We booked a 6-night all-inclusive stay at this resort to celebrate my cousin’s birthday. Unfortunately, due to a flight issue, we arrived a day late — not the best start to our trip, and sadly, things did not improve from there.
Upon arrival, the first thing we noticed from the reception area was that the main pool (the one heavily featured in the resort's promotional images) was closed off and boarded up — something we were not informed of beforehand. The second pool was also taped off, and the majority of the restaurants were closed. I have uploaded a photo of the boarded up pool to support this.
Check-in itself was smooth. However, despite booking two rooms under the same reservation for four people, we were placed on different floors — odd, considering the hotel was far from full. We had also paid for garden view rooms, but the view was underwhelming and certainly didn’t reflect what was advertised.
On the way to our room, we noticed poor hygiene standards: dirty plates left on the floor outside rooms, hair on the floors, and other signs of neglect. Inside the room, there was a strong smell of mould and what I can only describe as an unclean mop. The room was full of mosquitoes, suggesting it had been left open for airing prior to our arrival — which was clearly not effective. I've since read similar complaints in other reviews, so this seems to be a recurring issue. While the room had gowns, there were no slippers or hand soap. That said, the room décor was nice.
Because we couldn’t get a reservation at the only open restaurant (it was fully booked via the app), we were forced to leave the resort in search of food — quite disappointing for an all-inclusive stay. That first night, we decided to try sleeping in the room despite the smell. At around 3:30 AM, I was woken up by a faint knocking on the door, followed by the sound of staff clearing the plates from the hallway — an unsettling experience at that hour.
The next morning, we requested a room change due to the mould, and the hotel did accommodate us. The new room was one floor up and did not have the same smell, which was a relief. This room had slippers and gowns, but again lacked hand soap, shampoo, and conditioner, and the shower gel bottle was almost empty. I asked the cleaner directly to restock these items before we left for the day — but when we returned, nothing had been done. The hand soap was still also still missing.
Breakfast at the resort was enjoyable, with a good variety of options. We booked a cabana one day, which was well worth it — private pool, beachfront location, and stunning views.
Later that day, we requested to speak with a manager to express our concerns. Unfortunately, the experience was extremely disappointing. The manager was rude, dismissive, and seemed unwilling to listen. She explained the main pool was closed for maintenance due to heavy usage throughout the year and would be reopened in a couple of days and claimed guests had been informed days earlier — which we had not. When we raised the issue of restaurant availability, she dismissed our concerns and even gestured rudely by putting her finger in my friend’s face to silence her mid-sentence — completely unacceptable. We asked to be moved to rooms with a better view and closer proximity to each other to make up for the poor experience, but were told ocean-view rooms were for Diamond Club guests only — even though there were clearly empty rooms with better views in our building. She ended the conversation by saying she would see what she could do for us.
That evening, we dined at the Caribbean restaurant. Despite a promising menu, we were told there was no rice and peas to accompany the oxtail — only white rice, which we accepted. Shortly after, we were told oxtail was no longer available, and instead offered curry fish. When the food arrived, it was not what was usually served, and it was barely edible — underseasoned, overly "fishy," and lacking flavour. We sent it back and, rather suspiciously, a plate of oxtail suddenly appeared — which also ended up being disappointing. We went to bed hungry that night.
The next day, the manager approached us and offered an upgraded room closer to the pool. However, we were asked to sign a form stating that by accepting the upgrade, we would not raise further complaints or leave negative reviews — something that was not explained upfront. We declined to sign and asked to speak with someone else. A different night manager confirmed that we did not need to sign such a form, and acknowledged that the process had not been handled properly. He claimed there would be a meeting with management about the matter — though we’re doubtful that ever happened.
Other issues we encountered during the stay:
Cons:
• Our minibar fridge was never restocked unless we asked staff directly.
• Housekeeping was inconsistent — used glasses were left untouched.
• Several staff members were unfriendly, lazy or dismissive.
• Cleanliness around the hotel was poor.
• No clean towels were available by the pool as early as 9 AM.
• Day reception staff rarely answered phone calls, especially after we made complaints.
• my room key didn’t work until the last couple days, even after returning to reception to fix.
Pros:
• Beautiful beachfront location with direct sea access.
• Well-designed cabanas with great views.
• Good breakfast variety.
• Stylish room décor.
As we were leaving, the resort appeared to come to life — more guests, restaurants reopened, and a DJ welcomed guests at the front entrance. Unfortunately, we didn’t get that same experience.
Final Thoughts:
This resort has potential but falls short in many areas. Whether or not we arrived during a quieter period, the standard of service should not drop — especially for paying guests. If certain amenities or facilities will not be available, this needs to be communicated in advance, not discovered upon arrival. The way we were treated — especially by management — was unacceptable, and the overall experience left much to be desired. I don’t enjoy leaving negative reviews, but in this case, it felt necessary.
