Just returned from Grand lido. My husband and I have traveled the Caribbean extensively and I travel for work a lot and we had heard great things about Grand Lido. I will start with all the good points: Activities that are included are well worth it, my husband dives and they include it in the price so that is great. The beach is beautiful and the service was fantastic, everyone was really nice. Room was clean.

Now for the bad, Food was not great, just mediocre, Alcohol choices not great, I am a ketel one or grey goose drinker-not included, wine was just average and I love to drink -good wine. I like to drink quality not quantity. Restaurants I felt were just a variation of what was on the buffet. Breakfast and lunch were better than dinner. The spa was not really a spa and the free pedicure and manicure, not good, they don't have pediure chairs and the room was really small. I had a massage which was fantastic but that is it, you have the massage and go home, its like a small day spa.

Overall for the money, I felt it the resort needs updated as well as the food qualtiy.

This was are first all inclusive and we just fiqured out we are not all inclusive people.

Beautiful resort, great water activities (sailing, scuba, snorkel), pleasant staff, absolutely delicious food, and yummy drinks-make sure to have a few Hummingbirds (the specialty drink offered there). We still make them! Every bit of our experience was fantastic. The thought of the grilled lobster and sauvignon blanc still makes my mouth water. There is one small negative, we did not go swimming on the beach (only offshore for snorkel and scuba) because there were some interesting looking water bugs (thousands) and some funky seaweed stuff. We floated on rafts and quickly rinsed off, but otherwise everything was wonderful!

I had a fantastic gastronomic experience recently at the 9th annual Epicurean Escape (Flavours of the Caribbean) while staying at the Grand Lido Hotel June 25-29, 2008.

The Caribbean was on parade beginning with the high spirited welcome carnival (Jouvert) theme party, Georgia Henry, Cabaret singer, kicked up a storm. She had newly weds, tourism executives, and guests jamming to the hot, hot sounds of Calypso & Reggae music on the beach.

Menu serving highlights of the night were:prawns, Classic Jerk Pork (with grounded garlic, pimento, scallions, cinnamon, nutmeg, thyme) aged in a marinade; Bahamian fresh conch (with peppers, tomatoes, hot pepper, salt) large shrimp, vegans were in heaven with entrées (jammin’ pumpkin, eggplant & potato salads, butternut squash salad, breadfruit salad, green banana salad, roasted pumpkin soup with coconut) and Bahamian fritters to stir things up.

Each restaurant participated in the Food & Wine Culinary annual event from La Pasta (pasta making class); Munasan ( Master Chef Norma Shirley head Chef & owner of Jamaica's Norma's restaurants stirred up a new take on traditional Caribbean fare); Piacere Restaurant (Pairing & enjoying wines & champagne with (Master Sommelier Michael Jordon of Napa Rose Restaurant)

Above the The Gran Terrazza, just outside La Pasta was turned into a desserted Island with delectible international desserts choices: I enjoyed flambeaux fresh fruit with a Caribbean Flair!
Saturday morning's event showcased the Chef Competition starring Grand Lido's Exeuctive Chef, Gal Kotzer. The event produced an unlikely winner, the team of Jean-Francois Bonnet, an executive pastry chef from New York. Second place went to Jose Riquelme, Executive Chef of Sunset Jamaica Grande, Ocho Rios.

Each day's event topped the prior day so when we got to Saturday, it was time for the Synchronized dining in the ballroom & classical music; it was a showstopping event. There were eight entrees; each Chef presented one, which was served from a delightful menu for this spectacular black tie evening event. Jason Quinn, Wine Sommelier introduced the wines to be served with each entree. My favorite was the special feature vegan mean cooked up just for me (moi). Vegans were few in numbers, but if left to Caribbean VeggieFest, the annual plant-based culinary festival produced by Positive Tourism Network, more vegans will begin to look for complete vegetarian meals at all-inclusive and five star hotels.

During the Epicurian Escape week, the usual Friday evening General Manager's Gran Gala takes an elevated elegance with more diverse and tempting menu offerings. This is where General Manager, Roberto Pelliccia welcomes guests, recognizes his staff and officially opens the dining experience, which is followed by the divine sounds of the Enchanted Duet, Jose Oxamendi on Cello and Lincoln Thomas, reggae guitarist. Show Time, prime time entertainment, trails the dessert period of the dining experience and gets the guests ready to party Grand Lido style. Social directors will be on the prowl to get you up from our seat and on the dance floor!
The programme guide showed a host of Local sponsors who made this Caribbean event possible: Air Jamaica, Jamaica Tourist Board, Red Stripe, Jablum (has free Blue Mountain coffee throughout the event), Appleton Estate Rum, Wray & Nephew, Pepsi, Smirnoff, Nestle, Grace. I was amazed how many well-known food brands Jamaica now has.

I met some lovely friends such as Sylvia Wiley, RN/
Educator from Illinois and Kimberly Balark of Atlanta, first time in Jamaica. I am looking forward to next year's event where I will meet new friends like Lori Farris, associate, and wife of Efisio Farris, Executive Chef, Pomodoro & Arcodoro (Dallas/Houston, Texas). I learned so much about the culinary secrets of this master chef and his beloved Sardinia island home, which has influenced the opening of his specialty import company, GournetSardinia.

Book early because the event is fast becoming a favorite to Jamacian locals and with the word out, rooms will be hard to come by.

We have made 6 trips to the beautiful island of Jamaica and vacationed at Grand Lido Braco and Grand Lido Negril. Our last trip was in May 2008 to Grand Lido Negril and upon arriving there we were very disappointed. Four years ago we attended a welcome back party and we were advised that many improvements were to be completed in the near future but no major upgrades have been made. While we were there, the resort was practically empty and everbody that we spoke with could not understand why. I think some rooms were in the process of being upgraded because we noticed that doors were being removed and refinished as we walked back to our room. A couple of years is a long time to do upgrades.


Our mini bar in the room consisted of 2 bottles of beer, a few bottles of pop and no liquor whatsoever. That's not our idea of a mini bar.

Staff and workers were very friendly on the resort and when we made a request, it was always completed (i.e., extra facecloths).

After we finished dinner, the band was playing so we decided to dance and while doing so, we noticed very large holes and rotted boards on the dance floor. The next day, that section of the resort was closed for floor repairs.

In my opinion, the resort is run down and should not be classified as a 5 star super club resort.

This will not deter us from returning to other resorts in Jamaica!!