"Disappointing experience at Flora Garden Beach Side *****
Unfortunately, our stay at **Flora Garden Beach Side ***** left us with more disappointment than pleasant memories. From a five-star hotel, we expected a completely different level of service, guest care, and overall organization. The most disappointing part is that it wasn’t one major problem, but rather a series of small issues that gradually ruined our holiday.
Let me start with the beach. The sun loungers are old and uncomfortable, and the beach itself looks poorly maintained. The beach towels also have an unpleasant smell — it gives the impression that they are not properly washed, but simply dried and reused. For a hotel of this standard, this is quite surprising.
The food was also a major disappointment. The meals are practically the same every day, there is very little variety, and there are almost no seafood options. Sometimes the main restaurant was not open for lunch, and there was no clear information about this in advance. As a guest, you should not have to find out only when you arrive at the restaurant that it is closed.
But what left us with the most unpleasant feelings was the attitude of some members of staff towards guests.
One situation in particular happened on my birthday. We wanted to ask for a small piece of cake to take to our room, light a candle and celebrate there. We are normal, respectful and well-mannered people, and we understand that hotels have their own rules. That is exactly why we asked the restaurant manager for permission first.
Unfortunately, the response we received was: “No, bring it here and blow out the candle here.”
Honestly, those words immediately ruined the mood on what was supposed to be a special day. It would have been so easy to simply explain the hotel’s rules politely or offer another solution. Instead, the way it was said felt rude and completely unnecessary.
Eventually, the reception staff helped us resolve the situation and brought a piece of cake to our room. However, this happened another 40 minutes later. Of course, it was just a piece of cake, but these are exactly the small things that shape a guest’s overall experience. Especially when it is your birthday and you are staying at a five-star hotel, you expect a little more attention and a more welcoming attitude.
There were also issues with the À la carte restaurant. The guest information does not clearly state that it is closed on Wednesdays, and we were unable to make a reservation. Again, the problem is not only the service itself, but the lack of clear organization and communication. Guests should not have to constantly find out for themselves what is open, when it is open, and why something cannot be booked.
Another unpleasant experience happened at the snack bar near the sea. The waiter, an older gentleman wearing glasses, seemed to have very poor customer-service skills. We ordered five pieces of watermelon. He asked, “Five?” We said yes, explaining that there were two of us. In the end, he brought the watermelon on five separate plates, with one piece on each plate.
Nobody even asked whether we wanted the five pieces on one plate or on five separate plates. Technically, the order was fulfilled, but the whole situation felt so strange and unnecessarily awkward that after that we simply stopped going there. It may seem like a small thing, but experiences like this contribute to an overall feeling that there is very little attention to guests and their comfort.
And there is one more thing that personally surprised me. The tennis court itself is free, but evening use with the lights requires an additional payment — and this information was clearly stated. So the issue is not that we were not informed; it is the principle itself. For a five-star hotel, especially one operating under an “all-inclusive” concept, it is honestly quite surprising — and even a little ridiculous — that guests have to pay extra for the court lighting. It seems like such a small detail that it could easily have been included in the cost of the stay.
In the end, we were left with the feeling that the hotel has five stars, but the five-star level of service is certainly not consistent.
And that is what disappointed us the most. When you pay for a holiday at a hotel of this level, you expect more than just a beautiful property and a nice-looking resort. You expect to feel valued as a guest. You expect staff to be friendly, information to be clear and transparent, and any issues to be handled with a smile and a genuine desire to help — rather than creating additional frustration.
Unfortunately, our experience was quite the opposite. There were simply too many small incidents that gradually ruined our overall impression.
For us, Flora Garden Beach Side ***** was far from the holiday experience we expected. We would not return to this hotel and, unfortunately, we cannot recommend it to others."
