Phil & Jen - December, 2016

 

My wife and I just returned from 10 days at HEDO 2, November 27 - December 7th. This was our 6th time at hedo 2.....as well as 10 trips to Hedo 3 when it was fun.

Last year we noticed the new changes, all good! Some rooms, (not ours), courtyard,  dining room, beach grill, etc. The biggest thing for me was the staff. They were all attentive,  polite and seemed happy in general. Maybe because they were still there and working!

This year we were looking forward to being in a renovated room as it was our anniversary of 22 years. Upon arrival using "Clives" awesome service, we were greeted by a solem lady behind the counter, no damp towel to clean up or champagne and not much of a friendly greeting. We knew from an email from Harry, he was not going to be present that week, however I tried using his name to get better service,  nope, didn't help.

And "no" to any updated renovated room...apparently booked 100% and stuck in an area we would never choose....no offer of anything better even though we explained it was our 6th returning visit and our wedding anniversary.  Very disappointed. 

During our 10 days we had lots of fun, met up with the 4 couples we met same time last year and plan to keep doing so, as long as Hedo improves.

But...there was a huge group of Germans who literally took over the place,  with their loud abonxious personalities,  their weird batman/vampire outfits, their smoking. Sorry not my favorite group of people I want to be beside in the hot tub.

Then overlapping the Germans we were flooded with gay black men! Wtf. There are some things I had hoped I'd never ever see in my life....well I did...unfortunately. They too took over certain areas making it impossible for us and our small group to use. Frustrating and very repulsive when we tried to use the play room seeing a black man on top of another....I cannot type the details that freaked us out so much we had to leave.  My wife will never go back in there.

The other thing that probably upset me as much was ALL staff attitudes,  being impolite,  not giving way to guests carrying plates of food in dining room, making us stop to let them go by, excuse me???? Like who do they think is paying them?  Also waiting for a drink at main bar area while 3 bartenders finish their conversation. 

I think the relief to "keep" their jobs has worn off since last year after Harry and his partners bought and took over.  I really think training staff needs replacing first,  then work down.

I do want to compliment Tanisha in the spa for a wonderful massage, one of the best I've ever encountered.  And of course Winston who handles so much,  so well and so efficiently.  Hats off to him for trying to provide entertainment in the piano bar in Deons absence, (speedy recovery Deon, you are missed), but come on, please please find someone/anyone better than that guy who couldn't play anything and has no personality. 

Surely on the island of Jamaica there is another Deon....or a "Glen" who used to be at Hedo 3. Find Glen....hire him, he was great! The piano bar is a highlight for all coming to Hedo. Get on it guys!

It's a shame the almighty dollar permits huge groups to take over and ruin our annual visit to Hedonism.  If this is going to be the "New Hedo", so be it....but improve your staff level of service, because whether you are gay, straight, German, Canadian,  American, we all demand good service. We work hard for our money and expect the best when spending during our fun vacations.

We love Jamaica and after 19 visits in total to the island,  we want to return....it's the Jamaican people we love more than anything,  they make it special. 

But, life goes on right? Afterall, there are other places to spend our money....But, we'll be reading the trip reports seeing/watching/hoping for more positive trip reports to come.  We'd really like to keep coming. Work on it Harry.

Canadians Phil and Jen.