Mediocre enough to checked out early...
To begin, I'd like to say I've never once in over 30 years of travel ditched a hotel only a few nights in. This was the first, and hopefully the last time. I'm rating it as 3 stars because 2.5 isn't possible.
Also, this is a long review.
The good:
Basic rooms, generally clean
Comfortable beds
The food - decent taste and options for the breakfast buffet.
Tasty food at the beach bar
Spa massage is nice, lovely ambiance (with the usual hotel spa prices - off resort you'll find for lower prices - not unexpected)
Staff - generally smiling, polite
The bad (mainly mediocre):
The sewer smell we were overwhelmed with every morning of our stay. It was ridiculously strong.
Our room - we had an "upgrade" to a ground floor garden view room... patio door lock not very secure, and after a room cleaning, housekeeping didn't secure it, leaving it open about a foot. We were 2 women traveling for the first time together, and had BOTH meticulously checked the patio door lock, yanking and tugging the door to ensure it was closed and locked before departing. Only minor things were missing, and with no way to know who, we decided to avoid the hassle of reporting.
The bathroom was functional but, for example, no plug in available by the mirror to plug in a flat iron. They don't want toilet paper flushed, but the waste basket is placed under the sink, near the bathroom door - an awkward move with shorts around the knees that first go. An extra waste basket by the toilet would be a smart way to go - maids also took great care to shift it back to its original position daily, which we just then moved back toward the toilet.
Light bulbs - some worked, some didn't - would expect that when a room is vacated, these things are routinely checked and burned out bulbs replaced, but this was not the case for our room.
Flashlight - there was one by the bed as the area had experienced recent power outages - checked ours - it had enough jam to turn on but not stay lit.
Finishes in the room... Small things like the cupboard door was cockeyed. Paint finish missing from ceiling in the hallway outside the bathroom. Rug slightly frayed at the tail end - caught my shoe on it twice; these things highlighted an overall tired, worn out feel to the hotel that was just kind of sad.
We found the room very cold with the air conditioning on, but when we turned it off, the sewer smell once again was quite noticeable.
The main restaurant, where breakfast is served - buffet style with both the top storey and main floor storey having the same items duplicated..... Food is plentiful, and then there is one jug of drinking water per floor - it depletes almost instantly but is only replenished now and again, so unless you specifically ask them, plan to wait quite a while for availability. The main floor layout of the restaurant is awkward - the entry where the doorway by the steps is located, there is also a pillar, and they have the buffet set up quite close to the doorway, so access into and out of the restaurant was an awkward shimmy, or skip around and hop down as the step ends at the end of the doorway, so the hop down option would be like skipping the bottom two steps of a staircase - not a huge deal, but again, attention to detail in food setup to allow access and egress withiut that awkward shimmy would be helpful.
Also, for coffee lovers - the coffee served as part of the included buffet is very weak, so if you like a good, strong cup of coffee you can either pay resort prices for a similarly mediocre but stronger cup of coffee separately, ordered at the restaurant's bar, or save your money and get coffee just down the beach road at a local coffee shop that's just divine, and worth walking to - The Coffee Club.
If you have food allergies or sensitivities, a word of caution - I asked if a particular dish was gluten free - waitress did not know what I meant. I am not celiac, just have a sensitivity, so I could choose to chance it or not with any given food, with minimal health effect. If you have an allergy, be aware they may not be able to answer about menu item ingredients. I just gave up after a while and tried to pick things that didn't visibly have noodles, etc.
The beach bar was expensive for the portions - again not unusual for a hotel. Generally, would recommend going for a stroll in town for tasty food at a nearby warung at a fraction of the cost.
The beach bar itself has a view of the beach, but is not on the beach; it's about a 3-5 minute walk down concrete steps and across the cobbled road. Nice view, and a decent breeze, and a small pool to cool off in. This was our favourite area within the hotel. It wasn't a deal breaker that the beach bar was across the road and upstairs from the beach, but worth noting in case you might prefer direct beach access.
Overall:
The hotel itself has the amenities to technically qualify for the rating it has, but the reality is, it feels more like an aged, worn out property. I think if tended, updated and refreshed, it could make a solid 3 star review rating - not without hope, but for me, for the first time ever, leaving was better than staying...even without the refund.
Needless to say, if you're feeling a bit skeptical, you may want to book just one night here (if you're intent on booking), to check it out and see if it's for you. There are plenty of lovely options within walking distance. (e.g. The Haven - outstanding by comparison)
