Rio Bueno - Jamaica Trip Reports Here are a few trip reports submitted by some of our clients. Note: The resort name was changed from Grand Lido Braco in November 2009 February 2011 - NKO Another good visit.. we have been to this resort 3 times, most things are better some a little less.. no problems with the towels, no cards to hand in, we could take twoif we wanted , lots of chairs on the beach, seemed some people did not know this and we laughed to watch some run out in the morning to save a chair. we did miss the fresh juice lady in the morning, she is no longer there. was looking forward to that. it was a little harder to get a drink just before 6 PM when we went for dinner on the prude side but once you knew, we would bring one with us. the service on the AN side was great, Wayne at the bar is always happy, Danniel is always working hard to keep the pool and area clean, and happy to join in at volleyball for a laugh..the new girl(rec director) did a great job trying to get everyone involved even when not many wanted to. all the staff on the A/N were great.. overall a great week, October 2010 - James and Champagne - Castaways Travel Jamaica was once again our favorite destination for a return trip mid October 2010 for a visit to Breezes Runaway Bay and Breezes Rio Bueno including Braco Village, the adult nude side of the resort. While attending the Annual SuperClubs SuperStar event at Breezes Runaway Bay, Castaways and its parent company Fox Travel American Express were again presented with the Top Producer Award for 2010 from SuperClubs. We're forever grateful for your support all these years and we look forward to working for you in the future. The other reason for our visit was to help with the production of a prospective new cable television series about VACATION NAKED. More about that later. Comments below are for Braco Village. Braco Village is better than ever, part of Breezes Rio Bueno which was re-branded from Grand Lido Braco resort by SuperClubs last year. The textile portion of the resort remains the same but the nude side is officially anointed as Braco Village, a throwback to the entire property's original name in the mid 90s before SuperClub signed a management agreement to operate the resort under contract for the owners in 1997. A new welcome sign with "BRACO VILLAGE" greets guests as they enter the property. Right behind the sign, a guard shack has been erected to control access to the nude side. Guests not on the nude side of the resort now have to pay a daily fee to use nude side facilities, although we've heard a few stories about sneaks breaking the rules. Go figure. Even though we've been to Braco many times, we wanted to check up on the latest 2010 atmosphere after its re-branding and conversion. A few amenities were eliminated including free manicures, pedicures and dry cleaning. The 24 hour room service only exists for Braco Village suites. (PS: Manicures and Pedicures cost $50 now) We couldn't really tell much difference for the nude side service compared with past visits. Wayne, Shinoy and the nude bar waitstaff plus Carl, Richard and the entertainment staff did their usual best to keep everyone satisfied. Water volleyball continues as the highlight of the day's physical activity in the pool, other than enjoying your favorite libation and wonderful conversations with other guests. The evening sunset ritual on the nude side has improved over the years with chaise lounges set up on the western beach point to park your butt instead of having to stand or sit in the sand. One thought about the sand and tropical ambiance: Although the resort regularly sprays for insects, the pesky critters seem to be attracted to folks, especially females...could it be only the male bugs? In our opinion, it's the perfume you wonderful ladies wear that attracts such attention. One suggestion to all guests is to take along bug spray if you seem to attract those pesky critters. The snack bar and grill continues 24 hours a day to serve nude guests at Braco Village as do the wonderful staff. Some of our favorites, Cleontine, Paula and Allison in the restaurants, are still there after 7-10 years of service, and we're both always so thrilled to see them as old friends. The service was excellent in all venues we visited including the hot lunch buffet served daily at Braco Village on the nude bar as well as the upscale cuisine at Piacere on the textile side of the resort. The resort's occupancy was lower during the fall compared to high season so the buffet menu at Victoria Market was reduced in variety of selections available. The quality was just as good as always. However, the Reggae Cafe was closed for low season, a downer for us....we love the jerk pork and jerk chicken available daily. Thank goodness Victoria Market featured jerk dishes while we were there. Piacere is as good as it's ever been with excellent service to match it's continental cuisine. The Italian restaurant seemed to turn out good food as our first time guests who were with us claimed. An added improvement since the conversion to Breezes: Poolside at Braco Village, several permanent gazebos provide welcome shade for those guests who acquired too much sun.... a nice touch to replace the territorial issues between guests over who gets there first to claim the the portable umbrellas for a sunny day. The acting executive in charge for the entire property is Vice President of Operations, Sam James, a familiar and long time fixture in the SuperClubs family. Interestingly, the other operations Vice President of SuperClubs, Gary Williamns, is in charge of Breezes Grand Negril, formerly Grand Lido Negril. Bottom Line: We find that Braco Village continues to be as good as its past reputation competing favorably with Hidden Beach Resort near Cancun for the top of the line for adult nude vacations. James & Champagne, Castaways Travel . September 2010 - Bill & Sondra We just got back from our trip to Jamaica, and wanted to thank you guys again for getting us such a superb deal on our first wedding anniversary. The weather was crappy, but we stayed naked and well fed most of the time, so it wasn't as much of a problem as it could have been. We did receive a voucher for the one day that the sun never appeared. The staff, as always, was great, and we couldn't have been more pleased with the food, the beverages, and the overall ambiance of this beautiful resort. I did feel sorry for the folks staying on the prude side, because the changes in management have cut them out of a lot of the benefits that sold us on a return to this resort. When we went to Grand Lido Braco last year, we had a room on the prude side, but after the first visit over to the a/n side, we were hooked! It's so great to be able to hang out on the beach or in the pool in your birthday suit, and we found the a/n guests to be much more friendly to us and the other guests. If we had been restricted from crossing into a/n territory, we might not have even come back this year. I think the fee charged for day passes to the a/n side is exorbitant, and I doubt many folks take advantage of that. The room service was another feature we loved last year, and had we stayed on the prude side this year, we wouldn't have been able to use it. I also thought the free manicure/pedicure was a special treat, and I'm sorry that's no longer offered. Before you think I'm just complaining, I'm not.....we had a GREAT time, in spite of the weather, and we'll be back next year! We were only able to stay for 4 nights this trip, but next year, we plan to take at least a full week, maybe longer to enjoy the resort. SO in closing, I just want to say 'THANKS' again. We had a very nice trip in spite of the weather and are looking forward to another visit in the future. July 2010 - BN We've been to Jamaica many times. We honeymooned in Jamaica in1994 and have been to various resorts over the past 16 years. Our last few trips had been to Hedo in Negril, but we hadn't been able to get back to Jamaica in the last few years. Now retired, we decided in May to return to Jamaica, and planned a very spontaneous trip, calling Castaways Travel on a Wednesday and departing on Saturday. I remembered how much James and Champagne had liked Grand Lido Braco. I learned that location was now Breezes Rio Bueno and was still a recommended resort. We booked 10 days and never looked back. To tell you we enjoyed this place doesn't do it justice. We found Breezes Rio Bueno to be absolutely perfect for us. It has the most beautiful beach we have ever enjoyed in Jamaica, great food, wonderful staff, and excellent service. The pool is huge, lounge chairs everywhere, plenty of sun, plenty of shade, you choose. Our room was very comfortable, one and a half bathrooms is a nice touch. We enjoyed this place so much, we have already decided to return in a few months, we won't even wait a year to go back. March 2010 - TP Just wanted to provide you with some comments regarding our recently concluded trip. With the re-branding we weren't quite sure what to expect but we tried to keep an open mind about what we might find. Airport Arrival and Transfer: Everything at the airport check-in for SuperClubs went as in prior years. The big difference was in the transfer to the hotel. In prior years, Grand Lido Braco had its own transfers; this year as a re-branded Breezes, it shared with all their other resorts. As a result we were on a large bus with people going to Braco Village, Breezes Rio Bueno, Breezes Runaway Bay, and Hedonism III. The bus was over-full and very loud. The Hedo folks decided to change into their "party" clothes at the airport and start partying --- drinking and raunchy jokes/comments --- right from the beginning. This was compounded by the stop for more beer and cocktails not even halfway to Braco. I've got to say this was a real step down in quality from prior years. Resort Arrival and Check-in: The arrival at Braco/Bueno was as in prior years. Check-in was gracious but slow enough to time with a sun dial. The trouble began when we arrived at our room. Instead of the suite that we had reserved we were shown to a standard room. Further, the room (#3035) reeked of mildew and, as we discovered later, there was water dripping down the wall and onto the floor. We immediately returned to reception and began to discuss this matter. The desk clerk would only say that "this happens all the time" as I consistently reiterated that we had booked and paid for a suite. Finally, he assured us that this was for only one night and that we would be moved the following day. I again stated that this was truly unacceptable but received no satisfaction. We returned to the room where we then discovered the water issues. We spent the night with our suitcases up on the furniture to avoid getting anything wet. The next day, I approached our a manager. The manager apologized (finally, a recognition that they screwed the pooch!) and said they would have the suite available very shortly. I responded that as long as it was ready by noon I would be satisfied. I returned shortly after noon to the same clerk and discovered that he didn't know if my room was ready or not. I again sought out the manager who, to her credit, jumped right on this matter and promised a resolution within the hour. Shortly after one o'clock we finally were in our room ---- further, the manager had upgraded us to a luxury suite. Two things emerge from this story: Firstly, there is a real reluctance by the staff to deal honestly and directly with guests. If we had been told about the unavailability of our suite upon check-in we would have dealt with this fact in a much better fashion. We would not have been happy, but profuse apologies and assurances of getting us into our room first thing the next day would likely had done the deal. Instead, we felt as though there was an overt effort to deceive us by the desk clerk which caused us to become very angry and difficult to deal with. Second, the manager declared that we would not be charged for our first night and that the credit would be run back through Castaways Travel. Accordingly, I await a credit from you for the full cost of a night at Braco Village. Two Weeks of Vacation: First lets start with the food, I have read a number of comments saying the food has gone down hill and others who think they landed in a 5-star restaurant. Neither is quite accurate. The breakfast buffet is pretty much the same as in prior years. We couldn't notice any real up or down changes. The lunch buffet in Victoria Market was about the same as in prior years as well. The only noticeable difference in either the breakfast or lunch buffets was the reduced number of dining room staff ---- it took somewhat longer than in prior years to get any kind of service from them as they appeared overwhelmed by the work. The lunch on the nude side was very good, as always, with no real up or down changes. Dinner at Victoria's Market was all buffet all the time. Although we could usually find something appealing to eat, the dinner buffet does not match up with the menu service of prior years. On those nights that there were no appealing items on the buffet, we were able to get into Pasta. Pasta seems to have improved from prior years both in the effort of service staff and the quality of the food. Munasan was very good and much fun, Piacere remained a nice change of pace. Overall, food remains satisfactory with the glaring exception of the dinner buffet.......got to say it was really poor. Finally, we have to say that we greatly enjoyed our stay overall. We played golf daily on the nine-hole course which was great fun for my wife as she isn't really a golfer and this was her chance to just swing away. The activities on the nude side were many and we had many good volleyball games. Three complaints about the nude side and the all really have to do with security. First, we witnessed people taking photos on two separate occasions. Second, there were several occasions where multiple women were not complying with the requirement to be nude. Third, there was one couple who snuck over via the beach every day --- and then bragged about it. The staff needs to be more aggressive and attentive to what is going on. The incidents with the cameras were unforgivable and their failure to enforce the nudity requirement forces guest to either deal with it themselves or to just be angry that the rules are not being followed. As far as the couple sneaking over daily, this is just lost revenue for the hotel but it is disturbing that some braggart gets away with this behavior while others comply and pay the daily fee or, like us, pay a much higher room rate to stay on the nude side. December 2009 - Jeff Burke Dealing with much stress, my wife and I opted for an Emergency Vacation for New Years 2009-2010, planning with less than two weeks notice. With the help of Castaways, we booked six nights at Breezes Rio Bueno, arriving on December 30th. To qualify ourselves (as trip reporters), my wife and I have travelled with Castaways for more than five years to a variety of Clothing Optional Beaches, rarely repeating a resort (only repeating Hidden Beach, thus far). We had never been to BRB (formerly Grand Lido Braco), though Castaways had recommended the resort highly on several occasions. Besides this recent trip to Jamaica, we've stayed at Hidden Beach, Breezes (Grand Lido) Negril, Sans Souci, Desert Sun (Palm Springs) and most recently D.R. Caliente Caribe. Our favorite day starts by waking to the sounds of the ocean, grabbing an early coffee, perhaps a towel or robe (pending the temperature) and strolling the morning beach. Lazy vacation days continue with reading and tanning nude, an occasional workout and often participating in the afternoon's nude volleyball game. We prefer to dress for fine dinners, dance to music and perhaps catch a local show. Occasionally, we'll add some touring, snorkeling or diving, and shopping to our vacation days. Often we'll finish with a nude hot tub and/or hanging out in a nude disco. Well. This is it! Breezes Rio Bueno. It had everything on our list, leaving nothing to desire. This trip had us so laid back that I never opened the dive gear, nor the workout clothes. I did finish two good books done though. Certainly, this was the antithesis of the stress we left back home. And, as a special treat, we happened on to the extremely well done New Years Eve party held in the streets of the Braco Village Resort. It was just a blast, first class and overwhelmingly attended by the guests. We arrived during severe international economic conditions, but the resort was booked up nicely. In comparison to other resorts we had visited, Rio Bueno rivals the service and food Hidden Beach and the raw beauty of Sans Souci. My research of other trip reports indicated a decline at Rio Bueno since the take over by Breezes, and without having had a prior trip I cannot compare. But, our trip to Rio Bueno was far from a disappointment and the resort compares very nicely to the other high quality resorts available. The nude night life was a bit lacking, as compared to trips to Hidden Beach, but there was not shortage of fun on the prude side. Rio Bueno is a romantic getaway location, not a pickup joint. While we enjoy exploring various resorts, we will repeat Rio Bueno as well as Hidden Beach. Finally, we shopped at the resort. I was certain I was destined for a day trip to Ocho Rios (a city we enjoy). The fine jewelry store at the resort brought in an array of items from an Ocho Rios location, overnight per our request. Naturally, we rewarded them with a purchase. Now that's service! Our only criticism of Rio Bueno would be to ADD WiFi on the Nude Side! Com'on. Its 2010 for crying out loud. November 2009 - Bob and Janice We just returned from our first trip to Breezes Rio Bueno. After we got into the room we found everything went very well. The management and staff were very helpful and pleasant. The facility while not new was certainly pleasant and was well maintained. They were constantly painting and cleaning while we were there. Wayne and his staff at the bar were especially accommodating. There is a nice beach but I would bring water shoes next time to walk around in the water more safely. There are things that sting in there. The restaurants and block party were very nice. We didn't get into the French restaurant because we didn't bring dress clothes but that was OK because there were plenty of other places to eat. Our luggage got on a different bus than we did from the airport which made for a traumatic ride to the resort but it was all straightened out. would advice anyone going to take their own luggage out to the transfer bus themselves to avoid this potential problem. We arrived around 1:00pm and check-in was a disorganized mess. It was over 4 hours before we got into a room. We thought we had made a mistake going there. Overall except for the check in we were very pleased with our visit and would go again. November 2009 - jssnacks Were at Grand Lido/Rio bueno during change over. Front desk service needs to improve. The rest of help at the resort was excellent!. Food and drinks were good, both the French and Japanese resturants were very good. Rooms are three star, updated bathrooms, and are clean.Beach is alittle rocky, however vey useable with water shoes. Water was warm and clear. The room service on the a/n side was nice to have breaksfast on back porch looking at the ocean. September 2009 - M.Y. This was our 7th time there; found people friendly as always, updated bathrooms, great spa services; fodd was good. No buffet due to low occupancy, pool bartenders just a 'hoot' with games and friendliness-both prude and natural sides!!! They were very eager to please in all aspects. Our a/c went out the last night-they helped move us to another room immediately! We recommend this place, and hope that the 'new' name and changes really does not change the resort! It would be very disappointing. Can't wait to return! We were there for 6 nights-thought that was too long when booking-BUT it wasn't! August 2009 - shyster There were both pleasant and unpleasant surprises here. The food is not up to par with other all-inclusive resorts I have visited. The supposedly 5 star resturant, Piacere, is not worth the effort it takes to bring a jacket and other required attire. The Fillet Mignon was so tough we could not eat it and the cream for the coffee curdled as it hit my cup. The other resturants were as bad. The buffet had the same limited food every day. The Italian resturant 'ran out of' garlic and parmesean cheese if you can believe it. Both Piacere and the Japanese resturant seemed to be operating on a very tight schedule. Do not go to either thinking you will have a slow romantic diner. You will get rushed to place your order and eat each course as quickly as possible. One good thing is they have some of the best lamb chops I have ever had at both the club house and the buffet at the nude pool. The policy on drinks was a pleasant surprise. Simply put, whateve you want you ge t. Whole bottles of wine are yours for the asking as is the amount of liquor you request. The most pleasant surprise was the friendliness and desire to please of the staff. They will go a long way to make a guest happy. The resort is showing signs of wear. Rumor has it that the company that owns the Super Club brands and concepts has told Braco it no longer measures up to the high quality demanded of the Grand Lido name. This Fall the resort is changing to a Breezes concept which is not as demanding as the Grand Lido concept. I can see why. In spite of all this, we will go back. The friendliness of the staff and the other guests who are around the nude area was unbelievable. Everyone was friendly and we made new friends as fast as we could meet them. July 2009 - Billy & Joyce Upon our arrival the staff was very friendly and brought us our first drink. They took us on a tour of the facility and brought us to our room where our bags were already there. Due to this being our first Clothing Optional vacation we were still kind of skeptical about going to the Au Naturel side. We spent about 10 minutes in the pool on the prude side then headed for the Au Naturel beach, where we donned our birthday suits. We spent about 10 minutes then headed for the Au Naturel pool and never turned back. There were several couples in the pool and they were very nice and made the atmosphere easy to adjust to. We met some great people that we will be friends with for along time to come. We are all planning to return next year about the same time. The daily buffet on the nude side was very good and convenient; you do not have to leave the Au Naturel side at all except for supper, unless you want room service. Wayne at the pool bar was the best. You have to try the dirty banana, hummingbird, purple rain, brain hemorrage, and the Bob Marley, all great drinks. Shanique, Richard, Patricia and Gwayne were our entertainment coordinators and they were all great. The daily pool volleyball contest was very fun. My wife got over her shyness and won the bocce ball contest. The Japanese Restaurant (Munasan) was very good and Raye (Hibatchi Chef) was very entertaining. This is a must if you visit Braco. We were very pleased with our vacation and will visit this resort again. May 2009 - James K Braco is slipping badly. This was our eighth visit and this one did not live up to Grand Lido promises. Cost cutting, staff funk over rebranding and general management lack of interest in repeat guests showed in many ways. To name a few: check in: arrived about 2:30; no room until 6pm. Promises/promises for four hours! The automatic rum punch/champagne welcome is gone. Hot tubs generally down more than half the time due to some kind of problem from over heating/under heating or need to clean. Contaminated water in the rooms due to recent rains (very yellow) which led to running out of Wata. Over the two weeks there most meals had some kind of bust: missed course at French, poor drink service in both timeliness and ability to deliver some basic drinks, out of Cabernet wine for close to a week, intermittent and sometimes rude piano bar. Manager, Burchell Henry, publically apologized for overall intermittent service at repeaters' night but words did not seem to carry through. With AN becoming very expensive, textile side lacking decent beach grill comparable to AN or beach or hot tubs on par with AN and toll gate now to be erected between sides of this resort... it is hard to see booking Braco again. Could say alot more about how far Grand Lido has fallen since the days of white chocolate pianos--good thing they are dropping the name. Editors Note: We've received reports about inconsistent service as Grand Lido Braco moves towards its rebranding as Breezes Rio Bueno. But a changeover in the future is no excuse. We passed these comments to the resorts general manager (we do not forward the name of the guest unless they request) April 2009 - Rob & Linda Harvey My wife and I booked a three week stay at GLB arriving April 2, 2009. It was our second trip to GLB and our third to Jamaica in four years. We had read many recent trip reports warning of many problems at the resort and had been worried that the resort had deteriorated since our previous visit in 2007. Our arrival was smooth at MontegoBay airport. Superclubs has a reception lounge which is easily found in the airport arrivals area. On arrival, we were warmly greeted by staff that took our bags, offered us a cold bottle of water, and presented us with our guest registration card to be filled out. A porter gathered our bags and we were then taken to the awaiting bus. Check in at the resort was a little slow but we were warmly greeted with a "Welcome Back Home!" We were offered a rum punch but no cool towel this time. We had requested a ground floor room in Building A on the AN side, but were told it was being closed with no other explanation. We were given a ground floor suite in Building B; an upgrade at no charge. The room was spotlessly clean and only a few step from the beach. Housekeeping kept it clean throughout our stay although some days the room did not get attention until late morning. Hot water was plentiful and never an issue and the daily turndown service was a nice touch. We had no air conditioner problems. We did have brief power interruptions, but they occurred in the evenings very briefly twice in our three week stay. You cannot go hungry at GLB. Everything we had was good. The French restaurant was excellent. We ate there three times and everything we tried was wonderful. The service was outstanding (thanks Desmond!) We did hear that some guests were upset about being turned away because the men had no dress shoes (no open toed shoes allowed). We had sushi three times. On our third visit to the restaurant, O'Neill invited us to try a special Jamaican Jerk Chicken roll that he prepared special for us. The beach party food was very good but the entertainment needs to be changed up; it was very similar to what we had seen 2 years ago. The street party was spectacular and the food was awesome. Room service food was good and service prompt. The best though, was the lamb chops and lunch buffet at the AN grill. Karen's lamb chops are THE BEST! The gals at Wayne's World were great (Shernette, Shanoy and Lisa we love you!). And of course what would Wayne's World be without the man himself (what a gwaan Wayne?). The entertainment staff were all terrific. Patricia (from Negril) was a real ambassador for GLB and we enjoyed her company for lunch and breakfast several times. Contrary to many reports about the unfriendly staff, we did not find that at all. Admittedly, some staff did not appear outwardly friendly, but overall the staff were wonderful . The new towel policy was of concern after reading some of the trip reports. However, our experience was that it was no a big deal. We were given four vouchers at check in for towels. We had only one time when we had trouble getting new towels and that was at 6:30 PM one afternoon. However by the next morning, plenty of new towels were available. Internet service was a bigger issue; it slow and expensive. The beaches are indeed rocky, and the AN beach is definitely the better. Wear water shoes and all is good. The AN pool is huge. Pool volleyball is a must; great fun and a great way to meet new friends. The AN hot tub is a fun place to be at 5:00. Seems everyone gathers there at the end of the day. We even had a pizza party there one evening! We heard the theme nights were fun, and although we had planned on going to them, we never made it. We did attend the returnee cocktail parties held each Thursday evening and even won a half hour massage for two at our first one. If we had one wish, it would be that the entire resort was nude on that it at least be clothing optional. It would be nice not to have to dress to go to the main beach or water sports. We hope that there will not be any wholesale changes made when Breezes takes over. This resort is a wonderful place to spend your holiday; we'll be back! Rob & Linda's photos April 2009 - Ji MB Just back on Saturday from our "annual" Easter-time visit of 8 days @ Braco. Lots of good fun and great people, which include guests we see almost annually, newbie's, and staff that we've gotten to know over the years. Most was good and we had a wonderful time, although continued low occupancy has really had an impact, particularly on the entertainment and in some cases, the food. This year we were ID'ed as being part of the "Bunny Bunch" by the Quiet Brits (I think) as we can only come during spring break. I thought this most amusing and will have to see if we can find some "clip on" bunny ears for next year … ...MORE - This is a detailed and lengthy report... Read the rest here... January 2009 - Mike Grand Lido Braco is definitely going downhill. We have been there multiple times and each time it gets more run down and there is absolutely no service anywhere. Food was average at best. Entertainment was non-existent except at dinner in Victoria Market. Toga Nite was a complete flop because the staff decided to eat at the pasta restaurant until people left the bar. Absolutely the last time we go there. And everyone had bug bites, no see-ums. Don't waste time or money. Too bad because Au Natural side is so beautiful at Braco. Breezes buying place in Fall (2009). Hope they fire everyone and start over. Editors Note: Unfortunately we've been hearing more negative reports about the service at not only GL Braco… but many other Jamaican resorts as well. Economic conditions and lower occupancies on the island are certainly having a negative impact at many resorts. Recent meetings we've had with SuperClubs management suggest the strategy of "re-branding" the Grand Lido's to be under the Breezes umbrella should have a positive effect at Braco. Perhaps offering fewer services and options but consistently performing those services very well, and at a more attractive price point, will be at least part of the answer. December 2008 - January 2009 - GS After all the negative things we've read about Braco, we decided to go back and see for ourselves (December New Years 2008). We were not disappointed. We had a great time. The service at times was a little slow but it seemed to be from a lack of guidance rather than a lack of willingness. The hot tub, as usual, was a problem. We actually used it two afternoons during the 5 nights we were there. The staff out did themselves for the New Year's Party. It was excellent. We found the food very good everywhere except Victorian Market. It was ok but they seemed to serve the same thing every day. We just ate elsewhere. Not a problem for us. Room service was prompt as well. The updated bathrooms are fantastic. The grounds were more beautiful than we had seen them in the past. All in all, we hope to return again. December 2008 - Wayne and Suzanne We had a great week at Braco. The nude side seemed pretty full, but the other side changed by the day as local Jamaicans came and went on short 1 or 2 night stays, many of them using it as a business trip hotel. Many regulars very unhappy about the apparent policy of below the waist coverups required for the nude side buffet lunch line. We never heard an announcement, so never covered up. Noticeable cuts in food quality and variety. The French restaurant had the same couple of wines as everywhere else, where they used to have premium. No more Fr. onion soup, only one very basic green salad, less entree choices. No smoked salmon at breakfast. No lobster at the street party. Buffet for everything but entrees at Victoria Market. Towels in the gym only 1 day out of 7. First timers wouldn't notice most of these things, but for a place that relies so much on repeaters, the gossip and griping can't be good. None of this stuff was a big deal for us, but with so many noticeable cuts in food, it would make us wonder what else will be cut next time. They still have lamb chops at lunch every day. When they cut those, that will be the last straw for a lot of people, it seems! The Italian and Japanese were good. We met lots of very nice people and had a very relaxing week. December 2008 - M & E The most disappointing item: The lack of clean towels and the resort's new towel policy. You need coupons to get a pool towel now. They didn't give us coupons when we checked in nor would they bring them to us when we called. We had to go back to the front desk to get our coupons, walk back to the pool and THEN wait for about an hour for some clean towels to be delivered to the pool. We spent the first afternoon of trip fighting the resort for clean towels; it unfortunately sets the mood for the rest of the trip. This new policy and lack of clean towels cheapens the resort in my eyes. For that kind of service I can go to Hedo and save a lot of cash in the process. Castaways Note:Unfortunately... this type of towel policy is becoming fairly common at many of the resorts in the Caribbean. Ask for a towel when you check in at the resort or ask for the towel card upon registration. As back up, take a beach towel with you if you prefer. October 2008 - B & A Although we had a great time, this was not close to our numerous earlier visits. Food was not as varied, and not as good. The Jerk Pit was variable, from awesome to way too salty. Drink supplies often ran out, no grapefruit juice for two days, Crown not to be found, often no bananas for Dirty Bananas. Had to keep your pool towel overnight, our first day there had to bring down bath towels. Reduced staff/service in Victoria Market, less social director activities, seems to be a lack of leadership. Lots of tension between most workers and upper staff. Tensilyn in the spa is still a massage goddess. Braco is coasting on it's reputation and is not providing the premiere service we expect and are paying for. Tepenyaki was not as colorful as in the past (I still can't catch a shrimp tossed to me) but still good. Piacere was very good but the menu has been reduced. Maybe that sums it up, still good but reduced overall. April 2008 - Brend & Linda We flew Delta ( never again ) out of Denver through Atlanta. They were stunning in their ability to separate families ( some with small children ) throughout the plane. My wife and I ( same address, last name, reservations made together ) were seated 6 rows away from each other in middle seats, in spite of the plane showing half-empty at booking time, and having chosen an aisle and middle seat together when booking the flights. Many others at the boarding gate had similar experience. I weep for Northwest. We arrived in Montego Bay at 1:00PM on a Thursday. Immigration was fairly quick ( the expansion at Sangster is pretty impressive, and was a bit disorienting at first ), and then down to wait for luggage. And wait. Somebody could make a killing with a Red Stripe stand in the baggage area. Took about 45 minutes to get two bags, and clear Customs ( about two minutes in Customs ). Then off to SuperClubs desk for check-in. Very smooth, we were on a bus less than ten minutes later. Had just had a lousy experience with Delta, not in a social mood, so kept to ourselves on the big bus with maybe another ten or twelve couples aboard. A group of couples also headed to Braco, did a great job of keeping activity/noise level up ( in a mostly good way ) with the help of some vodka. Ride was smooth and quick. Check-in was effortless. Arrived a bit after two, room was ready. Stayed in B Block, second floor, on A/N side. Junior Suite. The usual terrible view of the ocean ( had to open the shades ), and had to walk nearly 90 seconds to get to the club house or the pool bar, down an entire flight of stairs. Room was clean upon check-in, stayed that way throughout trip, towels in usual animal shape, repeat guest letter waiting for us, along with a couple of complimentary T-Shirts for coming back to paradise. Found Mike and Linda from Wis-Can-Sin ( short overlap this year with them ) by the pool, and proceeded to drink. Merrily. Pool was gorgeous ( thank you, Dan-i-el! ), drinks were good ( Wayne was out with new baby first couple of days we were there - Congratulations on the latest addition! ), and the company was the usual mix of folks hanging out and having a good time chatting, floating, and drinking. We stayed for eight nights. Rich, Sandy, Mike, and Connie ( Wis-Can-Sin and Chicago ) came in on Friday, and stayed through following Friday. Hit, at one time or another, the Italian ( very good ), the Japanese hibachi ( very good ), and the French ( actually made it _almost_ worthwhile to put on long pants ). The restaurants were amazingly gracious in getting us all together for meals, regardless of numbers. Our first experience with sushi was with O'Neil at the sushi bar at Braco several years back, and went back this time and were not disappointed. We were thrilled with the meal. We made it across for breakfast in the main dining room four or five times, and it was quite good. The omelettes were exceptional, service was good. There was always a spread of continental breakfast-style stuff ( fruit, pastries ) in the A/N clubhouse. Lunch was on the A/N side throughout the trip. On occasion, a few of the wives would venture across to get some different fare, and were always kind enough to bring some back for the rest of us. Quick run-down on the A/N side ( the primary reason that we continue to come back ): Merle is gone. This was weird. We had lowered our expectations heading down this time, knowing she would not be there. We were beyond pleasantly surprised. As a matter of fact, we were overwhelmed with the job that Wayne is doing managing the A/N side. It's like he has found his perfect place in the world. Juliet and Shanoy were amazing; we never went thirsty. The drinks were as strong or as weak as we wanted them, and ( with the exception of Connie's Jack Daniels ), they were never out of anything for more than ten minutes. For those of you with specific tastes in liquor, I'd call their selection a limited, solid range of mid-tier top-shelf liquor. Vodka ran from Popov to Smirnoff to Absolut to Stoli. Rum was the usual well stuff all the way through the short-bottle Appleton Estate. Tequila was rough, but I've never seen decent tequila down there, and I don't expect it. Was able to get Johnnie Walker Black everywhere I went. They had Tanqueray at the pool bar on the A/N side, for the gin drinkers. Champagne was plentiful. Entertainment staff was great as well. The usual trivia, body painting, and toga demonstrations abounded. Kemar spent an hour and a half talking Jamaican history and culture with us one afternoon; he had most of the guests on the A/N side gathered around by the end of the talk. It's inspiring to hear someone take so much pride in their people and country. Gawayne was a pain in the, errrr, a lot of fun. Stuck around for an hour and a half after being off-shift just to hang out and keep us entertained. Karl was his usual, obnoxious and entertaining self. Pool volleyball happened every morning, and probably half of the afternoons ( got a little quiet once Glen from Alberta left ). We picked up the ocean kayak one day and carried it up to the pool for time trials. When the watersports guys came to take it back, Ann Marie was kind enough to let us keep it. As a matter of fact, when we went across to pick up a paddle boat from the textile side for pool use, she arranged to have it transported over for us. There's nothing quite like watching a kayak/paddle boat race in a pool, naked, with drinks in hand. It makes you glad to be alive. On the textile side: The main bar is 180 degrees from what it used to be. The smell is gone. The attitudes are gone. The service was spectacular. Courtney was a machine behind the bar ( quick-witted, kept the ladies very entertained, and knocked out drinks in masterful fashion ). Latoya was a fantastic server, all kinds of personality and joy. Couldn't help but smile around her. We stuck around one night for the Elvis show, and it was quite good. Didn't spend much time on the textile side beyond eating and drinking in the main bar ( but then, we never do ). Trip back was the usual, smooth departure and ride to the airport. Delta, once again, did an amazing job of separating families on the flight back. We had a four-hour layover in Atlanta, so managed to embarrass the gate clerk into seating us next to each other. The bottom line is this: This was probably the best trip we've had to Jamaica since our first time on the island ( when everything was brand new and exciting ). Wayne is doing a wonderful job on the A/N side; it hasn't missed a beat. It's still, as far as we're concerned, the best A/N resort we'll ever see. April 2008 - DM Castaways Note: Compare the above and below reports for an example of how experiences can be inconsistent from visit to visit... even at the "best" resorts. This is frustrating not only for the guests... but us as well. Having been there 5 previous times we feel we are well qualified to compare the property to visits of the past. Upon checking in we told the receptionist that this was our 6th visit to Braco if possible could she give us a good room. She replied that she had us booked in a Garden room. We did tell her that we usually stay on the A/N side but there was no availability. We weren't asking for an upgrade just a nice room. The bellman took us to room 915. When we entered the smell was overwhelming (mold, musty,etc.) He said that this room is not clean and called the front desk for us to be given another room. He was totally 100% correct. It was dirty, crumbs and sand on the floor, and we would not consider staying in that room. Then he took us to room 921. A better room and from appearance sake, acceptable to us. I went into the bathroom and the toilet appeared to be clogged and not repaired or cleaned. This time I personally called the front desk and explained the problem. We waited quite a while until another bellman appeared and took us to room 1133. This room was much better. The tables never had salt and pepper on them. Many times we had paper napkins instead of the cloth ones. Was told they ran out. Not one time did we sit down for a meal in Victoria Market that we did not have to get up and get our own silverware, salt, pepper or perhaps a cup and saucer. This was not evidenced in our previous visits. (Last one in Sept.2007) We are not trying to be picky or cantankerous but feel that these problems are getting worse instead of better. The price keeps raising and the service declines. As this was our first time on the prude side we were surprised of the general conditions of the rooms with banged up furniture, dented walls, stained tile floors and showers. I realize this is not the US but we have traveled extensively to Jamaica (20 times) and 23 other Caribbean Islands so we know what is normal. The last time we were there (Sept) there was no recognition of us being past guests at all. Not even a simple thank you from the management. (die, no wine, t-shirts, welcoming tray or a simple little thank you note) The only thing they did was invite us to the Manager's cocktail party. Whom we have never seen. We are not guests that require a lot of attention. We drink very little (2-3 drinks a day) stay at the pool or beach all day only to return to get a shower and ready for dinner. We do not use the golfing, water sports, trips outside the resorts, etc. which costs the resort money. We just want to relax in a stress free, carefree environment, but not stay in a depressing beat up room. Even the TV had to be repaired. A cable was loose and they were in our room fixing it for about an hour. We really enjoy a Jamaican vacation but will be considering other resorts. Oh, we did receive a call at home but we were on our way home from Atlanta. She left a message stating that she wanted to talk to us about our remarks on the comment card and would call back the next day. We did not get home until midnight. She never did call back which in our opinion means they just don't care. We do appreciate your company, and especially Jennifer McCoy, and your concern about our trip which is far more than Braco did. March 2008 - JK Just a not-so-quick report on the goings-on @ Braco based on our recent visit. Overall, I imagine the property is "about the same." As with other years, some things better, some things less so. Check-in was good. During our first few visits it seemed that checking in was a new experience for the staff each time a guest showed up. The new road is great. We got lucky with the line at immigration, but I think it was about 90 minutes from tarmac to lunch in the Market. Food was about the same. They now vary what is served at the A/N lunch buffet, which is a great thing. We had a better cook for Japanese this year and a great table of folks - which makes all the difference. We were so loud another table even complained and we had to dial it back! Food in the French restaurant was good, but we still miss Ralston and were sad that Wilson was gone. The new "in charge" didn't even both to stop by and say "hi." Victoria Market continues to be hit or miss for dinner with food and service. One day very prompt and another day - well, our before dinner drinks showed up for dessert. We're not big on room service, but the one time we ordered (including some soup from the French restaurant) it arrived promptly and was good. We just love the cheeses and as usual, they were great, as were the lamb chops (we had hopped for lobster at the street party, but no luck). We had a A/N Jr Suite which was, well, about the same. Sadly, the air conditioner leaked water. As it worked, we didn't bother calling for repair (not having much success previously). The new bathrooms are nice, but ours was starting to fall apart (handle on the door half connected, the spray unit no longer allowed a selection). The bottom sheets still come off the bed. The room was very clean and supplies always there (last year I think they ran out of shampoo). We had an electronic safe this year and liked that a lot. As usual, most of the doors and drawers really didn't shut. The grounds overall looked really good and there were always people around trimming, washing, and such. Maybe they should reassign a couple grounds people to room maintenance? Anyway, there were a few heavy storms that rolled through with the water causing rocks and mud to go here and there - pretty much everything was cleaned up as fast as I could imagine. The sand gravity afflicts us so we rarely make it to anything in the evening. This year we geared ourselves up for the A/N bonfire but the wind and rain caused it to be cancelled. Similarly, the A/N buffer was cancelled. The wait staff on the A/N side were pretty good. Wayne was in good spirits even as is his new child was about 3 days old when we arrived. The new bartenders didn't know how to mix some drinks, but took direction well. Sometimes they would chat between themselves and forget the guests, but it didn't happen too often. Shanoy (not Shandy as some have reported) was friendly, efficient, and very stealthy - drinks would show up during volleyball almost without anybody noticing. They seemed to not have (as opposed to run out of) some things. For example, tequila was hard to come by early in the day. We had no idea why because there didn't seem to be a problem later in the day. We missed Merle. Some of the entertainment is getting a bit stale - certainly great for the newbies, but it would be nice if there was some variation over time for us return guests. There was an Elvis impersonator that wasn't bad - don't know if he was fairly new or we just never got out of our room on the night he was there. On Sunday morning they had a guy singing that was just great. He did a lot of Marvin Gay and Barry White types of things. Very mellow and sultry. Lots of turnover in the EC staff. Kemar is still there and we like him a lot. Didn't see Gwayne much. Karl is there and is getting a little mellower. I'm forgetting a guy that we liked ... maybe Richard? The new female ECs didn't seem to have much of a personality - they might sit by you at lunch, but then not interact. On the other hand, we really liked Oral and hope he sticks around for a time. The staff seemed both more relaxed and more tense - although the later was typically when some senior Super Clubs type might be wandering around. Saw a bit more management this year than last, but they didn't seem to offer opportunities to talk with them, except for the bread and pastry chef. We chatted with him at the repeaters party and asked him about the coco bread recipe. He went way out of his way to get it to us the next day before we left. Very nice. The smell in the piano bar was gone! :-) The above might sound negative, but we really do love the place and so long as the prices don't go crazy, we'll be back. We meet all kinds of wonderful people on the A/N side - some new friends every year, and some old friends we see regularly. My wife won't let anybody sit around the pool without at least responding directly to a "Are you playing v-ball?" question. We've gotten so many people over the years to play and so many of them have said that they would have likely sat on their lounge for the duration. While they said they might have had a good time sitting around, they allow that they had a great time after participating and getting to know folks (last year an investment banker from Norway actually extended his stay as a result). This year Nigel from the UK, Steve from KY, and Wiley the tuba player from Atlanta all got into the act and I wouldn't be surprised if they all don't come back. As I said, some better, and some worse. But we have a wonderful time and will be back. December 2007 - B&C We absolutely love Braco. Have been going since 2000 and continue to return. I find the 'regulars' (though they keep changing) to be be fantastic (Wayne, Meryl, Tameika). The food is always great (love them little baby lamb chops). The Au-Naturel beach and pool area is the best we've found. We like it a lot better than Negril even though we sound like we are in the minority when you read the websites. We have never experienced the 'difficulties' that others have whined about. Sometimes I think people feel they need to complain about something when asked their opinion. That said, if we could fix 2 things (albeit minor) we would like to see some upgraded wines (would even pay more if we could get them...not overly expensive but stuff that you would pay about 15 bucks for in the US liquor stores). Secondly, I wish there was a way for Braco to 'know' you are a frequent return guest. When they greet you they should not ask 'is this your first visit?' when you've been there 10 times. And maybe a room upgrade if they have them available even though sometimes we go the ROH way. This time we were put in a dark, non-balcony, narrow garden room. We didn't even know they had rooms so small and dank. A quick call to the desk fixed it, but it would have been nice if they already knew we were the 'twice every year' frequent visitors so you didn't have to beg. Small problems but I thought you might like to know. Regarding your site, I love the instant quote and your agents if we have to call or schedule anything. Always helpful. Keep up the good work December 2007 - B&C This was our 6th year @ grand lido and it may be our last. The service @ all the restaurants was poor especially the Italian It appears they were short staff this year. We go every year and meet the same group of friends from all over the world. Really look forward to it. If it were not for the great staff @ the pool bar. (Especially Wayne and Meryl) we would not have enjoyed the trip. Also the loud music @on the nude side was a pain to all. Had to ask them to turn it down more than once, just want to relax with some good conversation and doze off after lunch. I am sure you know what I mean. Oh one more very important thing. The small fleas were a pain. My wife and others were bitten (looks like mosquito bites) Why / because they were not spraying. Had to ask the head of maintenance. His reply was the “fogger has been broken for some time” after many many protest, guess what? They started fogging that night. Resort staff needs some work. All in all, it was a disappointment especially for the amount of money we all spend for this vacation. November 2007 - Teri Thomas I had my first trip to Grand Lido Braco from 11/21-11/26, 2007 . I traveled with friends in the Castaways' Bob & Darla group. It was obvious my first day why my friends return year after year. It was also my first AN experience. The staff at Braco was the best I have seen. I was introduced to the AN side staff once and they called me by name from then on. I told them what I was drinking once and my cup was never empty. Castaways' Bob & Darla group was great fun and extremely friendly. I was actually viewing my calendar for when to go next year when I received this email. Aside from weather delays on my return home, my trip was top notch and I plan to stay longer next year. Thanks to Jennifer at Castaways for answering numerous questions prior to my trip and to the entire staff at Grand Lido Braco. This was an amazing trip and I did not want to return home and leave all my new friends sitting at the pool! Fall 07 - CS We have been going to Grand Lido Braco through Castaways for several years now, and have been mostly satisfied, but this last rip was marred by the fact that we did not get our requested room on the ground floor of b Block, and even though Jennifer requested this for us the staff denied all knowledge of the receipt of same. But, really the place is going downhill in quite a few ways anyhow, eg: yellowing limp table napkins, ridiculously small portions in the Italian restaurant, bad food at dinnertime in Victoria Market and the ever ever constant screeching of the maids outside our door,every afternoon. and the Chilean wine (Undurraga) which RETAILS here where we live in Nassau for $7.00 per bottle is very very poor, both red and white. Once ago there was a Valpolicella available at the Italian restaurant, which was acceptable, but this now seems to have been discontinued. Also the room service pizza which last year was delicious in now inedible. Also, while most of the entertainment staff seem to be O.K it would be nice I think if the persons in charge of asking the trivial pursuit questions at the pool had better reading skills. So there you are - you asked for it!!!! Oct 07 - LoveToTan In Sept/Oct 2007 we made our third trip to Grand Lido Braco Jamaica. We were there again during their Best of Jamaica week. Additional shows, displays, events and booths were made available during this time. This was our first time with the new master bathroom in the A/N suites. Very nice updates of the bathrooms. Also our first time since the solar water heating assist and so there was always hot water no matter when you showered. We took advantage of our repeater night and booked 8 while paying for 7 nights. We also took 2 couples with us who were new to GLB and therefore they counted toward our referral credits. I confirmed at checkout that we were given credit for 2 referrals and they assured me that I would be getting an additional free night letter. Although it now is a week later and to date I haven't received anything. We only tried the PJ party in the disco this year and were disappointed. Low to no attendance, which the DJ played rap music to which only 3 of the girl staff danced to. July 07 - FDS Grand Lido certainly lived up to the expectations that were promised. My wife and I are not regular "nude" travelers, although we have enjoyed St. Martin beaches and many topless beaches in the carribean. We were very very comfortable in this great resort and never at any time felt anyone "encroaching" upon our level of comfort. Sex on the beach is a drink at Grand Lido Braco, not an activity(lol). Whatever sexual activity we witnessed was somewhat discreet. The age of most at the resort on the nude side was over 40. I think that had a lot to do with the focus remaining on nudism as opposed to sex; sometimes found at other resorts. The accommodations were above average for sure; probably on the verge of outstanding. The staff, with a couple of exceptions we chose to ignore, were friendly and accommodating. The only slight disappointment came from the hotels lack of attention to a few details. The in-room fridge was not re-stocked regularly. The hot tub temperature was not watched and kept at reasonable levels, and if one bar did not have something there was no effort on their part to get it for you. I'd give them a c+ on their training program for waitstaff. I'd give the waitstaff itself an A, since they were genuine in their efforts to be friendly. Of course there were a couple of exceptions that one must just overlook. Most of the food was very good, not necessarily excellent, but very good. The nude side pool bar served grilled lamb chops daily, which were out of this world. The French restaurant is worth putting a jacket on to enjoy and the Japanese restaurant I would rate as average. If you are looking for seasoned foods, don't bother with their main-stay restaurant; Victoria's Market. The Jerk chicken was especially good and a great afternoon snack if you get hungry. And we did use the 24 hour room service at 2am and were served quickly. The 9 hole par 3 golf course was perfect for an early morning, quick and easy "golf fix". The in-house pro was on hand to give lessons and there was a visiting pro available to help work on your game. While not in perfect condition, I give the little golf course an A+, especially with the helpfulness of two pro's. Overall, Grand Lido Braco was a great place to relax, be pampered, and leisurely entertain yourself. We seldom return to the same place when traveling. We're already trying to figure out how and when we will spend a few more days at Grand Lido Braco. We were on a short trip this time, only four nights. It was perfect. We didn't have the time to get acclimated to the island and didn't need to. Grand Lido Braco pretty much had all we needed for a long weekend. We never left the resort. Lastly, we must thank Tammy with Castaways Travel for making this possible. This was our first trip booked with Castaways and everything was done perfectly. Tammy was great in answering our pre-trip questions and getting our restaurant reservations made before we left. Thank you Castaways Travel and Tammy. Sept 2006 - Brian Overall we had a great time and would reccomend Grand Lido to all. However, upon arrival we were disappointed with the room, we had been to Hedo 3 on 2 previous trips and had higher expectations of the Grand Lido room. In our opinion the rooms at Hedo 3 were nicer. We were on the textile side as we had 3 other couples joining us over the 10 days (they had not previously been to an A/N resort). I spoke with the manager Ron D. and was disappointed to hear that an upgrade would cost us $150/night more, and that company policy was not to make any exceptions. We opted to stay where we were. As our vacation progressed, we noticed a heightened sense of service level that we had not experienced at Hedo. The staff was great and more than made up for our perceived shortcomings in the room. We are planning a return again with our friends and plan to book an A/N suite. We have been told that the A/N accomodations are nicer. You can contribute to this section - all you have to do is go to our Contribute Trip Report / Photographs page. Breezes Resort & Spa Rio Bueno Resort Report