"Stayed here with a friend for 10 nights. We booked this holiday through a travel agent with Jet2 as the holiday provider. The hotel is classed as 4* by Jet2. The photographs are deceptive. The staff in the travel agents appeared to believe that the Labranda 'chain' is reputable and that this hotel was very much 4*. We had booked a previous holiday in January this year using the same travel agents and also Jet 2 in a 4* hotel in Tenerife so we felt confident that this hotel would be of the same standard. We opted for the 'all inclusive' board level. In short, this is not a 4* hotel. At best this is 3*.
We arrived at the hotel around 22.00 hrs. We were aware that the hotel information sets out that you have to be able to manage your luggage up around 25 steps. On arrival, we were somewhat daunted by the steepness of the steps and couldn't find an alternative route to wheel our suitcases around and into the hotel. There is a way to do so, just not easy to find in the dark. However, a fellow guest came to our aid and took our luggage up to reception for us! We are forever grateful!
The reception area of the hotel is small but we were welcomed and efficiently checked in. We were given directions to our accommodation and advised that we could have a meal at 22.30 hrs in the dinning room. The lighting en route from reception to the accommodation is 'dim' but we arrived safely and let ourselves in.
The accommodation is spacious with a lounge area and the fridge, tea and coffee making facilities and air conditioning were very welcome. The safe is free to use. The TV is a nice touch with UK TV channels included. On first glance, the accommodation appeared clean.
The outside space is a real plus with sun loungers, and table and chairs.
In the dining room, we were provided with bread, cheese, cold meats, fruit and cakes and were very grateful that this had been provided. A nice touch.
We tried the wine, self service from a vending machine. The white wine was undrinkable, and the rose only slightly more palatable. This remained unchanged throughout our stay. Prosecco was available and, if we drank any alcohol at dinner, we had a glass of that.
On first use of the shower, we discovered that the shower tray floor felt 'spongy' as if it was giving way and the shower tray leaked out on to the shower room floor over the course of the day, every day.
There is a daily room cleaning service every day and the the towels and bedlinen are changed on request. We had our towels changed every day. Bedlinen was also changed on request.
The cleaning service does not appear to be thorough and there is no consistent attention to detail. The detritus under the sofa bed is testament to that and we found shards of glass and what appeared to be a bauble from an item of clothing on the floor on the lounge which had presumably not been cleaned from the previous guests' stay.
The accommodation is tired and would benefit from regular maintenance and a deep clean. The sofa bed was torn with the foam innards coming out at certain places and the sofa cover was stained in several places. We used the coffee cups provided and from a mark on one of the cups, we were aware that these were not changed during our stay. Obviously we washed the cups ourselves. Tea and coffee sachets were not replenished during our stay. We purchased our own coffee.
The beds and mattresses appear old and would benefit from replacement.
The outside table and chairs were marked with mildew and could do with a proper clean or to be replaced. The sun loungers are in a similar state. The outside space at our accommodation was really good and we made full use of it.
We opted not to spend much time at the pool as the sun loungers were crammed together with very limited space between them and there were very few parasols available. If we did go to the pool, it was later in the afternoon, when it was quieter.
We also noted that the poolside area did not look very clean. We did not use the toilets at the pool but heard a number of other guests complaining about them in that they were not clean.
As expected, the dining service is buffet style at each meal. There were dining room staff clearing tables etc but there did not appear to be a dining room manager or supervisor taking an overview of what was going on in the dining room. There were lots of families at the hotel during our stay. Children of all ages were being allowed by their parents to choose their own food. We witnessed children touching the cold food with their hands without selecting that which they had touched. Adults were doing the same thing and not using the utensils provided to select their food. On one occasion, I had to stop a young girl of around 10 years of age putting hot food that she had selected and put on her plate, back into the serving dish, using her hands. Whilst we appreciate that the children are their parents responsibility, the dining room staff and the catering staff were not paying attention to what was going on.
The hot food was at best lukewarm and most often cold. We complained to the staff at reception and were referred to the Jet2 rep. Although we spoke to the Rep, there was no improvement.
The variety of food choices was relatively limited and the food did not always taste fresh. One evening, as part of the cheese selection, gherkins, pickled onions etc had been skewered on to cocktail sticks. These appeared several days later in a serving bowl with gherkins as part of the salad selection.
The general cleanliness in the dining room is poor. Staff cursorily wiped the tables, the place mats were not properly cleaned, cutlery did not always look clean and if cutlery was left at a place setting at the end of a service, it was not removed with no thought given that previous guests may have touched it.
I note from the responses to other reviews that the hotel representatives simply don't accept anything less than a perfect review. There was poor attention to food handling and hygiene practices including food temperatures. Other guests that we spoke with had experienced ill health following their dining. Indeed, we have returned home with a viral illness which commenced in the 24 hours prior to our check out from the hotel.
We discovered 'adult' cockroaches in the lounge area of the our accommodation on getting up about 7am and turning a light on. They made their way under 'skirting'. We reported this to the reception staff and were advised that 'this is a hot country' and that the receptionist could 'hear them in her house too due to the change in the weather and humidity'. We accept that cockroaches do exist and that they can make their way into the accommodation. However, if robust infestation prevention management is in place, this should not be an issue. We spent the day sightseeing in the island and returned that evening to find a huge can of insect killer in the room, with the contents having been liberally sprayed therein. Opening the doors to ventilate the room, revealed dead cockroaches in one of the outside spaces which corresponded to the area where we had seen the cockroaches disappearing into inside the room.
The pool bar area was grubby, but the hot food was hot! The lobby bar opened at 9pm but had no atmosphere. Guests appeared to use it as it was one of the few areas in the hotel where the wifi connection was consistent. The seating in reception was tired and dirty and often taken up with children trying to access their 'IT' devices. On one occasion, we mistook a gentleman sitting at the Jet2 desk as the Rep when he was in fact, a fellow guest availing himself of the table and chair to sit with his laptop and drinks and have a constant wifi connection.
The saving grace at this hotel is the outside space available at each 'bungalow' and the stunning view from reception across to the other islands.
The Jet2 rep advised us that the * rating is based on the 'space' of the accommodation. That's as may be. Not anywhere near 4* and not a hotel we would stay in again.
We have made a formal complaint to Jet2 and await their response.
From the hotel's responses to other reviews here which are not wholly complimentary, not holding our breath that our feedback will be considered and used to make improvements. Clever advertising, deceptive photos, over promised and hugely under delivered."
