Legendary Porto Hotel

"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."

"Booked this hotel for 8 nights with Jet2. We upgraded to the seaview room, we were given our room and you could not see the sea. Raised this and only with help of Jet2 helper we were offered an alternative room, this too you could not see the sea, was shown Ts&Cs where it states sea view rooms may be blocked by trees or buildings. So we had nothing to stand on. This hotel has had a lot of money put into the beach bar area and pool bar area they are nice. However the pool is dirty, the grates at the side of pool are filthy. The food was not nice, with a regular choice being spaghetti and bbq sauce. The only place we happily ate at was the beach bar which is only open for lunch, the choices and quality of food are much better there. Our stay included the fish restaurant however there was no availability for us on our stay. The evening entertainment was poor, however we saw one good band one night. Every evening ends in the same DJ playing the same music which we did not like. The day time entertainment included of water polo and darts most days, some days they decided to not do one or the other or any. The best of an awful hotel/stay- Turkish spa was lovely and staff are lovely there also Piano bar made fantastic cocktails and the saxophonist was good and entertaining every night. The zen garden was also nice to look around We will not return to this hotel and believe it should be rated 3 star at the max with reviews of rooms and food to be relooked at."

"We stayed at Flora Garden Beach for 11 nights, and overall we were very satisfied with our stay. 🌴☀️ During our holiday, we tried three different room types: Swim Up, Deluxe Sea View, and Lake Houses. For us, the Swim Up room was definitely the best. The Lake Houses were also very nice because you have a more private pool area where you can relax, spend the whole day and get tanned away from the main pool. The rooms were clean and comfortable. One funny little detail 😅: in our Swim Up room there was no toothbrush. When I asked reception, they told me toothbrushes were not provided as part of the hotel concept, but later when we moved to the Lake House, we found toothbrushes there! Not a big issue, just a little confusing,so bring your toothbrush 🤪 A very special mention to the animation team, Sarah and Isilay. ❤️ They were amazing and really did everything they could to keep guests entertained. We joined activities like water polo and darts, and they brought such good energy to the hotel. They were friendly, fun and always made us feel welcome. That said, remember that this is an adults-only hotel, so don’t come expecting a super busy resort with activities and entertainment happening all day and night. The atmosphere is much more peaceful and relaxed. For us, that’s actually part of its charm. It’s a great choice if you’re a couple looking for a quiet, romantic and relaxing holiday together. ❤️🌅 The staff in general were one of the best parts of our stay. The waiters and waitresses were extremely friendly. Unfortunately, I don’t remember everyone’s name, but Adem and Senol were especially nice. I loved the service around the pool, where they even come on roller skates to bring you your cocktails. 🍹🛼 Such a fun touch! Ergun, who works around the pool area, was incredibly kind and helpful. He always helped us find a good place to sit and made sure we were comfortable. At the pool bar, Mr. Ali was very professional and always smiling. Even after long hours of work, he kept such a positive attitude. We also really appreciated Mr. Omer, the head of reception. He was always available, kind and helpful, especially when we were deciding which room would suit us best. And we can’t forget Apo, the ice cream man! 🍦 He is so funny and friendly and definitely adds some extra happiness to the hotel atmosphere. The only part that could be improved, in our opinion, is the food in the main restaurant. You definitely won’t stay hungry and there are plenty of options, but for us the quality didn’t quite feel like 5-star cuisine. On the other hand, if you stay for more than 7 days, the hotel gives you vouchers for the à la carte restaurants. We tried the Steak House and it was excellent. 🥩 Definitely worth trying! Just remember to reserve it a few days in advance because it can get booked. One more tip if you’re planning activities outside the hotel: there is an agency nearby offering activities such as jet skiing and parasailing 🪂. We found their prices extremely high, so I definitely recommend comparing prices before booking. We found much cheaper options for similar activities through GetYourGuide, so it’s worth checking online first. Overall, Flora Garden Beach is a very nice hotel, but how much you enjoy it really depends on your expectations. If you’re looking for nonstop entertainment and a very lively atmosphere, it might not be the right choice. But if you want to slow down, relax, enjoy some privacy and have a romantic holiday as a couple, this hotel fits that experience very well. For us, especially with the Swim Up room, it was a relaxing and enjoyable 11-night stay. ❤️ A big thank you to Sarah, Isilay, Ergun, Mr. Ali, Mr. Omer, Apo, Adem, Senol and all the other lovely staff whose names we unfortunately don’t remember. You made our holiday even better! 🌴🥂"