Corve DaCosta – coast to coast ~

(phone rings)

Hello……..

(hangs up phone)

That conversation was a pleasant surprise. I had received an exclusive invitation to be a part of the first “Blogger Meet Up” hosted by Secrets Resorts, Montego Bay, Jamaica. Am I excited? You bet I am! I even started packing my bag at work because this trip promised to be memorable and I had no intention of missing it for anything in the world. I started blogging  a little over a year ago and although I saw my blog generating much interest, my closest friends couldn’t understand it. I even had a hard time explaining Twitter and how it works. Most tweeters in Jamaica often have those experiences. It’s not that our island is medieval. Most Jamaicans just have other priorities. Many people ask me what I blog about. I tell them that, unlike some bloggers who focus on a specific area of interest or niche, I write about anything and everything that interests me. I write about fashion, entertainment/event reviews, my personal experiences, political topics and so on. I would like to say my blog is a virtual “variety/lifestyle” magazine you could flip through and relate to on some level. You never know what will be on the cover. I am proud of my blog and have met people that expressed how much they enjoy it. I think that this “relatability” might be largely why I was selected for this Bloggers Meet Up. I can’t express how tremendously grateful I am for the experience. It was delightful not only because of the wonderful service and events I was able to enjoy, but also for the whole “communion” I felt with other bloggers and writers with whom I could relate. This was a first for me and I relished every passing minute of it.

Back to Secrets Resorts….

So after receiving the invitation, I googled Secrets Resorts and found the resort’s website at http://www.secretsresorts.com/ . The photos oozed fantasy, opulence and made me want to drop everything I was doing and and just escape into the pool or onto the white sands skirting the Caribbean Sea. But then I had a sudden pang of fright: what if the photos were all just a misleading, “photoshopped” myth? The idea was unnerving, but I decided to wait and see…

Arrival

As we got off our chartered bus, I was flabbergasted: the hotel looked as alluring in person as it had on the website. I whispered to myself, “so much for worrying about it all being “photoshopped”. Secrets Resorts only recently opened (in April 2010) and workers were still making discreet finishing touches to sections of the walk ways. The bell men greeted us warmly with the words “Welcome Home”. I found it strange because, like most people, I expected something like “welcome to the Secrets Resorts”. Hearing the words “Welcome Home” was just a preview of the depth and refinement of the customer service we would experience throughout our stay. I will never forget how polite bell man Billy Love was upon my very first encounter. He gave me a tour of my room and was overflowing with energy. As he pointed things out to me in the exquisite room, he was virtually bouncing from one amenity to the next – the large flat screen TV, the beautifully crafted four poster bed, the jacuzzi… It all just seemed almost too “right” to be real. Days into my stay, I saw him one morning and he said “How are you doing Mr. DaCosta?” He remembered my name (and if he hadn’t, he still took the time to check before greeting me. Either way that personal touch made all the difference and I appreciated it. Those who know me well, will tell you that my biggest pet peeve is poor customer service. When you have employees greeting you with your name despite their being hundreds of other guests on the property, it really makes an impression. That greeting alone told me that  ”Secrets” was truly committed to guest satisfaction. One night, as I was heading outside through the lobby’s main entrance,an employee chirped, “Have fun!” Yes. The little things do matter. The entire staff at Secrets Resorts must be commended for their hard work and great customer service they offer to the guests. I was on the phone one night with a friend and was making a comment that the staff at Secrets Resorts is sincere. You really didn’t feel that they were just all great “fakers”. The warmth, attention and ideal balance between familiarity and professionalism that characterized much of what they did was a refreshing contrast the overdone, diabetically sweet giggles, smiles and exaggerated accents one often encounters in other hotels and resorts.

Food

Secrets Resorts is an all-inclusive hotel, therefore, the table never runs dry. There are seven gourmet restaurants and bars on the property for you to taste and relish. The food is delicious. I’m not kidding, folks: it really is!  My favorite restaurant was World Cafe, not because it was the closest in proximity to my building (#2) but it had sumptuous local and international dishes served in buffet style. From breakfast to lunch everything is at your finger tips, waiting  to be placed on your plate. My other favorite spot apart from the restaurants was the bar. They had the best drinks I’ve ever had. From the Bob Marley influenced drink to martinis the bar delivers drinks that makes you want to go back for more. If your style is sipping drinks on the beach or tanning poolside depend on the bars nearby to provide you with the best drinks. To top it off, the resort has 24-hour room service. Basically it has everything you’d ever need.

Spa and Gym

Imagine having a fully equipped gym and spa in short walking distances from your hotel room. I do work out at home, so staying at Secrets Resorts and having full-access to a gym was beyond belief. I visited the gym in the mornings and most of the guests would use the treadmills facing the beach – the view was out of this world. The gym comes with a qualified trainer- he could have been a bodyguard; tall and fit. I used him one morning and I didn’t for the other mornings. He was great, he was the real deal, pushing you to get that A+ body. My biggest mistake? –  Asking him to give me rock hard abs. After a hard workout and time chilling on the beach, getting a massage from the spa is the place to be. I had the hydrotherapy massage and it was relaxing. What is interesting about the spa and gym is that although the hotel is busy with guests teeming about, you can have your private moment. I never found the gym or the spa crowded ever, so book your space at the spa and walk over or simply enter the gym to burn some sweat.

The Departure

My time spent at Secrets Resorts could possibly be the highlight of my life so far. For four nights and five days I completely forgot about the trials of this world. I kid you not when I returned home, the stresses of life returned like a tsunami. Not that that will happen to you, but returning to your normal routine could seem after several days of idyllic beauty, warm smiles, great food and above-and-beyond comfort. In hind sight, the resort’s signature “Welcome home” address really is prophetic because, by the end of your stay, you’ll not onl feel completely at home, but will also wish home were really this blissful. For most people I know, it is likely to feel like the home the always wanted.   As we drove past the gates of Secrets Resorts the rain kept pouring. Whether the resort was crying about us leaving or we were the ones whose souls were weeping… I couldn’t tell. However, leaving was strangely sad.  I am in-love with Secrets Resorts and simply can’t wait to getaway there once more.

If you’d like to get some other perspectives on what the experience as like, check out what other bloggers and writers on the trip had to say:

Mighty Girl from Maggie

Stunner’s Afflictions from Joel

Island Buzz Jamaica from the Jamaica Tourist Board

Photo taken from Maggie’s blog at http://mightygirl.net/