TravelSlut's mini- trip report for June 20-30, 2014
June 20-30, 2014 was my 10th trip to Hedonism and it was again a great experience for reasons related to the great service, food, drinks, ground and room renovation and remodeling and of course the relaxed, "no problem mon" ambiance and atmosphere. I was there organzing the 8th Annual Krewe de Krazy Life Group Rendezvous in Paradise and there were 5 other groups attending that week too which we meshed with quite well I believe.
From seamless and effortless ground transfer via Rocky's Taxi Service to quick, efficient check-in, my first few hours in Jamaica and at Hedonism II made me feel comfortable like I was returning home.
As the resort was nearly sold-out during the week I was there, I was surprised to find that there were no unreasonable delays or issues whatsoever.
My garden view regular (renovated) room was very clean, relatively quiet and cool (with the exception of 1 day where the air conditioning for part of resort was out of service due to a chiller water line break and those affected received a free day). The newly remodeled rooms are very nice as evidenced by the reports from people in my Krewe de Krazy Life Group and others who shared their room evaluations.
Overall, service quality resort-wide continues to be excellent, food (including the nude grill and Reggae Beachfront Cafe) is across-the-board even more improved from last year and was noted by so many as being great with expanded daily menus and presentations. Drinks were also top shelf and abundant, quick to be made and delivered and available 24/7.
Wi-fi resort wide was good throughout my stay and the new construction of the courtyard area is reported to be an area where free wi-fi will be offered once remodeling is completed.
The piano bar was closed my first two nights due to remodeling but when it opened up (see my photos), the wait was worthwhile and Deon was back working his musical magic!
I thoroughly enjoyed my specialty dining in both the newly expanded Japanese Teppanyaki "Harry San" restaurant and always upscale and Italian-based "Martino's" dining room. The food at Harry Sans was only surpassed by my chef Ricardo's entertaining style and fun attitude while preparing the meals.
While the original jewelry store is gone, Hedo's Gift Boutique has more than made up for its absence with a vastly expanded area and inventory where you can buy everything from souvenirs and clothing to medicines and adult-only accessories.
The fitness center and spa were busy most days and beachside massages were commonplace and people in my group said they really enjoyed the massage experiences.
The nude and clothing optional beaches were popular throughout the day and the swimming/wading area seemed larger and more free of plant life and even those pesky sea urchins. Plenty of new padded loungers were available although they were scarce late in the afternoons at the nude pool.
The nude pool continues to be the most popular gathering area for guests, especially noon-7 pm and it was nice to see that Hedo supplied at least three bartenders each afternoon so drink waiting times were minimal. The nude pool grill also offered a larger, varied menu and of course, the post-midnight pizza offerings were delicious.
When the nude pool got to be too crowded or noisy (with the games & contests), I walked back to the main pool by the main dining area or to the beachfront pool near the disco & Reggae Cafe for some quiet time. Drinks were also close by. The main pool is totally clothing-optional and it also served as the staging area for several parties during the week including the "Glow stick" party complete with DJ while the adjacent Disco hosted several "Meet and Greets" plus a "Foam Party" and contest during "PJ/Lingerie" night. The attached water slide was popular both day and night and it continues to be a wild, fast slide into the disco pool.
The Entertainment Crew at Hedonism is unmatched compared to the many other Caribbean resorts I've been to, and you will not find a harder working or more dedicated, friendly and talented group of actors/dancers/singers both on-stage or throughout the resort at various functions and venues.
I enjoyed my interactions at Hedo with two of their regular on-site vendors---Christopher the wood carver (who finished a commemorative plaque highlighting my 10 trips) and Kevin the rock painter who did a great Krewe de Krazy Life rock for our group that is currently on the ground outside of Martino's.
Staff at Hedonism continues to be responsive and attentive and that contributes greatly to a stress-less vacation.
Improvements, renovations, and remodeling/construction continues at Hedonism II but as I discovered during my stay, it had very little impact on me throughout my vacation.
While the weather was typical for June in the tropical Caribbean, some rain and thunderstorms did occur for a couple days for a few hours. A word of caution---when it is storming with lightning, get out of the water and into a safe, covered location. Also, when the tiles and walkways get wet, be extremely careful with your footing.
Also, I would recommend that you book Harry San's restaurant early in the evening before the main stage entertainment begins so that you can enjoy your fellow diners and appreciate the culinary skills and entertainment that your chef can provide.
Trip #11 for me is already scheduled for June 20-27, 2015 and I can't wait to "go home" and be with my Krewe again.
Room Tip: Since some remodeling/renovation of some rooms has been completed, choices have improved dramatically.
