Trip report from our first visit to Pearl 4/29/2024 - 5/4/2024
This was our first trip to Pearl, but second trip to desire for my wife (29) and I (28). We wouldn’t consider ourselves fully “in the lifestyle” (swapping partners), but perhaps we are somewhere on that spectrum with lots of curiosities.
Day 1 - We arrived at the resort on a Monday around 3pm. The check in process was mostly smooth, with the exception of having to go back to the front desk after we were walked to our room since our wrist bands were not programmed correctly to open the door. The sales pitch for the presentation was very relaxed and the representative was respectful of us declining the offer. This was a relief for us as we had been traveling for 12 hours and just wanted to get into vacation mode!
Once we were settled into the room, we went to find something to eat. Given the time of around 4pm, we didn’t realize that many of the restaurants were changing over for dinner and were not open. Room service and pizza were available and we picked pizza (which was really good!). The rest of the evening was spent relaxing and getting our bearings around the resort. We called it an early night.
Day 2 - Our first full day where we got coffee, hit the gym, enjoyed a buffet style breakfast at Aphrodite, and then got our chairs reserved at the pool. We were able to pick our spot by the pool and we chose to spend the first few days in a sunny area of the active pool. After spending the day in the pool and making friends, we went to Pearl for dinner (no reservation required). Dinner was excellent and we went with the meal recommendations from the staff. After dinner we watched the live band that played some popular rock/country covers followed by an amazing show put on in the disco. After the show in the disco was finished, people stuck around to dance but it died down fairly quickly after that. We then decided to check out the hot tub and it did not disappoint! It was a fun and sexy environment and we found the sensual atmosphere sparked something between us.
Day 3 - Another pool day on the active side where we made more friends and spent the majority of the day with one couple we really clicked with. We also decided to book the erotic fantasy dinner to celebrate my birthday. It is difficult to describe how great the experience was, and if you are on the fence about it, go ahead and book the erotic dinner! You won’t regret it. We enjoyed a multiple course meal that was accompanied with wine pairings chosen by Martinez the sommelier. In between courses, there were multiple performances by 3 strippers (two female, one male). They were all beautiful and extremely talented. Before the show, each couple in attendance was asked if they were comfortable with any touching by the performers. Everybody in our group agreed, and that led to some very sexy moments!
Day 4 - More of a recovery day for us as we had spent the last two days in the sun and socializing, and our new friends were leaving that day. As a result, we decided to get a pool bed on the quiet side. This was a much needed recharge day and we kept reflecting on all of the unforgettable moments that we experienced so far this trip. We enjoyed a great dinner at Suki and had a quiet evening.
Day 5 - Our final day and we decided again to stay on the quiet side of the pool. In the afternoon we booked a photo session (which we highly recommend!!). The photographer was very professional and made us feel comfortable even though we felt a bit outside of our comfort zone with having sensual pictures taken of us. The end result was fantastic and we were struggling to pick what pictures to purchase since we wanted them all! Following the photo session we had a quick 20 minute massage that was included when we booked. The massage was great, but I was a little bummed it was only 20 minutes (the length of the massage was never listed on the promotion when I booked, so that’s completely on me for assuming it would be a more typical 50-60mins). We had the option to add more time for a price, but decided against it. After the massage we enjoyed the spa facilities with the soak pool, sauna, and steam room. Later in the evening, my wife booked a surprise which was a wine pairing dinner which was hosted in a private wine cellar area next to the Pearl restaurant. Our sommelier for the evening was Martinez who we recognized from the erotic dinner a few nights earlier. He did an excellent job and was a very entertaining host. As someone who only has a base level knowledge of wines, there was so much that I learned and the pairings were incredible. My favorite course had to be the lobster ravioli paired with a white wine that had lots of fruit and tropical notes (pear, pineapple, orange, mango, etc.). We ended our last day with a trip to the hot tub and met a nice couple who happened to live in the same small town that we do! We exchanged contact info and will be keeping in touch - a friendship formed by the magic of Desire!
Overall it was an incredible trip, but also a very different experience for us when comparing it to our trip two years ago to Rivera Maya. We appreciated the more relaxed vibe of Pearl and think we would pick it again for our next trip back to Desire. For us, it seemed easier to make connections with other couples at Pearl. I’m not sure if that is just a change in approach or perspective on our end since our last trip? Or perhaps we feel that we fit in more with the crowd at Pearl?
One final thing I wanted to note was the age demographic at Pearl. My wife and I were definitely on the younger side being in our late twenties. I would say that the average age of the crowd at pearl was around the same or perhaps slightly older than the crowd we experienced at Riviera Maya in 2022. However, at Riviera Maya the closest couple to our age was still ~10 years older than us. With our trip to Pearl, we found that there were multiple couples around our same age! Age isn’t a big deal for us, and we typically find that we end up connecting well with couples that are a bit older than us anyways. The only reason for brining up the age demographic we encountered was due to the impression I got from browsing the forums before our trip. It’s a small sample size, but take it for what it’s worth!