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Sunday, December 16, 2012

New Video Posted: Secrets Junior Suite Overview

A new video has been posted to YouTube.  It's a video overview of an average Junior Suite that can be found at the Secrets St. James resort found in Montego Bay Jamaica.

Overall it's a decent room but it has some...odd features.  Some of the features would be total deal breakers for some people. 

You can see the video here.

Sunday, December 2, 2012

New Video Posted: What Jamaica Sounds Like At Night

I've posted a  new YouTube video.  To really enjoy this video turn up your volume and close your eyes.  This video captures what Jamaica sounds like at night.  What you are hearing is a combo of frogs, bugs, and music.

I did not doctor this video in any way.  I did not turn up or enhance the volume.  What you hear is exactly what my camera captured.

You can view the video here.

Saturday, December 1, 2012

CMDTA On Vacation: Secrets Jamaica Day Five and Six

One thing Secrets has a lot of is cats.  There are cats everywhere.  While it might drive the gardeners nuts to have them around it does keep most of the pests under control.  With these guys around you don't have to worry about rodents and the lizard population is kept in check. If you are allergic that would be a bummer which is why I am mentioning them.  No where in any of it's advertisements will you find out that there are a flock of feral cats at Secrets.

Day five put us at the El Patio restaurant.  That is secrets Mexican restaurant.  It wasn't bad but I wouldn't rave about it.  The food at San Angel Inn is better.  The food here was rather cookie cutter.  The service was decent.  The atmosphere was one of the best parts.  It wasn't in your face.  Some Mexican restaurants go bananas when it comes to decorating.  They pack every last stereotypical thing into their dining rooms.  Not El Patio.  It has a nice Spanish feel to it without being busy.  The colors are warm and relaxing.  The brickwork (well fake brickwork) ceiling was a nice touch. 

When you are at Secrets you have a lot of choices when it comes to food.  I've covered most of the dining options.  I'll be doing a separate write up of their romantic dinner for two in a later post.

There are a few things I should mention when it comes to the food.  First, the Jerk Chicken Cart. This is the best thing (food wise) at Secrets.  The only I can compare this to are the turkey leg carts at the Magic Kingdom.  You smell the cart from fifty feet away and it draws you in.  I don't know what they put in their sauce but it was incridible.

One of the overlooked places is the Barefoot Grill.  The food isn't great but it's good.  Vegetable fritters, meat pies, homemade potato chips, hot dogs, hamburgers, and nachos.  The best part is almost all of those are self serve.  Just walk on over and grab what you want.  Oh and I am forgetting the best part.   Self serve beer and soda.  Yes you grab a cup and pour away.  Red Stripe on tap with no one in the middle.

We finally got another sunset. Most of the days it was partly cloudy and all of the clouds seemed to show up just in time to block the sunset.  It was starting to get annoying.  Figures that on our last day we'd get a sunset though.  The sunsets at Secrets are not the amazing drop into the ocean sunsets you get on a cruise or from some island locations.  The sun drops below a hill but continues to light up the clouds.  It makes for some very nice shots. 

Another thing about this shot is what is in the foreground.  It's a wedding.  There were a lot of weddings over the week we were at Secrets.  I don't know how much it costs but it's a nice little location.  The only issue I could see for some people is the lack of privacy.  The main walkway is only a few feet from where they have the weddings.  If that doesn't bother you then this could be a great choice.


For the people who want to go to the next level from a junior suite there are the swim out suites.  Here is a photo of the area you get to swim in.  Honestly this just isn't worth it.  It's a tiny area that doesn't lead anywhere great.  It just doesn't seem like it's worth the money.  It's something that sounds better than it is.