
Nineteen kilometers from town and 21 kilometers from the airport. Formerly the Club Fortuna Beach, this walled compound of one- and two-story tan stucco buildings is situated on a quarter-mile stretch of white beach. An all-inclusive fun-in-the-sun resort, this is the kind of place guests either love or hate, depending on whether they fall into the general spirit of things, or rebel against it (i.e. those dancing in the disco at 2 am, vs. those trying to get some sleep with a pillow wrapped around their ears). Those who are fussy about their rooms will find plenty to complain about, from exposed wiring and missing smoke detectors to dirty tile floors and lumpy mattresses. Service is hit or miss, and the food is quite average, but for guests who enjoy taking advantage of all the watersports, the evening entertainment and a surfeit of meals (not to mention an endless
supply of cheap booze), this sprawling 26-hectare place is a Caribbean Nirvana. Nearly always full, especially with Europeans flocking here in summer (bring an Italian phrase book), its spacious tiled lobby is a beehive of activity.
Beyond the shopping arcade is a large pavilion with trellised accents, stark floors and high roofs with skylights. A theater, split-level dining area, and hall with a lounge and nautical bar share the area and all are tastefully furnished in Malaysian teak. Besides Trattoria, the Italian a la carte restaurant for which guests compete to make reservations, there is a big buffet dining pavilion, Junkanoo, and wine comes with lunch and dinner. Guests order drinks at a bar beside the large freshwater pool
and dance into the wee hours at the lively disco. The grounds are rather unkempt and beware of an army of bees in summer months drawn by frequently spilled drinks.
The staff stages nightly entertainment a la Club Med. Table tennis and a weight room provide indoor diversion, and watersports, beach volleyball, tennis on two lighted courts, archery, soccer and bocce furnish the outdoor fun. Golfers can practice on the putting green. An impressive beach has lounge chairs splayed under palapas. An onsite dive shop and jet-ski rentals incur extra charges. The kids' club keeps little ones busy.
Accommodations in the two-story buildings are far from luxurious, but the tropically inspired, air-conditioned interiors are bright and functional. Terra-cotta floors and sand-tone stucco cool them, but the faded spreads, cheap furnishings and lumpy pillows may have guests seeing red. TVs, safes, phones and two queen beds with trellised headboards are standard. The tiled shower-only baths have pseudo-marble vanities and hair dryers, and the furnished balconies have garden or ocean views which vary the room prices. Kids under 12 stay free with two paying adults.
Couples, families and singles come here, which puts a crimp in spontaneous mingling.