Dean F.
Yelp
In our experience, this "resort" felt more like a prison sentence than a beach resort. Originally booked for 5 nights and paid for two rooms, one an upgraded room (Sun Club), the other a standard 2 queen room. We were so unsatisfied that we ate the cost and ended up checking into a new resort after day 2. :(
The upgrade was a joke and in no way was our room anything like the pretty Sun Club Suite Bay View pictures represented on the website. There was one window, patio door, a California king, a flat screen TV and a table below it. There were no sitting chairs or other furniture (besides night stands). The room was somewhere between 300-400 sq feet.
To make the review a simpler read, here's an overview:
- The shower door sounded like it was going to break every time it was opened and closed and the shower head looked like it needed to be cleaned or replaced a couple years ago (inconsistent water stream - most of it drizzled out of the shower head rather than sprayed).
- The bathroom stall door (toilet) had a piece of wood screwed into it to keep the slider from going inside the wall and it kept falling out... it looked like an after-thought.
- The balcony was on the top floor and nice sized with a great view but also came with it's disadvantages:
* Balcony light could not be switched off, thus, window curtains needed to be completely closed unless you don't mind blaring light while you're trying to sleep
* Top floor patio meant open to the rain - I'll cover that later
- Your ride to the 18th floor will be a slow one (about 3 seconds per floor)
- Also being top floor for the sun club, you have half of a covered ceiling to get to your room, so if its raining, you're going to get wet.
- Our room flooded when it rained on our 2nd night (as well as both rooms on each side of us (we heard the complaints similar to ours to hotel staff).
* The resolution provided by hotel staff was to put us in either a downgraded room or deal with the water and a bunch of towels.
* When I called the front desk to let them know we had water in our entry way, bathroom, and bedroom surrounding the windows and door, the immediate response I got was, "Well, it's raining". Sorry, but I didn't think my reservation included this feature.
- The pool side restaurant (actually, all restaurants) required sleeves for men... actually ALL of the restaurants did (never heard of this at a beach resort before).
* Women, rest easy, it's ok for you to go to eat in your tube tops and tanks.
* We did not know this until after fixing a plate and when we went to get seated was told we couldn't eat, even at the bar and that we'd have to change. 3 plates of food wasted.
- Got stuck in the elevator temporarily between floors 11 and 12.
- When we arrived, they took our bags to bring to our room. This was a initially thought to be a nicety until 2 hours later they hadn't arrived yet and we had to call for them, then the bell boy expected a tip....
- As the other reviews state, the food is mediocre at best but Tiki Tacos really was the best of all.
* This is IF you can stand to eat in a room with the exposed kitchen, no A/C or other ventilation (not even a ceiling fan). We rushed through our food so that we could get back outside and get some air. This was especially fun in sleeved shirts... possibly bearable in a tank top but if you're a dude, you're SOL.
- This is supposed to be an all inclusive where the refrigerator is to be restocked nightly as well. Enjoy that Sprite or Coke because you may not get a new one the next night. Same with the M&M's. No refill there either.
- Free Wifi? Nope.
* They have an internet cafe, but it closed at 8pm.
When we asked to be let out of our reservation (because we frankly couldn't take it anymore) or moved to their upgraded hotel (Secrets resort and spa) we were told that we could be moved if we paid for the difference and sat through a time share presentation. Gee, thanks but no thanks.
The concierge staff was very polite and tried what they could but the manager was not as cooperative and was the one who told us about our "options" to be accommodated for a very unfortunate inconvenience.
If this is your first beach resort vacation, I'm sure this will do, but if you've ever been to a resort where the point is to relax and enjoy yourself, I'd say move on.. there's certainly much better out there. And by better, I mean, cleaner, more accommodating, less wet, better maintained, and with better food.
If you still want to book here - good luck!!!