Grand Lido Braco
By Ted and Helen
April 2-12, 2003
(For readers looking at this in the months ahead – to put things in context, we were going through a cold winter without end. It was still cold and snowing in Toronto, even in April. The war in Iraq was on and while we were in Jamaica we saw the statue of Sadaam being toppled in the streets of Baghdad. Travelers were concerned, not only about terrorism but also the outbreak of the SARS virus from the far east. Travel and tourism were at a new low, and airlines continued to face bankruptcy. Super Clubs had just announced that their contract to manage Sans Souci would end effective April 30.
In 2000, on our 25th Anniversary, we had renewed our marriage vows on the beach at Grand Lido Braco. Since then our work had prevented us in taking any holiday except for the odd weekend out of town. Therefore, when it came time to plan our next vacation, it seemed natural to go back to Braco where we could count on a good time.)
We decided we needed a ten day vacation since a week away seemed too short: two days are lost in just getting through airports, flying, and traveling to or from the resort. We booked an ocean view room with Air Canada Vacations, requesting a ground floor room on the AN side so we could enjoy breakfast at our back door and still walk a few steps out to the beach to sun or swim. Plus we would be less than a minute from the pool, the AN bar and the clubhouse.
The wait at Toronto’s Pearson Airport seemed no longer than we remembered it, presumably because we were on a direct flight without stopovers in the US. The approximately four-hour flight down was uneventful except for the to-be-expected wails of infants at take-off and landing. Everything continued smoothly through baggage check-out (we were glad we put red reflector tape on the sides of our bags – everyone seems to be traveling with black luggage on wheels theses days) and customs (go to the far left "nothing to declare" lane at the final check). The wait for transportation to Braco was less than half an hour; as warned, the red caps were persistent in wanting to take our bags the short walk to the bus.
Our bus’ passengers were a mixture of Sans Soucites, Hedonists and Bracovillians and it stopped once for the obligatory Red Stripe. Here, standing alone, I was approached by someone looking to sell smoke that took my negative answer in stride. My wife was starving and fell prey to the temptation of a small bag of Cheesies costing $1.50 US! (Talk about one born every minute.) The road to Braco is undergoing some major reconstruction and the detours make for a ride you’d pay big bucks for at Disney World.
Upon arrival, check-in went quickly – we had the AN ground floor room we had requested. The only downside was two double beds, but it was never a problem (wink, wink, nod, nod). One thing we brought with us in our carry-on this time was cream for our coffee – we love our coffee, but Braco seems to only offer milk (probably a hold-over from the British colonial days). We quickly unpacked (using up the extra hangers we had brought) and headed out for our first of many walks around the property.
Nothing had really changed much since our first visit – it seemed we had only been away days, not 3 years. The weather was very overcast, and the wind was quite strong. We took time before supper to try out the pool and the two hot tubs (yes, both worked!) before going out for supper. Our fellow guests told us they’d had five days of cool, overcast weather with spots of rain.
That evening (Wednesday) was the beach party and it was held in Victoria Market because of the poor weather. As we sat in Victoria Market enjoying the buffet and entertainment, we were joined by one of Braco’s management team. He agreed that the weather had been unpredictable, but the forecast called for sunny weather. We talked about Braco and he felt they were making strides to make a good thing even better: with the new general manager, things were improving. (The executive chef was from Toronto.) The one area they still found difficult was staffing levels since Braco is in a rural area, an hour away from the larger towns of Ocho Rios and Montego Bay.
As we planned to see more of Jamaica this time, we asked his advice. He suggested Port Antonio as worth a visit with its lush tropical foliage and historical buildings as a good destination to see the "real" Jamaica. (We never did go as there weren’t enough people to make up a tour and we felt the $200 US taxi ride a bit steep. Maybe next time.)
The next morning, we booked dinners at the French and Japanese restaurants and a shopping trip to Ocho Rios (all at the same desk, by the way). The day was also overcast, with periodic showers in the afternoon. We began to think the staff was doing rain dances by the pool. However, the balance of our stay was essentially warm and sunny with only two late afternoon showers.
We won’t go into a day-by-day account of our trip, only a few generalizations that we think could possibly help most travelers in getting the most out of their Braco experience.
We don’t play golf, have a fitness regimen, play tennis, scuba dive or snorkel: this may sound boring to some of you, but we make great spectators. But all these activities are there, plus more, for those who enjoy them. According to our fellow guests who did, they reported a good time on the whole. If, on the other hand, you want to rest and unwind with a good book or conversation on your vacation, Braco’s got you covered. The guests are all friendly and will to strike up a discussion on their favorite drink, the weather, and their views of Braco at the drop of a hat. The guests seemed about 80% American, with the balance predominantly Canadian and German. (Surprisingly, a lot of Americans flew from Toronto as the price was more reasonable and there were direct flights fro Toronto to Montego Bay.)
The heat and sun can be oppressive, especially afternoon. Maybe it’s our thin Canadian blood, but we found it best to sun in the morning and rest in the shade in the afternoon. The beach is usually cooler because of the breeze off the water but be warned: if you want a Cabana for shade, you better stake one out about 6:30AM. After that, and you’ll see a migration of people marking their territory with towels, tan oils and books. (The same is true of the pool lounge chairs.) Be sure to pick up clean towels, whenever you see them, as two are needed to cover a lounge or a chair on the patio/balcony.
The entertainment is varied. The "Natural Vibes" 5-piece house band at Victoria Market are pretty good professional musicians made up of a guitar (led by Courtney, aka Bald Plate), a bass (Nicky, who’s also a sideman for the reggae artist Everton Blender on tour), a drummer, a young talented guy on the keyboard and a lead female singer. Most nights, they are joined by a showcase cabaret performer who usually gets the joint jumping. During the day, there may be a steel band in Victoria Market or a local trio at Nanny’s jerk pit. From 11:30 AM, the entertainment directors around the pool try (with varying degrees of success) to involve the guests in games of trivia, pool volleyball, aqua-size and more.
The hospitality, housekeeping and grounds staff is well trained and by and large professional: they’ll all try to make you feel welcome, if you let them. Like everywhere else in the world, they respond to smiles, good-morning’s, please and thank-you. And, if you take a few moments to talk and joke about their work, the guests, their country, they’ll open up and you’ll not only begin to form a friendship, but also get great service!
We have mixed emotions about the Japanese and French restaurants. On one hand, they’re a great break in the routine of the other restaurants and the food is good. But if you try to compare them to the "fine dining" spots in most big North American cities, they come up short. The details are there in the food presentation and the ambiance, but the substance of a really great meal falls short. But they’re still great experiences, not to be missed.
Even though we didn’t get out of the resort as much as we planned, we did go to Ocho Rios. (Or rather my wife did, and I carried the wallet.) The duty free mall seemed to have good prices on jewelry, rum and T-shirts (at least better than Braco’s shops). Wherever you sop, mention you’re from Braco and they’ll knock something off the price. The craft market was an experience, with vendor’s taking turns trying to get you into their stalls to sell you something. The stalls are laid out in a labyrinthine-like maze, so be careful to know your way back to the streets and stay out of the back corners (they looked pretty skanky). Once again, smoke and more was readily available but foreign jails aren’t too appealing.
Finally, the WWW is a great source for travel information and pre-planning. But use it wisely and take everything with a pinch of salt. The best way to have a great trip is keep an open mind, not expect it to be like home, and have fun with the one you’re with. No problem, mon!