| |
|
Here are some trip reports
provided directly by some of our clients.
What better way to
get the real scoop on a resort, then to hear from the folks who have actually
been. While we reserve the right to edit any comments for length, grammer,
spelling, etc... it is our policy to publish visitor comments both positive and
negative.
| May 2010 - G & F |
 |
Hidden Beach was absolutely fantastic! The STAFF could
not have been more attentive and caring. This included the Front Desk, the wait
and bar staff, the Housekeeping and Laundry Staff, and the Maintenance and
Grounds Staff. The Entertainment Staff (especially Omar and Alex) keep the
guests 'active' and the night life is great despite the small number of guests.
The property is beautiful, and having the use of the El Dorado Seaside Suites
facilities and restaurants is a great asset. The rooms are comfortable, but,
get a swim-up suite (it is well worth it!). The food was superb, and
surprisingly you had a good choice for a small resort (with the 5+ restaurants
at El Dorado it gave you even a wider choice of cuisines, and the food and
service there was also very good). The only negatives are: a) the lack of beach
swimming - the beach itself is beautiful, but the reef prevents you from taking
a 'dip'; and, b) the tennis court - if you are a player, forget this, you can
get hurt - it needs a complete re-surface and facelift.
Other than
these, Hidden Beach is a hidden treasure! |
|
|
| May 2010 - Bill |
|
We had a fabulous time at Hidden Beach. After researching
the resort thoroughly, we had very high expectations. I can tell you without
reservation that our expectations were not only met, they were in many ways
exceeded. We loved the beach palapas, the pool bar, the grounds, our swim-up
suite, and the food and drinks.
Above all else, what really blew us
away was the staff, which was beyond compare. From Brenda, to Angel, Jorge,
Jesus, Cosme, Carlos, Felix, Aniceto, Esmeralda, and others, the staff members
were incredible. By the end of the week, we weren't saying goodbye to workers,
but rather to dear friends. Their kindness, hospitality, and humor were
genuine, not an act. It was a real pleasure to get to know each of them. Each
took the time to learn something about us and remember our particular likes
& preferences. Quite simply, we were bowled over by their warmth as well as
their efforts to please everyone.
A word about Hidden Beach's
restaurant and food : Spectacular. Really. There are so many choices, every
day, for every meal, with menus as well as buffets and a la carte options, that
we were never disappointed in this area. We've read elsewhere that not everyone
is overjoyed by the food -- or the rooms, for that matter -- at Hidden Beach,
but we have absolutely no complaints about either!
The only thing we
had a little trouble getting used to was the daily custom of nudity (or lack of
it) practiced by other guests. We figured the whole place would be nude
practically all the time (and this is certainly allowed by the resort).
Instead, guests were often clothed -- not just for dinner (we expected that)
but for breakfast and lunch, too. I don't feel comfortable getting naked when
others are not naked, so this was less than ideal -- but not a big issue. We
did have plenty of naked time on the beach, in the ocean, in the pool, and at
the swim-up bar.
Would we go back to Hidden Beach? In a heartbeat! Will
we recommend it to others? Absolutely, without reservation. If only it didn't
take so long to get there and back! Good luck. |
|
|
| April 2010 - Ron |
|
We had a great time taking our friends to HBR. We visited
last November and couldn't wait to go back with friends. The setting was
perfect, the food and service excellent, and the boat cruise a blast. We had
one thing that marred the vacation. We got their late on a Friday and the A/C
didn't work. No big, we toughed out the night, since it stopped working around
1 AM, we couldn't expect them to fix it in the middle of the night. However, it
broke down again the night before we left. We called this time but no one
answered the phone at the desk. When we reported it to the head concierge the
next day, he was very rude. He questioned why we didn't report the day before
we left. He had seen us the day before and asked how our time was, we said
fine. The next day when we reported the A/C issue, we also said that the noise
from the repair of the hot tub leak above was also a little disturbing. He
wanted to know why we didn't report that the day before. Well it had n 't
happened yet. In fact we were the ones who reported the water leak in the first
place. Anyway, he was extremely rude and indifferent. They offered us a
discount on the room on our next trip but had to be used within an year. I just
felt his whole attitude was very unprofessional, particularly since we had just
become Karisma members the day before all of this. Not cool. Didn't impress our
friends much either (nor the many friends we have at Laguna Del Sol.) |
|
|
| April 2010 - RD |
|
The food was excellent. I enjoyed all the options,
whethere the indoor dining, outdoor patio dining, or poolside buffet. Food
quality was always great, and variety was very enjoyable. In all cases the
service was fantastic. It is an added touch the way they remembered our names.
We did not visit El Dorado this time, but last time we did. We found the wait
staff at HBR to much friendlier. We understand the "dark side" (El Dorado) has
a much larger clientele. But that is one of the reasons we love HBR, the
personal touch. We especially love Carlos at the swim up bar. He is a master...
We had a great time taking our friends to HBR. We visited last
November and couldn't wait to go back with friends.
The setting was
perfect, the food and service excellent, and the (nude catamaran) boat cruise a
blast.
Footnote:
Air Conditioner
We had one thing that marred
the vacation. We got their late on a Friday and the A/C didn't work. No big, we
toughed out the night, since it stopped working around 1 AM, we couldn't expect
them to fix it in the middle of the night. However, it broke down again the
night before we left. We called this time but no one answered the phone at the
desk. When we reported it to the head concierge the next day, he was very rude.
He questioned why we didn't report the day before we left. He had seen us the
day before and asked how our time was, we said fine. The next day when we
reported the A/C issue, we also said that the noise from the repair of the hot
tub leak above was also a little disturbing. He wanted to know why we didn't
report that the day before. Well it hadn't happened yet. In fact we were the
ones who reported the water leak in the first place. Anyway, he was extremely
rude and indifferent. They offered us a discount on the room on our next trip
but had to be used within an year. I just felt his whole attitude was very
unprofessional, particularly since we had just become Karisma members the day
before all of this. Not cool. Didn't impress our friends much either (nor the
many friends we have at Laguna Del Sol.) Our overall experience at HBR has been
fantastic, that is why we bought into future weeks. We did complete an exit
survey and passed on our feelings as stated in this email and the one previous
(including our concerns). |
|
|
| February - March 2010 - Glenn |
|
This was our first experience at a clothing optional resort.
We really have a great time. In fact we are planning on returning soon. We met
several couples while there and had a great time with them. Everyone was
friendly and the staff was excellent. |
|
|
| February - 2010 - P & A |
|
We love Hidden Beach! It is friendly, and so relaxing!
Starting with the Lomas Travel staff, everyone was kind and welcoming. We
particularly like wait-staff Jesus, Angel and Porfirio, and as usual, Esperanza
was so good-natured. Sergio & Tania(activities organizers) were so much
fun, especially Sergio on Valentine's Day-you could say that he was Cupid's
worst nightmare! Some suggestions: please,please have a desk lamp near the
computer station..it gets really dark in that area! Also..although the beds
look comfortable, the one in our suite was actually very soft, and we had
backaches..perhaps it's time to upgrade to new mattresses? Other than that, we
enjoyed our stay at Hidden Beach, and we will be back next year. |
|
|
| February 2010 - J.B |
|
My wife and I just returned from our third trip to HBR in six
years. We found the resort to be more beautiful than ever, lush with foliage
and exceptionally clean. The service on the HBR side of the resort was the best
we have ever experienced... "anywhere". The morning/breakfast staff are just
exceptional. As such, we contacted Castaways via cellular phone email late on a
Friday, requesting to extend our stay three more days. They fulfilled our
request easily, without issue, forwarding to the resort a new voucher within
24hrs and charging my credit card the following Monday. Castaways provided
exceptional service, too. That's why we use them.
We had a couple of
issues with the Eldorado Seaside Suites side of the resort, and one with HBR.
Each of these where handled by the resort or could be avoided by future
travelers.
Apparently, the owner of HBR had secured several "Peacocks"
and pinned them behind a portion of the HBR rooms. Perhaps as a small little
Zoo? Beautiful as they were in the day, these "frick'n" birds squawked often
for several nights. After several days of complaints by various guests, we woke
one fine morning to find the birds and their entire double fenced pen... gone!
Obviously, the HBR resort preferred paying guests to the squawking
Peacocks.
As we typically "dress" for dinner, my wife and I utilized
the Eldorado restaurants for dinner the first 7 (of 11) days on our trip. The
food was always very good or great. However, twice we experienced very slow
service in the "former" reservation only restaurants. The new policy of "no
reservations" also yielded 20-30 minute wait times during peak dinning hours.
Veda is a new restaurant to the resort since our last visit. We ate at Veda
three times, always with great satisfaction. Finally, after a poor service
dinner elsewhere, we choose to eat dinner on the HBR side of the resort. Oops!
We should have done that much sooner and certainly more often. The HBR staff
and food are always excellent. We're not sure why we didn't do that much
sooner. |
|
|
| New Years 2009-10 - cajunrag |
| Hidden
Beach is certainly one of the best C/O resorts in the Caribbean. It is similar
to the C//O side at Braco since you can stay naked anywhere in the resort. The
food was great and we ventured over to El Dorado a couple of times to try their
resturants (all included). The rooms were nice although nothing fancy. My only
complaint was that the pool was very cold in December. Hard to enjoy volleyball
or the swim-up bar. We will return to try the resort in warmer weather. |
|
|
|
| December 2009 - M & J |
|
What a fabulous resort!!
Our Room was on the 3rd
floor, they only four rooms on the third floor, it was a little noisy, since we
were right above the pool area. The view was spectacular from our room, what a
beautiful ocean.
The service was beyond excellent, especially at the
pool area. It didn't matter what you wanted to eat, even if it was not on the
menu at that time, the waiters would get you anything. In some cases they had
to run next door to the El Dorado Resort to get any special requests. I have
been traveling on vacation for many years and I have never experienced such
great service before, anywhere. It was so nice in the morning to wake up and
not worry about putting on any clothes and I do mean none, go down and have
some coffee and then breakfast. Lounge around the pool or lay out in one of the
beds on the beach. We did have dinner a few nights next door, had to wear
clothes though. They have five restaurants, but they were not all open at the
same time. So we tried three and they were all great with good service, but not
as good as Hidden Beach.
Some of the negative things we didn't like
were the massage therapists constantly asking you to get a massage; this became
annoying, every day and every one to two hours. The pool was noisy during the
day, no problem sleeping at night. Also, you could not have open sex, like you
can at Desire (with group takeovers). They don't have a (couples') play room
like at Desire. Think we covered everything and we would definitely recommend a
visit there. |
|
|
| December 2009 - I.M. |
|
Loved it, loved it, loved it. We just could not get used to
the pampering... |
|
|
| November 2009 - R.D. |
|
We had a great time. Dining was excellent. We made it over to
the “dark side” (El Dorado) once for Italian cuisine. We enjoyed the
big new palapas for the dances, and the great big hot tub. It was great for
socializing after the dances.Coming back in April. Can’t wait.Only real
disappoint was the lack of participation in the costume themes. So next time we
are going lighter on the luggage. Though I will miss my cowboy hat and
boots. |
|
|
| November 2009 - D & K |
|
As always we had a wonderful time. Seems to get more relaxing
each time now. I absolutely love the staff and we are getting to know them,
even after a 2nd visit. We are already discussing when our next trip will be.
We did make it next door to a few of the great restaurants and as for the hot
tub... we like the big one at Hidden Beach. Both actually are always fun in the
afternoon. We will be booking further in advance to lock in a Swim Up Suite
next time. Upstairs is ok but we love being right there.
As always, we
met more wonderful people and even a few on the "other side". They were shocked
when they heard we were from the "dark side" Actually, we peaked their interest
by letting them know it's not one big party orgy ! They seemed shocked it was
so mellow and laid back. Gee, I don't want to ruin our wild reputation. That is
our main reason for going: Relaxation and no pressure like there is at
Desire/Temptation,etc... It's soooo not like that and we love it !
We
were picked up by a Lomas Travel transfer van and have had great luck with
transportation each time. Our flight was diverted through Amarillo due to a
med. emergency and our driver still waited for us ! We missed the Lincoln
Navigator Limo this time so for sure I want to add the extra service for the
next visit. |
|
|
| November 2009 - Gary and Terrie |
|
Our arrival in Mexico was very smooth; little to no wait in
customs and immigrations. We were able to locate Lomus Travel and we were
quickly on our way to the resort (the trip took approximately an hour),
Upon arrival to Hidden Beach we were immediately greeted and proceeded
to check in. Although our room was not available, we went to the outdoor
restaurant (La Vista) where we were provided food and the first of many liquid
libations. About an hour later we were unpacking in our room. After the first
day, we realized our air conditioner was not working properly. Within minutes
of reporting the issue, the resort maintenance staff fixed the unit. Our room
was immaculately cleaned each day with a little towel sculptor left on our bed
to surprise us.
The week flew by very fast. We ate at all the
restaurants; sometime twice - both Hidden Beach and El Dorado. Most times the
food was good, but inconsistent would probably be the best way to describe the
quality of the food. Mia Casa (Italian Restaurant) was great the first time and
average the second time, Vida was very nice, but only ate there one night, La
Carreta (Mexican) was again average and Klay Talay (Asian) was very nice both
evening. The drinks were always plentiful and the bar staff most pleasant; even
walking the beach for orders.
The entertainment staff led by Jorge
provided lots of opportunity to participate in the resort activities and had an
excellent rapport with the guest. The evening shows were entertaining for those
guests who chose to attend. Theme nights provided additional entertainment
activities for the guests; however, most of the guest did not participate. The
(official) Hidden Beach website should be updated to reflect the current themes
on the correct nights. (NOTE: Theme nights are inconsistently presented and
subject to change)
Spa services were available and often at a
discount. We both enjoyed relaxing massages in a cabana on the beach
overlooking the sea. One note of concern would be that the Spa service staff
solicited guest almost to the point of harassment until a spa service was
purchased. This was spoken about by a number of guests.
Halloween was
a great party; everyone was dressed in very unique costumes. The weather even
contributed to the spooky ambiance with the thunderstorms lighting up the
skies!
The week came to end too fast.
The Castaways guests
were accommodated and there were no issues in gaining the reserved rooms
(Hidden Beach did a nice job assuring the reserved rooms were allocated to the
correct guest). One couple we met (not a Castaways couple) had to change rooms
the last night (and they knew it) as 100% of the swim up rooms were reserved.
The travel back to the airport was as expected. The car was on perfect
time and had no issues getting through the airport and home.
We had a
wonderful time and will be back to Hidden Beach. |
|
|
| November 2009 - Mike & Linda |
|
Because all of our vacations to the Caribbean seem to amount
to a blur once weve said Goodbye, Adios, Au Revoir, I will first say that every
positive word reported by anyone about HBR couldnt be closer to the absolute
truth.
We adored Angel, Esperanza, Jorge and the rest of the faithful
staff who DID remember our names after the first day, who DID treat us like
very special people the entire time of our stay, who WILL always be remembered
for their graciousness, professionalism and genuine gratitude for all of us
that stay at this beautiful resort. A small miss is the open displays, common
with a couple of the other clothing optional resorts, which we knew were not
allowed when we booked. This took a back seat after having experienced what
amounts to a whole lot more pluses overall (for the money) on the HBR side of
the equation, though it all depends on individual taste, of course. If you want
debauchery and non-stop eye candy, book el sewhere.
The food and
drinks were outstanding... 4.3 lbs later, need I say more? I will mention at
this point that the cost difference between clothing optional resorts, at this
particular time of travel, was such that we couldnt NOT try this place out.
Were so glad we did!
The fully stocked fridge and available booze in
the room to party with friends without having to go to the bar to refresh
drinks every 10 minutes is a huge plus. Sos the spacious Jacuzzi tub, complete
with provided bubble bath (watch how much you add :)), the swim-up suites. The
quaintness of the resort is also really exciting. One big happy family. There
were many little private get-togethers here and there throughout our stay which
happens no matter where you go, but HBR is certainly more equipped to handle it
in the form of supplies provided and personal service on request. They will go
so far as to set up a table for you outside/inside of your room and bring you a
meal, if thats what you desire, or serve it to you in bed. Your wish is their
command!
Chocolate dipped strawberries, champagne, you name it.
Really, overall, this place ROCKS. Especially for the older crowd that may not
be into the disco thing til the wee hours of the morning, who would just as
soon get together with some engaging folks for good conversation and laughs in
the rooms, in the hot tubs, on the swing beds that dot the shoreline or around
the pool on the nice wooden chaises with non-mildewed CLEAN pads, complete with
umbrellas (I know some of you can appreciate the pad comment).
On the
negative side is the lack of anyplace to float around in the Caribbean, if
thats your bag. We settled for grabbing some bread from the kitchen, wading out
a few dozen feet, in order to feed the fish, and then we headed back to the
lounges on shore. We didnt take advantage of the snorkeling or any other water
activities which you can participate in by simply wandering next door to the El
Dorado. They too have great food, by the way, all included in the HBR package.
Well definitely return to this wonderful place and like other satisfied
couples, well be bringing some friends along to spread the joy. |
|
|
| November 2009 - C.P. |
|
Great staff and good location. I was disappointed by not
being able to swim on the beach, but otherwise, everything was great. We forgot
our pack of CD's, and the people at Hidden Beach Fed Exed them to us promptly.
I can't wait to go back and thank them directly! |
|
|
| November 2009 - Chuck |
|
We arrived just before Hurricane Ida, and the first few days
were a little tense. Once the storm passed, we had a great time and got to meet
the most wonderful new friends. The staff was awesome. Jorge and Sergio kept
the party going, even during the storm. We had a couples massage that was too
sensual to describe. But what sticks with me is the graciousness of the staff.
Everyone smiles and greets you, from the concierge, to the housekeepers, to the
groundskeepers. I can't wait to return to HBR. |
|
|
| October 2009 - S.H. |
|
Had a great trip, we keep talking that I can't believe its
over. We ate breakfast and lunch at Hidden Beach, and ate every dinner at El
Dorado: the Asian restaurant, Mexican and Italian. Reserved a palapa every day,
switched from there to pool side. By the way, additional info: The trip to
Hidden Beach was a surprise for my wife, 35th wedding anniversary. She adapted
very well to the au naturel experience and became comfortable throughout the
stay, 6 nights. Hidden Beach was very accommodating, treating us to a 5 course
complimentary meal on the beach due to our anniversary. Service was excellent.
Hope to return. |
|
|
| August 2009 - Dennis |
|
Hidden Beach was fanastic. We hadn’t had much luck with
vacations in Mexico before so I wasn’t really expecting much when we went.
We are hooked on Jamaica but its such a long trek from the West Coast we
decided to do HBR for a week. The staff at HBR is spectacular and the people we
met there were some of the nicest people we have ever met. We are already
planning a return trip the same week next year, as are the people we met there
who were East Coasters and equally impressed with HBR. The waiters Angel and
Jesus were wonderful, helping us with our limited Spanish and Carlos the bar
tender at the pool bar was spectacular. We went over to the restaurants at El
Dorado and had a good time. The food was good but not spectacular at the
Mexican restaurant and we went to the Asian restaurant twice because Fusion was
closed when we planned on going to it. El Dorado is nice and we walked over
there a few times to tour the grounds but the poor people there were forced to
wear clothes. So Sad, they were a couple hundred yards away from Nirvana but
had to pay a steep fee to come over to HBR. Wonderful guests at HBR, just very
friendly people and no “nuances” about wanting to do any extra
curricular activities if you know what I mean. Great laid back vacation.
Swim up rooms are a must in my opinion just for the ability to walk on
your back door naked and walk right into the water. The palapas are great, We
were always able to get one and made for a wonderful early afternoon respite
from the heat, and booze, lol. The beach is rough and the water is shallow but
its good enough to work your way out and take a dip, even if it is only thigh
deep. The afternoons heats up with volleyball and water polo led by the dynamo
entertainment director Ingrid and whatever kind of drink you can think up mixed
up by the one and only Carlos. The only complaint, and its very very minor was
they were always coming around offering Spa services. The easy way to avoid it
was to schedule a couples massage every other day and they didn’t bother
you. Jenny was my masseuse and Manuel was my wifes masseuse, they were
fantastic and we decided we wanted to bring them both home with us. All the
employees work hard and even though you aren’t supposed to tip we asked
around on what we could do and found out that at the end it was a nice gesture
and WELL EARNED by the staff. The day before we left we quietly went around
slipping everyone who took care of us $20 each and you could tell it was
appreciated.
Nightly entertainment was good, one night it was
fantastic as this band played American classics and you’d swear it was the
original band doing the numbers. Santana, Creedence, etc. But the absolute
highlight, not only for this trip, but something we will remember forever was a
batch of baby sea turtles being hatched. There must have been 40 or more coming
out of the nest one night, as they worked their way out we all helped herd them
into the sea. Absolutely fantastic. Next year we are hoping to see the mother
turtle come up on the beach and lay her eggs. A few people got to see that who
were there the week before us. The HBR staff goes out of its way to protect
these magnificent creatures. All in all it was so wonderful that we will be
brushing up on our Spanish before we go back to make the visit even more
memorable. |
|
|
| August 2009 - Barry |
|
Loved Hidden Beach Resort, Food was excellent! Met some great
people, the staff was perfect. Even though I was traveling alone this time,
never felt uncomfortable at all, had a great time. Barely visited the "prude"
side, the place was perfect. Good food, good people, good staff, good weather,
you are correct, it doesn't get any better than that. I will definitely be
back.
I just need to talk management into allowing me to teach a scuba
diving courses and move there, I am almost ready to hang up this mission in
Iraq that I have been on the last 3 years. I will definately be interested in
checking out some of your other offers as well in the future. I will definitely
be back to Hidden beach again soon. Thanks for following up. PS, already
recommended you guys to several other folks I work with over here. Thanks again
for everything Barry |
|
|
| May 2009 - CES |
|
Sad so many people canceled due to the flu....we and no one
else had any problems....the resort was top of the line and all the previous
problems I had read about just did not exist...the one exception was the lack
of beach...water entrance and just poor...if only they had a beautiful sandy
bottom and not limestone....the service and facilities were fabulous...all
staff went out of their way to provide us with anything we wanted...since the
flu kept the guest to only 25 or 30 it was like your private paradise.. |
|
|
| May 2009 - Buckeye Couple |
|
This was our first ever visit to a clothing optional
resort,so as a couple of 'rookies' we were a little nervous. The Lomas Travel
group got us to HBR very quickly & with no hassles. Check in was very
simple. Donna took the time to give us a tour while our room was being
prepared. PAY the difference to get one of the swim up rooms, You will be glad
that you did. Take a report with a grain of salt if the did not like the food.
It was fantastic and presented by the staff with much hospitality. In general
all of the guest were friendly. Get involved with the days activities. Water
volleyball was a blast. Rule 7 has to be experienced. The Rooms are clean, but
nothing great. Have fun, wish we were going with you. |
|
|
| February 2009 - j and t |
|
We travelled to HBR for Vaelntine's Day for the second time
and were warmly greeted by the wait staff with 'Welcome home!' And it certainly
felt like it. You cannot ask for friendlier or more attentive wait staff. The
entire staff goes above and beyond to make one feel comfortable. The new
'palapa' was a nice addition for the Yoga class as well as evening
entertainment.
The food was excellent as ever, even when we went to the
'Dark Side' But the difference is night and day with service. The Eldorado
Staff is okay at best, certainly not in any hurry to fulfill requests. At HBR,
everything is five star. We are already planning a return trip! My wife feels
comfortable here as she detests 'lifestyle' types. HBR is just a nice clothing
optional place - very relaxing. |
|
|
| December 2008 - MC |
|
I thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Hidden Beach. I loved the
rooms and the entire resort. Yes, I absolute LOVED the Balinese type "beach
beds" - very sexy and luxurious. Yes, the new entertainment palapa was very
nice - loved the sofas and lounge chairs. It was also a nice venue for the
morning yoga classes. I also liked the fact that we could dine at the
restaurants and use the facilities at El Dorado. I thought the food was
excellent. We went to the restaurants on the El Dorado side almost every night
and enjoyed them all. I particularly liked the Italian restaurant. I thought
the service was excellent everywhere.
The concierge, at the end of
our trip, encouraged us to fill out evaluation forms. Glenn had some issues and
I thought it was very considerate for the concierge to address every one of his
concerns personally and question him about them.
He wanted to order a
bottle of champagne (other than the free one that we got with the room and each
time we changed rooms) from the bartender to be taken back to the room. He was
told that we could have a glass but not a bottle. Meanwhile a couple had
several bottles of champagne delivered to them every morning for their mimosas.
I frankly didn't think this was a major issue but Glenn was disturbed by it.
Also, we met another couple who was "locked" out of their room for several
hours on a couple of days due to a malfunction of the electronic key. Again, I
was upset for our newly made friends, however, I didn't think it was an issue
to complain about.
I suppose if I had one negative comment, I would
say that the spa servicers come around several times a day on the beach to see
if you are interested in scheduling spa treatments. I had a couple scheduled
for myself and found that the intrusions were a little much. I finally started
saying that I was scheduled already. There is a fine line between making sure
you are scheduled and hocking the services. In addition, there were water
problems the day that I had my spa treatment. The water in the entire resort
was shut off. I know this happens in resorts and never had this happen to me. I
was covered with body scrub and had to wash off in a bucket. Frankly, I am easy
going and didn't think anything of it and found some humor in it. When I told
some of the guests that we met, they suggested that I say something to the spa
manager. In a polite way I did and I was given a free 1/2 hour massage which I
thought was nice.
Interestingly enough, there was a "manager", I
believe his name was Emmanuel. He seemed to go around and ask everyone if
everything was okay. Glenn told him about the champagne issue and I mentioned
the spa incident. It appeared that he was going to look into these issues.
However, I found that I had to go to the spa directly to get compensated for
the less than luxurious treatment. Glenn's comment at the end about him was
that he was useless and just a "yes" man. Again, this really didn't bother me,
but was Glenn's comment.
Again, these issues did not tarnish my
thorough enjoyment of the stay at the resort. I frankly thought it was a step
up from the Grand Lido Braco, which we had stayed at twice before and also
enjoyed very much. I like the resorts where you have an option of additional
restaurants and activities other than the au naturale side. |
|
|
| Dec 2008 - A.L. |
|
The Hidden Beach Resort was fabulous, the staff was great,
food was great. Had a little trouble with plumbing, as one day our toilet would
not flush and during our stay the hot/cold water was not functioning properly.
I loved the palapas on the beach, but would recommend that the Eldorado Spa
staff not come on too strong. We were approached by someone wanting to give us
5-minute massages daily and sometimes more than once per day |
|
|
| Nov 2008 - Roger L. |
|
The limo service was excellent and appreciated. The staff was
beyond exceptional and very helpful and enjoyable. The food presentation and
service was excellent but the quality of the food, especially the meat dishes,
was dissapointing. The rooms were clean, maintained and very comfortable
(except for a moldy smell that disagreed with my wife). The grounds were
excellent and constanly maintained. We would return again. |
|
|
| Nov 2008 - Mike & Fran |
|
See Hidden Beach Resort management
comments at end of this report.
My wife and I arrived at
Hidden Beach in early November, and the check-in was very good and the room was
ready. It was a beautiful swim-up room but there was a terrible musty smell to
it. In looking at the A/C unit, one could see all of the mold causing this
problem. Once the staff was notified, it was corrected very quickly and we were
very satisfied. The wait staff was fantastic, as was Manuel, our "personal
concierge". Every day, he went out of his way to ask each and every guest how
everything was, and whether he could offer any assistance. Throughout the day
he was walking around inquiring as to any action he would need to take. This
was very refreshing and a definite plus. The beach and pool area was very well
kept, clean and extremely comfortable. The only negative here is the beach-bed
palapa's; they are addictive and we didn't want to leave them! What a beautiful
way to relax, listen to the water and birds, and sway in the wind. And having
drinks served under them was addictive to say the least. Carlos, the bartender,
is a magician with mixed drinks, and Fran and I couldn't get enough of his
specials. We didn't know there were that many ways to mix alcohol and fruit!
Breakfast and lunch was very good, with many choices both on and off
the menu. At one point, I didn't know what I wanted and went into the kitchen
for breakfast, spoke with the chef, and I had a fantastic breakfast. Same holds
true for lunch as well. The grill is wonderful, the salads great, and off the
lunch menu is very good as well. Certainly more than one could wish for.
Dinner on the other had was for the most part, less than good. I'll
admit, I'm a foodie, but when meat is served cold and/or tough, the items not
served as listed, then I tend to complain, which I did. It appears that this
part of the experience is not living up to their expectation. We've heard from
many couples over the years expounding on how GREAT the dinner menu and food
is, but alas, this was not our experience. It appeared to me that many of the
items were "portion controlled" which is fine for your run-of-the-mill
restaurant chain, but not what one expects at an up-scale resort. And yes, I
consider HB very upscale because of all their amenities.
Entertainment
in the evening was less than expected, but because there was only about 50%
occupancy on our visit, I think that may have been and extenuating factor. I
did get to have a guy using a bullwhip flick a cigarette out of my mouth up on
the stage. Talk about causing major shrinkage!
All in all, everything
is top shelf but the dinner meals for the most part.
+++++++++++ UPDATE ++++++++++++
Castaways
communicates all comments regarding services at any resort anonamously to the
resort management. A few recent comments suggests that something seemed to be
going "wrong" with dinner service at the resort.
Below is the positive
action taken and response from the Hidden Beach General Manager, Paulino
Emiliano.
*****
Hidden Beach Responds:
The
primary actions that have been taken to ensure the quality of the food at our
resorts are:
* Full revision of menus and a comparison between the menu
description and the food components actually served.
* Briefings with
personnel to create awareness of the effects of a bad quality meal or service
for customer, Travel agents and the Hotel.
* We have implemented daily
checks to be carried out personally by our Executive Head Chef. (These were
already in place but now we keep written records of his findings).
*
Added an special of the day, which successfully has a great demand.
We
here at Hidden Beach Resort and at the El Dorado Seaside Suites continue to
strive towards obtaining total customer satisfaction and are committed to
ensure that your customers return both to you and to us for their future
vacations, no matter what is the situation is with the economy we will provide
same or best product that we had deliver so far, please tell your client that
we are sorry that dinner did not fulfilled his expectation and that greatly
appreciate his comments and that were very helpful.
Paulino Emiliano,
General Manager
El Dorado Seaside Suites and Hidden Beach
Resort |
|
|
| Nov 2008 - K. & D. |
|
Whether you’ll enjoy Hidden Beach or not
is simple: if you like laying in the sun in the buff, or better yet, enjoy the
idea of just being in the buff 24-7, then Hidden Beach is for you. But more
than that, it’s really about the people. There’s something about
being at a resort, where all pretenses are left in the drawers, that creates an
atmosphere of camaraderie and fun. Hidden Beach does a good job of making sure
nothing inappropriate goes on, which contributes to the relaxing atmosphere for
those simply wanting to have a nude vacation. Any uncertainty about whether
it’s comfortable goes out the window shortly after you arrive. No one
cares what you wear or don’t wear (which means everyone is completely
comfortable), there are no looky-loos, and if you’re a first-timer, you
realize pretty quickly that no one has anything you haven’t seen before
nor do they care what you look like, whether you’re plump, skinny, tall,
short, whatever. The ultimate in acceptance for whatever you are, and
that’s cool.
Never have we gone on a vacation where we made so
many friends. Email addresses shared, plans for a return with the same folks
made. The intimacy of Hidden Beach caters to that as well as any resort
we’ve ever been to. The staff is very friendly. The food is reasonably
good, good enough, in fact, that we never even had the desire to get our
clothes back on and visit the resort next door. It was just too much fun being
naked in the sun with our new friends, all in a relaxed atmosphere where the
only thing you use your room for is sleeping.
Don’t go there
expecting or demanding five star hotel services (it’s pretty close for its
size anyway); if you just want to be nude with very friendly fellow travelers,
relax and get a tan, I don’t know that there’s anyplace better than
Hidden Beach. |
|
|
| Nov 2008 - J. & D. |
|
Our sixth trip to Hidden Beach Resort was
lovely. Check in was simple and quick and our room was ready when we arrived.
The new palapa covered disco/entertainment area was extremely nice as was the
hot tub in this new area. The beach beds are an absolute must for siestas or
just getting out of the sun. Breakfasts and lunches were the best.
Unfortunately, dinners were often a disaster. The menu was very
repetitive and the food was often not cooked as requested or was tough and/or
cold. Since dinner is not all that important to me, we didn’t let this put
a damper on our stay. We did not go next door to El Dorado to eat since we
didn’t pack any clothes for it!
I must say that Manuel was the
best Concierge we’ve ever encountered at HBR. He was always around and he
addressed all needs and issues quickly and happily. As always, wait staff
personnel Aniceto, Jesus, Galdino and Esperanza were awesome. We can’t
wait until our next trip to Hidden Beach.
(Castaways Note: See Mike & Frans report above voicing
similar concerns regarding dinner service... along with the resort management
response regarding food service). |
|
|
| May 2008 - R & L |
|
On our third trip to HBR my wife & I had
more fun than on previous trips PLUS the resort itself was really geared up (
great food , great service , etc… ). We were there during the 5th
anniversary week and loved the crowd and theme nights with the big surprise of
a new open air bar / palapa / hot tub area that was as fun as you want it or
make it .
This place is still not a swingers / lifestyle type of resort
which is why we chose to go there . Being nude but still a little prude is very
comfortable at HBR . Castaways Travel hosted the week and did a 1st class job .
We met old friends and made new friends that we will see down there again .
Travel to and from Mexico was flawless . WE both recommend the Lomas private
ride from the airport to the resort . HBR has a lot higher service level than
the Jamaican resort we visited last year plus NO BUGS at all . The only
downside we had was an over priced wine list and marginal quality table wine .
Will go again , in fact we are booked again for the 6th anniversary
week May 2009. |
|
|
| March 2008 - SJ |
|
This would have been our second trip to
Desire. We were only able to spend one night as we had a death in the family
and we had to return home. We did eat at the Japanese restaurant and it was
excellent as it had been last year. We hope to go back next year. |
|
|
| January 2008 - MP |
|
We had a fantastic trip - I don't even know
where to start! We did try Mia Casa, as well as the Mexican and Asian
restaurants next door and it was all extraordinarily good - I was really
surprised. The service, the drinks, the massages, the airport transfers with
Lomas, the cruise, really no complaints about anything! And that's not even
taking account the price which seems relatively cheap!
We met really
wonderful people too. (Water was fine )except for the beach - it's so hidden
you can't even see it (goes the running joke). That would really make it
perfect - a nice white sand beach that you can walk right out and snorkel on.
Some shade on the (nude catamaran boat trip would help), for us pasty-ass white
boys (it's still pink!) While the restaurants over at El Dorado are great,
dining "in" (either room service or outside at HBR) was equally tasty and
friendlier service too. The activities were a little weakly organized, but I'm
not really there for that anyway, so I didn't mind.
Your informative
guides (Resort Reports) to the different cultures at each resort helped us to
pick the right one, as confirmed by several other guests. We only wished there
were more young(er) folks like us... we'll try to bring some friends with us
next time - we'll definitely be back! (Note from Castaways: The client mix
changes from week to week and younger folks DO visit HBR especiallly during the
summer and fall months) |
|
|
| January 2008 - DM |
|
Our fifth trip to Hidden Beach Resort Jan 9
thru Jan 16, 2008 was excellent. We did not like the room we were originally
assigned (too close to the disco) but the staff had us changed to a room on the
very end within a couple of hours. The food was very good and the wait staff
was their usual awesome. Aniceto, Jesus, Galdino, Sergio and Esperanza made our
stay most enjoyable by anticipating our every food and beverage need. We did
try the Italian restaurant next door. Although the food was very good, the
service was nothing like what we got at HBR. Since the resort was only about
½ full, chairs by the pool and palapas on the beach were plentiful. Each
time we’ve been there, we have been blown away by how clean the resort is
kept. We cannot wait to go back. |
|
|
| Sept 2007 - DG |
|
We did have a great trip - we changed our
reservations right before we left so we could do the nude catamaran cruise and
it was well worth getting in late the night before so we could make the cruise
the next morning. We had a great time on the cruise and met a lot of people
that were staying at our resort.
We enjoyed everything about Hidden
Beach - the Palapas, the hot tub in the room, the service - Carla was the
entertainment person and she was great. It was not real crowded when we were
there but that was all right with us and we really had fun playing pool
volleyball with the people that were there. We did not go over to El Dorado
because we did not want to get dressed.
We have been to Grand Lido
Braco 5 times and we thought we would never go anywhere else - but we have
changed our minds. We will probably to back to Braco - at least to get our rock
- but the flights are better from Houston to Cancun and we heard they are
planning to build an airport closer to Playa so that will be even better. We
really liked the fact that we did not have to get dressed to eat and for the
night activities like you do at Braco. The staff at Hidden Beach was great.
|
|
|
| July 2007 - R&G |
|
Hello, What an outstanding resort. Booking
through Castaways was again the best vacation choice we've ever made. Hidden
Beach was an outstanding resort for nudists. We have no complaints, none,
zilch, zero. The resort staff always tripped over themselves to see who could
help us first. The pool and swim up bar were outstanding. We loved the beach
and could snorkel past the barrier. The restaurant must have hired chefs for
heaven. The lobster bisque was to die for, as was all of the food. Breakfast
lunch and dinner were prepared as if you were the only couple there.
Although we missed Tito at the swim up bar, George always went out of
his way to make sure everyone was waited on in a timely manner. He was
friendly, funny, and a pleasure to be around. We were there for seven days and
only had to wear clothes to go to the gift shop at Eldorado, and at the Asian
restaurant.
It was well worth an hour of being clothed for the Asian
restaurant in Eldorado. The food was outstanding there also. One night at
hidden beach, we requested a special meal, and not only did the make it for us,
they moved our table to the beach, where we had our own waiter and beautiful
candle lit table. What a treat for us. We can't even think about ever taking a
nude vacation anywhere else. We would like to say thank you to everyone at
Castaways and Hidden Beach for making our vacation so special. |
|
|
| June 2007 - BPT |
|
It had been over 20 years since my husband
& I were at a place like HBR & it was fantastic! The food, the fun, the
room (we had a swim up), the staff, everything was great. The "atmosphere" was
totaly appropriate for what we wanted. There were no "interesting adult
activities", just a whole lot of fun. Go somewhere else if that's what you are
into. Chava was great as was all the staff. We will be back (swin up again).The
Catamaran trip was soooooo much fun, but Christie was a little over the top.
The crew was very professional & took good care of all of us, but when we
go back, we may not do it again, we'll just see how it goes. We had a car &
did some sight seeing, but were not able to see everything we wanted to, we'll
get to that next time. We went to the El Dorado to look around & to the
gift shops, but we never ate there, the food was so good, the other guests were
so nice & we did not have to "dress" for dinner. Several people we met did
& liked it but only went once for the above reasons. We will be back, it
was the most relaxing, laid back, enjoyable vacation I think we have ever been
on. Everyone I talked to & e-mailed at Castaways were so nice &
helpful, they really eased my mind about what to expect at HBR. I'm no prude,
but HBR was just what we wanted, expectations greatly exceeded!! Thanks, BPT
|
|
|
| May 2007 - Trent |
|
Booked this trip with Castaways and have to
say that things could not have gone any smoother. One of the reasons we chose
Mexico is because the flights from Dallas are so readily available and short.
We have been to Cancun many times and know what to expect at the airport so we
just bypassed all the barkers and went straight to the Lomas Travel area where
the staff was very pleasent. Did have to wait a little longer than expected for
our private car to arrive but nothing a cold Modela did'nt fix. Drive to the
resort was longer than we had expected. We have been to Desire before which is
so close to the airport that this seemed like forever to get there when in
actuallity it was about an hour drive. Probably just the fact that we were very
exctided and ready to start our vacation.
Have to say that once we got
there we were very happy with the resort. The staff made check-in so easy and
they were very friendly. We booked a swim-up room and it was incredible. The
grounds are very well maintained but the beach is not for swimming, too many
rocks, but you could carefully wade out a ways for the daily fish feeding which
we highly recommend. Wondered how things worked with the 2 resorts but once we
got there it was like one big resort. The front desk at HB could make your
dinner reservations over at Eldorado and you just walk out the gaurded gate at
HB and you are 40 feet from the front lobby to Eldorado so it gave us plenty of
options.
We have been to Hedo, Desire and Braco before so here are
some comparisons.
Room- better than Hedo/Desire. Very comfortable. Had
small issue with condensation from AC and they fixed it very promptly. Same
issue as with all these resorts we visit it seems, water temp in shower varies
greatly as you shower.
Food- again better than Hedo/Desire. We went
next door to Eldorado twice also and the food was always top notch. Have to say
that Braco still has them beat by a little.
Staff-great staff and not
nearly as intrusive as at Hedo/Desire. You could participate in the activities
or not without them pestering you all the time. Also the activities were much
more low key here. Booking dinner reservations was never a problem, like at
some of the other resorts, and we even booked last minute one night with no
problem.
Atmosphere-if you go here expecting Hedo/Desire you will be
dissappointed. That was not what we were looking for on this trip. We wanted a
nice upscale, laid-back vacation that we could spend together relaxing, without
clothes obviously, and without the craziness of the other resorts, and this
resort delivered everything we hoped for. For us, there is a place and time for
trips to those types of resorts but this trip was just about us, and we met
some great couples at Hidden Beach who we could tell had the same idea in mind
coming here.
People-have to say that we expected to be surrounded by a
much older crowd(no offence to those of you who are in that catagory) but we
found that it was a very diverse group. We are in our 30/40s and it seemed like
at least when we were there that most guests fell into the 30/50 range and
there was even a few younger that came over on day passes from Eldorado.
All in all, we would definately go back to Hidden Beach. It was
exactly what we were looking for on this vacation. |
|
|
| March 2007 - J & M |
|
Hidden Beach—Cancun Mexico—Trip
Report and comparison to Grand Lido Braco.
We were at Hidden Beach
from February 28th thru March 7th, 2007.
The flight from Chicago to
Cancun is virtually the same as the flight into Montego Bay, Jamaica. Both are
about 3:20 minutes. The length of time from the airport to HBR was about 1 hour
10 minutes, whereas in Jamaica, it's about 1 hour from the airport to Braco.
Both properties are beautiful. Grand Lido Braco is one big resort
divided into two areas, one clothing, and the other au natural. Hidden Beach is
located next to El Dorado Seaside Suites, but the setup is similar to Grand
Lido Braco with the exception that the two sides have different names.
We thought the food at Hidden Beach was better than at Braco. The service and
friendliness of the staff parallel those at Braco, perhaps surpassing them in
some respects.
We did find the language barrier at HBR to be
cumbersome. For example when we tried to explain to the maid that we needed
more towels or additional shampoo, she had no clue as to what we were asking
for.
Hidden Beach has a computer in the reception area hooked to the
internet just for guest use at no additional cost, whereas Braco charges $15.00
per half hour. We felt this was a real benefit since I do like to check my
e-mails daily.
The public bathrooms at HBR were much cleaner and newer
than those at Braco. The use of small cloth towels that were always available
along with flowers and scented soap made a more favorable impression.
At Hidden Beach you never have to get dressed since there is a full service
restaurant. In addition, you can eat at any of the four restaurants at El
Dorado (dressed of course) at no additional cost.
The beach at HBR is
not nearly as nice or sandy as GLB, however there are shaded king size day beds
along the beach suspended by ropes. (Hard to explain, but see the attached
pictures) The beach out to the breakwater at Hidden Beach is very shallow, knee
deep at best.
Our bedroom had a pillow top mattress, much better and
more comfortable than the beds at Braco. There was also a fully stocked liquor
cabinet in each room along with a fully stocked refrigerator. Also each room
had a large Jacuzzi hot tub.
Marylin had a massage which was expensive
only to find out at the end that there was an additional $14.00 tax. She felt
this should have been disclosed to her before hand. Great massage however, so
she wasn't complaining.
Bugs. The last several times we've been to
Grand Lido Braco we've been bitten by either mosquitoes, sand flies or sand
flees. We've come home with big welts. During our week at Hidden Beach we did
not have a problem with insects. One real advantage of Hidden Beach is that
they have sliding screen doors on all the bedrooms opening to the beach. I
think one reason we have such a problem with insects at Braco is because there
are no screen on the doors.
Both resorts are beautiful, relaxing and
fun. Hidden Beach has only 42 rooms on the a/n side, so no more than 84 guests
when they are at full occupancy. We would recommend that if you haven't
vacationed at Hidden Beach, you won't be disappointed. Both resorts will be our
travel destinations in the future.
Still, Grand Lido Braco is
difficult to beat. |
|
|
| October 2006 - Sun Lovers |
|
For years my wife and I have been going to
nude beaches and have enjoyed them very much, but we wanted to try a resort. We
had gone to a nude B&B in Palm Springs and really liked it, but this time
we wanted to go to an all inclusive. We explained that we were looking for a
top notch, all inclusive resort to the good folks at Castaway's Travel. They
made several suggestions including Hidden Beach Resort.
To anyone who
has never been to a clothing optional resort or to a pro who has been going on
nude vacations for years, Hidden Beach is one of a kind. They really pamper and
cater to you from the moment you arrive. My wife and I were really impressed.
Rather than give you every detail like others have done, I'll hit on the high
notes when considering a resort of this caliber.
Location, location,
location…. What's true for real estate is true for nude
resorts too. Just one hour south of Cancun and easy to get to from most US
cities. We left Ohio in the morning and were sunning at the pool by 2 pm. We
didn't lose a day getting there and the check in process was quick and easy.
Hire a car from Castaways to get you there super fast. We'd do it again.
Great food. With an excellent and creative menu available at Hidden
Beach and then all of the restaurants from the El Dorado available too, trust
me, you won't go hungry. We were both impressed with the creativity of the
cuisine and the portions. Not too big or too small, but unbelievably good. The
choice really comes down to getting dressed up for dinner or dining in the
buff, either way, the food is great!
The staff. Mexican hospitality is
second to none. We were so impressed with everyone. We can honestly say that we
made friends with just about every one there. Great people and they really took
care of us and everyone else there. Our glasses were never empty and we really
were pampered. Best of all, no wallet to watch or tips to pass out. Everything
was included. Ask to see the picture album at the pool bar showing what Hidden
Beach looked like when the hurricane hit in 2005. These same people serving you
lunch and cleaning up your room literally re-built this hotel from top to
bottom and it looked great.
Hidden Beach Resort. This is an
unbelievably nice, but intimate resort. It's first class accommodations, but
not so big you'll get lost (like the El Dorado). Trust me, you will not be
disappointed by the pool, lazy river, pool bar, beach, hot tub (which was a
little too hot sometimes) and the palpas on the beach. We got to know everyone
staying there. It was great and a lot of fun.
Memories. How can you
not create wonderful memories when you lie around tanning in the buff all day
next to your spouse, talk to fun and interesting people, enjoy great meals, fun
happy hours and then rock gently in the palpas on the beach before retiring to
your bedroom to do it all again the next day. Fun, romantic and relaxing. Can
you ask for anything else.
The final verdict. We plan on going back to
celebrate our wedding anniversary this year. We would strongly recommend others
to go to Hidden Beach. It's worth every penny. You'll have a great time. Only
disappointment is that more, younger couples don't discover clothing optional
vacations sooner. We're in our mid-30s and were the youngest ones there by 10
years (not that we didn't enjoy meeting everyone there). If you have ever
thought about a nude vacation or wanted to give it a try, this is the place to
do it. It's not threatening, it's really not sexual (that's for your bedroom
later on) and it's about as open and honest as you can be. You'll never regret
it. |
|
|
| March 2006 - Mike |
|
Upon arrival we were greeted with chilled
bubbly and massage. Check in was a breeze, Dorota showed us to our room, where
a jacuzzi bath was filled with bubbles and carnation petals and a bottle of
chilled bubbly awaited us. Food at Hidden Beach was just incredible. We never
had a bad meal and the presentation was beautiful. Best we have ever had at any
resort. (Hint: If you do not want more than one glass of wine, turn your glass
over as it will never be empty otherwise) This is a great place to lay back,
relax and be pampered. Everyone, from the gardeners, maids, security,
management, staff were very courteous, friendly and always asking if you needed
anything.
This is definitely a resort worth returning too. If you want
side trips, check with Arturo with Loomas. I'd recommend Xcaret and Tulum.
|
|
|
| June 2005 - D & J |
|
We would like to let you know we had the time
of our life. It is a great place the people that work there know your name
within a day's times. Knows what you drink and your rate of drinking. We will
go back again and again. And now a lot of our friends will be going back down
with us. The place is beautiful the service is beyond comparison. It truly
everything it is made out to be and much more. It you want a nude vacation this
the place to go. You don't have to put on cloths any where if you don't want
to, and we did not want to. This is one of best of the nude vacation places in
the world. I hope all that read this will go and enjoy a really special place
with really special people. Get Naked, Get a Life. Stay Rowdy, Play
Naked |
|
|
| March 2005 - Jeff Burke |
|
Our second trip to an all-inclusive Au
Natural Resort was to Hidden Beach, in March 2005. To sum up our trip… we
concur with "Looking for Paradise? Here it is!" written by "July 2004 - P &
B". Our first trip was to Grand Lido, Negril last year, which was very nice,
but we prefer HBR.
By accident (and a 1-hour time change), I awoke at
5:45am after a late arrival the night before. The sun had just crested over the
ocean, and I could see the Queen Sized Cabanas on the Beach, just steps from
our swim-up room and only feet from the ocean. I stepped outside, found a few
beach towels and secured our soon to be favorite Cabana. Quickly, I collected
my wife for a pretty cool sunrise. We remained there most of the day, except to
eat and play in the 2:30pm pool volleyball game. We cleaned up for diner, ate
poolside, and then went upstairs to the open-air disco for plenty of dancing.
Okay, now you know our entire week's activities. On every day
following, we "set the alarm" to 5:30am to catch the sunrise! Sounds
crazy… I know, setting your alarm on vacation. But, we just didn't want to
miss any of it.
Note: We really like to "dress for diner and dancing",
which was a little (only a little) awkward at this "Au Natural Resort". Most
couples wore some clothing for dinner (poolside). Early in the week the on-site
disco was about half "unclothed" or limited clothing. I continued to wear dress
slacks and my wife dawned a nice skirt/top to the disco each evening, as we
regularly "dance" from prior training. After a few days, it was clear that we
had started a trend… as nearly everyone began "dressing for the disco"
(all be it a bit erotically). I think everyone enjoyed the "more titillating"
aspect of the disco after that… right up to the "sexy lingerie" night,
which was very fun for all.
We tried very hard to partake in the other
restaurants at El Dorado (next door), as well as checking out the nightlife.
The restaurants were as good, but not better, and added some variety. There was
no nightlife at El Dorado! The dance floor was taken up by the entertainer's
equipment (instead of putting them on stage)? Open air shopping at El Dorado
was good for souvenirs and available three times each week. We never left the
resort, as there was no need. We even signed up for a snorkel trip, then
cancelled.
Okay, two great stories.
First, we chose the
private limousine to the resort for an extra $60 round trip. This saved quite a
bit of time, as it travels direct (no milk run), and we had arrived very late.
The airport connection with the limousine was a little awkward. We took "full
advantage" of the limo while in route to the resort, but smelled something
outside as we approached. Upon arrival at the resort, as we passed the
gatehouse, the L-Shaped seat in the limo caught on fire, literally! We jumped
out and yelled. No one had a fire extinguisher. It was a little funny, because
we didn't need our clothes in the trunk. The fire was electrical and I put most
of it out with the ice bucket, then someone brought a fire extinguisher from
the resort.
Second, our anniversary was on Thursday night. While
poolside on Wednesday afternoon, I asked the headwaiter to put a table "on the
beach" for dinner the next day. They chose to place one in the massage cabana
(very close to the sand) and we had our own private dinner a few yards from
everyone else. This was very cool and "all inclusive".
Lastly, we
cannot say enough about the other staff. Our room was decorated magnificently
each day with flower petals, towel folding, tissue folding, etc. The activity
staff was great, as well the bar and wait service. Drinks at the beach cabana
were never ending, quick, etc.
Last year we promised to return to
Grand Lido, Negril… but, not until we return to HBR first! |
|
|
| March 2005 - M.J. |
|
The staff is as nice as any we have ever
encountered at any resort anywhere. That alone says a lot. We have traveled
extensively and cannot recall a staff any better than this one. We had a
wonderful time overall.
There are a few minor problems that need to be
addressed. In room 1111, when it rains it pours. The water leaked under the
front door, through the bathroom window (that was shut) and also dripped in
through the air conditioning unit.
Suffice it to say we had a blast.
The minor problems can be overlooked. We would highly recommend this resort to
anyone that asked us about it. We both feel it is a great place to start for
someone that might never have had a clothing free vacation. |
|
|
| January 2005 - L.H. |
|
My husband and I have just returned from our
honeymoon at Hidden Beach Resort (HBR)and what a trip it was. We had an amazing
time and met some wonderful people that we will remain friends with. Since HBR
has 48 rooms, its size gives it a very homey feeling so you are able to get to
know just about everyone. The staff is just so fabulous and friendly especially
Claudia…...what an incredible lady and she does great body painting. Being
January the weather in the mornings and evenings were cool but when the sun
came out it was perfect. HBR provided three sets of robes, one a smooth silky
material, one being of heavy comfy cotton and the other a poncho. The rooms
were nice, adequate in size and kept very clean. We got a kick out of wondering
what we would find on our bed the next day because they are masters in towel
folding. We had swans, dog, frogs, hearts and even an elephant. The food was
excellent and abundant as were the drinks.
Two downsides and
disappointments I had with our trip at HBR: The condition of the water right
off the beach is full of coral and the pool was too cold. But the bright side
is that they are currently building another pool that will be heated and are
planning on excavating the coral to allow swimming in the ocean.
This
was my first experience “au natural” and my husband says he has
created a monster because I won’t go on another vacation where this is not
an option. I highly recommend HBR to anyone and if you have any questions you
can e-mail me at scubaa@flash.net. And by the way you couldn't ask for a better
travel agent than Castaways they are just incredible and so helpful. Thank you
all!!!!!! |
|
|
|
