We have been at Caliente Tampa since Wednesday and will be here until this Wednesday so this is a "trip-in-progress" report.

There are highs and lows. Here's how I see it.

The biggest good news is that as of Halloween weekend the big pool is heated. It is a good swimming temperature - not conversation pool temp - but it is now a lot more popular now that it isn't numbing cold.

Other good news for the resort is that they have been fairly busy even though it has been unseasonably cold over the weekend.

On Thursday and Friday there was a huge crowd - someone said it was a cruise group - and the Sports Bar and Lobby Bar were completely full. The restaurant is open Wed - Sat and they get a good size crowd but they are not full. I am surprised at this as the food and service are very good. We have enjoyed our meals there.

In the past we have staid in a condo but because of a sellout on two nights when this group was here we are in a casita. I will in no circumstances ever stay in one of these again! They are awful!!! Its like being in a small tacky cardboard box. On the first day the drain in the bathroom sink didn't work but Maintenance came promptly and Ralph cleared the clog. On our third night it got really cold and the heat did not work at all. So we called on Saturday morning and I was lucky enough to see Ralph on the road - he hadn't gotten our message yet but he came over and worked on it quite a while, replacing a part and providing heat. Ralph has been a saviour for us. Actually we have found all of the employees at Caliente cheerful and helpful. It is a competent staff.

There is wifi in the lobby and as I did on a previous trip I set up my laptop at the Piano Bar wall in the morning and you can see the Vacation Club Sales process going on with several meeting at a time in the nightclub. Clearly some people are just listening because of the promotion but some people come back and are now talking to the financial guy - not the sales guy - so it looks like they are making sales. There was a woman in the morning in the lobby wearing a t shirt which said "Swinger." It was the only sign of this activity that I saw.

We are not nightclub people and I sorely miss the more quiet, romantic Piano Bar. It is now empty after 8 PM and there is no live entertainment. The guitar player at the meet and greet reception on Friday was lame.

I walked through the nightclub at night just to check it out. It is busy and the "Caliente Outfits" seem more outrageous than ever. But I have not seen anywhere at any time of day or night (Qualifier - before 10 PM)any inappropriate behavior. I do think the policy of children not being allowed in the club area at night makes good sense as there is a lot of dress that is inappropriate for children to see. The theme of the Sat nite party was "G Strings and Bling."

The resort does seem busier with people on vacation and not just residents and day members. It really isn't a traditional nudist resort anymore but it looks like it has a good chance of being successful as a clothing optional adult oriented resort.

I am not enjoying the new environment as much as the more traditional nudist environment it used to have. But I must admit I like having a stateside upscale nudist resort. It is too bad that they haven't been able to make a go if it with a more traditional nudist approach.