Hedonism II Trip Report - Steve & Cathy

Hedo trip report for week of December 17-24-2023

My wife and I have been traveling to Hedo since July of 1982. Yes 1982! We estimate the number of Hedo trips to be between 60 and 70. 

Our 2nd trip in 2023 was the week before Christmas. Both trips were booked through Denny P who is outstanding when it comes to coordinating trips to Hedo and other resorts.
We arrived in MoBay at 9:00 am from FLL on the 17th. At that time of morning, Sangster International is pretty quiet. It took us a minimal amount of time to clear customs. The new electronic immigration machines are quick and easy to use.  We used JTL transportation, booked through Denny P, for our trip to Hedo. We checked in at the JTL counter #22. As previous trips, they had our information. We were given a voucher which listed our resort pick up time for our return trip to Sangster on the 24th. We went directly outside to a waiting van. At that time of the morning we didn’t have to wait for anyone else. A private trip to Negril. Our journey was uneventful as Sunday morning traffic was sparse. We even made it thru Lucea quickly as the churches were full, but not the streets. We didn’t stop along the way which shortened the trip even more.

We arrived at Hedo about 11:00 am. Not expecting a room to be ready  that early, we were pleasantly surprised when a second floor room in the building by the spa was available. We like that building as it is reasonably priced, a great location for everything but beaching. Having traveled extensively, we don’t pay for ocean front rooms as we spend little time there. We spend the day lounging at oceans edge instead. The money saved, allows us to travel more often. The room was as expected. Clean and plenty of room for clothes and sundries. The maid service all week was outstanding. We are out of our room early each morning and the attendant was quick to clean our room accordingly. The internet worked well, and we didn’t feel the need to spend extra money for the faster speed. 

After unpacking, it was off to the beach. The beach and it’s surroundings haven’t changed much over several decades. The surf and winds were high the first several day as the season was changing to winter. It didn’t take long for Augustus to show up as word traveled fast that we were back. We have known Augustus for as long as he has been a beach attendant. He is quite a character and always takes care of our beach needs even though he is assigned to the clothing optional beach area. I’m not sure how much longer he will be at Hedo. I hope my concerns about his employment doesn’t materialize.

The pools, hot tub, grills and bars are as usual. No surprises. I was somewhat disappointed that there were no chips for nacho at the grills. I never eat them at home but it’s vacation, and I usually have a few plate fulls during our stay. Not this time. Oh well, I certainly didn’t go hungry.

Speaking of food, not much new to talk about. We eat most of ours meals in the main dinning area. We enjoy breakfast as we don’t normally eat a full breakfast at home. The fresh cut ham is the greatest along with all the other breakfast options. Lunch and dinner are adequate. The salad and fruit table is fresh and well maintained. The soups are always good and are different at each meal. I could survive on soup and salad. The dinner meals have a different flavor each night. Still waiting for the hard fudge for dinner dessert that was a staple at Hedo for many years. We didn’t eat at Harryson or Pastafari. I’m not much into oriental food,(the new enclosed air conditioned restaurant will be a welcome upgrade during the warm summer months) and I don’t care to spend hours of my vacation waiting to be served in the Pastafari restaurant. It’s still a very popular place and I’m sure for those who enjoy spending hours eating dinner, it’s very good. We did eat one dinner at the Flame. As in the past, the food and service was wonderful. A must for dinner at least once during a stay. Remember, you may order as many items off the menu as you want. I had both the chicken and beef entree. The banana split for dessert is yummy. The Galla Dinner is still the best night of the week. So much work goes into that meal. Please let all the staff know how much you appreciate the extra work that the Gala night dinner requires.

The evenings are a fun time. “Roots Explosion” does a wonderful job playing before dinner music and accompanying the nightly shows. I don’t know if any of the band members have been playing as long as we have been listening as the bands name has been the same since our first trip in the 80’s. The EC did a great job but aren’t as social with guests as in the past. The whole group is dominated by the unbelievable Winston. The talent that he possesses is way beyond belief. He could go on to better opportunities but says he’s “Happy at Hedo”! The guests should all be glad he is content to be where he is. If your lucky enough to get to know him personally, you will understand how truly great of a person he is. The Piano Bar can be fun depending on the night. The present singer is entertaining, but sometimes the music volume is way to high. It would be nice to have him just play the piano instead of using all the other electronic instruments. The Disco continues to be the biggest disappointment. This used to be where the Hedo party continued till 3-4 in the morning. Not so anymore. I’m not sure why. The old time PJ parties and other events kept the place hopping. Now there is rarely anyone there. We talked about going to “The Playroom”. However, we never made it so I can’t report about that experience.

Unfortunately our week went by to quickly. We left Hedo at our designated departure as the JTL bus was right on time. No problems at the airport and our flight back to Fort Lauderdale was on time. 

As I draw this report to a close, I want to say one last thing. Hedo is like no other place that we have traveled too. We have been lucky enough to experience nicer beaches, clearer water, more luxurious accommodations, and gourmet food. Hedo is far from number one in any of those categories. What makes Hedonism ll different from anywhere else is the people that vacation there. During our week, there were a large amount of returning guests. (Repeat Offenders) The nightly theme participation was the highest I’ve ever seen. People were outgoing and friendly. Glow night was a blast with so many people dressed in glow clothing. The resort is pretty much the same as decades ago. Oh yes something are better and something aren’t as good. What makes Hedo Hedo, is the people who vacation there. If you go, I hope you get to experience the resort with a group of people we were able to enjoy this last trip. Thanks to all who attending that repeaters week. What a great time we all had.

I hope this report was informative. If you are considering going to Hedonism ll, and certainly if it’s your first trip, rely on Denny P to help make your trip carefree and enjoyable. Thanks Denny for your professionalism and help.
Planning our next trip already.

Steve and Cathy