Desire Pearl Resort & Spa

Would rate as a 5 star but the beach is a disaster. Cannot walk on beach or get in water due the sea grass. It also has a strong awful smell that can be smelled through the day depending on the wind. The room has an ocean view. Nice room and liked the bed and pillows. We even had a happy anniversary on the bed. Maid service was great. The service was great. We had several wonderful people from the bar staff to the towel guy who provided great service. We had no issues going to dinner or getting a table but we did eat early around 6:00 every night. We thought overall the food was great. We chose not to do the sales talk and were glad we skipped it. The Mansion basically seems like a dead zone for people who want to pay more and still go the regular pool and bars. We never saw anyone in the mansion pool and rarely saw anyone eating dinner at the mansion restaurant. Construction did start promptly at 8:30 every morning and woke us up. We won’t return unless the beach is fixed. Also only Pepsi products which is a disappointment. Jack and Pepsi doesn’t send the same as a Jack and coke. The disco was busy usually for about 30 minutes after the show and most people either went o bed or to the hot tub. Entertainment was ok every night. However the entertainment staff was great and friendly. I did enjoy some of the classes but they needed more things through out the day

Excellent place for couples. Luxury and so much fun. We lived it

Absolute disaster! Beach has completely washed away and all that is left is a seaweed / sewage mass on 5 feet of beach. The smell is awful and overwhelming throughout the entire resort. They are renovating one of the buildings so the resort is filled with the sound of jackhammers from 8 am until 5:30 pm everyday. The meals have gone down hill and if you’re not a “member” you’re treated like second class citizens. Not allowed to make reservations and not allowed to eat in certain restaurants depending on where they are “taking care” of the members. The one bright spot is that the staff are the greatest people in the world. It’s the only thing that kept us from walking out on day one.

Disappointing Return Visit — The Warm, Welcoming Resort We Remember Is Gone We are returning guests to Desire Pearl, although it had been about seven years since our last visit, before COVID. We had very fond memories of the resort and were genuinely looking forward to coming back for a special occasion. The property itself has not changed dramatically, with the major exception of the newer, ultra-exclusive area known as The Mansion, which appears to have only a small number of rooms. When we arrived at the main lobby, we received the warm welcome we remembered. Unfortunately, that feeling disappeared very quickly. Within approximately 15 minutes of arriving, we were subjected to what felt like a high-pressure membership and upgrade sales pitch. It reminded us more of a bad timeshare presentation than the beginning of a luxury vacation. We were not staying on a discounted promotion or special membership rate. We paid full price for an all-inclusive stay, yet almost immediately we were made to feel that being a non-member put us in a completely different class of guest. Because we were celebrating a special occasion, I agreed to pay an additional $300 for a three-night room upgrade. That is when another major disappointment became apparent. The accommodations available to us as non-members felt extremely dated and poorly maintained. We encountered a moldy-looking bathroom, dirty tile floors, an aging sliding glass door with a lock that did not function properly, and an air-conditioning vent that repeatedly leaked water onto the tile floor. The leaking water became more than an inconvenience when we did not notice it and there was a slip and fall. We reported the issue multiple times. Each time, we were told that someone would be sent to address it, but during our stay the problem was never properly resolved. When I asked about receiving a refund for the paid room upgrade because of these conditions, I was told that no one available had the authority to issue one. That experience also revealed something we noticed repeatedly throughout the trip: the first question employees seemed to ask before helping us was, “What room are you in?” Even when asking a simple question, such as where to make a restaurant reservation, our room number appeared to determine the answer and level of service. We eventually learned that, as non-members, we could not make restaurant reservations and instead had to rely on first-come, first-served availability. Throughout the restaurants, bars, pool area, and concierge interactions, the color-coded wristbands made it obvious who was a member and who was not. In our experience, the difference in treatment was noticeable. What was once a warm, friendly, welcoming resort now felt much more like a corporate operation focused heavily on memberships, upgrades, and status levels. Unfortunately, the food was also very disappointing compared with what we remembered, and many of the drinks tasted weak or watered down. The biggest disappointment was not that the resort had changed physically. Resorts evolve. It was that the entire atmosphere had changed. We previously remembered Desire Pearl as a place where couples could relax, feel welcomed, and enjoy a unique romantic experience. This time, we frequently felt like second-class guests simply because we were not members—even though we had paid full price for our stay. For couples considering Desire Pearl for a romantic getaway, I would strongly recommend researching the current membership structure and exactly what privileges you will and will not receive before booking. We came back because of how much we enjoyed Desire Pearl in the past. Sadly, based on this experience, we left wishing we had chosen somewhere else. If zero stars were an option based on this stay, that would be our rating.

We recently stayed at Pearl in September. We have stayed there about 10 times over the last 8 years. We would rate all our prior stays at 5 stars. However, this trip our experience was totally different, forcing us to now consider other options/resorts in the future. First of all, the good stuff...the workers and playmakers all work very hard and do an excellent job, delivering excellent service. Thank you to the following, for making a very positive experience for us. Claudia at the Melange bar...5+ stars, she was the best! Gilberto and Orlando do an awesome job at the Pearl. Love you more Gilberto!! 🙂 Gabby at the pool, Kia and the playmakers, Antonio and all the pool / chair attendants, provided top notch service. Now for the areas that need some attention: Restaurants: Two nights while we were there, they closed the restaurants due to low occupancy, and our only option was a buffet. We understand possibly not being able to keep all the restaurants open but providing ONLY a buffet option when you are paying $$$$, is NOT acceptable.  Sargassum: Sargassum was awful. We realize this is not totally in the resort's control; but it was just awful. It was piled high on the beach and sat there without any clean up attempt for 3-4 days. There were workers out there that started working on day 4-5 of our stay, but it just continued to pile up on the beach each day. The worst part is the stench; it was bad throughout the entire resort. Someone told us, you'll get used to the smell...so not true.  Pools: Something was off with the pools. There was a continuous dark line around the entire interior of the pool located at the water line. The pool attendants were constantly trying to clean that area. After spending time in the pools, we discovered a film or scum on you after leaving the pool. You could even see the residue on the tan pool towels, if you did not shower off first. We never saw them shock the pool during our entire stay and there was never, ever even a hint of a chlorine smell.