Trip Index
The next morning, we headed down to Tapanco restaurant for breakfast. There weren't a lot of patrons as it was late morning, so we were able to be seated on the patio. Everything was a-la-carte, including an extensive juice menu. No buffets at all in this resort, just two sit-down restaurants and a pool bar.
We ordered a couple of the juices and two entrees: eggs a la Mexicana and the salmon omelet. It seemed that the server didn't fully understand what we had asked for as he brought over his manager a few minutes after taking our order. The manager repeated the order to us and we confirmed the items. I supposed that the waiter was in training.
 |
| eggs a la Mexicana |
|
 |
| salmon omelet |
|
The entrees looked really good, until we took our first bite...bland. Even the omelet, which wasn't marked as a "healthy item", topped with a creamy sauce, was bland. Yes, we were at a wellness resort, though I expected the food to be "healthier", but still taste good by use of herbs and spices. I reflected back on last night's dinner. The lobster salad was barely dressed, which was acceptable as I usually forego salad dressing, but probably not for most people. The fish was not heavy but it was seasoned well. The small portion of chocolate mousse I had for dessert was not marked a healthy selection, but it wasn't decadent either, in order to be 215 calories. I hoped that lunch would be more satisfying.
After breakfast, we took a stroll around the resort to get familiar with the surroundings. Zoetry Casa Del Mar has beautiful grounds and a picturesque setting on the beach. Unfortunately, the ocean was not swimmable due to strong currents in the area.
 |
| beautiful day |
|
 |
| these particular units seem to be privately owned |
|
We strolled around the resort and noticed there was remodeling going on in the main building as well as the restaurants. Then it was time to eat lunch at the Beach Club.
While we were waiting for our food, we saw a vendor put up shop on the beach. He kept his distance from guests who were lounging nearby, probably a hotel policy. The vendor was selling a kind of kite which looked like a parachute hooked to a green action figure. If I had a kid, I would've been tempted to buy it since it was really cute. There were other vendors walking up and down the beach, offering souvenirs like hats, tote bags, and jewelry, never once approaching the guests unless they asked for them to come closer.
Much of the lunch menu was marked "healthy" which did not bode well. Even the quesadilla was listed as a healthy choice. But thankfully the french fries were pretty tasty and cooked well. I ordered an extra plate of fries in addition to the ones that were included in Kaleb's burrito. I would also give thumbs up to the guacamole and pico de gallo. The ice cream was, you guessed it, healthy. I wasn't tempted to ordered it again for the rest of the week. I watched a waiter deliver an order of food for some folks who were lounging on the beach...hamburgers! That was not on the menu. I did read in TripAdvisor reviews that if you wanted something not on the menu, they would try to accommodate. I had never imagined special requests for mundane items like hamburgers.
I noticed that our wait staff did not come by often enough to refill our empty water glasses, nor did they ask if we wanted anything else to drink besides the mojito and beer we initially ordered or if the food was all right. Since it cost more to stay at Zoetry than Secrets, I had expected at least the same level of service so I was starting to become disappointed. Only a few other tables were occupied, and there were four waiters hanging around. I overheard one of the couples remarking on the slow service, so it was not just me.
 |
| fruit skewers |
|
 |
| guacamole and salsa |
|
 |
| parrotfish ceviche |
|
 |
| shrimp quesadilla |
|
 |
| miraflores burrito |
|
 |
| ice cream |
|
After lunch, we contemplated lounging on the beach, but there were no empty lounge chairs (there were only about ten total to begin with), plus not many umbrellas for shade like we had experienced at Secrets. We ended up relaxing on the balcony of our suite, reading Kindles, once in a while retreating back inside for some air conditioning or a cold drink from the mini-bar. We also went to the spa to make an appointment for our free 20-minute treatment, one of the "Endless Privileges" that guests receive while staying at Zoetry. We used the spa coupons that we received at check-in to extend our massages to 70 minutes. (standard 50 minute massage with $40 discount plus 20 minutes free) The massages were scheduled the day after tomorrow.
For dinner, I didn't want to return to Mezquite, last night's restaurant, as it was too dark to see the food. I also wasn't motivated enough to go to the other restaurant for dinner. We ended up ordering room service but I neglected to snap photos. The selections on the room service menu were very similar to the offerings in the restaurants.
Today left me with a empty feeling that I hoped would disappear the next day.
***
If you enjoyed reading this entry, and you haven't already done so, get full updates to my blog direct to your inbox! Click
here to subscribe. Unsubscribe at any time. Your email address will never be shared with anyone. Thank you for your readership!
No comments:
Post a Comment