a little early.  As for the piano bar, it was OK, but it’s something that management needs to work on…some song books, places to sit and access to drinks would be great, but they’re not there now.

 

Ambiance and vibe—Fun, fun, fun!  Free Wi-Fi…really appreciated, and a great, inexpensive way to keep in touch with home!

 

Recommendations to management:  A little more background music in the main dining area, beach dining area, and around the pool would be nice. More shade for the sun weary around the pool.  Hairdryers in the rooms would be appreciated.  Although we snorkeled and swam off the beach, a few more watersports would be appreciated…how about a Hobie Cat catamaran, or a snorkel or ski boat?

Don