CSA rooms... help?

**Ayslinn** · April 25th, 2010, 09:17 PM

Howdy,

So now that the 2011 deals have been extended we're looking to book a trip to CSA. However, I've been doing some reading on the different types of rooms, and I have to say I am stumped. Short of knowing that the BFVS is NOT in our budget, anything else is fair game but the problem is... I don't know what to pick!

From the reviews I've read, noise is an issue at CSA and so we should not stay in the great house or near the road... the problem is, I have no idea which types of rooms that means we should avoid.

The atrium suites seem attractive because of the hammock on the balcony (do they also have chairs and such as well as the hammock?), but I've heard they don't have windows??? Are they really hot and noisy then???

We were also looking at a Garden verandah or an ocean verandah... is one better than the other in terms of location? noise? anything else I'm missing?

So as you can see... I'm slightly confused.

Any help from experienced CSA'ers would be great. What would you pick?

Thanks!

**gopanthers** · April 26th, 2010, 08:41 AM

As I mentioned in my recent (and very long) review noise was NEVER an issue when we stayed in the Great House 3 weeks ago and I thought they were a great value as well. Some people do not like them because they are more "hotel-like" in that you have to walk through hallways to get to your door, but as far as noise goes, that was never ever an issue in the 6 nights I stayed there and I'm not a real heavy sleeper.....not real light either...probably just average.

**smoo72** · April 26th, 2010, 08:55 AM

IMHO, if you are concerned about noise, and can't swing a beachfront verandah, go for the Ocean Verandah.

I personally haven't had issues with the road noise in either Garden Verandah or Garden Suite, but others have, so there is that chance you may too.

We just had a Beachfront Suite, so no glass behind the louvers in the windows and I found it too loud. I could hear all of the entertainment at the Palms as though we were actually there, and the birds in the morning KILLED me. We also had the pleaure of partaking in our downstairs neighbors conversations all week.

I would think Atriums wouldn't be much different due to their not having glass on the windows either.

re: heat though, that wasn't an issue. When you close up the louvers, it retains the AC. When you have them all open, there's a really nice breeze...though with that said, we were just there a couple weeks ago and the weather was perfection (not too hot, not real humid). I may have a different opinion were I going in August as I remember that time to be much hotter.

**Chris** · April 26th, 2010, 09:07 AM

None of the rooms in the original section of SweptAway's gorgeous layout have glazing in the windows. In the past, many have complained of road noise that can be heard from the original Garden Suites... and many have also poo-pooed this. That said, a recent post indicated that a manager said something about glazing being installed in these windows. Also rumored is the addition of minibars in the Atriums, but I don't know if there is any truth to that. The original Beachfront Suites have minibars.

As for being hot and noisy... NOT. You will hear kitchen traffic in the morning throughout the resort, and this can wake you if you're staying in the original section and are a light sleeper. The wooden slats on the windows do, however, keep the rooms nice and cool when the A/C is on. There is also a ceiling fan in each suite.

The Atrium Suites have nice padded benches on their verandah, in addition to the hammock.

The Verandah Suites were added when SweptAway doubled its capacity from 2003-2007. These all have TV & minibars. The only thing that distinguishes one level of Verandah Suite from its companions is location relative to the beach, with the Garden Verandah Suites being closest to the road. Oceanview are in the middle of the resort (as are the Atriums), and the Beachfronts are (you guessed it) right on the beach. The Greathouse Verandah Suites are in the Greathouse Complex.

I hope that helps... feel free to ask more...

**ChrisNDeb** · April 26th, 2010, 09:17 AM

We stayed in the GVS and will admit, there was road noise but it never bothered us. At times we even laughed as we could hear people honking their horns letting the crossing guards they were not going to stop :-) It all depends on a persons tolerance to noise. I live in a rural area with no traffic or hardly any noise except for farm equipment. Plus, with the tv on it filtered the noise out. I wouldn't mind staying in a GVS again.

**schwieso** · April 26th, 2010, 10:56 AM

We had a first floor atrium room and it did have glass on windows under the louvers. Only screens under the louvers on the porch. The porch has a hammock and a bench for sitting and a table. AC worked very well and cooled room with in a few minutes after we turned it on when we returned to our room at dinner time. ( we left off during the day because we were not there.). To see some great pictures of the atrium rooms take a look at negrilonestop http://www.negrilonestop.com/couples...y_photos.shtml . Atrium Rooms more in the center of the resort, noise not a problem. Possibly second floor atrium rooms only have screens so you can open the louvers to get a breeze ?

**Chris** · April 26th, 2010, 11:44 AM

schwieso -

When were you there???

This would be a rather recent addition. In all our stays at SweptAway (five of them in Atrium Suites, most recently last May), the only glazing in any of the windows was in the windows facing the atrium between the suites, so that you were separated from your neighbor. There has never been glass or glazing in the windows above the bed or at the back door/bathroom area.

Details?

**blueseagolf** · April 26th, 2010, 12:26 PM

Asylinn,
We just returned on 4/24/10 from CSA. We were in a second floor Atrium Suite 2219, road noise at night is not an issue, the music from the tree frogs drowns any all but the worst of the road noise. The service carts moving throughout the property might be an issue, (I would like to suggest CSA retro-fit these carts with 6 inch polyurethane wheels to cut down on noise) they start moving through at around 6:30 am.
I will also attest to the air conditioners work extremely well.
Even with just screens, the wooden slats and the ceiling fan do the job, trust me if you want you can set it low enough to see your breath!
True, the Atrium suites do not have a TV, so what, we did not miss it.... we found other things to occupy our time ;-)

**schwieso** · April 26th, 2010, 02:27 PM

We were there in September 2010. We were in Room 2127, atrium room , and glass was in the windows. Only a small area of screen and that was on the area leading to the porch. Room had been recently renovated, so I am not sure if it was done at that time. Did not expect glass, so I was surprised . Only bad is you can not open the louvers to get a breeze, but on the first floor, so probably would not of had much of breeze anyway. ( it was also in the upper 90's during the trip so probably would not have opened windows too frequently. ) I could not tell you if the entire building had windows or screens. LOVE the atrium rooms.

**J&TEdmonton** · April 26th, 2010, 03:39 PM

While we can't speak to rooms other than the Ocean View Verandah, we didn't find noise to be a big issue. There was occasional noise from other guests outside and every now and then a particularily noisy vehicle would go by and we could hear it but overall it was a lot quiter than any other resort we have been to. I do reccomend that you take ear plugs though, that way if you have a noisier room or neighbour you have a tool to deal with it.

**CSS70** · April 26th, 2010, 09:06 PM

Just returned yesterday from 14 incredible days at CSA. We had a room in the Great House and noise was no problem at all....OK, we had one night when there were guests on our floor who chose to party in the Hallway for a while, but our sleep was only briefly interrupted. The rooms are a basic hotel room type, but our plans were to spend time on the beach and poolside....not in the room so it was just right! The rooms seemed a bit "worn" but were sleek and clean. We will definitely be returning for our second stay at CSA and our 12th trip to Jamaica!

**topspin** · April 27th, 2010, 04:28 PM

Do I understand from other posts that they plan to install mini bars in the atrium suites? Or...is it just refrigerators? Or...do I have it all wrong?

**toodycat** · April 27th, 2010, 05:50 PM

First, congratulations on booking your trip. You are in for a treat. On our last trip, we had an atrium room which has louvers and screens as schwieso points out. There is still air conditioning, so you are not in a gross, stuffy room. We liked our atrium better than the beachfront suite we had had the year before. It was quiet, spacious and romantic with a beautiful and, frankly, superior view of the beach. Also, beachfront rooms are on or near the beach path, so you do have folks walking past your room. The atrium room was a little further back from the beach and therefore, did not have as much foot traffic. We didn't miss the TV at all.

**lvmcgill** · April 27th, 2010, 06:36 PM

Originally Posted by schwieso

We were there in September 2010. We were in Room 2127, atrium room , and glass was in the windows. Only a small area of screen and that was on the area leading to the porch. Room had been recently renovated, so I am not sure if it was done at that time. Did not expect glass, so I was surprised . Only bad is you can not open the louvers to get a breeze, but on the first floor, so probably would not of had much of breeze anyway. ( it was also in the upper 90's during the trip so probably would not have opened windows too frequently. ) I could not tell you if the entire building had windows or screens. LOVE the atrium rooms.

Oh... that explains it... you were there in the future so they must be planning to install the glass. LOL Sorry, I'm sure you meant Sept. 2009 but I couldn't resist. :-)

**Ayslinn** · April 27th, 2010, 10:27 PM

So thanks everyone for your help... now guess what!!!

Talked to my SO about the room choices, showed her this post, sighed longingly about the beachfront verandah suite and then moved on to the other choices...

...and then she looked at me and said, "well why not let's go for it." let's go for it!!! WHOOHOO we're getting a BFVS!!!

can't wait. I have never in my life had a beachfront anything. Is there really a year between now and next June???