|
FDR - Franklyn D Resort 03/04/2003
Reviewers Rating:  Great
The Franklyn D Resort was the answer to our prayers! We just returned from a week there (March 3, 2002). We found that even though we were initally unimpressed with the resort, our expectations of the place were absolutely exceeded based on our first impressions.
We had done as much research on this resort as we possibly could before leaving for Jamaica. And we found that we were prepared for what we saw....
The resort itself is quite small - intimate, actually. In our case, we found that to be a real plus. We never felt that we were very far away from our children...which was important since they are only 1, 2 and 3 years old.
Our first impression of the room was that it was "early Howard Johnson." Kind of rustic, in a Caribbean sort of way. We stayed in a two-story, two-bedroom unit, 3 bathroom unit. We had more than enough space to spread out! Our room featured a full kitchen, a dining room and a spacious living room with ocean-facing balcony off of it. We spoke with one the "residents" there (they own one of the units) and were told that they were built as large as they were so that if you wanted to have the nanny cook a meal for you in your suite, she would have the facilities to do so. In addition to the king-size bed in the master bedroom and two twin-size beds in the second bedroom, there were 4 pull-out trundle beds and a pull-out couch. It could easily have slept 8 people! The resort was also very accomodating in supplying us with two roll-away cribs for our wee ones.
All of the upholstered furniture looked like it had been recently re-covered. The bedding and bathroom linens were a bit more worn.
Our baclony overlooked the ocean and just to the left of our balcony was the Verandah Restaurant. Which brings me to the food. We thought that even though the buffets were not as extensive as many we have seen at all-inclusive resorts, the food was generally good and there was definitely enough for everyone to find something that they liked. Our top choices for dining while we were there was The Pier (adults only Italian restaurant) and the Beach Grill, which served up my absolute fave...meat pies. The Grill also serves hamburgers, hot dogs, french fries, popcorn, etc. The Kiddie Buffet featuerd "kid-friendly" items (pasta, pizza, fresh fruit, cookies, etc.), but wasn't so overwhelming that no one could decide what to eat! My children ate like champs the whole time we were there.
The nannies are fantastic! One nanny per family comes with the package deal. Because we have 3 such young children, we opted for two nannies. (The resort only charges $20 US per day for an extra nanny.) The nannies are also in charge of cleaning your room while you are there (no additional housekeeping staff) so they end up feeling like part of the family! We utilized their services in the evening ($4 US per hour)...especially after finding out that the evening babysitting hours are really where they earn their money. They were so gentle with our children and really seemed to enjoy what they were doing.
Our two nannies (Lorraine and Tameika) kept the "older" two children (ages 2 & 3) busy at the kiddie pool, beach and Kiddies Centre while our youngest napped. We were able to play on the water slide, go kayaking and build sandcastles with the kids. The beach was pretty tiny, but perfect for not losing your small children! There were other guests that complained about the small size, but we thought it was great.
As for the adults...we got to enjoy several activities ourselves! We snorkeled and could have gone scuba diving if we would have signed up for the classes earlier. The adults only restaurants were really nice...good food and wine and a terrific view! We enjoyed spending time at the main bar by the pool with the new frieds that we made. We didn't hang out in the piano bar or disco, but others who did said they really enjoyed themselves.
I treated myself to a one hour massage, and it was terrific. The sound of the waves lapping against the rocks and the breeze as it blew through the cabana were perfect. I can't think of anything more relaxing!
A couple of complaints we had....the hot tub wasn't in service all week and the service wasn't all that fast in the bar. Things that could easily be fixed.
The resort is a bit dated, but I think it adds a little to it's charm. it is a family resort, after all...not the Ritz Carlton! It isn't as luxurious as places my husband and I visited before having children, nor did we want it to be. I would have been worried sick all week that our kids were going to break something or bother someone! We would definitely recommend this place to anyone with young children. It was perfect for us!
Bridget
 Read more Caribbean Travel reviews at TripAdvisor
|
Geat a FREE, no obligation quote for travel insurance - click here!
Reviews
