RM Trip September 18/2014--from No Pool to Swim Up Bar!

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RM Trip September 18/2014--from No Pool to Swim Up Bar!

Postby funhearts » Tue Sep 30, 2014 9:25 pm

Trip #5: September 18-29 2014
We arrived prior to the pool opening and left when the swim up bar was open and hopping! I can't begin to say how much the construction crew and Desire maintenance staff worked. It actually opened earlier than anticipated. The bad part--tiles are coming off of the "Desire" writing on the bottom of the pool and it has several links they are tending to at night to resolve. With all of the changes-it made this trip quite a different experience from previous trips-AND we are glad we went--not disappointed at all. We are pool people usually--but don't mind hanging out in the beach...so we did 5 days with the beach and 6 days with the new pool!

Changes from our Trips #1- #4: (Last trip April 2014)
1. New chairs for the pool on the member side.
2. New tables for the entire pool.
3. New striped towels versus white towels at the pool.
4. Swinging beds removed and stationary beds placed under a newly constructed "pergola" area in the lobby/bar area.
5. 3 new female entertainers (Sara69, Kayla, and a newby of less than 2 weeks); 1 new bartender in training (Alejandro #2)--made official a couple of days before we left.
6. New pool game-GIANT hamster ball race! Funny...and you should try it.
7. Swim up bar!
8. Suki open at lunch to accommodate pool not being complete. Sushi menu is different from the evening menu. Nice option. The new restaurant will open, according to different staff reports, this week or next. Kitchen equipment delays set the finish date back by 15 days.???
9. Ceviche EVERYDAY (instead of ever other day)! Yummy.
10. Many more (15) beach beds added to the area that used to be the volleyball sand area.
11. Volleyball moved closer to the dive shop.
12. No outdoor eating. Shirts required for men during the day in the lunch buffet (but lax every once in a while).
13. Palapa reconstructed with a new roof.
14. Many more chairs added to pool area.
15. Henna Tatto shack torn down...and fence area expanded. Grass mats placed daily to cover rocks close to building 10.
16. New glossy colored site map of the resort.
17. Suki not available on Thursday
18. A/C building--next to lobby bar was used for a "special" dinner on Thursday--high occupancy night. Only have seen this used for member sales in the mornings only.
19. Rain days had activities in the lobby bar area and music was played. We have been in the past when it rained for 4 days and things were flooded and there was nowhere to go or alternative activities.
20. Mosquitos. Terrible--they sprayed once the first week...then two times the next week. Really really really bad at the lobby bar.
21. Foam party was held on the beach by the pool versus spa/lobby bar/tennis courts like the past. This will change this week to Tuesday in the day time--in the pool. The pool filter was not ready to handle the foam--per staff.
22. Daytime entertainment was difficult with the pool closed and everyone spread out from one end of the resort to the other...but they were back to the usual entertaining once it opened!
23. Prizes for games-no free nights (or judging) for lingerie night. Massage offered for costume night prize.
24. Staff took music requests in the evening for the pool DJ to play guest requests.
25. The place WAS SUPER NOISY during construction...so they turned the music up loud by the pool--louder than normal--so the average beach goer may have been disappointed! lol

What is still the same from trip #4 to #5
1. Amazing staff (butlers (Luis, Gustavo), bar tenders (Carlos, Alejandro, Joel, Silvia), pool staff (Danny), servers (Roger, Candido, Leo), cook to order chefs (Matilde and Jaime).
2. Great service
3. Food selection
4. Theme nights
5. Entertainment/Activities
6. Clean facilities
7. Great disco
8. Great people--whether at 60% occupancy or higher!

We can't wait to return in 2015 and experience the complete renovation! We watched it transform over the 11 days...and were glad to say we were there...and watched people jump into the pool at 10pm when it had water--half full/half empty! :US
funhearts
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Re: RM Trip September 18/2014--from No Pool to Swim Up Bar!

Postby mrconduct » Tue Sep 30, 2014 9:55 pm

Wow! You must have been really good at those puzzles I did as a kid where you find the differences between pictures. :D

Thank you for all the details
mrconduct
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Re: RM Trip September 18/2014--from No Pool to Swim Up Bar!

Postby canuck63 » Wed Oct 15, 2014 6:16 am

Great report! Can't wait to get there mid November to see all the changes now.
canuck63
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Re: RM Trip September 18/2014--from No Pool to Swim Up Bar!

Postby Hughmcs » Wed Oct 15, 2014 8:55 pm

Thanks for the report. We were there from the 17th to the 23rd but left when they were just opening up the pool. We're glad that all the construction is finally completed but sad knowing that there won't be too many 30% off offers in the immediate future.
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