A few days late, but since I found this forum so helpful in preparing for our first visit it was only fair to pay it forward with a trip review!
We opted for a red-eye Thursday night so we could get to the hotel earlier in the day on Friday the 14th. I did the express check-in before arriving, so once we arrived check-in was quick & easy. Lucy was terrific as she happily showed us around, pointed out the highlights (theme nights, foam party, etc) and kept our cold glass of welcome bubbly filled. Our room wasn’t quite ready yet, but we were offered a locker in the spa to stash our stuff so we could hit the pool or grab some lunch. We had Master Suite #81, which was perfect as I requested a room at the quieter end of the resort. We could literally throw a rock into the ocean from our balcony (well, one of the balconies—yes, there were two). The MS was bigger than our apartment, and appropriately decorated—not too flashy, but still luxurious. I can see why some people think the rooms are a bit dated, just some subtle wear & tear, but nothing horrendous by any means. We only had one small issue: the batteries in the safe were dead, so we had to wait a bit for maintenance to come by & fix it. Otherwise, everything was great. We almost felt bad for not spending more time in that beautiful room!
We hit the pool immediately. The nudity was not nearly as in-your-face as I anticipated; at first glance it looked just like any other resort pool. You almost had to do a double take to notice people were naked! Hubby & I both expected to go naked at some point, and fortunately that “some point” was about 5 minutes after we got there. It was surprisingly easy to strip down & enjoy being naked, and I felt more at ease in my birthday suit at Pearl than I do at most “regular” pools in a swimsuit. No ogling, no catcalling, no creepers, just smiles & an occasional admiring compliment. That alone would get me back to Pearl.
By the time we got our room & had some lunch, it was Jacuzzi time. There was a good sized crowd in the tub, as we were at the tail-end of the PNB takeover week. We made friends almost instantly, and hung out with this handful of couples for most of our trip. I was definitely the youngest in our group, but age was of no importance, and we happily mingled alongside people twice my age.
The food was plentiful and tasty, with a wide variety offered at every meal. You’d have to be pretty finicky to not be satisfied with the food offerings. Even the buffet was top notch. The food at the French night at Pearl restaurant was a bit heavy, but oh so delicious! My only complaint about the restaurants: we tried to go to Pearl twice, and both times were informed it was a 30-55 minute wait for a table (!!!). One night we gave up & went to Aphrodite, as we were with a group; the second night we waited & fortunately a table opened up after about 10 minutes. We don’t mind waiting for a table, but if the 55 minute wait is a regular thing (which it seemed to be) then perhaps implementing some kind of reservation system might help deflect any potential disappointment. Again, not a huge deal. And the service was just phenomenal—extra big thanks to Victor & his staff.
Being there for four nights, hubby & I decided to go all out for the theme nights (Red Night, Hawaiian, Heaven & Hell and Kings & Queens). We had a blast doing so, and very much enjoyed the efforts of others who did so, but I echo the sentiments of others on this board that more participation by some would make it better for all! Then again, most people we talked to either A) had been to Pearl so many times they were “over it”, or B) said they never knew about the theme nights until they got to the resort. Maybe Pearl could do a better job of informing arriving guests of the upcoming themes (attach a list of themes to the confirmation emails or something). At any rate, we had a good time & got lots of kudos for our efforts.
Hands down, our favorite day was Saturday: foam party day! I have not laughed so hard in years. The pool was a bit chilly overall, but the foam drew people in. The Jello shots handed out by the entertainment staff definitely helped! Didn’t see too much action amongst the foam-goers, but we were pretty caught up in our own foamy fun
Speaking of the entertainment staff, they were phenomenal! Hugs & thanks to Jess, Lena, Lise, Charlie & Vince for being such a vibrant part of our visit.And for the million dollar (peso?) question: Jacuzzi time! I wish we would’ve had more crazy sexy fun, but with such a short trip, a lot of effort going into the theme nights, jet lag and a bit too much booze, we never got too freak-nasty. Guess we’ll just have to go back & try again!
However, there was plenty of light play: kissing, touching, admiring & sexy banter. Admittedly, I was a bit shy, and even as the shyness wore off I was just flat-out overwhelmed (in the best way possible!). Sensory overload is an understatement! It was quite flattering to have a group of handsome, respectful gentlemen admirers (with their equally beautiful, sexy wives/girlfriends) putting their hands all over me & complimenting my, ahem, “assets,” both to me directly and to my hubby (but not in that high-fiving frat boy kinda way). Things could’ve gotten much hotter than they did, but I didn’t want to rush into anything I wasn’t 100% ready for and never got any flack for it. Maybe next time We peeked into the playroom once, and it was totally empty. It was a bit tricky to find, and once we found it I was surprised at how bright it seemed. But it was also kinda early (10:30ish), so maybe that’s why. After checking it out we couldn’t imagine why anyone would choose the playroom over the Jacuzzi!
By the time we left, we already decided to return. Maybe we’ll even become members at some point. It is easy to see why so many people we met were there for the 3rd, 4th, or 20th time: it’s not just a fabulous resort, it’s an amazing mentality. I felt more confident during our 5 days there than I do in my everyday life, and it was awesome. Whether you’re a swinger, a nudist or somewhere in between; young, old, short, tall…it makes no difference. Everyone you meet will treat you with respect and admiration.
I wish I hadn’t waited almost a week to write this, as I feel like I’m leaving so much out. I’m also trying to maintain discretion as to protect the not-so-innocent
If any more details come to me I will update this report; otherwise, if anyone has any Q’s I am happy to answer as best I can!Cheers,
-N & J, San Francisco, CA
Very easy to see why so many people go back over & over again.