Trip Report, Day 5, June 6, 2011--Moving Day!!
Day 5--Tuesday--Or, the Day We Hit the Cliffs
Woke up to a fairly decent sky after another night of rain. We decided to max out our last morning on the beach and so we did! Back to the room to finish packing, check out and await our ride to Xtabi. I and Tam both had mixed feelings about the move. Not the least of which was that the torrential rains had left the air quite humid and thick and our cottage at Xtabi had only the ocean breeze and a ceiling fan to deal with it. And, the fact there is no WIFI or TV in the rooms at Xtabi, so dealing with a rain-in could be problematic. After the first hour or so, heh. But first, a few things to say about Coco La Palm:
1. Excellent section of beach. Both wide and deep. During our stay beach security was not present all of the time, so some higglers would get too far onto the property. Beach was kept very clean. Plenty of loungers and shade to be found if needed.
2. The room was kept very clean every day and no later than 2pm each day, often earlier. There was no mold/musty smell, the bed was firm and consistent. The a/c was as cold as you wanted it and easily adjusted to suit your needs. The shower was large, plenty of water pressure, plenty of hot water. The room had adequate storage to unpack/hang/store clothes. The refrigerator worked fine and was of good size.
3. The pools were both kept very clean. We preferred the main pool, due to its size and Wi-Fi. The beach pool looked like it would be fun to have a pool party at. There is a Jacuzzi off the main pool. We kept meaning to try it, but never did. The persistent rain had something to do with this, I think...
4. The grounds were lush, verdant and well-tended. Front gate security was vigilant.
5. Staff--overall we were favorably impressed with the staff. Any request to the front desk was swiftly handled. Check in and out were as fast and as painless as could be. The restaurant/bar staff were fine, but slightly reserved. It took some effort to get smiles out of a few!
6. Value--Hands down, this has to be the best value on the beach. We paid $83/night, tax included, continental breakfast for two included($13us value) for a deluxe, king bedded room. Would we stay there again? Oh yes, especially if we can snag that price point again. Screaming good deal. Good property. No complaints at all. Except the Wi-Fi issue.
So, up the hill we go to Xtabi. It was good to see that the old gal was being well-maintained. Fresh paint on most of the trim, including the pool. The place is looking just fine. We have oceanfront Cottage #2. Certainly Cottages 1 and 4 have the prime views, esp. #1. Our view is fine, but mostly to the south and you cannot see the sunset. Cottage #3 has a roof-covered veranda, so it would be better in the rain, or if you have had enough of the sun. We like #2 just fine, especially the outdoor shower. Tam thinks that she mooned a busload of Italian tourists! Bella! Bella! Its off to L&M or M&L grocery. Two signs say two different things! A gal there was so very helpful, guiding us to whatever we wanted. Prices were reasonable, picked up a full-size umbrella for $400J, some snacks, ginger beer, coke, ting, mosquito coils, flying insect spray, Rum and RS. Nothing better than a Dark and Stormy when it is Dark and Stormy!! (Ginger Beer and Dark Rum) Walking back, we got to use the umbrella! We wound up getting more than our $400J worth out of that umbrella!
After walking back to Xtabi we just kind of hung out…the rains had returned and we were just waiting for a break to go to 3 Dives Jerk Centre next door south for some dinner. Arrived at 3Dives and it started to POUR, this time with wind whipping the rain underneath the “roof” of the patio. No way could Rob have webcast…too wet and no view! We grabbed a couple RS to wait for the ½ jerk chicken and brown stew chicken orders. Didn’t wait longer than 30 minutes, which is good for 3 Dives and took the food to go back to the Cottage where we ate on the bed, watching the rain come down. I made a terrible error and covered the chicken with the jerk sauce. Tam is more of a dipper and 3 Dives' sauce is certainly hot! Guess who wound up eating the brown stew chicken? A nightcap at the bar and we were done for the night. The rain was driving itself under the veranda doors, so we had to use towels as a dam. I don’t think I’ve gone to bed at 9pm on vacation before…not sober, anyway…
The rain and wind kept the room fairly comfortable, temperature wise.
