Dec 2, 2015 7:46 AM (8+ Years) Your DesirousParty.com hosts recently spent a weekend at Hedo II in late September of this year. We were invited by Kevin Levee, general manager of Hedo II to revisit the resort and see all the new improvements. We learned that the resort had new ownership which many already know, has spent nearly 10 million thus far on upgrades, new amenities, remodeling and a new philosophy toward customer service across the board.
My first visit to Hedo II was during the summer of 1997 and have vacationed at the resort many times since then. It is by far one of our favorite beaches as Hedo II is on 7 mile beach in Negril, Jamaica. You cannot beat the calm clear waters, the beautiful views of the bay and the unbelievable sunsets. Plus, the laid back friendly attitudes of the Jamaica people who treat you like long lost friends upon your visit.
Now let's get into our thoughts on the improvements and upgrades. It was well known that the previous ownership had let the resort deteriorate over the years. So we were very curious on what had been improved to this infamous resort that paved the way for so many lifestyle resorts over the years. We are going to layout a review that covers your entire visit. If we miss something in our review please ask us and we will add it.
Airport:
You fly into Montego Bay and the Jamaican government has been building new terminals and drastically upgrading all aspects of the airport. The resort is approximately one hour and fifteen minutes from the airport. Sometimes a bit longer if you make pit stops. The drive will give you breath taking views of the beautiful country and water views. It will also take you through one or two small towns that will remind you that you are in a third world country. But it is perfectly safe, you will not be bothered etc... as tourism is what drives Jamaica and the people greatly appreciate you.
A side note if you like or wish to try jerk chicken, there is a very small town called Green Island about 25 minutes from the resort. There is a very well known jerk chicken stand on the side of the road. Just mention the town and the driver will know who you are referring to. I also encourage you to buy his jerk sauce. It is amazing and by far the best jerk chicken we have had anywhere. Just a side note that again this is a third world country and seating is on a plank of wood with a great roadway and water view. So get it to go or stay and visit. As the beer is ice cold and its a great way to soak up a little Jamaica flair with some jerk chicken that is amazing. Hedonism II Check In: The new improvements to the resort are immediately noticed upon checking in. The entire area from the lobby to the dining and bar areas were gutted all the way to the dirt and rebuilt. The new look is amazing, modern and was a refreshing look from what we were used to. Please see the photos that are attached with this review.
The staff was on point as they were kind, courteous and very attentive. We were greeted with a welcome cocktail and check in was very quick. In the past check in was always delayed and the staff was very hurried. This was a welcome change and a great start to our weekend getaway.
A side note on the check in procedure. Our friends accompanied us and they had reserved one of the new premiere ocean view nude rooms. This is the highest room category that the resort offers. I learned that they were escorted straight from their transport car to their room as with this room category they were pre checked in. So ready set go for them if you will. But more on room categories in the next section. Hedonism II Rooms: Hedonism II is approximately 22 acres and very expansive. It offers the largest beach area of any resort that we have been to whether it is lifestyle or mainstream. You can follow the shoreline for several miles on nice walks or just gaze upon it. The resort has winding paths that lead you to hidden hammocks, sitting areas and beautiful landscaped areas with some of the most amazing tropical foliage.
The resort is divided up into a clothing optional side of a nude side. A drawback that we do not like and it was addressed with management is the fact that if you are on the nude beach or nude pool area you have to be nude. I think that if its 10am in the morning I need a bit to get revved up for the day before dropping the trousers. But hey that's just me. Which is fine as there is a clothing optional side and it is just as large as the nude side. In fact there is two pools on the optional side and the main pool is amazing. But more on the rooms.
My wife described the rooms at Hedonism II perfectly. They reminded her of cruise ship room categories and it depends on your cost perspective as where you want to be and what room amenities you want. Some people could care less as the room is only to sleep, bathe and have sex in. Some want a view, different amenities and Hedonism II offers all of that.
All the rooms on the resort are the same size as the resort was built many years ago. All the rooms have been repainted a glossy white inside and a dark gray trim giving the rooms a more modern feeling. The rooms have new curtains, bed linens, mattresses, awesome thick towels, flat screen tv's and the ever famous large ceiling mirror directly over the bed with another at the foot of the bed. So yes, lots of viewing fun if you are so inclined. The non premiere classic rooms have the large walk in showers with multi head shower nozzles that hit the body in several areas. It takes a bit to figure out but once you learn the design its quite nice. We could tell and learned that new ownership started from the ground up if you will. Our old gripe used to be water pressure, hot water and lack of air conditioning. All the piping etc.. was redone and hot water and water pressure is no longer a concern. The rooms have new ac's and my wife requested extra blankets as it worked quite nicely in my opinion. You can get a non premiere room on the clothing optional side with ocean view or garden view. As well with the same views on the nude side. Some of the classic non premiere rooms have private balconies as well.
The resort has approximately 30 new premiere rooms and in 2016 will be upgrading more classic rooms to the premiere status. These suites come equipped with new expanded bathrooms double vessel vanity and huge walk in shower with private toilet area off to the side, modern fixtures and decor, upgraded mirrors and artwork, deluxe toiletries, and many of these rooms include private balconies/patios. The nude premiere jacuzzi rooms have a outdoor balcony with seating and a 4 person hottub. These rooms also come with your own concierge as well. We viewed these rooms and while it was the same size as a classic it came with many new amenities and upgrades. The bathroom was very modern and we loved the headboard artwork with color changing led lighting. Our hope is that all the rooms will eventually go to this design. But we also understand that not everyone desires this as they want to keep the price point lower on some room categories. However you definitely cannot go wrong with a premier nude side jacuzzi room. All Inclusive at Hedonism II: No matter your room category at Hedonism II as all guests get the same top shelf alcohol and gourmet meals. We learned that a huge part of their improvement budget went toward providing guests with top shelf alcohol brands and upgraded menu items. It was very apparent at the bars as we were surprised at the options. The resort brought in all new kitchen equipment and totally redid their dining area as well. So the new ownership obviously knows what it takes to keep their guests happy.
The resort has two beach grills open during the day with one on each side of the resort. As well as the main dining room with a rotating gourmet buffet available at breakfast, lunch and dinner. As well as a Italian restaurant and a Hibachi sushi restaurant. Hedonism II Entertainment, Activities and Amenities: Hedonism II is known for their shows nightly in the main dining room. You will see local Jamaican bands, staff shows which are world renowned, acrobatics, singers and much more. Each night is different and during lunch time the staff keeps you entertained with skits, trivia, contests and much more.
Snorkeling, scuba diving for those certified, water skiing, sailing and kayaking are included in your resort package at no additional costs. All the hobie cats were brand new as well. The resort takes guests out into the bay several times a day to go snorkeling so you just have to schedule a time. That are you can grab some gear and snorkel in the clear water just off the beach. Starfish are normally everywhere as you can see from the attached photos.
The resort has a new common mix n mingle courtyard area just outside the piano bar. The area has nice white furniture to sit enjoy a cocktail after dinner and before the piano bar opens. For those who like piano bars then you have to visit the one at Hedonism II. Super friendly bartenders, a great sing along atmosphere, karoke and just a very cool atmosphere.
A new feature of Hedonism II is the new wine bar. While alcohol is inclusive in your package, this wine bar is for those who like the high end brands that are a la carte if you will. We enjoyed this at night before and after dinner as the bar has a very nice modern vibe to it with cool chill music playing. The wine, champagne and rum selection were amazing. Prices are very fair and the staff will keep your bottle for you to enjoy during your visit. The wine bar was a welcome surprise and was the idea of Mr. Levee's wife and we say a big thank you to her. As it was a nice place to unwind, talk and relax after a hot day in the sun to get ready for the night time activities.
The disco opens each night with a different theme night. A water slide runs outside the disco for those who wish a little speedy night time fun. But the disco is the perfect way to dance the night away before retiring to the hot tub or to your room for more fun.
One cannot forget the pools at Hedonism II. There are two pools are on the clothing optional side. A beach pool with a swim up bar and a large expansive beach around it. This pool is normally covered in shade because of the large trees but its also refreshing on a hot summer day.
The main pool has been completely redone and is one of the first things you see upon leaving the lobby area. This pool has a great view of the entire resort and the beautiful bar. It is also clothing optional and where we like to host our pool parties. The disco is directly below and also gives access to the water slide and access bridge to the beach. There is a small multi person hottub at the main pool as well. Oh and less we forget the new bar is also at the main pool near the dining room. This entire area has been redone with a updated modern look and no expense was spared here. The deck area is large around the main pool and is a great party area that we feel will now be used by the guests.
The infamous nude pool and hot tub is located at the edge of the resort on the property line. Rooms in his area go quickly as this area can get a bit wild at times which is not all that bad for some. There is a swim up bar and the nude side beach grill is also located here as well. This area has gotten a bit dated and we feel some upgrades need to be made here. However I am sure many visitors like the look and would disagree. But it needs a updated look and feel like what was done to the main pool area would be a great idea at the nude pool area.
Unlike previous visits we noticed that the resort is allowing panhandlers to walk the beach. With a polite no they do not bother you. We bought a king crab and a lobster from "Fireman" who prepared the seafood for us at his stand and brought it back. By far the best lobster and king crab we have ever eaten. We also had a lady braid us four belly chains made out of beads in the color of our choice. So it was a way to help the locals and we received some nice unique gifts as well.
For those who like excursions as well as we do then Hedonism II is the place for you. We have zip lined, cliff dived, snorkeled in the caves and so much more. Our favorite is the catamaran cruise out on the bay. Its a party atmosphere that is clothing optional and you can snorkel, dive off the boat to swim around after anchored and you will see some amazing views of 7 mile beach both on and off the boat. Negril, Jamaica: Even though Hedonism II is all inclusive and the food is now amazing with their new menu and new kitchen staff. We love to get off the resort and enjoy the cliff side restaurants. The views are amazing especially if you can catch a sunset off the cliffs. But we highly recommend Catcha Falling Star, Rockhouse and Spa Retreat. They each offer amazing views, non touristy and great menus. We listed them in our preference of favorites.
For those who wish to stop and experience something unique, make a visit to Jennies. She is known for her brownies with a Jamaican flair if you will, but what we loved was her 50 sq. feet of Texas bar. She was playing old country music, huge selection of bottled beer, old photos, license plates and a outdoor sitting area as well. It was a nice surprise to find in Jamaica and she treats you like long lost family.
We love Negril, Jamaica and we are glad that Hedonism II is striving to upgrade in all areas and Mr. Levee said they will have a very busy 2016 as they continue to invest in the property. You just cannot beat the amazing beach and the views of the bay. Yes the rooms are smaller and the resort is older. But they are giving a face lift to all areas and where that does not work they are tearing it to the ground and starting over like they did with the lobby, dining and main pool area. A last word: We close with the often asked question. How does Hedonism II compare to Desire Pearl and or Desire Riviera Maya and we answer honestly that there is no comparison, literally. The resorts are in two different countries, two different nationalities of people staffing them and two totally different philosophies in how they are ran. They all have their major pluses and offer a list of things that the others do not. It's just up to your preference on your likes and dislikes. We like a variety and change and Hedonism II gives us that and the area of Negril is a major plus for us. The customer service at Hedonism II has greatly improved from what we experienced a few years ago. The resort still has a way to go to meet our expectations that we receive at Desire Pearl but they understand that and are making huge strides to cater to the upscale lifestyle clientele. Mr. Levee understands that DesirousParty.com brings in a new lifestyle clientele and he needs that clientele to make the resort reputation grow. So he is sparing no expense to raise the bar higher for Hedonism II. We left very impressed and are eager to continue to see all the new changes upon our return in June 2016. |
