"We chose this hotel for our holiday because we did not want a very long flight (although at around five hours it is not short), we wanted somewhere with a near-guarantee of sunshine, warm enough weather to swim in the sea, and above all a place where we could relax in relative peace and tranquillity for a week. On all of those counts, the choice proved spot-on.
The staff, without exception, were polite, helpful and genuinely keen to please. Unlike some other all-inclusive resorts we have stayed at, this never felt driven by an expectation of tips. In Mexico last year, for example, tipping felt almost constant and expected. Here, the service felt natural and unforced.
The food was decent rather than spectacular. One frustration was that everything had to be ordered online, with no paper menus available anywhere. Unlike most all-inclusive hotels we have stayed at previously, there is no traditional buffet restaurant where you can browse a wide range of dishes. Instead, all restaurants serve food to order. Portions are quite small, but there is no limit on how much you can order, so if you are still hungry you can simply order more. Most restaurants require booking, with the exception of the Munchery. That said, none of the restaurants ever felt particularly full, and on one or two occasions we turned up without a reservation and were still accommodated. The Italian restaurant (Basilico) was clearly the most popular and did require a reservation.
We stayed in a suite with a private pool, which also entitled us to dine at Utopia. This was a particularly pleasant place for breakfast in the morning and lunch during the day, and is exclusively available to guests staying in suites with either a jacuzzi or a pool. The staff there were especially attentive. There is also a private pool at Utopia, again reserved solely for suite guests.
I used the gym every day, which was extremely quiet, often with no one else in there at all. A trainer is on hand if you want advice, and the gym is well equipped with a good range of weights, static machines and treadmills.
One aspect worth mentioning is noise. Even travelling in early February, it was difficult to avoid background music throughout the resort. For the most part this was low-key and inoffensive, similar to lift music. However, there were occasional parties where the volume was very loud indeed. One pool has very large speakers, and when these are turned up fully there is nowhere in the resort completely free of the booming bass. On one evening, a party continued until almost midnight, and anyone wanting an early night near the pool area would have struggled to sleep. That said, the parties were spread around the resort, and it was usually possible to find a quieter area elsewhere if you wanted to avoid the noise. This did not spoil the holiday to any great extent.
There are plenty of sunbeds throughout the resort and along the beach. Ice cream is available on the beach, and staff regularly bring round cool boxes stocked with beer, soft drinks and water, which they leave with you.
There is not much immediately outside the hotel, but the area feels very safe, with visible guards and occasional police presence. The nearby shops are mostly tourist-oriented, though there is a supermarket and a few local shops. At night, the area further down from the hotel is well lit and looks quite impressive.
We were particularly impressed with the housekeeping staff, who cleaned our room daily and clearly have artistic talent, leaving a different towel sculpture on the bed each day. All pools are heated, including the small private pools attached to the suites.
The hotel is extremely close to the airport. Although the taxi journey takes a little time, looking at a map shows the terminals are probably less than a mile away. Despite this, there was no disturbance from aircraft noise at all. Had we not checked the map, we would not have known the airport was there.
The sea was pleasantly warm, especially for early February. You cannot swim directly from the beach, due to rocks and protected coral, but instead swim from the end of a jetty. There are several jetties, each supervised by a lifeguard who keeps a close eye on swimmers and uses a whistle if anyone strays into restricted areas. Bringing a snorkel is highly recommended, as the sea life is spectacular."
