This Spring Break, Big Foot received his very first passport stamp! We spent a few days in Jamaica, and not only did he have a blast, but I was even able to relax.
First, let’s talk about money. This vacation was definitely a splurge for me, but with careful planning and timing I was able to pull it off. In the end, I spent about $1500 for the flight and 3 nights stay at the resort. Specifically, $900 for the resort (kids under 6 stay free), and $548 for the flight.
The outbound flight experience was wonderful. The security check at MCO was uncharacteristically fast and painless, and my first experience flying JetBlue was lovely. The inbound flight experience was something else, but more on that in a later post.
There were two big factors that made me choose this particular adventure for this year’s Spring Break. First, my son has been fixated on the idea of the beach since he was two, despite having the kind of mom who lives in Florida, yet never goes to the beach. In fact, he once drew me a beach “just in case I didn’t know how to find the beach”. Second, one of the way the Franklyn D. Resort differentiates itself from others in the crowded tropical vacation market is though the inclusion of a vacation nanny assigned each family.
That’s right: the all-inclusive price includes all meals, all drinks, many activities, airport transportation, and a vacation nanny. Vacation. Nanny. Which means that even a single mom like me can have some time for self-care during the vacation.
We arrived at the resort on a Monday, and the reception staff was friendly and welcoming. I was informed that our room had been upgraded from a Garden/Pool View Junior Suite to a Beachfront 2 Bedroom Suite. The suite was clean and pretty, with TVs in each bedroom and in the living room, a beach patio with a view of the beach, and a kitchenette (with some cheese and crackers in the mini-fridge).
Although it was already close to 5:00pm when we arrived, the nanny still came to meet us in our suite, give us a tour, and stay with us for a bit so my son could go on the beach before dark. Before she left, she walked us to one of the restaurants so we could have dinner. There are multiple restaurants on the property, including one with grilled foods and kid favorites (right next an ice cream bar with a tree house on top!), an adults-only fine dining restaurant, and a buffet. During our stay, some of my favorites were the (very spicy) jerk chicken/pork and the guava-glazed chicken.
The next morning, Anna, our nanny, arrived at 8:30 while we were at breakfast. Big Foot warmed up to her very quickly and went off to play on the beach with her until her lunch break. By the time she returned, after we had our own lunch, I asked my son what he would like to do next, he enthusiastically said, “Go play with Anna!” Then, he grabbed her hand and took off running. Most of our vacation was spent with him playing with the nanny, and I really enjoyed listening to him recount his adventures at mealtimes and as we spent the evenings together. During his time with Anna, Big Foot played on the beach, tie-dyed a shirt, played in the club house, played on the beach some more, played on the playground, swam in the pool, had a beaded bracelet made, went fishing, and watched rabbits.
I had planned on taking advantage of the fitness center and glass bottom boat tour, but I spent most of the free time doing all the things I rarely do: reading a book on the patio (not for work, and without interruptions!), have a massage surrounded by the ocean, and get a pedicure without rushing. I was also able to enjoy a glass of wine here and there since I didn’t need to worry about driving home. I have to say that the pedicure was mediocre, but the massage was absolutely heavenly. The fact the two services cost me less than I would pay just for the massage States-side was a bonus, especially when the spa includes this view:
And did I mention I was able to read a whole book during those few days? While sitting under trees and looking out at the ocean?
Oh, and apparently, I was even flirted with, but I’m in the stage of my life where I don’t notice these things until the young lady working as a nanny points it out to me.
Some of the activities were not available because our stay ended before the weekend, but one of the highlights was the Wednesday evening beach-side barbecue. It was just cool enough to be comfortable, the anti-bug lamps were effective, and the food was both plentiful and tasty. Truly the perfect setting for the last evening of our stay.
Check out was at noon on Thursday, and someone came to pick up our luggage for us at 11:00 am, which means Big Foot was still able to enjoy some last-minute beach time. The check out process itself was quick and painless, and the airport shuttle arrived right on time. Big Foot was definitely sad to say goodbye to Anna, and I sure wished we could have stayed another day or two.
Overall, I would say the vacation was a success. Everyone at FDR was really friendly and helpful, and they really have it set to make it a perfect vacation for parents, including single parents. It isn’t a luxury resort per se, but for me the luxury was in being able to enjoy a vacation with my child (and get to be in the pictures!) while still having some time for myself. I would absolutely go again.
Plus, this moment alone was worth it:
Keep wandering,
~Joëlle
Still Wandering 