Hedonism Resorts

Hedonism II
Location within Jamaica
General information
Location Negril, Westmoreland, Jamaica
Coordinates 18°20′17″N 78°20′27″W / 18.337957°N 78.3408558°W / 18.337957; -78.3408558
Opening 1976
Management Marshmallow Ltd
Technical details
Floor count 2
Other information
Number of rooms 280
Hedonism III
Location within Jamaica
General information
Location Runaway Bay, St Ann, Jamaica
Coordinates 18°28′10″N 77°18′59″W / 18.469550°N 77.316365°W / 18.469550; -77.316365
Opening 1999
Closed 2010
Management SuperClubs
Technical details
Floor count 3
Other information
Number of rooms 255

Hedonism II is an adults only vacation resort in Jamaica, owned and operated by Marshmallow Ltd, headed by Harry Lange and CEO Jon Gross of Unwind Travel and the lifestyle group The Fluffernutters.[1] The resort has areas reserved for naturism and it is known for liberal sexual, drug,[2] and alcohol attitudes; children are not allowed at the resorts. As of 2012, only Hedonism II is in operation. There was never a Hedonism I, and Hedonism III closed in 2010.

History

Hedonism II Nude Beach

Hedonism II opened in 1976 as "Negril Beach Village" and was given its current name in 1982. The resort was built by the Government of Jamaica at a cost of $10 million.[3] The resort occupies 22 acres (89,000 m2) at the northern end of Negril beach and has 280 rooms in two-story buildings. A 50% interest in the hotel was bought by the SuperClubs in 1989.[4] SuperClubs purchased the remaining 50% of the resort in 1999 from the Financial Sector Adjustment Company Limited (FINSAC),[5] a unit of the Government of Jamaica, for $12.25 million.[6] In November 2012, the resort was sold to Marshmallow Ltd headed by members of a lifestyle group called The Fluffernutters with a minority stock held by the Issa family[7] and Kevin Levee, a 28-year employee of SuperClubs and the current general manager of the resort.[8]

Hedonism III opened in 1999 in Runaway Bay. The resort was built on 10 acres (40,000 m2) and contained 225 rooms in 3-story buildings. On May 12, 2010, the company announced that Hedonism III would close in August 2010 to allow for the resort to be remodeled. The resort re-opened on October 14, 2010, as SuperFun Beach Resort and Spa[9] catering to a wider market through additional tour operators. SuperFun Beach Resort entered receivership in March 2011 and closed in June 2011.[10] While an adult-only resort, SuperFun did not allow topless or nude sunbathing but charged for premium liquor and motorized water sports. The property was leased to SuperClubs by the Development Bank of Jamaica.[11] The hotel's first-ranked secured lenders are Caribbean Development Bank, PanCaribbean, and Development Bank of Jamaica.[10]

The resort lives up to its reputation most during periods (notably January) when tour companies catering to swingers book huge blocks of rooms.

Controversies

Public nudity is illegal in Jamaica, but the laws are not enforced and may not apply inside the private resort. A nude wedding of eight couples in 2001 at Hedonism III caused protests by the government tourist office and radio talk show hosts, who called the event "improper and offensive." In February 2003, 29 couples were involved in another round of nude weddings at the Hedonism III resort.[12] Hedonism resorts host nudist and swingers conventions. It has been alleged that open sex is common,[13] including in the hot tubs at night.[14] However, SuperClubs owner John Issa said that he was not aware of this.[15]

Issa also declared that he was not running a "whorehouse" and that, to his knowledge, "whores are not working" in his Hedonism hotels.[16] Issa sued two employees of Unique Vacations in Miami, Florida, over e-mails sent in 2007 and 2008 which he claimed contained "defamatory statements" about activities at Hedonism Resorts.[17] Issa sought damages of an unspecified amount for what he feels are false and malicious statements.

Issa stated that he feels satisfied with Hedonism's image of "decadence and debauchery",[18] and that he is "satisfied" with the idea expressed on his web site that "When it's good it's oh so good, and when it's bad it's even better and yes, everything you ever heard is true".[19] John Issa was also alleged to have promoted bi-sexual activities at his Hedonism III resort.[20]

In September 2009, Hedonism Resorts lost a WIPO trial against Relevansanalys[21] related to the registration of the Internet domain name 'hedonismhotels.com'.

In popular culture

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Swinger Resort Hedonism Sold to Swinger Group". The Swinger Blog. November 8, 2012. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
  2. ↑ "Court sees video of alleged drug use, sex at Hedonism". Jamaica Observer. 18 October 2009. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
  3. ↑ Negril is Jamaican Jewel, Boca Raton News, Feb 5, 1978, page 23
  4. ↑ http://google.brand.edgar-online.com/EFX_dll/EDGARpro.dll?FetchFilingHTML1?ID=3629097&SessionID=qtVUHC9nzzjIbR7
  5. ↑ http://www.japarliament.gov.jm/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=214:finsac-commission-sits-on-july-i&catid=1:news&Itemid=8
  6. ↑ "finsac news and releases". finsac.com.
  7. ↑ Collinder, Avia (2012-11-09). "SuperClubs selling Hedonism II hotel". The Gleaner. Retrieved 2013-03-24.
  8. ↑ "Issa to sell Hedonism II". The Gleaner. November 8, 2012. Retrieved September 18, 2013.
  9. ↑ Archived July 17, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
  10. 1 2 Former Hedonism III hotel up for sale, Jamaica Gleaner, March 11, 2011
  11. ↑ Racy Resort Faces Dearth of Hedonists, The Wall Street Journal, May 19, 2010, page C8
  12. ↑ Mass Nude Wedding at Hedonism III
  13. ↑ "Oral sex, orgies at Hedonism II, guest tells travel site". Jamaica Observer. March 8, 2010.
  14. ↑ "Issa lawsuit: Attorney alleges open sex in the hot tub every night". Jamaica Observer. May 9, 2010.
  15. ↑ "Issa lawsuit: Attorney alleges open sex in the hot tub every night". Jamaica Observer. November 1, 2009.
  16. ↑ "I'm not running a whorehouse,' Issa tells court". Jamaica Observer. October 11, 2009.
  17. ↑ http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20081116/news/news1.html
  18. ↑ "Issa satisfied with Hedonism's image of decadence and debauchery". April 10, 2011.
  19. ↑ "Hedonism invites guests to be wicked for a week". June 12, 2011.
  20. ↑ "'Wild Women Vacation' promoted bisexual party at Hedonism". Jamaica Observer. 18 April 2011. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
  21. ↑ Arbitration and Mediation Center (3 September 2009). "WIPO Domain Name Decision: D2009-0974". wipo.int.
  22. ↑ "The Office Quotes (NBC) - Season 2 - Dwight's Speech". theofficequotes.com.
  23. ↑ "SWINGER BLOG - Stories about sex and the swinger lifestyle". The Swingers Blog.

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