Brief trip report, 11/13 - 11/20
Hi all!
Trip was fantastic, we booked with Rachal's Rascals this trip, Jim and Rachal were amazing hosts and had a bunch of cool stuff going on all week. Definitely recommend if interested.
The resort is in good shape, not too many changes since we were there last year. They did remove a few trees from the oceanside of the nude beach buildings, which opened up the view from those rooms a bit, especially the balconies. If you're passing close to 2171 / 2172 there's still a stump in the sand, watch your step.
Management was convinced to had a breakfast on the beach midweek, which was frankly spectacular as an experience. They had an omelet station, and a portion of the breakfast buffet set up under the big tree near the nude grill's patio, and brought 3 of the bigger round tables from the dining area and set them up, converting that section of the beach into a really beautiful breakfast cafe! If they ever do it again, I highly recommend making it, though it did start a little later in the day, so a bunch of people didn't see it until they'd already eaten.
Quite a few new faces in the staff since last year, though not the majority by far. We didn't do any of the restaurants this trip, and reports we heard of the food we varied, but we were happy with the buffet selection most nights. The evening's entertainment was skillful as always.
Didn't ever see the disco open, though they did have the foam party going one night beside it. Flame is still closed for repairs, and we didn't spend much time near it, so I have no idea how far along any repairs might be.
As to Covid, didn't hear of any positive tests at all while we were there. The testing on the way out is a bit of a pain in the ass, the procedure to book your appointment isn't very smooth, ask the concierge desk for help if you run into problems booking. The testing itself was a little slowed down by people who either didn't pay attention or weren't told a few things. You don't need your ID, and they don't take cash. The actual testing happens on the back deck of the piano bar, near the nursing station, and moves pretty quickly. If you're getting an antigen test you'll have the results before you walk off, and an email within an hour (for us). The PCR tests aren't as quick, so if you're required to have on of those, they take a while to process and you'll probably be nervous about getting your results back before you get the email. Also, they don't seem to do testing on Sundays, so be sure to check with staff on when you need to have your test done.
We flew TimAir both in and out, which was quick and fun as usual. Definitely ain't cheap though, total for 2 adults round trip was ~$750 US. Montego Bay airport is undergoing some renovations inside, mostly after you get through security, so it felt a little more crowded moving through.
We're booked already for May and November of 2022, so hopefully we'll get to repeat this awesome experience soon!
Be safe everyone
