Our first trip to Pearl was such an amazing experience. We arrived with the mindset that this would probably be something we'd do once every few years, because we're usually the type of couple that likes to make our travel about seeing and trying new things, but after the past several nights we both want to come back more often! Maybe not enough to justify the cost of a membership, but we'll definitely be keeping Desire at the top of our list for vacations.
Here's a quick run-down of our overall experience:
Arrival
Getting in to Cancun is easy for us, since we're based in the Dallas area. A 2.5 hour flight, a breeze through customs, and a reasonably short wait for our bag (we'll skip checking next time) and we were off to the the resort. Aventour took great care of us on the ride there, and the resort has great "curb appeal!" Check in was efficient and easy, and the staff were super friendly and welcoming. It was rainy when we arrived, but it looked like they had adapted well, with lots of activity in the lobby area and covered bar next to the lobby.
We got invited to do the sales pitch thing, but there was no real pressure on that front. We simply explained that we'd want to visit at least twice before we considered a membership and, since this was our first visit, we really didn't want to be distracted from our vacation. That answer was accepted graciously with no further mention of the sales pitch.
Since we arrived at around Noon our room wasn't ready yet, but we were able to go have some lunch and start exploring the resort and meeting people. We met a very nice couple who helped make sure we got to Aphrodite for lunch and welcomed us to the fun.
The Room
Our room was ready before we knew it, in fact about 2 hours before they promised, so we were able to get in and get settled. The room was spacious and comfortable, if a bit dated, decor-wise, however we could tell that despite the apparent age of the room it had been extremely well taken care of. Everything was in excellent condition. The A/C worked great, we had good, hot water in the shower, etc.
The bed was fine but I wish it had a little bit better mattress, but the sheets were comfortable. We did wind up having to get some extra blankets sent up, the ones they provide are super thin, so if you're like us and one partner gets cold at night while the other one sweats like a pig, you'll want to address that straightaway.
The TV was a tiny bit frustrating, but only because of the cabinet they had it in. We couldn't access the HDMI ports to plug in a phone to watch our own media, and the cabinet makes it hard to hear the TV. They could probably address both of those issues by adding an external sound bar with an HDMI input or something, but TV wasn't a big part of our trip, so it didn't matter much, it's just how we unwind in the evenings.
The Resort
It was everything we hoped for and more. The only two things we didn't love were the sargassum (of course) and the fact that the pool didn't open as early as we'd have liked. We are not normally early risers, but something about this trip had us awake at 6am every morning. We enjoyed coffee on the balcony and watched the sun rise, then went down for breakfast, but by the time we finished breakfast it was another 2 hours before we were technically allowed to get in the pool (we might have stretched that rule a little once or twice). Apart from that it was wonderful. There were plenty of loungers available, even though we didn't have a Premier membership, and we didn't have any issue finding a place to set up and relax between activities. We didn't spend any time on the beach due to the sargassum, but we could tell they were doing everything in their power to keep it maintained, it was just too much to overcome.
The Staff
WOW! Everyone was so friendly, helpful, and fun to be around. The Playmakers were great, Luis at the pool bar became one of our best friends (helped that we tipped well!), and even the grounds staff went out of their way to say hello, wish us a good day, and offer to help if we needed anything. At a resort like this great staff can make more of a difference in the experience than almost any other factor, and Desire has the staff part absolutely nailed. Multiple staff members made the effort to learn our names and make sure we were comfortable and happy at all times.
The People
And of course, the absolute highlight of the Desire experience is the people. Whether you're in the Lifestyle or not, there is one common thread that seems to unite everyone there... you don't go to a clothing optional / lifestyle resort if you're a miserable person. We didn't meet anyone that wasn't absolutely thrilled to be there. All of the couples were deeply in love with each other and treated each other with the same kind of respect and dignity that we hold so dear in our own marriage. We felt like we had found our tribe. Nobody was standoffish, and even during the part of our stay that a takeover was going on, the people there with the takeover group were friendly and not "clique-ish".
Our Advice
If you're thinking about it, DO IT! It's an experience you'll never forget. If you're nervous about your body, don't be. There wasn't a single person there with a perfect body (because a "perfect" body doesn't exist in the real world), and nobody judged anyone for their imperfections. My wife and I both arrived nervous about that, but almost immediately felt supremely comfortable in our skin. If you want to strip down all the way, go for it! If you're not ready, that's fine too! We saw a mix of people, some clothed, some topless, most nude, and nobody cared what anyone else was wearing, what anyone else looked like, etc. The connection you can make with another human being when all the pretense of dress and appearance is eliminated is like no other.
Even though we can't go quite as often as we'd like (you know... every single weekend!), we'll definitely be back for another visit. Or twelve...
