Trip Report March 2023: All that changed and Passion Suite

[ECSpicy]

This forum as been so helpful over the years so I felt the need to contribute. It's a little bit long but hopefully it will be helpful to someone. This was the 4th time to Desire (3 times to RM and 1 Pearl) but it's been 5 years since our last trip. I know that's too long! We are not in the Lifestyle, but found DRM to be a fantastic place to rekindle the flame and feel young again. To put it into perspective, the first time we visited both of us were 38 years old, now we are 47.

Airport: Immigration was so much better now. No forms and almost no line 5min and your done. We arrive at 3pm on a Tuesday. The baggage claim was the worst +40min to even get bags coming out of the carousel. If there was a way to only take carryon then do it. Pretty sure it not possible for us.

Transportation: Was included with passion suite but not super impress with company mainly because car was not ready and had to wait another 35mins. USA transfer in the past was always prompt maybe 5-15min wait. Disclaimer there is construction coming into airport, so this may have contributed to the added delay. However, transportation company requested they pick us up from resort to return to airport 4 hrs early. That was overkill even with traffic we got to airport and was stuck at airport gate for 2.5hrs waiting before boarding.

Room: We stayed in room 2012, its bigger than the other Passion suite by the pool but further from everything. It's quiet but if someone is throwing a party in a desire suite which is next door then its not quite. This happened to us half the night, there was a party in the outdoor suite's pool. The beach bed that were in front of the building on the beach is no longer a there. They moved all the beds to the beach next to pool. This is one of the reason I wanted the passion suite so I can have a Bed right in front of my door. The reason for the bed relocation is the beach is eroded so water comes up to the property now. Before the water at high tide came just up to the bed. We took a nap there on our first trip and loved it so much. Also the wind was crazy during our stay so beach beds was not a great experience cause your hit by flying sand. I brought a sandwich back from the bar and it literally flew off my plate and into the garden. We had only one morning where wind was not as strong and was able to enjoy breakfast on the balcony. That was very nice!

Resort: Not much changed from 5 years ago, except the beach. This is good and bad. 5 years ago we though the resort needed a face lift but loved the compactness and boutique feeling of the resort . All in all the good times out weight the outdatedness of the resort. There was construction next door for the expansion. I am very skeptical of them finishing this year and opening next year. I certainly hope they prove me wrong. The resort was 95% full and it showed. Having a Passion meant guaranteeing a beach bed, just not the one we wanted, but the annoying thing is it didn't give you any benefit for reserving a spot next to the pool. Having a passion suite with a butler didn't help, you have to awake up at 7am and ask for a spot. Even then you don't get one and if you do remember to leave something there or they just give you spot to someone else. At 7:20am, the pool manager tells me there no spots all reserved for members!!! That's fine but for the amount they charge for passion suite and the way they market it you think you have some help from the butler.

Membership: So back when we last visited membership was a nice status. I would say 30% purple towels. This trip it was 80% purple towels if not more.

Food: Just as good as I remember. Looking forward to the expansion with more restaurant. You don't come for the food but they put effort into it.

Jacuzzi: So crowded during the peak time 4:30pm -7pm, we tried everyday to go up and just turned around. We went later at night before the 1am rush and it was nice. The beds, the moonlight and breeze make a great place to spend time.

Crowd: People are great. I think there are groups for everyone. Whether it's lifestyle, age or place of origin, people can find people to click with. However, I would like to point out a incident. We not in the lifestyle but are very lifestyle friendly is the best way to put it, and very comfortable hanging out with those who are in it. We try to be respectful of people's time and try to tell people up front to set expectation. But this was the first time my wife was creeped out. An older man with creepy vibe and his wife came up to us as we were very in the moment and just stood there and watched until we looked up. So we greeted them. he commented on what a sexy view, staring at my wife. We are total cool with this, she is very beautiful. He ask if we are in the lifestyle, we said no then he proceed to make a gesture with his finger not even a little bit. We replied nope. Then he reaches over to starts touching my wife leg. WTF. This was first night and almost ruin the trip for us. Lucky the rest of trip was great and we will be coming back.

Activities: Same as before playmakers are great. Lounging and socializing is fun but having more active social activity would be great. Here are my ideas day time: Pickleball!!, night time: convert breakfast area to official casino night (no real money) with table card games like strip poker/blackjack drees up to dress down, you get the drift just something new.

Overall: So glad to be back. The magic is still there. Being naked, carefree surrounded by sexual people and energy is an awesome feeling. Look forward to the improvements. Dressing up is so much fun, I encourage everyone to participate. I think they should lean into it more like have contest where people can nominate other people for best costume by placing stickers on the nominee's body. Foam party was a blast.

[MollyPablo]

Thanks for the report! We have booked a passion suite, do you still feel that room was worth it to you?

[ECSpicy]

I would probably book a Jacuzzi Ocean view. But those are seemly never available. I actually just checked viewtopic.php?f=60&t=8451#p79296 and it's crazy even going out to 2024 only deluxe garden/ocean view and superior garden are available. Can someone explain this? I had to book my passion suite 1 year in advance.

[Desire_FL]

but the annoying thing is it didn't give you any benefit for reserving a spot next to the pool. Having a passion suite with a butler didn't help, you have to awake up at 7am and ask for a spot. Even then you don't get one and if you do remember to leave something there or they just give you spot to someone else. At 7:20am, the pool manager tells me there no spots all reserved for members!!! That's fine but for the amount they charge for passion suite and the way they market it you think you have some help from the butler.

Jacuzzi: So crowded during the peak time 4:30pm -7pm, we tried everyday to go up and just turned around. We went later at night before the 1am rush and it was nice. The beds, the moonlight and breeze make a great place to spend time.

Appreciate this detailed review. We're heading to DRM in mid-April for the first time - we went to Pearl last month for the first time. These two items you mentioned have me concerned. We're not members and wonder whether we'll have a problem getting poolside lounge chairs. Would appreciate what other guests' experiences with this have been of late.

[BashfulDesires]

Appreciate this detailed review. We're heading to DRM in mid-April for the first time - we went to Pearl last month for the first time. These two items you mentioned have me concerned. We're not members and wonder whether we'll have a problem getting poolside lounge chairs. Would appreciate what other guests' experiences with this have been of late.

We arrived at DRM at 9am Saturday, got our Members wristbands an hustled to talk the Pool hut guys. They gave us 2 loungers, which we requested for the day and we then made reservations for the other 7-days we would be there for loungers on the side/area we wanted as couples were leaving the following day. Rule is, be there before 10am daily and check in, or they will give your reserved chairs/beds/seating away. If non-members can't make chair reservations, that's news to us!

Every morning at 9:30-9:55am we would check in and get our loungers for the entire week. They were super professional and courteous!

The hot tub while busy was never an issue, we always found a spot, sometimes standing room only, sometimes we'd share a stool/or seat on my lap. But that's what we are there for, to socialize. It definitely took a while to get drinks when they were slammed tho.

[Desire_FL]

Appreciate this detailed review. We're heading to DRM in mid-April for the first time - we went to Pearl last month for the first time. These two items you mentioned have me concerned. We're not members and wonder whether we'll have a problem getting poolside lounge chairs. Would appreciate what other guests' experiences with this have been of late.

We arrived at DRM at 9am Saturday, got our Members wristbands an hustled to talk the Pool hut guys. They gave us 2 loungers, which we requested for the day and we then made reservations for the other 7-days we would be there for loungers on the side/area we wanted as couples were leaving the following day. Rule is, be there before 10am daily and check in, or they will give your reserved chairs/beds/seating away. If non-members can't make chair reservations, that's news to us!

Every morning at 9:30-9:55am we would check in and get our loungers for the entire week. They were super professional and courteous!

The hot tub while busy was never an issue, we always found a spot, sometimes standing room only, sometimes we'd share a stool/or seat on my lap. But that's what we are there for, to socialize. It definitely took a while to get drinks when they were slammed tho.

Thanks for providing this additional insight. Very helpful.

[ninaandfrank]

Last time there it didnt seem to matter if you were a member of not when it came to getting pool chairs. However, a good tip always seemed to helps things along. Never had an issue with overcrowding at the hot tub.