Hedonism II Trip Report - Al & Jenn: Nov/Dec 2020
This was our 15th trip ‘home.’ We got our negative Covid tests and travel authorization a few days before our trip without any issues. The flight down was pleasant. Airport wasn’t crowded at all, and we only had about 45 people on the entire flight. Also, with everyone wiping everything down constantly, I don’t think I’ve ever seen an airplane so clean. Arrival at MBJ was smooth, and we were stopped for maybe about 5 minutes to sign the quarantine form. We had Club Mobay, so we moved to the front of the (very short) lines. Rocky’s taxi was waiting for us outside, so we were on our way shortly. We were surprised at how few people were at the MBJ airport and on the road to Negril.
Hedo check in was smooth, and they upgraded us to H-Block. It was later in the afternoon, so we’d just missed the sunset. We stripped down, grabbed a couple of cold red stripes from the nude bar, and sat on a couple of beach loungers to watch the last of the day fade away. Ah, finally home at last. After a couple of beers on the beach, we threw on some clothes and headed to Pastafari for dinner. We kept the first night low key and got some rest after our travel day.
The next day - our first full day there - was a blur of activity. We wisely unpacked that morning, otherwise I don’t think we’d have unpacked at all. Once the day got started, what a blast! We enjoyed a crazy beach/pool day and managed to stay upright until the Repeater’s Party, then crashed. We missed the entire evening afterwards! Ha - happens to the best of us. We eventually woke up around 11pm then headed to the nude pool and grill for some pizza. It was a great night.
Just a comment about the new manager, Dermot. He was working the crowd at the repeater’s party, and we saw him all around the resort talking to guests throughout our trip. Very visible and approachable guy. Looking forward to seeing his leadership stamp on the resort.
I’ll skip the day-by-day since the days flow and melt together for us after about day 2. Instead I’ll hit some highlights about this trip.
As many guests have mentioned during the pandemic, the Hedo staff worked tirelessly to make sure everything was extremely clean and safe. Housekeeping would only enter your room and clean it if you left your sign out. Dining room tables were spaced out, as were the beach and pool loungers. Staff wore masks all the time. Hand sanitizer was available everywhere, and our temps were taken at the restaurants before we were seated. There was plenty of room to distance socially as much as you wanted. It was comforting to see the resort taking the same precautions that we were accustomed to back home. We wore masks everywhere except the in the pool, on the beach, and eating or drinking. We were always able to distance from others as much as we wanted.
During the day, we spent most of our time at the pool, either on a lounger or in the pool socializing. Loungers were spaced further apart than usual on the beach and the pool deck. Still plenty of seating for everyone. The pool was clean and clear, weather was gorgeous, and bar service was quick and friendly. You really couldn’t ask for a better time! The ECs kept the party and activities rolling throughout the day.
Terrace dining was open for Friday’s gala but closed most other nights. The Harry San, Flame, and Pastafari restaurants were all open every night, except on Friday. Food was delicious, plentiful, and available from somewhere on the resort almost around the clock. Breakfast is my favorite meal at Hedo, and they had all of our favorites. Instead of serving yourself, you walk up to the buffet areas and tell the staff what you’d like. They fix your plate for you. Beware, even if you ask for a small portion, the portion sizes are large. To be honest I ended up wasting a lot of what they served. I must admit, I did miss the self-serve buffet, coffee, and ice cream. Hope they can get back to that soon.
Occupancy was low, and it was a great crowd of guests. Everyone was like-minded, fun, and just happy to be there. There was plenty of partying and laughter with a chill vibe that we so desperately needed. We’ve visited during lower occupancy times before, and there are many things to love about the resort when it’s not crowded. Pool and beach loungers were available anytime, no ‘reserved’ spots sitting empty all day. It was easy to grab a drink or some food from the grill when you want it. Much easier to chat and interact with people. I always feel like we meet more people during lower occupancy trips. We love the more crowded trips as well, but definitely don’t skip a trip because you think no one will be there. There are always many friends to be made, regardless of occupancy rates.
Also, we won TONS of Hedo Bucks. During our stay, we enjoyed a few bottles of wine from the Wine Bar before or with dinner. The Wine Bar is a gorgeous area with a really nice wine selection covering all price points. Check it out. They really have something for everyone there. We loved grabbing a bottle and enjoying a glass before dinner in the courtyard. We also treated ourselves to some lattes in the morning from the Espresso Bar. I also had a massage on the beach one morning. We charged everything to the room and paid for it with our Hedo Bucks when we checked out.
We made it to the gym only once during our trip. Hedo’s gym is truly top-notch. Equipment is top of the line, and well maintained. Marsha, a former EC, is now the resort trainer. She offered a weekday class every morning at 8am, and it looked like pretty good workout. We had our trainer from home send a workout to us, so we did that instead of Marsha’s class. Definitely will check out her classes next trip.
So overall, this was one of our best trips yet. As I’m writing this, we’ve been back home for just over three weeks. Neither of us had any Covid-related symptoms while we were there or anytime after we returned home. This trip was very relaxing and the perfect getaway from the chaos of 2020. Socializing was simple and easy with fewer people around. We never waited for anything - drinks, food, etc. The staff went above and beyond to make us feel welcome, comfortable, and safe. We can’t wait to get back!
Al and Jenn
HedoLovers208@gmail.com