Phoenician Resort

Our stay wasn’t pleasant. The dryer only worked temporarily and left us with wet washing to try to dry before an early flight. The room was dated, with old stained carpet, and when the dryer worked for a bit, a bad smell came from the hot water cylinder. On the plus side, the woman at the front desk was friendly and welcoming when we arrived.

The location was great, with restaurants, bars, and the beach all within walking distance. I’m only giving three stars because of one staff member, Julie. Checkout was at 10am, and we think 11am would make more sense since we had to clean up and take out our own rubbish bags. It seemed the staff only needed to change the beds and clean the shower. When I asked about leaving our bags in the luggage room, Julie at the desk curtly said we could store them but weren’t to “keep coming and going to the room.” On the morning we left them, she told us to hurry because she had the desk to attend to, and stood at the door rushing us. The lobby was empty, and it never seemed busy. We panicked and didn’t get all our bags in, so we had to carry a heavy shoulder bag around for five hours. When we returned, Julie asked if she had given us a day pass. She hadn’t offered one, and we’re disappointed we weren’t given that option, since it would have helped us feel less rushed. We also heard her yelling at a man one night about parking his car. For $1,300 for four nights, we think we could have been treated with less rushing and allowed to keep the room until 11am. Lots of hotels now have checkout at 11am or even noon.

We bought our holiday rental apartment here three years ago so others could enjoy it too. Room 2311 is my happy place, where I can relax and make use of all the fantastic facilities. The balcony looks over the main street, which is the best side, with all the well known restaurants and bars nearby. The resort is in the best location. The casino is behind us, shopping centres, the convention centre, and trams are close, and the beach is right in front. What more could you want? Highly recommended. Just ask for room 2311.

The facilities made it easy to unwind. The spa, pool, and sauna were beautifully maintained, and there’s an on-site gym too, though I didn’t use it. My suite was comfortable and well appointed. There was only three-quarters of a roll of toilet paper with one spare, and no complimentary milk, small things that didn’t significantly affect my stay but may be useful for future guests to know. Service at Phoenician Resort was excellent from arrival through departure. The team were warm and professional, and made me feel welcome. I enjoyed a relaxing stay and would happily return. One disappointment was dining at La Porchetta with other guests staying at the resort. It didn’t match the resort’s high standards, and could affect how someone views the overall stay, even though it wasn’t directly the resort’s service.