November Trip Report - My Experience Of The New Ttr

I expect it isn’t your scene but have you been up to sky bar? Curious what your opinion is of the new space.

 

I noticed someone helpfully posted the menu from Facebook. I only tried the croquettes, tasted ok, nothing extravagant or special tbh. Heard from others that the rest of the menu is quite good.

I ordered food at the bar, but the servers are walking around constantly up there. They take both your drink and food orders. I wouldn't think they'd have a problem delivering food to your chair.

The lounge chairs are the same as the plastic chairs that are on the ledges within the Sexy Pool and those on the balconies of the master suites, except they're a dark purple colour. No cushions on these. Possibly not a great choice, as the sun really heats the dark plastic up. You'd want to lay a towel down or risk skin burns on those things! The day beds are clam shell style beds with large cushions covering the entire bed. They are very comfortable and there's plenty of them.

I agree. I would not leave the Sexy Pool party to be up there. It's more of a morning spot to pre-game for the pool party. The husband went up there one morning, whilst I recovered in the room from a particularly heavy party session the night before, rather than sit down at the Sexy Pool on his own. I think it's ideal for those sort of situations where you don't necessarily want to be at the Sexy Pool for whatever reason.

Exactly that. Doesn't fit with the atmosphere up there in my opinion, unless you had a group of 20 people in the hot tub. But like you mention, party is at the Sexy Pool. Even if I could rally 20 people up there, I'd fear missing out on what's happening at the party pool.

Yup. Closed at 7pm. At least 5 occasions as we were heading to dinner around 6:30pm heading past the hot tub via the ramp, the hot tub was full (like 40 or more people), and definitely looked like they had a party going that didn't look like it was ending any time soon. They'd be gone by 7pm. I didn't witness this personally, but from other accounts security would have people leave at 7pm.

 

Thanks! Hope you enjoyed the read. Hope you like the new place. Be sure to post an opinion when you return!

 

I know some people had issue with the loudness at the pool. I felt that by our 2nd week someone must've complained enough as the music was definitely quieter earlier on, but did ramp up to extortionate levels by early afternoon. Not really a problem for me. Only time I had issue was when there was a band playing on one day. Since our seats were right by the band, it was just too loud and obnoxious for me. Not the type of music I enjoy. I went over to the beach for a bit until they finished their set. Could still hear them even though I was all the way out swimming in the ocean!

I don't use the chairs much so unless I know I'm going to be sunbathing, I don't reserve. I agree. People shouldn't be able to reserve chairs. Particularly, I heard some people were getting their butlers to reserve chairs for them! Totally disagree with that. If you want to be up at 6am to find a chair that's bad enough, but using privilege of getting a butler to do it for you? That is going too far.

Something I do, when I get down to the pool, if I see an empty chair, even if it's got a towel on the top to reserve it, I'll sit down. I won't sit on a chair that's obviously being used e.g. all of their stuff, towel spread out etc. on it, just the ones that have obviously been reserved but not used yet. If the person who reserved it comes over, of course I'll move, but I don't see a problem sitting down on an empty chair. Some people reserve chairs and don't use them all day. Only once in 14 days this trip did a couple come over with a disgusted look on their face all indignant because I'd had the audacity to sit on 'their' chair. 99% of the time, people are friendly and either say 'don't worry we're in the pool anyway' or just say cheers when I move for them to take the chair back.

Ever since they built the jacuzzi tub 'premier section' on top of the buffet, and changed the covered seating section at Paty O from 'everyone can use' to Premier only I've felt this way. I hate it when they take things away from everyone's use, but they've been doing this a long time. They have to create incentives for people to sign up. We signed up this year because the price was right. Don't get me wrong, it's a big commitment, but since we are pretty sure we'll be heading back to TTR for many many years, it works out for us. For example, I've just quickly checked pricing. If you were to take a referral for a week in April, with direct flights to/from Manchester (Thomas Cook flights), for a week (basic garden view) you'd pay around £1600, which includes all of the Premier upgrades. Prices have skyrocketed in the UK. We used to get a better deal than those coming from the US and Canada, but that seems to have ended. The travel agents can't offer these huge discounts any more. The only site I've found significantly cheaper is Love Holidays, and it just seems suspicious to me, with so many other firms out there unable to match their price, how is Love Holidays managing to offer such better discounts? I don't think it will last.

 

We experienced this personally exactly as described. The hot tub was full with a party atmosphere then BOOM everyone was asked to leave abruptly. I didn't wear a watch or pay attention to time for our entire trip so I cannot accurately say what time this occurred but it was just as it was getting dark.

Oh well, maybe the security realized that we needed to go get cleaned up for the party at Bash later in the evening...I probably should be thanking them.

 

Thanks Steve! Was good to catch up with you again. Glad you agree. Excellent news if new furniture is on the way. It seems the resort does listen to us and tries to fix anything that is significantly wrong.

 

Re ‘Particularly, I heard some people were getting their butlers to reserve chairs for them! Totally disagree with that. If you want to be up at 6am to find a chair that's bad enough, but using privilege of getting a butler to do it for you? That is going too far.’

I failed to mention this in our report which is crazy considering how long my reports are but our butler actually came to us multiple times saying he wanted personal items like clothes from us so he could reserve chairs for us. Each time I looked at him like he was crazy and said that is completely unnecessary. I get what he is doing. He wants another way for a tip. But the entire chair saving is a pet peeve of mine and having a butler reserve chairs for you just seems completely against what I want to be involved in while at TTR. Now if he went out and gathered single naked females then now we are talking huge tip

Come to think of it. I may make that request next time actually. Not kidding. Ha jacuzzi party in the master in April!

 

Yes I forgot to mention our butler experience. We had Daniella. She greeted us at the end of our Premier upgrade/talk which took 3.5 hours. Confirmed our request to upgrade to jacuzzi room and said she'd be in contact and find us at our room or the pool when it was ready. That afternoon, she called our room when the jacuzzi room was ready, agreed for a bell hop to meet us in 30 minutes to take our stuff to the new room, and met us there. She asked if we had any special occasions during our stay (no) and if we needed anything (we did not). After that, we bumped into her a few times when we were at the pool early, she asked how we were doing, but no real interaction after that. I'm sure if we asked for anything she would have been happy to help.

Just a minor point, a couple days into our trip I came down with a stomach upset. Was morning after visiting Italian restaurant and it wasn't alcohol-related as I hadn't had anything to drink the day before I got sick. I suspect it was just the typical 'eating in Mexico' thing some people get with how the salads are prepared. I was stuck in the room for a day and a half, missing Heaven and Hell night and lingerie night the next night. I was desperate to find anything that could help me feel better. My last resort was finding ginger ale. I'm not a fan of ginger but I was desperate to stop feeling sick, had tried the anti-nausea drugs and they hadn't worked. My husband ventured off resort to find some as they didn't stock it in the TTR shop. He passed our butler on his way out, told her I was not feeling too great and that he was venturing out to find ginger ale. Possibly at that point, if she was to go above and beyond, I would've thought maybe she could have offered to go find a bottle for him, but didn't. Not a big thing, he found it in the store over the road no problem. In the days that followed she asked how I was feeling, and I'm sure she would have offered further help if I'd still been ill.

 

Trish, thanks for taking the time to write this detailed trip report. It went great with my breakfast this morning. Also, appreciate all the follow-up details to questions as well.

14 days, I honestly don't know how you can do it