DennyP Travel Forums Resorts Hedonism II Thinking of returning

Hi all. I used to post here as Ozmale a few years back and visited Hedo twice around 2005-7 as a single male. Loved the place and always have thought of going back but its a long way from Australia and when I end up in North America these days I invariably go skiing.

Life changes as it does and I have a very special friend these days and Hedo was just made for her and I to visit so I've been thinking of planning a return.

I know these sorts of questions are a pain on boards like this but I was wondering if the good people here would care to update me on changes since 2006. Things like I heard there was no prude/nude side anymore - all CO. I know the rooms have been extensively upgraded and dining too.

Thanks!
Grunthos (formerly known as Ozmale)

There have been so many changes to the resort since 2007, hard to list them all. New steak restaurant, extensive remodeling and updating to most lot of the resort including the dining area and rooms, new courtyard, new playroom, the prude beach is now CO, the nude beach/pool are still nude, food has improved, to name a few. You should read through the forum for more discussion on changes. Suffice to say, the resort has never been better.

Traveling from Australia, I might recommend spending a few days in the US prior to arriving to Hedo, to get over some of the jet-lag. We live in Beijing and usually spend 5 or so days in Miami before traveling to Hedo. For us, it is easier to be in a more normal (if you can call South Beach normal) environment while fighting jet-lag, before dealing with all the socializing and fun at Hedo. But if you live in Australia and travel often, I am sure you have your own jet-lag cures!

In any event, go. Just go. No better time to go back to Hedo. You will love it.

There were several couples from Australia when we were recently there. They had obviously been there before. or else they were exceptionally well prepared for their visit, as she was a dynamite singer in the talent show, and both were friendly to talk to.

To answer your question, first, -- the prude side is clothing optional. Your preference, but don't expect total prudity anymore. When the nude pool is completely full, people gravitate to the prude pool, which is cooler, but way less crowded.

The rooms have changed. If you want the newest, spiffiest rooms, go for the highest, priciest rooms. Otherwise, take what you expect to take.

The waterslide and the climbing wall are gone. As is the "skating rink", which is now used for the foam party.

There is new furniture in the dining room, and [depending on crowd occupancy] the main buffet may be closed. There is a new nighttime restaurant called "Flame", which is where the prude grill is during the daytime. It is good.

Of course the lobby and entrance have changed. You may not recognize them. But the EC's and craziness are still there, so Hedo is still a unique place!

Have fun!

Respect.

Our first trip was in 2012, before it was bought by the new management. Here's a few changes that we've witnessed in 4 short years:

Courtyard completely redone, and there is free wifi in the courtyard area for guests.

Main lobby, dining room, and main upper pool deck renovated.

No reservations needed at any of the 3 restaurants.

Prude grill renovated and expanded, which turns into Flame steakhouse at night.

There is now a dedicated playroom, sometimes called the 'Rendevous Lounge' which is open 11pm - 2am every night. It's located behind the gym in the spa, you enter through a door by the tennis courts.

Water slide was removed (rumor is that it was due to expensive insurance due to liability).

Theme nights have been changed, check out the Hedonism II webpage for the latest themes.

Rooms have been refreshed, big tube tv's replaced by flat screens, new clock radios with A/V inputs for your music have replaced the old cd player clocks, most (maybe all) rooms now have had their air conditioning units replaced recently with new individual units, all rooms have small refrigerators.

Late night food is now available at the nude and prude grills.

Gift shop has been revamped and in addition to normal items now has adult toys and sexy outfits available for purchase.

Top shelf liquor brands now available in abundance at all the bars.

Free bottled water available from bins throughout the resort.




When we were there this July the foam party was in the courtyard. Has this changed? We loved it when it was IN the disco but found it less fun outside in the courtyard.

A few more things: There's a wine bar next to the piano bar, where you can buy bottles of good wine. The (free) wines in the dining room are now quite drinkable.... unlike the foul swill from ~3+ years ago. Many of the long-time employees are gone (fired when ownership changed), incl. Delroy, Scumba, Anna, Matta, Charlie, Ray, ~1/2 of the watersports folks, etc.. etc.. Ritchie is now the watersports manager. There are some shade pavilions & market umbrellas on the beach, as well as lots of new loungers & tables. The local vendors have been moved to the far end of the prude beach, by the fence to Sandals, and there are only a couple of vendors. Nude side rooms now have new individual AC units, which work very well.

As mentioned, it's looking better than anytime in the last 15 years overall.

You may want to review trip reports on this web site and other forum postings here.

ALL the rooms have fresh paint, bedding, mattresses, curtains etc. which was one of the FIRST changes but a big deal because it was so long in coming. ALL the bathrooms in ALL the rooms are being renovated as well. The NEW bathrooms off the nude pool and the courtyard and the lobby are absolutely amazing as well !

Thanks everyone for some great updates and sorry DennyP - I forgot all about the reviews (it has been a while since I was last here - lol)

Off to read them now

No worries at all.

Hey Oz, good to see you back in the fold! I don't have anything to add to the posts above, not having been back to Hedo since the ownership changed, but I wanted to let you know I remember you. Keep in touch!

Jake - I bet you folks would enjoy going back. The vibe is largely the same as past years, but the rooms, food & infrastructure are much better - roughly on par with a 'normal' 3-4* resort.

Thanks, Chris. I have every intention of returning. Just a matter of getting schedules and other things sorted out. I certainly haven't "moved on" as some others have!

Hey Jake, great to see you still around! Nice to be remembered I'll try to stick around - gawd knows I want to visit Hedo again

OZ!!! Good to hear you are back. You must book soon. You won't believe the changes. The dinning experience is so much better. Hope to run into you there soon.

OK, it's time for me to go back. I'll be home for the April butt crackers reunion.

Request your quote at the link in my signature area below.

We just got back yesterday from our 12th and last trip. The resort is very much improved in the last couple of years, but we decided move on other resorts. Nothing wrong with resort. We have just decided it isn't for us any longer.

Dear gregandkelly,

Is it because you've changed or the ambiance at Hedo changed for your tastes?

I think it's the resort rather than us. We still enjoy good clean naked fun, but guests now seem like are trying to push the limits as to how freaky they can get. Fetish night is a turn off for us. One group brought a contraption that will shrink wrap you in plastic. !?! (To each their own, I guess) Hedo have up its sexy romantic naked atmosphere for a freak show.

But there also seems to be a sense of entitlement with long time repeat guests. We watched one guest with 30+ visits continuously cut in front people in the buffet line. It just seems guests are more rude than they were when we first started going. There is very little respect.

The fact that someone pooped in pool two days a row didn't help either. Where else would you find that kind behavior?

We are returning to a non all inclusive resort for our next visit. We will miss some of the employees we have come to think as friends, but some of them are on Facebook, so we can keep in touch.

Thanks for sharing! I'm with you re good clean naked fun...with a touch of bawdy rather than freaky.

I'm wondering if I'm looked as one of those entitled guests.

Here's my example:

I don't normally stand in line for my food and prefer to use the Club Med in/out method of only entering the line briefly when no one is taking the food in front of the source I want, so I come in/out where no one is using the serving utensil but someone is standing waiting for the line to move on to the next area.

The guest I mentioned actually grabbed the spoon as my wife was reaching for it. That's why we started watching him. It was a common occurrence with this guest.

We don't have problem with someone jumping in quickly when there is an appropriate opening.

It also got old for long time guests to walk up the bar and shout out their drink order to the bartender while others had been waiting patiently for their turn to order.