We had a mixed experience during our stay. The junior suite itself was a good size, the bathroom was spacious, the air conditioning worked very well, and all of the kitchen appliances were functioning. The cleaners were also fantastic — they were friendly, thorough and even washed our dishes, which was a lovely touch. Most of the staff were polite and helpful.
Unfortunately, there were quite a few issues that affected our stay.
The biggest disappointment was the pool and beach facilities. There were not enough beach towels, and they frequently ran out. Guests were also reserving sun loungers from as early as 6am, making it very difficult to find a lounger later in the day. There weren't enough loungers around the pool either, particularly around the children's pool. This was especially frustrating for families.
There was also some inconsistency regarding children using the pool near the pool bar. We were told that children couldn't use this pool, but depending on which member of staff was working, the rules seemed to change. This was confusing and frustrating.
The pool area itself lacked much atmosphere or a holiday vibe, and there was very little going on to create an enjoyable environment.
At check-in, we were not properly informed about several important things, including where to get towels, the entertainment schedule, restaurant closures, the gym being closed for maintenance, or the spa being unavailable. We only found out about the restaurant closure because a note was left outside our room the night before.
We were initially told the gym would only be closed for around three days, but it remained closed for the entire duration of our stay. As we had to pay to use a gym elsewhere, the hotel did provide $25 compensation towards this, which we appreciated.
The Wi-Fi was another issue. It didn't reach the whole apartment and then stopped working altogether during our stay. Thankfully, the Wi-Fi was restored by around noon, so this was eventually resolved.
The TV in the bedroom didn't work either. We requested a Fire Stick, but unfortunately that didn't work as well.
The spa was also closed during our stay, and again, this wasn't communicated to us at check-in. However, the hotel did offer a complimentary spa treatment for both myself and my partner, which was a thoughtful gesture and something we appreciated.
The evening entertainment was very limited and, in our opinion, didn't really reflect the fact that we were staying on a Caribbean island. The entertainment that was available ended on 29 August, with nothing further provided for the remainder of our stay. We would have liked to see more local culture, Caribbean music and entertainment throughout the holiday.
The kitchen could also have been better equipped. Although the appliances themselves worked, we were only provided with four plates, four cups, four sets of utensils etc. We also needed basic items such as oven trays and a cheese grater, which weren't provided. Having a better-equipped kitchen would have made the self-catering facilities much more practical.
One particular member of the bar staff — the bald barman — was also not particularly pleasant, which unfortunately stood out compared with the otherwise polite staff.
Overall, there are some genuinely good aspects to the hotel, particularly the spacious junior suites, cleanliness, air conditioning and the excellent housekeeping team. We also appreciated the $25 compensation for the gym costs and the complimentary spa treatments, as these showed that the hotel was willing to acknowledge and make some effort to address the issues we experienced.
However, the lack of communication, limited facilities and entertainment, pool/lounger situation, and several maintenance issues significantly affected our experience.
With better organisation, clearer communication at check-in, improved pool and beach facilities, a properly equipped kitchen, and more Caribbean-focused entertainment, this hotel could provide a much better experience.
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