We just returned from our trip to DRM Feb 5 - 13. Wow, what a good time.
The playmakers at the pool: I read many complaints in other's reviews about the playmakers for the pool but they were just great! Sofi, Jay, Keyla...all of them really kept to the schedule and put in such a good effort trying to get participation in all of the events! The music at the pool was just perfect, calming tunes in the am with more upbeat in the early afternoon and then rocking the house in the late afternoon. Great variety to keep everyone happy!
The service: It is completely outstanding from the maid service to the bar service/pool side with Sylvia, Africa, Abraham all staff is super attentive, at times we found a bit of over-serving at the pool side lunch buffet....they were almost trying too hard and just interrupting a little too much if that might be a negative to you!?
The food was very good except for one night at the buffet that was "International Cuisine". I couldn't find much to eat, there wasn't much choice with this theme dinner but quite opposite was "French Cuisine" where there was so much to choose from and it was all so very good, I ate too much that night! Suki was great as usual, the Chicken Pad Thai was just perfect and I haven't found a Creme Brulee anywhere else that matches the one served at Suki! Breakfast is always good!
Our room was cleaned to perfection with little towel animals and hearts and a little girl! The towel art was something to take a picture of everyday for a keepsake reminder of how hard they work to please us!
We did have to get up early to claim a pool bed because it was so busy the week we were there. Pool chairs were harder to come by than the pool beds for some reason but I found the beds to be super comfortable with the adjustable back on them. There were neck roll pillows available almost every day and as many towels as you need. The pool.....for the first two days we felt like it wasn't heated and everyone was trying hard to get into it....even with all the liquid courage we had in us but those two days were also very overcast and not at hot as the remainder of the trip. By the third day, the pool was very nice, warm and easy to get into and enjoy.
The beach.....out of the 8 days we were there we saw only 2 days where there was little wind therefore making the water very nice to be in and hang out. The sand on the bottom actually settled and rippled and you could clearly see down to your feet. The colours came out with the greens and blues and it looked so amazing. The rest of the time it was quite windy which churns up the beach and makes the water muddy and sandy to be in. Still good for a quick dip but not the beach playground to lounge around in when there is no wind. This was a little disappointing to us as we would have liked to snorkel but never got around to it during the 2 calm days.
The jacuzzi....wild at times, other times pretty quiet but mostly crazy between 4 - 6 pm. One of the nights we showed up to the dry side of the jacuzzi to have a drink because it was body to body and we couldn't see any room at all so we sat on a bar stool and the lady next to us said " Hi Guys....nice show you put on yesterday!!" I really didn't remember taking part in a show, we had the last bed closest to the stairs and it appeared to be private enough to enjoy some fun stuff with the hubby but I didn't really realize the bird's eye view that the dry dock gets of that bed! I was really surprised when she said this and I said "what show"...she started pointing out attributes that hubby has and skills she thought I had etc. etc so fair warning to all the newbies...you might be on show even when you think you are quite hidden! Didn't bother me at all, we engaged in an encore the next afternoon!
Disco was great...lots of fun and really good music...we danced first at the lobby to all of the great music - bands and DJ's and then went upstairs to dance some more! What a way to burn some calories...we never did make it to the gym. My legs were sore most of the trip from dancing in my heels!
Bar staff.....super friendly and they love to see and feel "Chi Chi's" AKA boobies! Got lots of hugs and hugs and smiles and goodbye's from them. Truly good guys that are so quick to serve up any drink you want....Don't forget to try the Cappuccino Martini, it's fantastic!
Weather.....first two days were overcast and cooler but then the rest of the time was just fab and hot! Warning....it was VERY cool at night! Not kidding and I am used to living in cold weather but without any sleeves or any material on for that matter, for two of the nights we just skipped the lobby show because I just couldn't get myself to be outside in 15 C weather after being so hot and sweaty all day. For us, we will skip this time of the year in the future because I like to be warm at night as well as the day. All the staff said the best time of year for hot dry weather and warm nights is April/May. I think we'll plan an April trip or May trip next time and take advantage of the warm nights!
Atmosphere.....at first I would say it was mostly nude around the pool and beach but as the week went on it switched up so much that I would almost say it was 40-50% clothes on around the pool! Kind of made the dynamic change...for me at least I became a little more uncomfortable walking by all of the bathing suits around the pool to go by to the bathroom. I realize everyone has their own comfort level, I'm just saying for me, it made me more uncomfortable the more bathing suits showed up around the area. Guys wearing long bermuda shorts down past the knee?? What's up with that...holy crap, why go there then, I don't really get it. Regarding the Demographic or preferences of guests...not sure how to put it but there was ALOT of girl on girl action at the hot tub and disco....I know,..a man's fantasy right. Maybe not because as the girls were going at it the guys were quietly drinking their drinks and talking about all kinds of things....saw this a lot and it kind of makes me curious as to how many women at Desire are going there to get the girl action instead of couple action. It was not strange but, different to see so many men sitting on the sidelines and not even joining the women? Hmmm.
Mosquitos....pretty bad and we used OFF. The lobby bar staff have a can and one late afternoon he went all around the bar stools and generously sprayed everyone's calves and ankles. We did still see them in the room and got quite a few bites. We saw a lot of other people with bites as well so I would definitely pack the bug spray. The resort fogged at least twice that we know of but still there were a lot of the little buggers.
Resort next door......They are making progress for sure. We were told there will be around 550 rooms so 1100 more people directly in the area but I don't see that really affecting anything but the foot traffic on the beach. If you are beach sitters then you are already used to the foot traffic so I can't see it being that bad at all. The palm trees planted at the pool area will quickly grow to cover any view of the pool area. We had a direct view from our beach bed onto the new resort but once the trees grow it will be blocked.
Sorry for the long and maybe boring review but I just wanted to address some of the things that I was wondering about before I left for DRM. If anyone has any questions, feel free to ask anything.