"Once you have a vacation nanny, you'll never want to vacation without one," confided the smiling, tanned mom as she watched her two small children playing with their nanny in the pool. I heard this same sentiment echoed time and time again during our stay at FDR Pebbles. At this all-inclusive resort, everything is included in the price of the vacation - even a nanny for each family with children under the age of twelve. What's more, under the resort's current "Kids Plus" package the price is incredibly reasonable. Children 16 and under stay, play and eat for $30 per night or less, and all-inclusive adult rates are as low as $140 per person.
The FDR Pebbles Resort is located on a small stretch of beach in Trelawny on Jamaica's north coast, about a 45-minute drive from Montego Bay airport. The resort's twelve cedar wood buildings house 96 attractive one-bedroom junior suites, many of which connect to form two-bedroom accommodations for families. The rooms are large, and contain a king-size bed, a day bed, mini refrigerator, television, and a full bath. Each suite has its own outdoor balcony or terrace, many of which overlook the azure blue Caribbean Sea. Lush landscaping, an abundance of flowers, wicker furniture, and the attractive use of wood adds to the resort's tropical feel. Because of the resort's small size and friendly staff, it's easy for children to become quickly comfortable in their new surroundings.
FDR Pebbles is a resort specifically designed for the family market. In addition to the Kool Katz Club and vacation nannies for younger children, FDR Pebbles has launched programs specifically for teens and pre-teens. The focus of the resort's activities is soft adventure, where the emphasis is on learning as well as fun. The Kool Katz Club operates from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Kids 4 years old and under must be accompanied by their vacation nanny or a parent, but older children can feel free to enjoy the activities on their own. There are educational and computer games and a variety of movies, but the bulk of the Club's activities are much more hands-on: tie-dying t-shirts (a family favorite), arts and crafts, photography lessons, treasure hunts, fishing, and shell collecting. Activities change daily and are posted on the Cool Katz Klub board.
Teens have their own activity coordinator and a designated clubroom overlooking the pool. It's a popular place to hang out and enjoy listening to music, parties, and other activities in the company of other teens. Programs focus on active pursuits, such as kayaking, windsurfing, sailing, glass-bottom boat rides, volleyball, reggae dance classes, and camping out under the stars along the Martha Brae River. When enough teens are present, the resort also plans excursions to the Montego Bay waterpark, heritage sites, the Green Grotto Caves, and other off-property trips to see more of Jamaica and learn about the island's culture. Snorkeling trips and scuba diving with instruction are also available. There's also an Internet cybercafe` for those who must stay in touch with their friends.
The vacation nannies at FDR are excellent. Those we met were sincerely warm, caring individuals, and the vast majority of the nannies are mothers themselves. The vacation nanny provided to each family is available to look after the children from 9 a.m. to 4:40 p.m. each day, with an hour off for lunch. She'll also continue to babysit after that time for $4 per hour, paid in cash directly to the nanny. Many of the families become close friends with their nanny during their stay, and request the same nanny for their next visit. FDR understands the needs and concerns parents have, and will do their best to honor specific requests for nannies with special types of experience or skills. An additional vacation nanny may be provided to the family at a cost of $20 per day. In addition to caring for children, the vacation nanny also serves as a resort's personal hostess. She stocks each room's refrigerator with snacks and drinks, cleans the suite, and can help out in a variety of ways, such as signing kids up for activities.
Dining at Pebbles generally takes place at the resort's main dining room, the Oceanside Restaurant. The dining room overlooks the sea, and offers buffets at breakfast, lunch and dinner. The beachside Jamaica Restaurant serves lunch, hamburgers, hotdogs Jamaican specialties and snacks. A buffet dinner for the children is also available as well. Sabbia, the resort's adults only restaurant, serves Italian dishes and an excellent antipasto buffet. Snacks 'R Us, the kids snack bar next to the main dining room, offers ice cream and other snacks daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
While a complete tour desk is available at FDR Pebbles, families can also enjoy the two complementary excursions that are part of the resort's all-inclusive plan. The Montego Bay Shopping Excursion goes out two afternoons each week, and offers guests the opportunity to enjoy a wide variety of shopping outlets. The Historical Tour of Falmouth and Swamp Safari Crocodile Farm tour visits historical sites as well as the crocodile farm where the James Bond movie "Live and Let Die" was filmed. Through the resort's tour desk, families can arrange other excursions such as interactions with dolphins at Dolphin Cove, rafting trips on the Martha Brae River, horseback riding adventures, and visits to the Cranbrook Flower Forest.
Our kids loved the big Olympic sized pool at Pebbles complete with swim-up bar. Continuous virgin pina coladas and strawberry daiquiris were also a big hit. My husband and I enjoyed lounging in the hammocks near the sea, working off our dinners at the fitness center, kayaking along the coast, and visiting Time 'n Place - a funky little beach bar and restaurant next to the property. It's a great place to walk the beach, watch the sunset's technicolor sky play over the water and enjoy a grilled lobster and jerk chicken dinner. We also loved playing air hockey and foozball with the kids in the game room in the evenings. If we had had more time, we would have taken advantage of the resort's scuba program. Many families we met were in the process of becoming certified and felt that the instruction was excellent.
For those interested in bringing home Jamaican wood carvings and crafts, Bamboo Village is located just a short walk down the beach. The artisans and craftspeople are friendly and are not pushy, and you'll find beautiful carvings, straw baskets, jewelry, and handmade items in addition to the usual t-shirts. Bargaining is both encouraged and expected here.
FDR Pebbles offers a great vacation value, especially for families with small children who wish to take advantage of the property's Vacation Nanny program. The focus on teens and soft adventure activities is also rather unique when compared to other Caribbean properties. Check out the many specials advertised on the resort's website, as the bargains are superb and new ones often become available. For another perspective on vacationing at FDR Pebbles, see this article at About.com's Travel With Kids area Resort Review: Pebbles Jamaica.
