We returned last week from our first trip to Pearl. It was a first CO trip for both of us. We are in our early forties with normal jobs and two teenagers at home. We are not in the lifestyle, but are open minded. Our experience mirrors most but we thought we would share a few of our observations.
Unfortunately, the weather was a bit of a downer. We anxiously watched the weather prior to our arrival. It rained off and on for the first few days. It did stop long enough to log a few hours by the pool albeit under the clouds. Saturday was a perfect sunny day! The entertainment staff did their best to keep everyone engaged. While it wasn't ideal, we made the best of it. There's still plenty of things to do - workout, hang out at the bar, grab something to eat, of course other things too .
THE GOOD (& GREAT):
The food was really good for an all inclusive. Never had a bad meal. Quality ingredients and good size portions. Drinks were sometimes on the light side, but you can always ask for a double.
The staff and service was excellent. From the bar, to the pool, to the restaurants, the staff worked very hard to make sure you were happy! While tipping is not required, we always made sure we took care of our servers. The entertainment staff was always upbeat and friendly. Koko, Jessica, Charlie and Marco were always the life of the party. Victor and Jared made sure your chairs were set up at the pool.
It's an older property, but it is very clean and well kept.
Our highlight of the week was the Foam Party. We weren't sure what to expect, but the entertainment staff created a big party atmosphere. Kinda like Spring Break for those long out of college! From what we understand, it was pretty wild even by Desire standards.
We met some of the nicest people. As everyone says, the are no barriers when your naked. While we tend to be wallflowers on our vacations, here we seemed to strike up conversations with lots of people.
We didn't do all of the theme nights but had fun when we did. Most stay for the entertainment and some dancing, but it seemed most people cleared out after an hour or so.
THE BAD:
Mosquitoes!!!! Since we were there during the rain, it really brought out the mosquitoes. We both suffered lots of bites. Fortunately, we packed hydrocortisone, which made it bearable.
We stayed in room 40 overlooking the party side of the pool. No issues with the location or noise. The bathroom was not very well lit. The balcony screen had some tears. The ceiling fan was a little dirty. Otherwise, clean with great housekeeping.
Clothing optional had its obvious advantages and some disadvantages. While most people were courteous about covering up, it was a little unnerving to have someone's junk in your face while your trying to eat your lunch.
The beach was covered in seaweed so there wasn't much swimming. They had two workers fighting a never ending battle trying to clean it up.
WHAT EVERYONE REALLY WANTS TO KNOW:
The hot tub is as everyone says. It's a great social gathering after a day at the pool. By the end of day, everyone is loose and friendly. We saw a little bit of everything from just chatting to full on "relations". My wife went topless but we didn't go full monty by the pool. However, we did in the hot tub. We will admit we had a little fun beyond chatting ourselves!
The Foam Party was wild! It was a real eye-opener. Guests were doing Jell-O body shots off of each other on a raft in the pool.
JUST GO!!:
While the weather was a downer, we had a great time! If you're on the fence, just do it! It was our first time, and we want to go back. Just be open to new experiences and be an active participant. I don't think you get the same experience if you don't go with the "when in Rome" attitude. Both need to be on the same page. I wouldn't want to go if my wife (or husband) wasn't in to it.
No regrets on our part!!
We will post when we have booked our next trip.