"This is our third time staying at Fergus Style Bahamas, and unfortunately, this has been our most disappointing experience so far. We have always loved this hotel, mainly because of its fantastic location. Ushuaïa and Hï are just a short walk away, Hard Rock Hotel was just next door, and beach clubs such as Nassau and Tanit are only a few steps away. The bar staff and the overall atmosphere have also been good during our stays.
Yesterday, with just two days left before checkout, our room key stopped working. I discovered the problem around midday when trying to access the beach through the back door. I went to reception to ask for assistance, only to find a queue stretching past the entrance. I waited patiently, and when it was finally my turn, the receptionist simply issued a new key and told me that if it still didn’t work, I should return so they could send maintenance. There was no apology, no offer to have someone check the lock immediately, and no consideration for the inconvenience this would cause.
As expected, the new key didn’t work. Because the rooms are spread out across the property, I had to walk all the way back to our room, discover the problem remained, and then return to reception and queue all over again. On my second visit, I was given a separate key for the beach entrance and told that maintenance would be sent to fix the lock. Again, there was no apology or clear information about how long the repair would take. I was simply told to come back later for another key.
After waiting around half an hour, I returned to reception for a third time. Once again, there was a queue, and I had to explain the entire situation to another receptionist, who appeared to have no information about what had happened. She had to contact maintenance to check the status of the repair. Fortunately, a maintenance team member was nearby and came to assist quickly, after which I was finally issued working keys.
In total, this straightforward issue cost us approximately two hours of our holiday. I completely understand that electronic door locks can malfunction and sometimes need a battery change or maintenance. These things happen in hotels. What is unacceptable is the lack of communication, ownership, empathy, and basic customer service throughout the process.
I even made a light-hearted comment to the receptionist about having previously worked in reception myself and knowing how important it is to smile and treat guests politely. The response was a rather impersonal “thank you for your feedback,” without even looking at me. I wasn’t expecting special treatment, just basic courtesy and a genuine effort to help.
Unfortunately, the disappointment didn’t end there.
I also asked about the possibility of a late checkout for our departure. I was initially told that checkout until 6 pm or 8 pm might be possible, with a charge of €60 until 6 pm, but that I would need to ask again the next day. I accepted this without any issue.
When I returned to reception today, I was told that our room had already been allocated to arriving guests for the next four days, so late checkout was not possible. When I asked whether there might be an alternative, such as swapping rooms, I was told that only the manager could make that decision and that I would need to return after 8 pm or try again the following day.
To be clear, I was willing to pay for the late checkout. I was not asking for anything for free. I simply expected the team to explore the available options rather than immediately dismissing the request. I understand that room availability must be considered, but the lack of initiative and willingness to help was frustrating.
What makes this especially disappointing is that we are returning guests who genuinely enjoy this hotel and have chosen to stay here for a third time. We know the property, appreciate the location, and have had positive experiences on previous visits. We are not complaining about a technical problem that can happen anywhere; we are disappointed by the way the situation was handled.
The bar staff have been pleasant, the location remains excellent, and the hotel has many things going for it. However, the reception team is often the first and last point of contact for guests, and the quality of service there can make a huge difference to the overall experience.
Unfortunately, during this stay, the reception service fell well below our expectations. Basic courtesy, communication, problem-solving, and a genuine willingness to help should be standard.
We hope management takes this feedback seriously and invests in improving the reception team’s customer service and guest relations. We have loved staying here in the past, but this experience has left us genuinely disappointed. A great location can attract guests, but good service is what makes them want to return"