When my (now) husband an I decided to come to Desire for our honeymoon, I will admit to being a little apprehensive. Not because I didn't want to go to a place like Desire, but because I felt like I really couldn't know what to 'expect' without ever having been to a place like this. I read some forum posts and whatnot, and that did help, but I also felt like my husband and I are not the typical Desire guests, being under 30 and not, as they say, "in the lifestyle".
We are open sexually (to new people and new experiences) and we are both bisexual. I was apprehensive about coming to a place where in the forums it makes clear that female bisexuality is hot and male bisexuality is not accepted, as this is the stereotypical experience many bisexual people have to put up with their whole lives. I was also weary reading reports of people having things stolen, and I was worried that I would never feel comfortable undressing because people would be staring (not because I think I'm SO HOT or anything, just many women are accustomed to the idea that clothes off = dudes leering).
I can tell you that within just an hour or two, my fears were almost completely relieved. Our room was ready when we checked in and after changing we pretty much went straight to the pool. Let me begin by saying that the staff at this resort are some of the most incredible people I have ever encountered. They work so, so hard all day long and they always have a smile and a friendly greeting. Many of the bartenders/servers even began to remember what I liked to drink without even asking. I know the website says that tips are included, but you should ABSOLUTELY bring money to tip these people as much as you can, because they are beyond lovely and wonderful.
I went to the pool with my bikini on, and within an hour or so I had my top off and felt completely comfortable. Literally no one cares what state of dress you are in, fully clothed or fully naked. There is a great diversity of body sizes and shapes, and everyone seems completely at ease. If you are like me and have a few extra pounds here and there, please do not fret that you are going to be out of place. Everyone is welcome and equally accepted.
The hot tub can be quite an experience depending on when you go and how much experience you have with such a thing. I will admit that it was a bit overwhelming for me at first. But the hot tub beds were a lovely place to be part of the action without being TOO much part of the action, and we enjoyed fulfilling some exhibitionist fantasies that night.
The theme nights are fun, and some nights we had costumes and others we didn't. It's fun to join in on the themes but no one really cares if you don't. In general, just dress sexy! I super LOVED seeing all the ways that people dressed up, and the amazing diversity of sexy outfits. There were ladies dressed in next to nothing who looked incredible, and ladies in dresses or bodysuits who were more covered who looked just as great! Again,it's really easy here to stay at your comfort level, without ever feeling pressure to step outside it if you don't want to.
Speaking of that, while this is a swinger's resort in some ways, it is absolutely not necessary to get sexual with other people. In fact, if you tend to keep to yourselves, most people just leave you alone. We did have our eyes on a few cute couples while we were there, but for various reasons it didn't end up working out. We don't feel as though we missed out or that we were weird or anything. We did see a lot of swapping and a few group sessions which were very fun to watch, but if you're not ready for that, please don't feel like you will be out of place. We did, however, learn that if you want to ask, you should really just go for it, because we definitely missed a possible opportunity by being too shy.
Our room was an ocean view room, and it was wonderful. We could hear the waves crashing as well fell asleep at night which was dreamy. The only warning I have is that there are no dark curtains, so if your room faces the sunrise, you will wake up with the sun!
The food here is amazing, and ALWAYS available. There are buffets to grab afternoon meals or snacks, and the restaurants are to die for. We ate at both Suki and Sahlo and both were excellent, again with incredible service. There was never a time that we wished for food and could not get it. And for drinks, they make everything and they make it well. And again, always available, always from such kind people.
The pool was always a highlight for us. The temperature is amazing and it feels very luxurious to lay by a pool being served drinks all day. Many people socialize a lot around the pool, but my husband and I are more introverted and mostly kept to ourselves. They have staff there they call 'party makers' and these people just blow my mind with the energy they have. They do games and activities all day and dance and hang out at the evening events. We loved all of them, they were super funny and friendly and playful and made a great time even more great. Also, they had live bands every night at the Melange bar, and they were all actually amazing. My favorites were the latin band and the pop band.
It's hard to think of downsides of this place. I didn't love the sales pitch for the time share thing. We said no when we checked in, but our concierge tried to stop us a few times through the week to ask us about it again. But it really wasn't a big deal. There was construction going on, but I barely noticed it. Even the construction staff were highly respectful and didn't really even pay attention to whether you were clothed or not. Everything was beautiful, everyone was nice, everyone was respectful, and the atmosphere was sexy, open, and very freeing to participate in.
We already can't wait to come back. On our last day, I asked my husband if he would want to try another resort next time or if he would want to go back to Desire, and we both agreed that while it may be fun to try others, we can't imagine a place that would suit us better than Desire. My only wish is that for the future, Desire will be more open to sexual orientations besides "straight". I would love a place where both my husband and I could more openly be ourselves without fear of judgement on that front. I have hopes that will come with time.
Feel free to message me if you are thinking about going to Desire but have hesitations, I will be very honest!