The Eden?

[HWHL123]

Somebody posted a couple pics on trip advisor in a recent review.

[whathappensinX]

Just leaving staying at Eden.

-Rooms at Eden were great. Feels like Mansion at Pearl but not as removed -which was awesome for us.
-pool and hot tub are amazing. hot tubt though lost power on last night which was a bummer. but when they nail that it will be incredible.
-the volume of people trying to upsell with massages, stripper experiences, tequila tastings etc. has gotten out of hand. heard several complaints about it.
-restaurant reservations still a bit of maddening experience. why dont they hire fewer masseus and more wait staff so they dont need to force so many people to the buffet?

[Powerswayerz]

Has there been any word on the opening of the new disco?

[whathappensinX]

They told me new disco will be done in May. So maybe that means June/July?

I snuck into that area and it looks probably 2-3 months out, but not 7 months.

[M&A]

Kahlo, the new Mexican restaurant opened last week (3/28). It is located above the new Lobby on same level as where the new Disco will be and the new Jacuzzi. As a heads up, the menu is NOT your typical American Mexican (ie Fajitas / Tacos / Enchilada's) so you might want to check the menu first. We did eat there and did enjoy the food.

As with the new Eden Lobby bar section, there are a lot of stairs to navigate to get to both the new Jacuzzi and Kahlo.

[ninaandfrank]

No elevator? I thought that was something were touting?

Kahlo, the new Mexican restaurant opened last week (3/28). It is located above the new Lobby on same level as where the new Disco will be and the new Jacuzzi. As a heads up, the menu is NOT your typical American Mexican (ie Fajitas / Tacos / Enchilada's) so you might want to check the menu first. We did eat there and did enjoy the food.

As with the new Eden Lobby bar section, there are a lot of stairs to navigate to get to both the new Jacuzzi and Kahlo.

[M&A]

As you pass directly through the sliding doors into the Lobby from the Lobby Bar (after walking up 10 or so steps, there is a handrail), there was a temporary construction barrier which I believe is where the elevators will be located. The staircase up to the Disco / Kahlo level is adjacent to this construction barrier and kind of wraps around the elevator shaft. Hopefully it will be available to use soon. Not sure if you will be able to access the Jacuzzi from these elevators...

No matter, you still have to walk up and down the 10 steps from the Lobby to the Lobby Bar and then another 5 or 6 steps down to the Pool / Main grounds level. There is a ramp walkway down from the Lobby Bar to the Pool / Main grounds and I believe there is a ramp walkway (not conveniently located) adjacent to the actual Lobby Bar service area which leads up to the Restrooms in the Lobby.

The Lobby restroom is nicely decored and large...and it is unisex with maybe 12 stalls of which a few are urinals. Also the restrooms adjacent to the new Pool are a nice upgrade from the old/now quiet Pool. Also, there is another unisex restroom on the Kahlo / Disco level of the Lobby area maybe half the size as the main Lobby one.

[Powerswayerz]

We just got back this weekend.

Pool is in much better shape than it was in February. It seems most of the crowd has migrated there and the old pool is very dead…..and they do mean quiet as there isn’t so much as elevator music playing.

Jacuzzi seems to be working well now and had lots of activity afternoon and late night.

The new spa opened on Friday, but we did not make it inside so not much I can tell you.

Eros breakfast was great, lunch similar to Tetrazone, and dinner was good.

Kahlo was opened most nights, and we did get a chance to dine there. The food is very good but portions are very small. Luckily ordering an extra portion was no problem.

Late night pizza and tacos are still at the old lobby bar. They have minimal drinks available there (basically water) but it’s better than February when they had none. Supposedly there are light snacks at the new lobby bar as well, but we never stopped by.

We also took an unapproved tour of the disco on our way to Kahlo. Unless they are waiting on some back ordered items, I see no reason that they couldn’t have it completed in a week. It’s very close. The check-in desk told us (on March 29) that there was a rumor that it would open while we were there but it did not. We talked to others that said they were told longer than that. The space looks really nice but I am concerned that it is somewhat too small. The dance floor is definitely on the smaller side.

Also had a chance to see a beloved suite, and it was very nice.

[Powerswayerz]

We just got back this weekend.

Pool is in much better shape than it was in February. It seems most of the crowd has migrated there and the old pool is very dead…..and they do mean quiet as there isn’t so much as elevator music playing.

Jacuzzi seems to be working well now and had lots of activity afternoon and late night.

The new spa opened on Friday, but we did not make it inside so not much I can tell you.

Eros breakfast was great, lunch similar to Tetrazone, and dinner was good.

Kahlo was opened most nights, and we did get a chance to dine there. The food is very good but portions are very small. Luckily ordering an extra portion was no problem.

Late night pizza and tacos are still at the old lobby bar. They have minimal drinks available there (basically water) but it’s better than February when they had none. Supposedly there are light snacks at the new lobby bar as well, but we never stopped by.

We also took an unapproved tour of the disco on our way to Kahlo. Unless they are waiting on some back ordered items, I see no reason that they couldn’t have it completed in a week. It’s very close. The check-in desk told us (on March 29) that there was a rumor that it would open while we were there but it did not. We talked to others that said they were told longer than that. The space looks really nice but I am concerned that it is somewhat too small. The dance floor is definitely on the smaller side.

Also had a chance to see a beloved suite, and it was very nice.

I forgot to mention the new playroom. Very nice with several large beds, but with a little separation between them instead of one very large bed as it is now. Also very interesting is that the entry hall is common to the unisex bathroom so that you get a view of what’s happening in the playroom on your way in. There’s also a shower in the bathroom.

[Okcool]

Figure to add our 2c in, as we returned a few days ago from RM.

For reference, it was our first time at RM, and stayed in old rooms, not Eden. We had been to Pearl in October, and then again, for 2 days before the 3 days we spent at RM earlier this last week or so.

Long story short, we really like it, and will be back as opposed to Pearl. They definitely aren't 100% done with all that they want to do, but it seems to be getting closer, and seems like weeks away at most, and nothing that disrupts our first time there.
Random notes and comments to add from above:

New pool - basically reminds me of a bigger Mexican resort pool. Lots of room in and out of water, and IMO, that's a good thing. I couldn't imagine that many people at the old pool.

Old pool - very quiet. Our room was down there, and we prefer the quiet side of the pool at Pearl, but being so far removed from the main action, it felt a bit too quiet here at RM. We stayed on the beach in the AM, and went to the main pool in the PM, because you still could be in a quieter spot there, given the size. For us, that's what we want. A proper amount of space where everything isn't going on right in front of you (like one side of pool at Pearl), but close enough to pop over and see what's going on. In this case, you can hang out on the edges and put of the action, without being removed totally.

Hot tub - really nice. Water is an odd (low) height. Coating for the sides and the bottom are rough.
Day got there the lobby elevator was still behind construction walls, next day it seemed operational but most took outside stairs to get to the hot tub. Also went for an unguided tour of New disco, smaller then thought it would be (not a lot bigger than Pearl IMO), and, didn't see the new playroom.
We went up to see old hot tub area, and again, can't believe how small it was.
Old lobby is nothing more then one way up to disco.

Beach bar, talking to bartender there he expects that to close in coming months. We were the only ones there 2 of 3 days.

Not sure how the old restaurants were setup, but Suki (only one we could get in for dinner) was cramped. The new place by pool was nice but only did lunch there.I assume the new restaurant will be nice that's near the lobby or in the Eden part, and the one that looks new by the old pool (though but seems to say on sign it will have late night snacks? That's a long way away from lobby. Snack bar was in courtyard by current disco, and it's good, though they could use more staff (a common theme) at night.

New spa was open. However, at Pearl we used the spa and it's lockers for us arriving before room was ready and staying after checkout before our evening flight. You can't do that at the new spa, they force you to the old spa. Only the gym and one change room are open, with sketchy looking lockers most without keys. It's smelly in the building and cramped in the locker room (and we were the only couple) and really looks downtrodden. It's fine for the gym section, but forcing guests like us to that, it's was the worst experience of the trip.

I don't doubt that at some point, people like us who need to shower up on arriving or departing without having a room, will be to the new spa, but this really was terrible.

The courtyard between the lobby and the new pool has the nightly show. Not sure how well thought out this was or is, or maybe its temporary. It is a good space, again, a better setup then Pearl, and needs to be because of more people. But for some of the tricks in the show, the lower hanging lights and number of chairs and couches that had to be moved, and a very slick tile floor, have to make there performers themselves a little apprehensive.

All that said, again, we liked all facilities besides the spa, and the more people and thus activity at RM, especially during the evening, but we do like a little bit of space, so not so sure we would've preferred RM if it was the old RM with a jammed old pool and beach and especially hot tub, and nightly show.

If we can manage it, would like to go back in 6 months or so, and RM all the way (all things being equal which may not be the case). We will definitely keep an eye on this board, It sounds like decisions are made quickly with Desire (see the DR experiment) so will keep an eye on things. I think when all the construction and touch ups are done, they'll start to make changes to the old sections, and hopefully make the right decisions as they work out the kinks.

The old spa will be useless outside of the gym. The old lobby will be useless, with no disco. The old hot tub needs dismantling and maybe space used for something else. The beach bar, as mentioned, has been rendered obsolete outside of service for the beach goes(though those people can be serviced out of the old pool bar). The old pool.is nice, but at 1/4 at most capacity, so I think many of the beds there from before will be removed. Restaurants are either at the new lobby, or at the far end of the resort, maybe the spa or old lobby gets transformed into another restaurant.

Anyways, we will be back, I'm just worried prices will increase dramatically (again) or they start taking out some of the old rooms (like the building we were in that had the old hot tub), or they give members exclusive access to some of these newer amenities (ie the main pool), when they finish things up and work out the kinks.

Sorry for the long note, hope it helps someone.

[ninaandfrank]

Sorry to hear that the swing bar is going bye-bye. Is there a quiet place near the beach now to sit and have a few drinks or chat?

[Worth]

Agreed, that was one of my favorite places to hang out, especially in the morning with my coffee.

[SusanAndDavid]

Not having CC's bar will be a huge loss. We've spent many hours chatting, drinking, flirting and just enjoying the views. The bar is unique and seems there's not a lot of upkeep (1 bartender for the day). I don't get taking this away at all. Bummer.

[AandB]

For anyone wondering about the new disco, it's been open for a few nights now.

[Okcool]

^
So is the old one closed down now as well? Playroom as well?

As for the beach bar, I'm just going by what the bartender had mentioned to us as we talked about how things changed since the new side opened. Who knows how it will all play out as things get reworked.