CSA vs. CSS - CSA room pref. is now booked

So...My husband and I, with another couple have been researching Couples for the last several months...We were finally ready to pull the trigger between defining dates and flights this morning to book a week at Couples Swept Away and found out that the suites, (Ocean Verandah) at CSA were sold out since yesterday for our travel dates...My heart broke! Now, since we are traveling with another couple, all 4 of us are somewhat locked into our dates and looking for alternatives; one of which is Couples San Souci...Can any one provide some insight if they think we will like it? The main concerns I have are: Small beach, the stairs, and the limited amount of restaurants compared to CSA. At CSS we are looking at the One Bedroom Beachfront Suites - any feedback on this?

I would really appreciate any insight as we are looking to book by Friday since it appears this is when their big promotion is ending. I have been reading the message board all day and have learned some great things, but was really hoping for some Couples experts to give me their opinions? Let me know, thanks for all your help!

Have you tried to get the Garden Verandah suite? Same layout - you won't be disappointed!

I think CSS would be the best choice regardless of the rooms..To me CSS has much prettier rooms(all suites) with full room service.The suites are nestled into the beautiful cliffs.The One Bedroom Beachfront Suites at CSS are BEAUTIFUL..Just so pretty and large.

While the beach at CSS is not as nice or pretty as CSA's,it really is nice and serves our purpose...CSS does not have as many restaurants but it also does not have as many guests as CSA.

I think in my heart that you all will love CSS..I also think you will love CSS better than CSA..I do.

GO.RELAX.ENJOY CSS and have a Salty Dog for me..Ruff Ruff

Like @musicalrose says, try the Garden Verandah suites. They really aren't any different in layout and are just a little further back on the property. Not a huge difference, and it will give you more $$ to spend at the Spa. :)

CSA is an awesome property and you'll love it. The distance to the beach in the suites other than Beachfront is not that big.

We stayed at CSS two years ago, and while it was not a "bad" trip (like that could happen at a Couples resort), I would recommend staying with your original choice: CSA. There is a reason it called to you. Go with it.

We've been to CSS and CSA. I like CSA better, but my better half likes CSS better (actually she fell in love with the Friday gala).

Here's the difference as I see it. The beach at CSA is far better than that of CSS.

The rooms at CSS are better than CSA.

You have more variety at CSA for restaurants, but CSS has all day room service plus their chef makes world class deserts. I'll call it a tie.

I really missed the Catamaran cruise at CSS, but the grounds are so very beautiful at CSS.

In short, there both Couples (so you get great service, food, etc.), but they are different. And as they say, different strokes for different folks.

Demeter5MS,
If you would like to see pictures of the One Bedroom Beachfront Suite at CSS, check out "Pictures of San Souci Resort" on the 2nd page of this message board sent by "Wally". This gives you a good idea how the room looks. They are the first pictures shown. Our pics are the ones from the penthouse down further in the thread.The only picture missing from the beachfront suite is that of the huge walk in shower in the room. Our friends stayed in one 2 years ago, not us. These rooms are located at ground level facing the beach. You can walk out to the beach, pool, beach bar, watersports, sunset beach, Palazzina Restaurant, beach grill, Bella Vista Restaurant (beach grill at night) all without stairs. Unless your room is on the second floor. You will also be facing the spectacular Starlight Gala on the lawn in front of the rooms on Friday nights. We stayed in a Penthouse last year and in '08, buildings "E" & "D". Those were up the stairs but were never a problem for us and we're mid 50's. The Baloon Bar is where the nightly entertainment is (most nights) and that is up the stairs from the Beachfront Suites as well as the Casanova (fancy restaurant). You will love CSS, believe me. The food is fantastic. We are heading to CSA in April just to check it out for the first time. We stayed at CN twice too.

I would recommend booking CSA in a different room category. (Especially if your heart was set on CSA!) All of their rooms are nice. You can't really compare CSS to CSA as they are very different resorts.

Your concerns for CSS are very big concerns. Are you not concerned with the rooms at CSS? The beachfront suites at CSS are nice. However, they are not exactly ON the beachfront. There is lawn and a pool between the beach and the room. So, if you want to walk out of your room right to the beach, you won't get it there without going through the lawn first. Also, the beach is VERY small. It is like the size of a lake cove. (Except for AN Sunset Beach side, which we did not go to during the day) The beaches are BY FAR better in Negril.

I've attached two photos of the beachfront suites at CSS. Sorry, I can't find a pic of the inside of the room!!

i feel your pain! i have been wanting to book an atrium suite at csa for the past few days but have been trying to get in touch with someone about our rewards number. i thought we had to provide that when booking so i have been waiting until i could get that all figured out. today i saw that the atrium is all booked and my heart broke too. i almost cried because our dates are not flexible either. this was to be our honeymoon! i should have booked sooner and forgotten about the rewards number. i didn't know it could be updated later. i called to see if maybe there was one room left but there was not. a nice lady at couples advised me to get one of the other suites like the atrium and keep checking back to see if the atrium becomes available. we went with the beachfront which is not my preference because of all the traffic and people walking around in front but we are hoping for a second floor room if we cannot get an atrium. i am a little sad to be without the hammock though. i am just so disappointed in myself and sad that this is what i am feeling when i book our honeymoon! i should be so excited but really i am just about to cry.

i think you might want to think about getting one of the rooms at csa that is one category above or below the one you want. in all honesty, all the rooms are nice and you don't spend a ton of time in them anyway. when you have your heart set on one it is hard tough. you might be able to change later like i am hoping to do. the garden veranda is in such a nice area! when we walked around over there the landscaping was beautiful. the beachfront veranda is a little more money but very pretty! you can walk right out of your room to the beach. the beach is so big and awesome at csa so i would really stick with that choice.
good luck!

hey melody -

OK - you're a CSA Vet, so you already know....DO NOT FRET!!! Your choice of a beach front suite is a GREAT choice! We've stayed in Beach Front Verandah Suites on the new side and Beach Front Suites on the old side - on both the top and ground levels, and really have NEVER had problems with people walking by. If you think back, there really is not constant people traffic outside of your room, and really - anyone walking by is probably paying attention to 1)the ocean 2)the beach 3)the beautiful grounds or 4)their SO, so you don't really need to worry about people all in your business.

Maybe you enjoy the drama of crying over what you can't have, but honestly I'd save that and enjoy the fact that you're going to a fabulous resort, and you'll be walking outside of your room DIRECTLY onto a fantastic beach!!!

Take your own advice to the original poster and enjoy what you have - you're going to a great resort, and you're on your honeymoon!! It's all irie mon!!!

STAY AT CSA! Book either a greathouse or a garden, garden are same rooms juswt different view...CSS is in Ochi it is a completely different experience and beach...if you fell for the beach in negril CSS won't cut it. Just my opinion.

The beach doesn't come anywhere close to CSA's at CSS. Go for any room category you can get and go to Couples Swept Away! The resort called to you for a reason. CSA is on 7 Mile Beach and goes on forever. Fine white sand and crystal clear blue water. It is paradise. We are going back this October. CSA ROCKS!

i wasn't actually crying i just felt like i wanted to! i was so disappointed that i waited to book because i misunderstood about the rewards number. i do remember walking by the beachfronts and thinking how i would never want one because i could see right into the room and it did not seem secluded at all which is what i really liked about the atrium. i am also not really loving the extra cost but it isn't that bad. i am kicking myself because i wish i would have booked online instead of calling because it is $20/night cheaper online than what i got over the phone. i know we will love going back to csa no matter what but i am still hoping we can get an atrium.

If your original choice was CSA I'd stick with that and just book a different category room. I recently returned from a CSS/CSA split trip. 2nd time to CSS and 6th to CSA. CSS is a beautiful resort with a great staff and I obviosly liked it enough to go twice(both times as a split with CSA)But for my husband and I nothing compares to CSA. I"d stay in any room there just to be able to be there. We stayed in both a Beachfront Suite and a Penthouse at CSS and always book an Atrium Suite at CSA. My Atrium Suite is by far my favorite room anywhere.
But, regardless of which resort you choose,Im sure you and your friends will have a wonderful vacation ,all the Couples Resorts are great, just different.

Well today if Friday, what did you decide?

So, even though the consensus was to book at CSA, we did end up booking at CSS...I really wanted the room type at CSA that was no longer available and was just concerned that we wouldn't be happy in an atrium suite, although they look beautiful!
We are very, very excited about going to CSS and will be there 4/8 - 4/14....Anyone else going to be around at that time? It should be sooo much fun - I just can't wait!

I was reading this thread because my boyfriend and I are booked into a penthouse suite at CSS in April. I have had a hard time finding people who have posted pictures of the specific penthouse rooms so I thought I would add a couple pictures from our CSA trip 4 yrs ago for anyone else who is looking for those. I am sorry I have no idea what our room numbers were. We stayed in both the Beachfront (older) suite and the atrium. I would have to say that I really loved our Beachfront suite! It was amazing - we were right above the beach bar and never felt at all any issues of privacy. The atrium we stayed in was ok - but after having 3 nights at the beach it was hard to not have that view. Also, it could have been just our room - but the atrium seemed not as well kept as our beachfront. I posted a link to some pictures of both (but mostly the beachfront)

Sorry we will miss you in April - we get there on the 20th.

http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/...5@N02/?saved=1

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Originally Posted by Demeter5MS

So, even though the consensus was to book at CSA, we did end up booking at CSS...

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Well lookie here, zigging when the mob is telling you to zag. Now that's some spirit there! Good for you, and not because you chose CSS over CSA, totally irrelevant. It's that you went with your gut and heart, which is the only way someone should choose their destination. I just can't imagine making a choice based on going with a majority opinion.

This year we were able to book an atrium suite at CSA, last year was our first time to couples for our honeymoon, and we stayed at CSS in the beachfront jacuzzi suite. The room was nice and had a minibar in it, but we could care less about the room as we arent in it that much. We loved CSS and we are worried that we wont like CSA as much but we wanted to try it. Dont let the few restuarants worry you, the food is awesome at all of them and they have room service until 11pm. The staff is awesome and the property is beautiful. We love CSS so much we just hope we will feel the same about CSA