by tj71903 » Fri Aug 26, 2022 5:12 am
I think "flow" is relative though in that it's really up to each person/couple to determine what works for them.
For us, we never eat later than 7:30 when we're eating on property. Generally it's around 7 and if we're at Pearl or Suki the staff knows that we want to be in and out within 45-60 minutes. Tops. I don't need a meal drug out for ambiance, etc. We love the resort but if it's a foodie vacation we want, we'll be elsewhere (Manhattan, Europe, Vegas, etc).
In general we finish beach or pool volleyball at 4:30 (ish) and then head straight back to the room to float in our pool or use veg. Usually the staff has snacks waiting in the room when we arrive. We will eat those (because we usually don't do much for lunch) and then go to dinner at 7 or 7:30. This - given the timeframe of an hour or less - allows us to get back to the room so that she can finish putting on whatever she needs for the theme nights and parties before we head that way around 9:30 or so.
Deviations from this aren't uncommon though as we usually book, are invited, or encouraged to try "special" dinners on the beach, in the disco, on the terrace, in the pool, etc, etc. We may eat at Suki once a trip and the same for Pearl. The rest are usually in the Mansion, one of the special dinners, or we'll go out to PM to the local places (Yum Yum Wok is great and I liked Romarley's too though it's not fully Jamaican).
Again, not for everyone, but works for us.
Suki is always Asian. Pearl alternates between Italian and French cuisine and, as I said above, I don't come to Pearl for a Mexican take on those styles.
If you want great Mexican food, it is available there. We usually have a chef's table dinner once or twice a trip. Several trips ago I echoed your desire for real Mexican food after we got invited to a special event thrown for the staff by the ownership. They had authentic Mexican dishes served and it was fantastic. After that we asked Marco (who has since been promoted to head chef) to make us what his grandmother would have made him when he was a kid. The results were tremendous.
All this being considered I do think there should be a better flow and availability for new guests and those who choose not to be members. We usually host friends we've met during the days a time or two during our trips, but obviously having an initiative by the resort to help maximize the new guest experience is crucial to getting new blood as you've (IMO) correctly pointed out.