Guest Report

[Steffanie]

We stayed all inclusive between 2nd and 9th June 2011, we had read very mixed reviews about the hotel so werent sure what to expect. Our room was an upstairs one with a balcony, overlooking the garden and sea (just standard sea view), it was really nice! It had a lovely big double bed, a big flatscreen tv, nice furniture and lovely beamed roof (it looked newly decorated). The rooms are cleaned every day. The hotel is next to a road but we never noticed any noise unless in the toilet and its quiet anyway.
I think we had luckily been given a nice room however as they offered us a complimentary room to freshen up in before going to the airport (as we were there between 12 and 4)and the room (which hadnt even been cleaned after the last people had left meaning we never got a shower) was not as nice as ours. It was pretty basic, but thats what I expected paying just for a standard room.

I would recommend staying all inclusive. We were going to get a room only, but the all innclusive package is well worth it as you would end up paying a fortune for drinks and food otherwise and I dont think theres any other places close to the hotel to eat. The buffet breakfast, lunch, dinner is excellent, the food was always nice and they always had a good selection. Usually a mix between carribean (like fish and chicken in sauce) and british type food.
The drinks werent great tho, the juice used is like diluting juice (not fresh) so the cocktails were not very nice.

Another thing was during some meals and on the day we left there was a constant drilling and hammering(sounded like a construction site) as I think they are doing up the bar and the rooms.

They had entertainment every night which was usually quite good (like limbo dancing, steel drums, singer). It was ok for a week relaxing and doing absolutely nothing by the pool (which is what we wanted) but the age group that was there while we were there was over 40s and those with families, so for a young group (we are under 25) that want to socialise, have a range of activities and bars etc, prob not the best place. There was free kayaking on the all inclusive package tho which was fun, and a good way to get away from the pool.

And a last thing, the hotel is right on the Turtle Beach. While we were there it was the nesting season so it was amazing to see these huge animals. But it was also distressing, as many of the tourists and locals had no respect for the animal at all. They were standing right beside it, trying to touch it, take flash photos of it, just generally harrassing it; and the SOS people who are there to protect the animals, most of the time did very little to stop this. Many times (I think it was them but could have been locals) they were shouting, had radios on, were smoking (and dropping fag ends), and whistling while the poor animal was trying to drag itself up the beach to lay its eggs (obviously looking distressed). One night, a turtle came up by the bar and the staff continued to make loud drilling noises. It spoils the moment and is very distressing to see (this was agreed by many people I spoke to). There doesnt seem to be any boundaries inforced at all, which you would think there would be seeing as this is the most endangered turtle in the world. The hotel should definitely try to do more to help the turtles, as should the government (especially the government).

Otherwise we had a great time chilling out by the pool, we also stayed in self accomodation the week before in Castara, and much preferred it at turtle beach because it was more of a holiday and more touristy.

[Richard B]

Shame about the turtles being disturbed. On our visits the hotel "guide" really frowned on people doing things like flash photos and such.

Our last visit was 2004 and it seems the cocktails haven't improved. Our tip was to ensure they didn't put too much rum in.

[Richardus]

I have a lot of trouble understanding this post as I was there the exact same week. There was NOT entertainment every night, there was only entertainment three nights out of seven. The people protecting the turtles made sure everyone stayed well back from the turtle, one fellow snuck a flash and was immediately "spoken" to. Spectators were allowed to touch the turtle only after it was finished laying and only for a few minutes. Nobody was tossing cigarettes or making noise or disturbing the turtles whatsoever. If this couple was given a temporary room then is was far more than we got as we were made to sit on the patio for five hours in the scorching heat in our travel clothes, even though the hotel was only about 1/3 full. Even though we signed the list, nobody ever notified us when a turtle was on the beach, we had to find one ourselves. I'm not trying to call the poster a liar, I'm only trying to say that if what they say is true it was certainly a far different experience than what we had on the same week at Turtle Beach.