"We stayed at Elba Sara for a relaxing family holiday. While there were a few positives, particularly for children, overall the experience didn't meet the standard I'd expect from a four-star hotel, and unfortunately I wouldn't return.
Check-in
Check-in was very slow, with guests having to use tablets to complete all of the registration details. After travelling, it wasn't the most welcoming start to the holiday. It was start of the summer holidays though, but you would expect more staff. Seen 2 on there at the most.
Room
Our priority sea view room had a fantastic view, which was definitely the highlight. The balcony was much smaller than I expected, but lovely regardless.
Housekeeping was very basic. The bins were emptied daily and beds made.
Pool & Sunbeds
The sunbed situation was disappointing. By the end of the week, people were reserving beds from around 5.50am, with towels already out by 6:50am most mornings. If you weren't up early, your chances of getting a decent spot were slim. Also lack of shade around the big shallow kids pool.
The pool bar also struggled. Most of the time there was only one member of staff serving drinks, unlocking the paid ice lolly freezer and taking payments, which led to long waits and again usually only one staff member serving. There was self self for soft drinks, all inclusive ice cream, coffee, water.
There was a constant sour milk smell around the pool bar, and another guest commented that there seemed to be something wrong with the ice cream freezer. There were also occasions when there was no ice cream available at all. Calling it a "pool bar" is a little generous too, as it's quite a walk from parts of the pool area.
Food & Drinks
The restaurant became chaotic as soon as lunch opened. I had to eat out of the hotel a couple of times.
At meal times, table service for drinks was inconsistent, and on many occasions we had to sort drinks ourselves. Which would be water or juice only.
The Broadway Bar and reception bar was another frustration. Queues regularly stretched around ten people deep because only one person was serving. Madness!
Cleanliness
This was probably the biggest disappointment.
The ladies' pool toilets were blocked before lunchtime on one day (both toilets), with soaked floors making them unpleasant to use.
Soap and hand towels were frequently unavailable, and on our final day there wasn't even any toilet roll. These are basic standards that really shouldn't be an issue in a hotel of this rating. There was never any staff around
Some guests would use coffee cups as ashtrays and they'd still be there on the seating area just outside the sliding doors at tea time. Never spotted any staff dotting about until my last day when sat on a sofa and staff started to pump the cushions up even though we were all sat there at the time. A waste of time.
Entertainment & For Families
Our five-year-old had a brilliant time. She loved the kids' club, and the go-karts and trampolines next door were a big hit and not too expensive. The pools were good and the activities for kids were good. The entertainment team were a hit.
Eating Out
We had an excellent meal at Fado Rock, which was only around a €4 taxi ride away. Without doubt, it was the best steak and I'd highly recommend it.
One Incident That Didn't Sit Right
On the World Cup final night, an English family were asked to move after another family had left drinks on table for well over half an hour and then complained when they returned. They spoke to their manager and provided room number and then the English family were told to move. You can't do that on a busy entertainment night and expect your table. It wasn't handled particularly well and left an uncomfortable atmosphere.
Overall
There are some positives, especially if you're travelling with young children and have a sea view room. However, the issues with cleanliness, staffing levels, hygiene, long queues and the daily battle for sunbeds outweighed the good points.
Sadly, it just didn't feel like the four-star experience we were expecting."
