4th Trip, 2/19-2/26, 2019 Lots of changes

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4th Trip, 2/19-2/26, 2019 Lots of changes

Postby 2DaBeach » Thu Feb 28, 2019 9:06 am

This is our 4th trip to Desire Pearl in less than 3 years and I think there have been enough changes to warrant a new trip report.

Arrived 2/19 at 1 pm. Room was not ready as expected. So dropped our stuff off at the spa lockers and carried our valuables with us, as we have all heard of the missing money from the lockers. Roamed around, got lunch and a drink and met up with friends. We were greeted quickly as we sat down and had our drink orders in quickly. This was a good thing because in the past, we were quite often seated and ignored. The lunch buffet was better than our usual experience. There is also a grill in the far right corner where you can order up whatever you want. We recommend the veggies and salmon with tortillas on the side. Was delicious!
Got our room at 3. FYI, room 71 has 2 queen beds. I thought all the 2 bed - rooms were extinct but apparently not. Not a deal breaker though. Just fine for restless sleepers or couples who want to play.

Housekeeping was excellent entire time. Room was always left meticulous with night service coming in to clean up and refresh a nit around 9.

Food overall was much better than in the past. Aphrodite has upped their game a bit. Better quality overall. The orange juice is no longer watered down Tang. Banana Nutella crepes are my new favorite. Lunch was always consistent with a grill outside every day with chicken or fish or beef. There is a fresh fruit bar just outside of Aphrodite if you want some fruit to snack on while at the beach or pool in the afternoons. Suki, the restaurant above Aphrodite was mediocre. Went one night and it was a very long 3 hour dinner with tiny portions that left you hungry. It’s an Asian theme and it was very poorly done. Other patrons agreed and ended up in Aphrodite after leaving Suki to fill up. But as of 2/23, that location is closed for renovations. New location of Suki is now next to the spa where the Heaven and Hell dinner is. We did not try it again so we cannot comment on if the food was any better, or quicker, there. Pearl was good but not perfect on Mediterranean night. Got a bad glass of wine that had probably been opened a while, and my pork was overdone but still ok. One dessert option turned out to be the exact thing on the lunch buffet. It just has a fancier name. That was disappointing. The French night food was better. I had the duck and hubby had the grouper and it was all perfectly cooked

The beach is looking great! There was some seaweed building up earlier in our stay but the wind died down and it had cleared up a lot and the water is clear and blue again. And what seaweed there is does not have that awful smell.

The crowd has been mostly 40-60’s+ this time. A fun and very friendly crowd for sure.

Can’t comment on the nightly entertainment as we have had early nights and some quiet jacuzzi bed time between 9 & 11. There seems to be more activity at the jacuzzi beds earlier, like between 8 and 10 pm. Also more frequent jacuzzi bed activity during the daytime. I walked up that way several times during my stay and almost always was treated to a daytime show.

The unsatisfactory stuff this time included a telephone in our room did not work. The cold water was non existent between 7 and 730 am. Yes, the COLD water. Only steaming hot out of all taps at that time. (??). Discovered the answer to this problem on our last day as we were up early and walking to breakfast at 730. Staff was watering the foliage with a fire hose! So don't try to brush your teeth anytime in that timeframe or you will scald your mouth. We asked for extra water bottles in our room daily, since we don’t drink soda. Only got them on 2 days, and those were the days we asked for them directly from the guy stocking the rooms. One day we came back from lunch and there was a happy birthday sign on our door and balloons on our bed. Only it wasn’t either of our birthdays. Called down to the lobby to let them know and they corrected the situation and made sure the real birthday girl or boy got their surprise. We never saw a single soul in the. morning, afternoon, or evening at the new coffee bar off of the lobby. I would have loved some tea there but I have no idea who is supposed to be working it. We hung around one time thinking someone would come but they never did.

Construction began this week on the mansion and the new Playmakers quarters. They are moving the dive shop to the left part of their current building and the area that was the old dive shop that included the open porch closest to the beach is being renovated into the new Playmakers housing. Now they are currently being housed offsite. The yellow building behind the spa behind the wall that was the Playmakers quarters will be where the mansion is located.

On our last day, my reserved beach bed at the pool was taken by someone before 8 am. It was the only day Victor was not there. I guess he did not pass on the information. I enjoyed a lovely bed on the beach instead so mo harm done. Seems like there were alot of empty beach beds available that were not reserved for members. It also seemed like there were almost all members and very few with the white or yellow wristbands. I guess sales is doing its job. Just wondering how long it will take for there to be no chairs or beds available for those of us who choose not to be members.

So, in summary, the food has improved, service is still spotty, the beach has improved tremendously, the maid service is still excellent, there is lots of construction going on as of this week, and Desire still has it sex appeal despite its flaws. Planning trip number 5 for November.
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Re: 4th Trip, 2/19-2/26, 2019 Lots of changes

Postby Explorer79 » Thu Feb 28, 2019 1:59 pm

Nice report, lots of details in there!

So don't try to brush your teeth anytime in that time frame or you will scald your mouth. We asked for extra water bottles in our room daily, since we don’t drink soda.


So this is interesting - I've never even thought of using the sink water for brushing my teeth - we always use the bottled water for that - I'm too paranoid to take that chance and run the risk of losing Desire days.

I guess sales is doing its job. Just wondering how long it will take for there to be no chairs or beds available for those of us who choose not to be members.


Will be interesting to see, for us the balance has always been way more towards the non member side numbers wise for any given trip. I'm certain we will never become members no matter how much money we have, they burned that bridge long ago, but even if we had that kind of money to just throw around without caring then I really wouldn't see the need for the membership either, because hey, I've got so much disposable income that I wouldn't really care about the savings, why lock into the long term contract. For us it just doesn't make much sense, but I know some others seem to get good use out of it.
\m/
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Re: 4th Trip, 2/19-2/26, 2019 Lots of changes

Postby NewToItAll » Thu Feb 28, 2019 6:00 pm

What do the different color wrist bands mean??
RM - June 8 - 12, 2019
RM - Oct 9 - 14, 2019
Pearl - Oct 5 - 10, 2020

SLS - BANDL258
SDC - BANDL258
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Re: 4th Trip, 2/19-2/26, 2019 Lots of changes

Postby texascouple1208 » Thu Feb 28, 2019 7:15 pm

NewToItAll wrote:What do the different color wrist bands mean??


First time guests get yellow wrist bands. Returning guests who are not members get white wristbands. Members get either black/brown/gold wristbands - I'm not sure of the distinction. Guests staying in the higher end rooms get red wristbands. They do not mean anything other than that. It's been our observation that if you are lucky enough to have a yellow wrist band everyone will go out of their way to make sure you are comfortable and having a good trip. We certainly try to. It is a great conversation starter/ice breaker.
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Re: 4th Trip, 2/19-2/26, 2019 Lots of changes

Postby D&C » Fri Mar 29, 2019 6:42 pm

texascouple1208 wrote:
NewToItAll wrote:What do the different color wrist bands mean??


First time guests get yellow wrist bands. Returning guests who are not members get white wristbands. Members get either black/brown/gold wristbands - I'm not sure of the distinction. Guests staying in the higher end rooms get red wristbands. They do not mean anything other than that. It's been our observation that if you are lucky enough to have a yellow wrist band everyone will go out of their way to make sure you are comfortable and having a good trip. We certainly try to. It is a great conversation starter/ice breaker.


We have stayed in the Penthouse prior and received silver wrist bands.
D&C
DP 7/28-31/14
DP 7/11-15/15
DP 7/12-16/19
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Re: 4th Trip, 2/19-2/26, 2019 Lots of changes

Postby D&G-in-love » Wed Apr 10, 2019 11:48 am

You said that someone had taken your reserved pool bed before 8am. I thought only members could reserve pool beds and lounges. How does one reserve a pool bed or lounger if one is not a member?
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Re: 4th Trip, 2/19-2/26, 2019 Lots of changes

Postby T12 » Wed Apr 10, 2019 5:26 pm

D&G-in-love wrote:You said that someone had taken your reserved pool bed before 8am. I thought only members could reserve pool beds and lounges. How does one reserve a pool bed or lounger if one is not a member?

You can go early on your first day and talk to Victor or Antonio ......they handle the pool chairs and towels. They can get you set up. Victor usually gets there around 6:00:to 6:15 each morning.
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