Dallas_Lady
I only work for the vacation money
- Joined
- Dec 20, 2001
- Messages
- 3,349
We just got back from a 4 night stay at CBR. I have stayed at POR and CSR and spent some time at POFQ so my review is based on a comparison of having now been to all the moderates:
Grounds: A
Absolutely gorgeous. Very well maintained, clean, beautiful. It's hard to say which moderate is the most beautoful (though it's hard to beat the view of CSR at night). The walk across Caribbean Cay is really very nice, it's a little bigger than I expected. On our checkout day I walked from Customs House to our room in Jamaica just so I could see more of the resort. It's really very pretty. I must say, I didn't like seeing that high rise hotel behind Old Port Royale. I think it's the Bonnet Creek Resort? I'm not sure, but it was a little "jarring" to see it sticking up over the horizon. It kind of takes you out of the fantasy.
Resort Layout: C
Both CSR and POR are spread out, and CBR follows suit. I don't think it's that much more spread out than the others (unless you are in Trinidad South). We stayed in Jamaica Building 45 and loved it. But we only ever go to the food court or the lobby on check in and check out day, so being close to either isn't a huge deal to me.
Now, here's why it gets a C... I really don't like that the check in is separate from the food court and gift shop. And the check in lobby is much smaller than the lobby at POR & CSR. This alone is reason enough for me to not stay there again. We checked in at 11am and our room wasn't ready. So instead of just strolling over to the food court or gift shop while we wait (like I did at POR and CSR), you've got to board a bus to do so. And those internal busses are few and far between. And because the lobby is so small and gets crowded easily, even if there aren't that many people checking in. Especially with the airline check in desk being there.
The Room: C
I know the CBR rooms are supposed to be a tad bigger than CSR and POR, but I couldn't tell. The beds sit up high, which is great for storing luggage, but it makes them look like they dominate the room, making the room seem crowded. The beds themselves were hard and lumpy, it took me a few days to get used to it. I woke up with a backache the first few days. They also creaked loudly whenever you moved on them. And the big posts at the ends of the beds are killers for the knees and chins. I like the sink vanity better than at both POR and CSR. Double sinks plus a big vanity for setting all your stuff.
The room was clean enough. There were some scuff marks on the walls and the grout around the tub enclosure could use a deep scrubbing. It was nothing horrible, but it was clear that the maids have to move quickly through the rooms. Oh and here's a tip: open the cabinet door for the fridge so it can get air circulation and stay cold. I don't know whose bright idea it was to put a refrigerator in a closed cabinet.
Checking in and out: A
Check in was fast, as was check out. We checked in at 11am, no line at all, walked right up to a CM. Our room would not be ready until 3pm because they were cleaning the carpets. I was a little spoiled by the fact that I'd been able to get in my room at both POR and CSR early, so it was disappointing to have to wait. We ended up going to MGM and not getting into the room until 9pm. After we checked in, we took the internal bus to the food court. I checked out at about 10am, and there was also no line. The airline check in was easy and efficient.
Bus transportation: B
The buses were great, we never waited more than 10 minutes for a bus to any park. Often there was one right there when we walked up. We stayed in Jamaica, which was the first stop to be picked up and the first to be dropped off. This was great at night because you were the first to get off. It also meant that you were guaranteed a seat on the way to the parks. Poor Trinidad South people always had to stand. But, it also means that you had to ride the bus all the way around the resort before heading to your destination. Though not a huge deal to me, it was a little annoying how many bus stops there are at CBR. It seemed like it took longer to go around the resort than it did to actually get to the park once we finally were on our way.
We had one incident on Sept. 18. On our way home from MK, after kneeling the bus to get a wheelchair on, the driver couldn't get it to raise back up. It took about 15 minutes before he called for help. Meanwhile, busses for other resorts were whizzing by while the CBR line just got longer. Once help showed up, the issue was resolved quickly and 4 consecutive busses were sent to get everyone back to CBR.
Food Court & Pools: A
We used the quiet pool in Jamaica, and it was really nice. Very big, well lit, perfect for us. The main pool does look small compared to POR and especially CSR. But that may change with the renovation. The food court was very good. The selection is pretty standard, but the food itself was great. I had a Cheesesteak that was really good. I went back again to get more of that yummy key lime pie
Overall, I'd say it is my least favorite of the moderates I've stayed at. It was still a good resort, and I think if I'd stayed there first I would have liked it better. CSR has a better pool and better lobby/food court/gift shop. I didn't like the single sink at CSR, though. POR in my opinion is the most beautiful, but that's just a personal preference. I also liked the pool and lobby/food court/gift shop there better than CBR. I remember the beds at CSR and POR being very comfy, which was not the case at CBR. Bus transportation at CBR, CSR and POR was about the same in my experiences. I didn't like how many stops CBR has to make to get around the resort, though.
Grounds: A
Absolutely gorgeous. Very well maintained, clean, beautiful. It's hard to say which moderate is the most beautoful (though it's hard to beat the view of CSR at night). The walk across Caribbean Cay is really very nice, it's a little bigger than I expected. On our checkout day I walked from Customs House to our room in Jamaica just so I could see more of the resort. It's really very pretty. I must say, I didn't like seeing that high rise hotel behind Old Port Royale. I think it's the Bonnet Creek Resort? I'm not sure, but it was a little "jarring" to see it sticking up over the horizon. It kind of takes you out of the fantasy.
Resort Layout: C
Both CSR and POR are spread out, and CBR follows suit. I don't think it's that much more spread out than the others (unless you are in Trinidad South). We stayed in Jamaica Building 45 and loved it. But we only ever go to the food court or the lobby on check in and check out day, so being close to either isn't a huge deal to me.
Now, here's why it gets a C... I really don't like that the check in is separate from the food court and gift shop. And the check in lobby is much smaller than the lobby at POR & CSR. This alone is reason enough for me to not stay there again. We checked in at 11am and our room wasn't ready. So instead of just strolling over to the food court or gift shop while we wait (like I did at POR and CSR), you've got to board a bus to do so. And those internal busses are few and far between. And because the lobby is so small and gets crowded easily, even if there aren't that many people checking in. Especially with the airline check in desk being there.
The Room: C
I know the CBR rooms are supposed to be a tad bigger than CSR and POR, but I couldn't tell. The beds sit up high, which is great for storing luggage, but it makes them look like they dominate the room, making the room seem crowded. The beds themselves were hard and lumpy, it took me a few days to get used to it. I woke up with a backache the first few days. They also creaked loudly whenever you moved on them. And the big posts at the ends of the beds are killers for the knees and chins. I like the sink vanity better than at both POR and CSR. Double sinks plus a big vanity for setting all your stuff.
The room was clean enough. There were some scuff marks on the walls and the grout around the tub enclosure could use a deep scrubbing. It was nothing horrible, but it was clear that the maids have to move quickly through the rooms. Oh and here's a tip: open the cabinet door for the fridge so it can get air circulation and stay cold. I don't know whose bright idea it was to put a refrigerator in a closed cabinet.
Checking in and out: A
Check in was fast, as was check out. We checked in at 11am, no line at all, walked right up to a CM. Our room would not be ready until 3pm because they were cleaning the carpets. I was a little spoiled by the fact that I'd been able to get in my room at both POR and CSR early, so it was disappointing to have to wait. We ended up going to MGM and not getting into the room until 9pm. After we checked in, we took the internal bus to the food court. I checked out at about 10am, and there was also no line. The airline check in was easy and efficient.
Bus transportation: B
The buses were great, we never waited more than 10 minutes for a bus to any park. Often there was one right there when we walked up. We stayed in Jamaica, which was the first stop to be picked up and the first to be dropped off. This was great at night because you were the first to get off. It also meant that you were guaranteed a seat on the way to the parks. Poor Trinidad South people always had to stand. But, it also means that you had to ride the bus all the way around the resort before heading to your destination. Though not a huge deal to me, it was a little annoying how many bus stops there are at CBR. It seemed like it took longer to go around the resort than it did to actually get to the park once we finally were on our way.
We had one incident on Sept. 18. On our way home from MK, after kneeling the bus to get a wheelchair on, the driver couldn't get it to raise back up. It took about 15 minutes before he called for help. Meanwhile, busses for other resorts were whizzing by while the CBR line just got longer. Once help showed up, the issue was resolved quickly and 4 consecutive busses were sent to get everyone back to CBR.
Food Court & Pools: A
We used the quiet pool in Jamaica, and it was really nice. Very big, well lit, perfect for us. The main pool does look small compared to POR and especially CSR. But that may change with the renovation. The food court was very good. The selection is pretty standard, but the food itself was great. I had a Cheesesteak that was really good. I went back again to get more of that yummy key lime pie
Overall, I'd say it is my least favorite of the moderates I've stayed at. It was still a good resort, and I think if I'd stayed there first I would have liked it better. CSR has a better pool and better lobby/food court/gift shop. I didn't like the single sink at CSR, though. POR in my opinion is the most beautiful, but that's just a personal preference. I also liked the pool and lobby/food court/gift shop there better than CBR. I remember the beds at CSR and POR being very comfy, which was not the case at CBR. Bus transportation at CBR, CSR and POR was about the same in my experiences. I didn't like how many stops CBR has to make to get around the resort, though.
