Having just got back from Swept Away, we were glad to be home. Its not that the resort was not wonderful but things became repetitive after a while.
We are the type of people who vacation in another country to experience its culture, food, and sights. You might say that we have "ants in our pants" because we are always doing something or going somewhere. Swept Away is about hanging out on the beach or by the pool, getting some sun (when it is not raining or cloudy), and having drinks. After the first full day of lounging, we were ready for more.
HIGHLIGHTS
Scuba: My husband took the Open Water Certification course for scuba for $365. I got to dive with him on some of his required open water dives since I already had my certification. The dive team is great. Not only are they a lot of fun and safety minded, but they really help you become a better diver by pointing out things that you could work on. Diving with Olaire was the most fun. He's got eagle eyes and can spot some of the most obscure sea creatures. It really makes the dive so much better when you have someone who knows the sites well and knows how to show you the things you would otherwise miss. We would've been more stir-crazy if we didn't do this everyday.
Beachfront Suite: Since it was in the old section, the greenery was full and lush. It was nice that the greenery hid us for the most part but we could definitely see the beach and everyone walking by. The sunsets and sunrises were amazing. The room service on the patio was a nice touch too. Our chambermaid, Nadeen, kept the room perfect everyday. She was a real sweetheart, too.
Sports Complex: The gym was fully equipped with current Cybex cardio machines, weights, and cables. It was very impressive for an open air gym. There were plenty of machines so that people did not have to wait in order to use equipment.
NEEDS IMPROVEMENT
Food: The food was typical resort food but there was a variety of different places you could eat. The hours of breakfast and lunch times were not so good for the main eateries if you wanted to dive. The menus didn't change very often and the service was spotty. Feathers was the best by far in terms of service and food but had a waiting list of at least 2-3 days. The food at The Palms was better than the other eateries so we preferred to ate there more. However, it became increasingly infested with flies. Patios Patio had the slowest service by far. One night it took us almost 3 hours to get through our meal. The fish at the resort did not taste fresh at all and the fruit did not taste like it was in its peak.
Service: At first the employees were very accommodating, respectful, and nice. There was always a greeting when we passed by. By the end of the vacation, there were far fewer nice employees and more rude ones. I felt like I had done something wrong by the end of the vacation because they were snubbing me.
Overall, it was one of the better vacations I have been on but there were lots of little things not worth elaborating on and/or not the resort's fault when it comes down to whether I would return (rain, crowd demographic, lack of TV in room). But I am one of those "been there, done that, let's move on" types of people.







Value
Rooms
Cleanliness
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