Bespoke Residences- Balqis Residences

Breakfast was a real treat. Everything tasted good, especially the avocado toast with all that guacamole. Our rooms were beautifully furnished and very comfortable. At check-in, Azaat (not 100% on the spelling) from Kazakhstan noticed on my son’s ID that it was his birthday. A cake and balloons were waiting by the time we got to the room. Thanks, Smith, for arranging that lovely surprise. Peter and Daniel, the bellmen, were wonderful too. The staff made an already exceptional property even better. We’ll definitely come back.

We had a great week here and would recommend the hotel. The pool and beach were fantastic, and breakfast was superb. All the dining options were great, too. We shared a palm room with our two young kids, aged 8 and 10, and there was enough space for us. The staff were excellent.

The team’s honesty really stayed with me. After checkout, I realized I’d left behind a very valuable watch that means a lot to me. I called the hotel, and Bilal, the Security Manager, went to our room to look. Soon after, I got a call saying it had been found. I’m so grateful to Bilal, the whole security team, and Catherine from CCTV operator for their care and integrity. They gave me real peace of mind and reunited me with something precious. We also had a small fridge problem, and Farhan from maintenance helped quickly and professionally. The hotel feels like a fairytale palace, with elegant design and a warm atmosphere. The pool was spacious and lovely for families, and the nachos, club sandwich, pizza, and virgin mojitos we had there were all fresh and delicious. The 25% discount on food and drinks during our staycation was a nice bonus. We booked a Ground Floor Garden View room. Club Lounge access was a highlight: we enjoyed the complimentary afternoon tea, Scarlet was friendly and attentive, and breakfast there had a great selection in a relaxing setting. At check-in, Alim at the front desk made everything welcoming and smooth. Our room was delayed a little, so he kindly extended checkout until 6 PM, which we really appreciated. Thanks to the whole team for a memorable family staycation. We look forward to coming back soon.

The room and beds were excellent, comfortable, and well-appointed. The gentleman at reception also gave us a warm, genuinely helpful welcome, which was a lovely start. At the pool, the salads were very good, but quality wasn’t consistent: my son’s pizza was excellent one day and disappointing the next. The pool was very busy, and when we asked for help finding sunbeds, we were told to look ourselves. We understand peak times can be difficult, but help finding a free bed or getting towels would have made a difference. Service around the pool and beach didn’t feel quite at the level we associate with Raffles. We were surprised there were no à la carte restaurants, just the downstairs buffet or the upstairs club lounge. We’d visited the lounge earlier and found it underwhelming, with a canteen-like feel, lots of children’s noise, and creased, unironed table mats. Breakfast also fell short. The pastries didn’t seem fresh, my husband’s omelette was dry and underseasoned, and my fried eggs had no crispness, with soft whites that were almost poached and very bland. It felt as though high occupancy may have affected service and attention to detail.