Beautiful Jamaica

While discussing travel with another couple, my wife and I heard about a holy grail all inclusive resort in Jamaica called the Franklyn D Resort and Spa. Ir is located on Runaway Bay within easy driving distance to shopping in Ocho Rios. Like many all inclusive it has pools, toys, beaches, and restaurants that as guests you are able to frequent. Unlike some other all inclusive resorts, it has some very attractive amenities that as a father and a person with a mobility issue I plan to take advantage of.

 Let me start by saying that this is not a giant faceless monolithic resort like a Club Med or Sandals resort. This is a smaller boutique resort, that specializes in families who may or may not have mobility issues or other special needs. I am not saying that this is a "special" resort, it just acknowledges that there are families who may have issues that they will need help with on vacation.

As a person who may need this type of assistance I appreciate it. 

The Franklyn D has just 80 guest rooms that I have been assured are wheelchair and stroller accessible. Most have a full or partial ocean view and are right on the beach. They have many accessible walking paths and one lovely dock/pier that goes over the water. Believe me this pier is what hooked my attention initially.

What reeled me in (to continue the fishing metaphore) was that included in the price or the room you not only got to eat, drink (including alcohol), and play with their beach toys, but the price include a vacation nanny from 9:30-4:45. I love my son but past vacations have shown that he quickly tires of his parents if we are all he is hanging around with for several days. These wonderful nannies show up to your room and are as hands on with your children as you want them to be. Want to have a kid free lunch while your little one rides the water slide? Done. Kid wants to go to the beach and play with his new friends while you ger a message or read your book? Done! We have looked at other all inclusives and  have not found a program similiar to this one (but believe me we are still looking).

True, I have not been to this resort (YET!!), but with all the research my wife and I have done (so far). AND the quick replys to my Facebook posted questions my wife and I are seriously considering on visiting them in 2014 (if not sooner).

Good Service Matters

So we decided to try a dry run of theme parks by going on a last minute Disneyland vacation with my son next month. This will give us a good ideal as to whether he can handle Walt Disney World next year, or if we just extend the cruise. We booked an on property hotel (Disney's Paradise Pier) and i wanted to upgrade it to the Grand Californian ( I just like the laid back feel). I want a specific room if it was available but could not remember the room number. I decided to call up the GC switchboard and see if I can get some assist with this problem. I talked to a nice guy named Nick who understood that I wanted this room becasue my son is a train nut. He spent 25 minutes on the phone with me as we narrowed our search using clues that I remembered. I believe that we finally got the room found, and will be reserving it. I just wanted to let everyone know:

1. There are cheaper hotels out there that offer really good service. You do get amazing sustomer service when you are staying at a Disney property though and they can and will go way above and beyond for you.

2. If you get great customer service let the managers know. People are all to eager to make complaints in hopes of getting comped something. It is a rare thing that people seek out the manager ( as I did) and tell him/her that their staff did something exceptional.

I just want to say again "Thanks Nick for your great help, See you in a month"