Emily Hoekstra
January 1, 2024
Though this hotel is in a transition to a new IHG-Holiday Inn brand (which was not shared with us prior to our arrival-and not what we originally booked under), they have a LONG way to go to make this place a truly successful hotel. The food was pricey and mediocre at best, they never had enough towels each day and made you submit a card to get a towel for the pool, the staff seemed to have no idea of how to run and manage a hotel, and the daily breakfast was a busy mess each morning. Some of the staff seemed liked they enjoyed drinking with the guests, and we saw some extremely drunk guests NEVER cut off, though they should have been. The pools did not seem cleaned and had tons of leaves and junk at the bottoms. You couldn’t charge anything to your room; rather, they made you pay cash after every transaction for food or drink. This included the high service and VAT taxes.
The rooms that my friends and I booked were not ready when we checked in, and three of our family groups got different rooms than they previously booked (smaller and inadequate for their family size). Two of the families had to wait multiple days until this room problem was sorted.
We were charged for extra items at dinner, and the front desk would not simply remove the extra charges. Instead, they kept insisting we pay and that they sort it out later with their food/beverage person. The cocktails are mainly sugar and very expensive…I suggest you go across to the Surin beach for most food and drink options.
The house cleaning arrived to do our room at 8:30 p.m. one night, when my children were going to bed. It seems as though they are very short staffed for cleaners, yet there’s an abundance of “staff” walking around the hotel trying to seem busy. Many do not speak any English, and the hotel seemed to really cater towards its Russian guests (Great for the Russian guests).
I would suggest drying racks on each balcony, the option to charge things to your room, specific breakfast brackets/times for guests to eat between (so there isn’t a mad rush of people and left over crappy food), no need to pay for pool towels, life guard at the pool, and more upkeep/cleaning of common spaces. Also, the repetitive tour and hotel presentations three days a week are a waste of the hotels time. No one listens, and you video record it. Also, maybe get a couple cans and offer complimentary rides to and from local stores or nearby night markets.
I would 100% not stay here again with my family, as everything seemed dirty, disorganized, old, understaffed, and WAY too pricey for what you get. We looked to move our first night, but there wasn’t anything hotel or Airbnb-wise left for our four family groups that was affordable in/near the area. The only good thing about this place was the Surin beach across the way and down the dirt road path. Do yourself a favor and do NOT book this for your family and friends.