"Disappointing Experience – Not What We Expected
Upon exiting the arrivals hall, finding transportation was easy enough. However, if you haven’t booked a private transfer, be prepared for a wait. We landed at approximately 1:30 am and didn’t set off until after 2:00 am. During the transfer, we made two stops at what appeared to be a shop belonging to the driver’s friends or family. After travelling with young children, all we wanted to do was get to the hotel and get some sleep. Instead, we didn’t arrive until around 5:00 am, which was exhausting for all of us.
The room and cleanliness were disappointing. The bedroom itself was okay, but there weren’t enough towels, and the shower was only lukewarm. We were told this was because too many guests were showering at the same time, although this didn’t explain the problem on our first night. Housekeeping was also below expectations. The bedding didn’t appear to be changed, and the room was barely cleaned, with crumbs and other bits still left around.
I had specifically requested a birthday setup for my daughter, hoping to make her birthday special. Unfortunately, all we received was a bowl of fruit, and the room hadn’t even been properly prepared. This was particularly disappointing when travelling for such an important occasion.
Finding our way around the hotel was another issue. We had to look around and ask other guests where things were because there didn’t seem to be enough clear information to help us understand the layout and facilities.
The swimming pool was absolutely freezing at first, although it became manageable after spending some time in it. I also felt there weren’t enough lifeguards around the pool for much of our stay, although this seemed to improve towards the final day. I had an incident with a lifeguard who physically grabbed my son when he was running. I understand the importance of pool safety and stopping children from running, but I felt the situation could have been handled by verbally telling him to stop or using gestures first, rather than immediately grabbing him.
The atmosphere and treatment of guests also affected our experience. There appeared to be a large number of Russian and Polish guests, and unfortunately, we experienced behaviour that felt rude and intimidating, including people staring at us. As a family of colour, this made us feel uncomfortable and unwelcome at times. I cannot speak for every guest, but this was our personal experience and it did affect how comfortable we felt during the holiday.
Wi-Fi was another frustration, as you had to pay extra to use the hotel’s service. Even when trying to use our own mobile data, we struggled to get a reliable connection at certain times of the day. It felt as though we were being pushed towards paying for the hotel’s Wi-Fi, although I cannot confirm what caused the connection problems.
The food was repetitive and lacked variety. The main restaurant seemed to offer largely the same options, with chicken nuggets, pizza and chips being some of the main choices. Even if you aren’t a particularly fussy eater, you expect more variety and a wider selection of dishes to suit guests from different backgrounds. Unfortunately, the food selection felt limited throughout our stay.
The children’s club was also underwhelming. If you’re booking this hotel because you expect your children to have a great experience at the kids’ club, I would advise keeping your expectations realistic. During the time my children were there, they weren’t offered drinks or even a piece of fruit. I would expect basic consideration for children’s needs while they are taking part in supervised activities.
To give credit where it is due, the entertainment was good, and the pool staff were generally a positive part of our experience. There were some enjoyable moments, but unfortunately, these positives didn’t make up for the other issues we encountered.
Overall, this hotel has potential, but there are several areas that need serious improvement, including housekeeping, food variety, children’s facilities, pool supervision, guest information and the overall guest experience. Travelling with young children is already tiring, and after a long overnight transfer, we expected a more welcoming and comfortable stay.
I would encourage anyone considering this hotel, particularly families with young children, to research it carefully and manage their expectations. For us, the experience fell short of what we had hoped for, and I would think carefully before choosing to"