Grand Lido Braco Trip Report - For that All Over Tan, Mon

Review by Agent: Michelle Rivers

Want to get a perfect tan with no tan lines? Then Grand Lido Braco is the place to go.
There is a whole side of the resort for you to enjoy the nude pool, nude Jacuzzi, nude tennis, nude dining and one of the finest nude beaches in all of Jamaica.

History/Location: Established in 1995, this is one of the most historically evocative all-inclusive resorts in Jamaica, mimicking as it does the design and layout of a 19th-century, fretwork-studded colonial English village in the tropics. It lies beside a prime stretch of sandy, 319m (1,050-ft.) beachfront. Set on 34 hectares (85 acres) of land near Buena Vista, a 15-minute drive west of Runaway Bay, it's a re-creation of a 19th-century Jamaican Victorian village, with charming gingerbread architecture. A copy of a courthouse is the site for after-dark bouts of live entertainment, and benches line the borders of the town square, where artisans display their handiwork. The old Jamaica that's portrayed here is a rather sanitized, Disney-esque version. Yet this is not a place for children; it is a primarily adult retreat.

Accommodations: There are 12 blocks of three-story buildings, each trimmed in colonial-style gingerbread and filled with wicker furniture. Each of the spacious units has a private patio or veranda and faces the ocean; blocks one through six are closer to the beachfront, and blocks five and six face a strip of sand designated as a "clothing-optional" area. Beds are very comfortable, with fine linen; the bathrooms are well maintained and have showers. Of the accommodations, a relatively high number of them (73 in all) are suites. It's great to sleep with your french doors open on your balcony with the Caribbean breeze blowing thru your room.

Dining: Separate dining areas serve tasty Jamaican cuisine, pizza and pasta, and blander international fare; the Piacere Restaurant offers upscale dinners and has a dress code. For variety, Munahana serves Japanese sushi and teppanyaki cuisine. You can dine at one of the finest French style restaurants in all of the Caribbean or come bare foot to the Jamaican jerk chicken pit - - - oh so good!!! Japanese, Italian, French, Jamaican and other international cuisine is served around the clock - - - including 24 hour a day room service. Beach Bars, pool bars, piano bars all serve top shelf delights for you any time day or night.

Activities: Golfers especially appreciate the fact that greens fees are included in the rates. Patrons can use, without extra charge, either a 9-hole golf course immediately on-site, or either of two 18-hole golf courses within a reasonably close transfer. Day and night entertainment - - unlimited sports of all kinds from Scuba to golf - - tennis to pool volleyball. There is all sorts of shopping, parties, and Caribbean games to enjoy - - as well as the perfect hammock under a
real coconut tree.

Facilities: 5 restaurants; 8 bars; 2 pools; 9-hole golf course; 3 tennis courts; health club and spa; 4 Jacuzzis; sauna; steam room; bikes; business center; 24-hr. room service; laundry service; dry cleaning; disco; squash; kayaks; scuba diving; snorkeling; Sunfish sailboats; water-skiing; windsurfing.

SUMMARY: Very upscale, comfortable, excellent rooms, food, service and activities. You just can’t go wrong here.

Any questions, let me know. Michelle Rivers