We stayed for four nights over the Easter holiday in a panorama sea view room in the new tower.
First of all, the location is excellent. The pool area has a sandy beach, and compared to the Hilton next door, the water was much clearer and very pleasant. The view is absolutely beautiful. However, when the tide goes out, it turns into what feels like a “panoramic mudflat view,” so I would recommend carefully considering the timing of your stay.
On the other hand, there were several issues with the room. There is no balcony, and the windows cannot be opened. There were mosquitoes in the room, and I was bitten multiple times, which caused itching and swelling. The insect repellent device in the hallway was empty, which made me question the quality of housekeeping management. When I spoke to a female staff member at reception, I was told that only body spray repellent was available, and no further assistance was offered, so I had to purchase and install my own insect repellent.
In addition, there was a sewage-like smell coming from the bathroom. The mirror and sink were not properly cleaned and appeared dirty. The room and hallway also had a moldy smell, and due to the humidity, the bed linens felt damp. The duvet was thin and not very comfortable. As I am sensitive to smells, these issues made me feel nauseous and unwell.
Later, my husband spoke to a male staff member at reception. Although the hotel was fully booked and we were unable to change rooms, he responded with sincerity, apologized thoroughly, and instructed housekeeping to carry out a deep cleaning. When we returned from going out, the bathroom had been properly cleaned and the sewage smell was gone. The moldy smell in the room did not completely disappear, but it had been masked with deodorizer, and we were able to sleep well that night.
However, the same issues returned the following day. As it was the Easter holiday and other hotels were fully booked, we had no choice but to stay until the end of our reservation. Afterward, I checked reviews and found many similar complaints about the moldy smell, which made me regret not researching more thoroughly beforehand. I had assumed that as a five-star hotel, it would be fine.
Overall, the reception staff were kind, friendly, and professional. In particular, the male staff member who assisted us was excellent. On the other hand, I felt that the quality of housekeeping needs improvement.
In my opinion, these issues are largely due to a design flaw—specifically, the building was designed with aesthetics prioritized over functionality by the construction company and architect, resulting in rooms where windows cannot be opened despite the humid tropical climate. The older tower, which has balconies and windows that can be opened, may not have the same problems.
I would not recommend this hotel to those who are sensitive to smells, but for those who are not, it can still be a wonderful place to stay given its location and facilities.
