Grand Lido, Negril, Jamaica (Second Trip)

Back for the second time in just three months.  The second time was even better then the first.  They have added new floaters that are very popular.  These are the same type floaters that couples resorts use.

There is a cool calendar website that you can see who is going to Grand Lido called http://tripcalendar.org  .  It’s free to use and to help link up with others going to the resort.

You can also read  my review from our January 2014 visit here.

Main updates from our visit three months ago:

• The check-in seemed a little faster.
• No one complained of no hot water so it seems that issue was resolved.
• The staff seemed even friendlier.
• They added the very popular floaters (great move).
• Added new beach chairs.

Interesting that Apple Maps has already updated their satellite photos showing the floaters.

You can see the floaters in the red circle on the CO beach. Hundreds of fish beside this point (blue circle) will fight over a bagel. Main beach is show by the yellow line and the crabs make their home in the yellow circle area.

Grand Lido is very unique from all the resorts in Jamaica and any where in the Caribbean.   I don’t think you will find a resort like this anywhere.  It’s not a new resort, it’s small and some people call it rustic.  So what makes it so special?  It has a private clothes optional beach.  Not like the nude beach at couples that is  separated from the main beach by a line in the sand but a private cove. Since it is not a nude beach but a clothes optional beach people are nude, topless and even wearing bathing suits.  This is definitely the key to Grand Lido’s success.

This time we had a room on the ground floor.  I usually don’t like a ground floor room but this was so nice to be able to walk out the patio door and be on the beach in just 20 feet.  We would sit on the deck each night and watch the sunset before going for dinner.  Our room was the same layout as the room in January 2014 visit.

Our Patio on the ground floor.

Views from our patio:

Don’t go to Grand Lido if you want crowds and loud music and lots of activities.  It’s a relaxed resort that feels a little like going to your own private cottage but with the benefit of never cooking, cleaning or doing all the upkeep to a cottage.  You can always get a beach chair or seat for dinner.

Staff & Dinner Pictures

Bottom line:

Grand Lido is a great resort to meet people in a quiet relaxing atmosphere.  It’s an adult resort with no kids running around and feels like a home away from home.

 

Pebbles Smart Watch

I was watching The Pebbles Smart Watch during it’s very successful crowd funding complain  but was reluctant  to purchase due to the higher shipping costs for people in Canada and I wanted to wait for the other smart watches to be launched like Sony and Google.

Since I waited I am lucky to use the Pebble with their new App store app and SDK version 2.0.

Setup

So easy it almost does it by it’s self.  Just load the app and and turn on the Pebble and click OK when asked.

Adding new watch faces and apps is super easy using the App.  Just click on any watch or app and it load it on the Pebble.  Very smooth process.  You can only load 8 apps or watch faces but the app stores your favourite in a locker so you can quickly reload them.

Notifications

The Pebble will show notifications for email, text messages, calendar events and phone calls.  Just about anything you need.  There is no setup to see the notifications.

The only issues is a known bug where email message may show up twice or more or in the wrong order and get a “Loading …” message for the remaining part of the email message.  You receive a few characters of the email and then it loads more text but sometime you get the “Loading …” .  It’s not a big deal but just an annoyance.

Watch

The Pebble comes with several built in watch faces and an ever expanding list of free download watch faces on thier app store. It is very easy to add a new watch, just select the one you like and click ADD.  You can only add 8 watch faces or apps.  But its so easy to switch them in and out that it is not a problem.

App’s

Like the watch faces their is a every expanding list of new apps.  Stocks, weather, exercise etc.  Many of the newer watch faces also have some of their features too so it may be hard to decide your favourite.

Pebble Design

The Pebble seems to be the right comprise.  It has a battery life of 3 or 4 days.  The screen is easily seen in bright daylight.  It’s not a hires color watch that you can view pictures or movies but what it does it does well.  It coveres all the basics that you need in a watch including being water proof.