Report Jan. '10

[oldseadog]

Apart from air tickets, trip booked through Castaways Travel.

Dep. Edinburgh pm Sat. 16th. Jan. to Gatwick with BA. No problems.
Overnight Sofitel Gatwick. No problems.
Dep London Gatwick am Sun. 17th Jan with Thomas Cook. Arr. Cancun 1525 local after 11.5 hrs flight. No problems.
Cancun immigration in 10 mins., baggage wait 10 mins., customs 10 mins., no problems.
(Is there a trend appearing here?)
Found Lomas rep., into vehicle, short trip to other terminal to pick up other pax., to Desire, checkin and into room 1hr. 25 from landing. No offer of "tour" or "membership". Room as per request.
Greeted by staff like long lost cousins.

Next 6 days as per expectations, although maybe a note to each room to tell about the availability of the 2 jacuzzi suites while the hot tub was being retiled might have been a good idea. We found out just before the hot tub reopened.

Sat. 23rd. to Hidden Beach to check recent changes. Lomas half hour late but so what.

Mon. 25th. back to Desire. Lomas 10 mins. early!
New room had sticky bathroom door and dripping shower. Told Jorge and all fixed by pm. We think Jorge will make a good sucessor to Silvina - everything we asked for happened.
Made a mistake on 27th. Jan., though. Met Mario and Jorge on path and told them it was my 70th. Birthday.
Somehow Edilberto found out as well.
We dined in the white Resaurant that evening and when our main course plates were being cleared away the drinks trolley appeared. I asked where was the dessert trolly to be told that it was just coming. Just as our Brandys had been poured, a Birthday Cake (with one candle) appeared and all 6 staff appeared to sing "Happy Birthday". Very embarrassing.
Then when we went back to the room to change, we found all the lights off apart from the string round the bed head mirror, three candles in pots burning on the floor and the bed covered in flower petals.
This should teach me to keep my mouth shut. (Wife says "Fat chance.")
But this is typical of the Desire staff.
They are the best, all of them.

Return trip 31st. Jan/1st. Feb., no problems. (Lomas pick up on time.)

There is a lesson, though.
When the Sailing disappeared, we campaigned hard and it came back.
We complained about the hot tub and it has been refurbished properly.
We complained about the pool being too cold, they put in a heater which was too small and are now replacing it with a bigger one; according to Mario it will take the pool up to hot tub temperature if required.
We complained for years about the disco and it is now being refurbished.
At last they are acting on what we have been telling them
Keep up the constructive comments.

And thanks to Powderfinger for running the Desire January Group. It does make a difference if you have some contact beforhand with the people who are going to be there at the same time.

[Powderfinger]

No problem, oldseadog.....it was great to meet you.....

[Burnt-enz]

Great report. We were down there from Jan 22 until Feb 2nd and must have run into you a few times. The weather was a little cool and windy. They are doing some nice landscaping to the grounds around the entrance and now I read that the disco and playroom are being updated. A playroom tent at the jacuzzi sounds likes lots of fun. We tried writing a trip report but keep losing it. MY wife says I'm not computer literate. (she is right) By the way, we managed to join the January Yahoo group but got deleted somehow. I know it was something I did incorrectly. We are planning on returning next January and would appreciate some advise on how to join and stay that way....
We really enjoy this forum and miss Desire already.

[Wycpl]

G&L

Was very nice meeting and visiting with you while we were there. Wish we were back.

Happy Belated Birthday

J&A