How does Desire compare to Grand Lido Braco

[bracocouple]

We've been doing AN trips for the last 8 years. We started with Hedo III for a couple of trips but just came home tired out. We then found Grand Lido Braco and were instantly in heaven. We missed some of the sexy atmosphere of Hedo III but the comfort, quality, and size of the AN facilities more than made up for it. After several visits to Braco we wanted to try another location so we did Hidden Beach. The first few days of the stay were fun but then a group came in and took over. Cameras everywhere all the time and way too crowded to even get in the pool. We spent the rest of the trip on the palapas. Since then we've been going to Braco.

Well, as much as we love Braco we're feeling a bit bored and want to try another location. Desire, San Souci, and Caliente (DR) are all on the list. To be honest there are moments that Desire seems to be the hands down winner and then we get cold feet when we see the various trip reports.

So, we'd like to get your feedback on Desire vs Braco.

What we are looking for:

1) Couples only
2) Nude - Yeah we get that Desire is nude but some posts make is sound like the only place everyone is nude is at the roof top hot tub and that the pool and beach is largely mixed. Sure some people are nervous to be nude on their first trip and like to work their way up to nude but we are more comfortable when everyone is nude.
3) Food - Braco has great food, lots of choices, food around all the time. If the food is bad it will be a bummer.
4) Nice clean room - We need a King, don't want to get "stuck" with a Queen sized bed.
5) Nice beach would be great - The beaches at Braco and HIII aren't all that great for swimming
6) Safety - Don't want to worry about my wife walking alone around the resort if she wants to get coffee early in the morning or run back to the room for a few minutes.
7) Sexy - A sexy fun time is always the best. We're not swingers but have a live and let live attitude. A little sexual charge in the air makes it a good time.

Thanks in advance for any replies. If you have comments on the other two resorts mentioned above vs. Desire that feedback would be great too.

(My wife and I will share this id so don't be surprised to see her pipe in too.)

[shore128]

Braco couple, just read your post and wanted to give you our 2 cents worth. We've been to Grand Lido Braco (which is changing to a Breezes on November 1, 2009 BTW) six times and have been to Desire 3 times. We have enjoyed our vacations at both resorts. Each has it's pros and cons versus the other. If we had to pick just one, it would be Desire. The 3 times we have been to Desire at least 90% of the guests have been nude on the beach, pool and hottub. Apparently there are times when alot of people wear suits, but we haven't experienced that.
We have been very pleased with the food at Desire. We eat at one of the specialty restaurants almost every night, usually Piacere, which, unlike Braco, doesn't require reservations, has better service and we have found the food to be as good or better than its counterpart at Braco. Breakfast is about the same at both places although at Desire you can order a full breakfast through room service and eat it on your balcony. While drink service (Wayne and the rest of the A/N staff) during the day is good at Braco, overall, we found the service far superior at Desire.
The A/N rooms at Braco are much larger and the newly renovated bathrooms are nicer as well. They're also alot more expensive than Desire's. Having a king size bed is important to us, so we prefer a gardenview with king size bed at Desire. Alot of rooms at Desire are also short of drawer space and closet space. So on balance, Braco wins on this one - however - Braco's rooms (with the exception of the newly renovated bathrooms) are also more dated.
The beach at Desire is much nicer than Braco's. It is very narrow, but it is soft, white sand and usually calm seas. You can also walk for miles along it which we like.
Desire has very good security and we found it very safe. Never any worries in that department - nor at Braco for that matter.
In terms of a sexy environment, absolutely no comparison. We started finding Braco to be too quiet and boring at night. While the Hedo's are more party oriented than Desire, we much preferred the hottub scene, outdoor lobby bar and disco at Desire.
Hope this is helpful. Any other questions just ask.

[CokeMann]

FYI - Announce by SC on Jan 19th

It remain to be seen at this point if the new Breezes will be adult only or will be converted to family style resorts

***************************************

Press Release from SC

HOLLYWOOD, FL, January 19, 2009 - SuperClubs Resorts today announced its strategic decision to realign, elevate and expand its Breezes brand. On November 1, 2009, the Super-Inclusive resort group will rename its Grand Lido Negril and Grand Lido Braco hotels Breezes Grand Negril and Breezes Rio Bueno, respectively. In addition, this year SuperClubs is opening two new Breezes resorts in Panama and Brazil and bringing its family favorite Starfish Trelawny under its Breezes umbrella.

"We spoke to our valued agents and guests backed up by extensive market research about our brand positioning, and as a result decided to realign and expand the Breezes brand," said John Issa, chairman of SuperClubs Resorts. "Breezes is our best-known brand with the widest appeal and as such, we are hoping to better capitalize on its name recognition in today's crowded marketplace. Our aim is to create brand consistency and this restructuring process is the first step in achieving our goal."

When the rebranding exercise is complete, there will be 11 Breezes Resorts in six countries. All Breezes Resorts vacations will include multiple dining options in themed restaurants, unlimited premium brand drinks and a host of complimentary land and water sports ranging from windsurfing, scuba diving and kayaking to tennis, golf and the flying trapeze. All Breezes will also have an à la carte Blue Mahoe Spa featuring signature treatments like the Island Coffee Mint Glo, Tropical Body Mousse, Bamboo Massage and Tropical Fruit Facial.

Great for groups of all sizes, Breezes Resorts are perfectly suited for corporate meetings and conventions, with everything included in one single, upfront price. SuperClubs is also the only brand to offer free nuptials with a minimum three-night stay and absorb government fees for stays seven nights or longer.

On November 1, the AAA Four Diamond Grand Lido Negril Resort & Spa will be renamed Breezes Grand Negril Resort & Spa. Guests of the hotel, which was named to Travel + Leisure's 2008 "World's Best" Top 25 Caribbean Hotels List, will enjoy this all-suite resort set on 22 acres of elegantly manicured grounds and two miles of private white sand beach on Negril's Bloody Bay.

Also on November 1, SuperClubs will be changing its AAA Four Diamond Grand Lido Braco Resort & Spa to Breezes Rio Bueno Resort & Spa, a new upscale resort for sports lovers of all kinds. The wonderful Jamaican village atmosphere and famous Friday night street parties will remain. Guestroom renovations were just completed in October to the tune of over US$2 million, and all now boast beautiful marble bathrooms.

Another exciting change on November 1 is the transformation of SuperClubs' popular Starfish Trelawny to the new Breezes Trelawny. The family favorite will join the rest of the SuperClubs resorts and become a Super-Inclusive property, with all the many amenities of the other properties included in one set price.

The Breezes brand expansion is further enhanced with the addition of two exotic locales to the roster in 2009. This summer SuperClubs will open its first resort in Panama: Breezes Panama. Located along the southern Pacific coast of the Coclé province in the beach resort community of Santa Clara, the hotel will feature 300 rooms and a spa. It promises to be a perfect getaway for couples and families seeking sun, sand, and rainforest adventures.

Later this year the 32-year-old SuperClubs Resorts group will launch Breezes Buzios near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Located in Buzios, known as Rio's San Tropez, guests of all ages will enjoy its spa, mini golf course, cycling paths, roller-skating park, archery center, bowling alley, and convention facilities. In addition to 330 rooms and suites, the resort will also feature 110 villas.

Additionally, across the Caribbean, established Breezes hotels have undergone major refurbishments recently. Located on the beautiful Cable Beach, Breezes Bahamas completed a US$10 million upgrade outfitting rooms with plasma TV's, new mahogany furnishings, renovated bathrooms and soundproof balcony doors. Its Pastafari restaurant also received new furnishings and a fresh décor.

Breezes Curaçao Resort, Spa & Casino - the only all-inclusive property on the island, also recently underwent a US$2 million enhancement. Now boasting an expansive 12,000 square foot kids' club, 32-inch LCD TV's, reappointed bathrooms, renovated swimming pools and an expanded beach grill, guests of all ages are never bored when visiting one of the hottest Caribbean diving destinations. With complimentary snorkeling and one free shore dive per day, guests can explore colorful Curaçao from above or below the water.

Two years ago Breezes Runaway Bay Resort & Golf Club completed a US$20 million renovation and expansion featuring a revamped lobby, vibrant new landscape, verandah suites with private plunge pools, two new freshwater swimming pools, swim-up bar and accompanying misting pool, two new restaurants, piano bar, and two new exotic wedding gazebos for bridal receptions.


SuperClubs is the world's only Super-Inclusive resort group. Every SuperClubs holiday includes accommodations; all meals, SuperSnacks and premium brand cocktails; unlimited use of all sports facilities, including equipment rental and instruction; entertainment; weddings; recreational activities; and hotel taxes - with absolutely no tipping allowed. For more information or reservations, contact SuperClubs at (800) GO-SUPER (or 1-800-467-8737) or visit their website at www.superclubs.com.

[poolboy]

We are Braco fans because it was our first nude experience and we have a fun mid May group we go with. Since July of 2004 we have been to Braco 5 times, HedoII once,(not for us) Desire Cancun 3 times and Desire Cabo twice. All resorts are fun. Braco is much more upscale and 100% nude as you know. Desire is clothing optional but most are nude. Desire has much more added spice sexually than braco generally does. You will love Desire, we cant wait to return. As for being a safe resort, no worries. Just dont go skinny dipping in the croc pond.
poolboy(aka Brian)

[poolboy]

Cokemann, as of now they say Braco will continue to have the a/n side after the name change. The a/n side stays much more full than the prude side but on our last 2 trips there the prude side was a ghost town and the a/n side was packed. I found out this information directly from travel agents that specialize in superclubs resorts but then again it's hard to belive anything nowadays.

[bracocouple]

Braco couple, just read your post and wanted to give you our 2 cents worth. We've been to Grand Lido Braco (which is changing to a Breezes on November 1, 2009 BTW) six times and have been to Desire 3 times. We have enjoyed our vacations at both resorts. Each has it's pros and cons versus the other. If we had to pick just one, it would be Desire. The 3 times we have been to Desire at least 90% of the guests have been nude on the beach, pool and hottub. Apparently there are times when alot of people wear suits, but we haven't experienced that.
We have been very pleased with the food at Desire. We eat at one of the specialty restaurants almost every night, usually Piacere, which, unlike Braco, doesn't require reservations, has better service and we have found the food to be as good or better than its counterpart at Braco. Breakfast is about the same at both places although at Desire you can order a full breakfast through room service and eat it on your balcony. While drink service (Wayne and the rest of the A/N staff) during the day is good at Braco, overall, we found the service far superior at Desire.
The A/N rooms at Braco are much larger and the newly renovated bathrooms are nicer as well. They're also alot more expensive than Desire's. Having a king size bed is important to us, so we prefer a gardenview with king size bed at Desire. Alot of rooms at Desire are also short of drawer space and closet space. So on balance, Braco wins on this one - however - Braco's rooms (with the exception of the newly renovated bathrooms) are also more dated.
The beach at Desire is much nicer than Braco's. It is very narrow, but it is soft, white sand and usually calm seas. You can also walk for miles along it which we like.
Desire has very good security and we found it very safe. Never any worries in that department - nor at Braco for that matter.
In terms of a sexy environment, absolutely no comparison. We started finding Braco to be too quiet and boring at night. While the Hedo's are more party oriented than Desire, we much preferred the hottub scene, outdoor lobby bar and disco at Desire.
Hope this is helpful. Any other questions just ask.

Thanks for the reply to our post!

Based on your feedback the score looks like the following:

1) Couples only = Same
2) Nude = Negative (Some clothed - depends if you care)
3) Food = Positive (Same quality, better service, full breakfast room service)
4) Room - Negative (Braco AN is all upgraded and King beds)
5) Beach = Positive (Easy to beat Braco. I like the beach, wife could care less)
6) Safety = Same (Gotta be careful wherever you are)
7) Sexy = Positive (Racy potential but not frat party like Hedo)

Overall still a tough call. The posts about Braco changing over to Breezes makes us wonder if we should go back before they mess up the AN experience there. Desire sounds like fun but I worry about the comfort of the rooms. Also, we like the 100% nudity on the AN side of Braco. Not sure we'll dig being around clothed guests. Get enough drinks in us and it's probably a non issue.

We appreciate the feedback.

If anyone else wants to chime in please do so.

Thanks.