Rio Bueno - Jamaica Here are a few trip reports submitted by some of our clients. 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. June 2005 - Jeff & Jen WOW. This place was fantastic! When booking be sure to reserve a room in the nude side, because the ocean view is twice as beautiful with NO boats parked in the water to obstruct the view; also it was much less crowded, in the sense of being further from the center of the resort... added bonus! The nude pool made the whole resort! Especially with all of the great drinks made by Wayne the bartender, and plenty of volleyball games beeing organized this was pretty much the only place we bothered to venture to. Nude Clubhouse cafe? Fantastic! And every day at around noon the kitchen staff there would offer a buffet right at the nude pool's bar which was MUCH better than the Victorian Market. The four other restaurants were phenominal, with Piacere being the best by our opinion, and the Raggae Cafe and Munasan having such extremely delicious specials each day. The Italian restuarant offered excellent fare as well with close proximity to the Piano Bar that had very high quality drink selections. The discoteque also offered a great selection of high end liquors, and there was always plenty of time to dance the night away. Again, if you are serious about going, DO go to the nude side, and if you get to stay in on of the rooms, you'll never want to venture out for more than an hour a day. Also be sure to greet yourself and be friendly with the staff, but that won't be a problem at all! To be objective, I will say that out of a score of 10, Grand Lido Braco gets an 8. Everything was great, however the weather did lead to a few activities to be missed. Again, an OUTSTANDING resort, and definitely worth going as many times as you can! May 2005 - S & J We had a great time at Hedo III. Wish we stayed 4 nights instead of 3. Room and service was great. Only down side ! They cleaned the pool during the day. As a result! no one was allowed in the pool. GLB was very nice but we wish we were on the nude side. The walk over was not bad but the prude side appeared to be dead. Service was very slow! It was hard to get a drink or food delivered. It rained one day so we got a coupon for a free night on our next trip. Is this ticket good only at GLB or cab we use it at Hedo III? Overall we had a great time. Weather was perfect except for 1 day. Food was very good and we learned some new drinks. We did meet a group of people and we are now trying to form a group trip. Will let you know if this happens. Right now it looks like New Years or next May. April 2005 - DG I have never vacationed at a clothing optional all-inclusive resort and was somewhat apprehensive about how I would feel about it. It turned out to be a wonderful vacation in every aspect and I would highly recommend Grand Lido Braco to anyone considering this type of vacation. It turns out that there is nothing that feels better than floating around a pool or in the ocean, naked! Castaways Travel was very professional and helpful to me in answering all of my questions. All legs of the trip went smoothly and when we arrived at the report, we were treated as special guests by everyone at the resort. That includes all the activities people, wait staff, housekeeping, etc. I couldn't believe how many people remembered our names! The resort is so beautiful, the food was all delicious, especially the French restaurant and the nachos at the 24-hr. clubhouse! We took advantage of the many exercise options, including power walks, yoga, pilates, and water aerobi! cs. My husband also enjoyed the water volleypool in the nude pool. The nude pool is beautiful and we loved the foam mats that we could float around on for hours in the pool and in the ocean. There was plenty of shaded areas on the beach and by the pool too, when you had gotten enough sun. The couples massage on the beach under the trees and the body polish and pedicure I had were excellent! We took advantage of the snorkelling a couple of times that left in the boat from the resort twice a day and had a great time zipping along in the boat and then spending time at the reef. I think I ate my weight in fresh pineapple and papaya over the 9 day period and loved all the other fresh fruit as well every day! Our room looked out over the ocean and I loved sitting on our little patio with a book and a cool drink while listening to the sound of the surf. We will definitely go back to this resort again and again! Everything was awesome! November - December, 2000 - Pam This resort is the BEST! We've been going to Couples for 7 yrs and this is now our new home. Nude side is spectacular...weather was bad 3 days, gave us credit for them! Food was good, fellow visitors...the best...staff is outstanding....we will return again and again and again... November, 2000 - Rob & Lori-Anne We just came back from 10 fabulous days at the Grand Lido Braco SuperClub resort and it was fabulous. We arrived on a Friday afternoon and after the bus trip from Montego Bay Airport to the resort we were ready to get naked. The bus trip was interesting and the driver stopped half way to allow us to get some “Red Stripe” beer (Jamaica’s National Beer) at a local roadside establishment. Actually we think he stopped to partake in Jamaica’s “other” National product but can’t be sure. The sun was getting ready to set at about the time we arrived, so we checked in and got to our room fast and got comfortable. The Au Natural side unfortunately emptied out quickly due to the fabulous Street Party being put on in the common (read clothed) area of the resort. We were disappointed by the fact that we had to put clothes back on to partake, but it was worth it. All the bar-b-que’d lobster you could eat and lots more. This resort has one of the largest au natural areas of any of the Super Clubs – in fact, the nude side is bigger and nicer than the prude side. Even the beach area seemed nicer. EATING: There is a small bar/eating area on the nude side, but all the good stuff requires clothing of some sort. If Japanese or French dining is your thing, remember to bring pants (for the guys) and some shoes or they wont let you in. We can’t comment on either of these two facilities first hand as I (Rob) had no suitable pants or shoes (I wanted to be nude the whole time). We heard the French restaurant was first rate and the Japanese was so-so. Food in Victorias Market was well prepared and varied. We tried the breakfast buffet (once) and lunch (once) and they were good as well. The best, tho, is the small Italian Pasta place – we ate there a lot. Great Pasta!! September 2000 - Gary and Synda What a great vacation! From the time we got off the plane to when we got on the plane in Montego Bay we had a wonderful time. Superclubs is doing a great job of managing the administrative part. Once we got to Braco we felt we never wanted to leave. When we checked in they mistakenly gave us a room on the "wrong" side. I called and said we were supposed to be "au natural" and they immediately corrected the error and upgraded our room. This place is quiet and very tranquil. If you are looking for a party place, this is not it. But for us, it was perfect. We found the staff attentive and the services above average. But, we still don't understand why they shut down and clean the pool at 6:00 at night. We will be back next year. September 99 - Jim My wife and I made our first trip to Jamaica this September and I’m happy we chose Grand Lido Braco for our initiation visit. The facilities were beautiful and the food and drinks were plentiful and the service was excellent. We had originally reserved an ocean view room on the clothing side of the resort but upon arrival I asked for an upgrade to the “al natural” side and to my surprise we were upgraded to an ocean view junior suite on the “al natural’” side. We were a little uncomfortable at first but quickly got over it once we started to enjoy our beautiful surroundings. The wind, sand, water, and sun were wonderful. We only had two afternoons that brought rain. We both came home with all over tans. I can’t say enough about the staff and facilities, everything was excellent. However I did have a couple of experiences that were initiated by other guest that I wished hadn’t happened. I won’t go into detail but the guest staying in the “al natural” section should realize that this is a clothing optional facility and guest from the other section can use the “al natural” facilities if they choose, clothed or otherwise. PS The flowers from Castaway Travels were beautiful. My wife wanted so badly to bring them home. The champagne was excellent also. July, 1999 - Bob & Sheila Once again we are happy to write our report on what we believe to be the most spectacular resort in Jamaica. We spent our vacation during the July 4th week and were glad to see that many guests returned from the previous year that we had met. This year two couples from Texas that we are friends with decided to join us at Braco. One was a repeat guest and the other one was new to the whole Jamaican scene. Once again we enjoyed ourselves at the resort by participating in the activities such as body painting, water volleyball, trivia, snorkeling, hot tubbing, pj party, and rock and roll contest. One of our Texas couples had their wedding vows renewed and the affair was just beautiful. Bob and I are planning to have our wedding vows renewed next year when we again return to the resort. This time we plan on taking a longer vacation. Hope to see y'all there. July, 1999 - Dana & Tracy We booked our second trip to Jamaica and first to Grand Lido Braco via Castaways Travel and were more than pleased with all the info and courtesy, so we hope to return some by filing this report. We just returned and do not have all our pictures yet but will have some forthcoming. Since our first trip was to Hedo II in Aug. of 97, we wanted something more plush but would still retain some of the fun via al natural. Grand Lido Braco seemed to be the logical choice. To make it easy, we'll just list the things we liked and a few things we were dissappointed in. Things we liked: •The rooms. We booked for a Garden View room on the prude side of the resort but Castaways sent us an upgrade and we were moved to oceanview upon check-in. It even seemed they upgrade us to the al natural side since the resort was not full but we liked our room and it's proximity to the town sqare. (building #2). •James and Champaign's little surprise for us in our room. I won't tell here but I must say that others at the resort were envious of our travel agents. •The Food. Delicious food, almost anytime, anywhere. The water was pure and never made us ill once. •The ambiance of the resort. Most beautiful resort we saw in Jamaica. •Size of the nude pool and beach. Huge area to relax or have fun. •The politeness of the staff and rest of the Jamaican people. Road and trip to resort. Not nearly as bad as Hedo II. •The Street Party! It was a blast. This was our second night at the resort and we had made some good friends to eat and dance with. This event was the highlight of the week. •The three Jamaicans in green pants and straw hats that sing at the nude pool. They were great and the party really kicked May, June, 99 - Wendy & Paul Wow, where to start. Thanks for a great trip. Everything from Jennifer booking a very complicated itinerary to ChampagnE coordinating the flowers for the renewal of our wedding vows was handled with great professionalism. This was our first trip with Castaways Travel. It most certainly will not be our last! We had been to Grand Lido Negril two years ago and the experience was outstanding so we were a little reluctant to go anywhere else. We are glad we did. Grand Lido Bronco was equally as nice and unique. As soon as you arrive you, know you are in for something special. You cannot help but think you are on Main St. in a small Caribbean town. It has a Disney quality to it. Once again, we were greeted with cocktails and a smile in the tradition that Grand Lido is known for. From that point on our every wish was granted (although you have to get use to the Jamaican sense of urgency or lack there of). We were escorted to youR well appointed room on the "Au Natural" side of the resort. The nude pool was at our front door and the nude beach with its spectacular views (both human and scenic) was out our back porch. (See photos). Unlike Negril, the pool was gigantic and never crowded. The beach was very private and well groomed. Plenty of chairs and cabanas. We especially enjoyed the "Main St." theme. This served a number of functions. It acts as a gathering focal point, a buffer between the "au natural" and the "textile" side of the resort and it isolates most of the evening activities away form the lodging, creating a very quite and relaxed atmosphere so you can enjoy the comforts of you room or the romance of the moon on the beach if you choose not to partake in the evenings entertainment at the main stage. The staff was not as well trained as their counterparts as Negril. At times, some of the staff seemed annoyed to be there and uncomfortable to be working on the nude side of the resort. This experience was rare and most of the staff was very attentive. After talking to Jim and Champagne, we learned that the current management team had only been in place for two years and since the resort manager formerly managed Grand Lido Negril, we know in time the service will meet or beat Negril. We suggest that you bring a couple of beach towels since hotel provided towels become scarce at night. The swim up bar was very nice at both the pools but not manned very well at the nude pool. We were told the normal bartender, Denton, was ill. It seemed odd to have a swim up bar with a full time bartender since almost everyone was in the pool and not at the land bar. The atmosphere and Castaways more than made up for any staff shortcomings. If you are looking for a relaxing, pampered vacation, we would highly recommend Grand Lido Braco. It is not a non-stop party like Hedonism II but if you put your clothes on (why?) and venture out to Main St. at night, you will find a good age mix and something to do. Say hello to Fruity the dive instructor and take the resort dive course. The underwater scenery is almost as spectacular as that on the beach! Thanks to all the crew at Castaways for a great time! Special thanks to Jim and Champagne for all their help making this trip memorable. We are looking forward to our next adventure with Castaways. July, 1998 - Bob & Sheila My husband, Bob and I , consider Grand Lido Braco as paradise. Our visit to the resort in July 1998 was our second time there. Each time it gets better. This time we stayed in the au natural section and the accomodations were excellent. With the opening of even more restaurants than the previous year, you have quite a choice on where to eat. The quality of food was unbelievable. We still can't get over the size of the pool on the nude side or even the size of the hot tub. Bob does snorkeling and was able to see a nice variety of fish right off of the beach. The activities that were held on that side, like nude volleyball, mixology class and trivia were a great way to meet other people. We are again planning to return for the summer of 1999. It seems we just can't get enough of this place. You can contribute to this section - all you have to do is go to our Contribute Trip Report / Photographs page. Grand Lido Braco Resort Report