The President is a lovely hotel in some ways, but our experience changed dramatically after the first couple of days. We stayed for eight nights, and while day one and two were excellent, the rest of the week was dominated by corporate events, closures, overcrowding and a general feeling that paying hotel guests were no longer the priority.
To start with the positives, the hotel itself is attractive, the pool area is visually impressive, and the food and service at the beginning of our stay were very good. The first two days felt calm, relaxed and exactly what we had hoped for when booking. We were travelling with our 3-year-old son, and one of the main reasons we chose this hotel was because of the pool and kids’ play area.
Unfortunately, from day three onwards, things changed. Despoite it being small, the hotel began hosting large corporate events and conferences, including one that ran for most of the week. From that point on, communal areas felt taken over by business guests, with tables blocked by people on laptops, making it difficult even to find space to sit and have lunch. It felt much more like a business venue than a family-friendly hotel.
The biggest issue for us was the repeated closure or disruption of the facilities we had booked the hotel for. On one day, the pool area was closed from 3pm due to a private event, and we were told to move well before that. Later in the stay, there was another notice saying the pool would again be closed, this time from midday, due to a brand photo shoot.
What made that even more frustrating was that for the shoot they had removed a large number of sunbeds to make the pool area look more spacious and luxurious in the photos. In reality, there are far more sunbeds packed into the area, often crammed in tightly just so everyone can get a space. So the polished luxury image being presented during the shoot did not reflect the reality guests were experiencing.
Weekends were no better. We were not told in advance that the pool is also opened up to members of the public as paying day guests. This meant the area became overcrowded with outside families, children and even birthday parties. Sunbeds were hard to get, and when we finally did get some, they were packed in so tightly it felt uncomfortable. At one point, our umbrella was taken away, which was especially frustrating as we needed the shade for our young son. The kids’ play area was also unavailable again during this time.
There was also an art-related event one evening with loud music going on until late at night. The whole pool area, which is supposed to be somewhere guests can relax, was effectively turned into a nightclub. Again, that might suit an event crowd, but it is not what you expect when booking a family stay.
Even on the final day, there was yet another corporate booking, this time for KFC, which meant the deck bar, the hotel’s only outdoor bar, was closed. In truth, apart from the first two days, there seemed to be something closed, restricted or disrupted every single day because of private events or corporate functions.
What made it more disappointing was that I raised concerns with reception early on and nothing seemed to be acted on. Eventually, I spoke to Angelo, a manager, and later had a lengthy conversation with a senior manager, Pranusha. Both listened, and I explained clearly that the problem was not one isolated issue, but the fact that hotel guests seemed to come second to the hotel’s events business throughout most of our stay.
I also want to mention two staff members in particular, JJ and Bob, who looked after us very well throughout the week. They were friendly, helpful and doing their best in difficult circumstances. They deserve recognition. What was noticeable though was how exhausted they looked, especially after working long event shifts and then being back on early the next morning. They even told me how tired they were. By that point, the general energy among staff around the hotel felt low and drained, and honestly it seemed like the team were being stretched too far. The staff need looking after better.
To be fair, this may have been an unlucky week, but if this hotel regularly hosts large conferences, private events, photo shoots and external guests around the pool, that needs to be made far clearer before booking. We chose it for a relaxing family break and did not get the experience we paid for. I was told my complaint would be escalated and that a partial refund would be arranged through our travel agent, but at the time of writing I am still waiting to hear anything further.
Overall, The President has a lot going for it, but based on our experience, I would strongly advise families and leisure travellers to check whether any corporate events are taking place before booking. If your main reason for staying is to enjoy the pool and shared facilities, you may well end up disappointed.
