Perla Beach Club

The beach is really nice and very close, and the sea was warmer than the pool. The kids loved it. We also liked the big pool, with enough sunbeds, and the no-reservation policy seems to stop people leaving towels out at 6am. I’m not sure staff would actually remove them after an hour as the policy says, but it seems to work anyway. The rooms were spacious and nice for their age, and the restaurant was reasonably good for the price, with room to improve. Snacks were available in different spots throughout the day, and the staff were helpful and nice. One disappointment: there were no kids’ activities during the last two weeks of August, even though school holidays were still going. I can recommend this hotel for a family stay.

We’ve just returned from a 10-day stay, and our feelings are mixed. I gave it three stars because it doesn’t feel like a four-star hotel, at least by Polish standards. Here’s what worked and what didn’t for us. The location was very convenient. There’s a back gate, then you just cross the street to reach the beach. Shops and restaurants are nearby too. At reception, two women were very helpful and spoke English well, so communication was easy when they were there. Sometimes other staff didn’t know even basic English, so we waited to ask more difficult questions until one of those two was around. We had a family room with a living room and bedroom, which was comfortable for two adults and two children, better than many places we’ve stayed. It had a sea view and morning sun only, so it avoided the worst afternoon heat. There was air conditioning in the living room but none in the bedroom. Storage for clothes was lacking, and the sofa was worn. The children had a great time in both pools. The smaller one has a fun slide, while the larger pool is a good size and didn’t feel crowded. Both were well kept. But there was no lifeguard, which worried me, since the larger pool is deep enough to be dangerous for a child who can’t swim. People also left towels on deckchairs to claim them, sometimes staying away all day. Clear rules against that would help. The food was the worst part. Breakfast was horrible, the same things every day, and the ham, cheese, and sausages seemed like the cheapest available. Some items were disgusting, and we soon figured out what to avoid, settling on the one ham we found edible. Lunch and dinner were better, but repetitive, with only a few appealing choices. Forks and knives were often missing, dishes took a long time to be replenished, and queues were long. Once, I was refused more meat because the cook said there wasn’t enough for everyone, and started rationing it only about 30 minutes into lunch. That’s unacceptable. We also saw a waitress put broccoli back into the tray after it fell onto a dirty surface, right in front of guests. It made me wonder what happens when no one’s watching. I’m giving the food two stars because the cooks sometimes made good meat and fried fish. The bartenders worked hard and did a good job, but the hotel seems to choose the cheapest alcohol. Their whisky or vodka gave me a headache the next day even if I didn’t drink much. The beer tasted like water, so for normal beer you’re better off buying some at one of the markets nearby. Reviews seem to say everything is either amazing or awful, and I wanted to give a more balanced account. I’m not saying don’t go, but if you can skip the all-inclusive meals, I’d eat at one of the many restaurants nearby. Even street food is better. The rest was fine.

The food was okay, though the choices barely changed from one day to the next. The rooms were nice, but ours was on the ground floor and had no bathroom curtain. Since the shower drain was poor and the water didn’t drain, we had to shower in the bathtub beside the window. It faced the garden and outdoor pool, where people were often hanging out, so being visible while showering felt unpleasant. I wouldn’t rate Perla beach luxury as five-star. I’ve stayed in actual five-star hotels, and the service here doesn’t compare. The standards felt too low. Guests got juice, cocktails, tea, and coffee in the cheapest, thinnest plastic cups. Almost nobody on staff spoke English, and when we asked things, they just stared as if we’d asked how many light-years it is from Earth to the sun. Most staff weren’t friendly at all, and some were rude. The only friendly ones were two young receptionists. There was no children’s entertainment, no private beach, and no outdoor pool bar.

The staff were very friendly, but the quality of the hotel, room, and food was very poor. The pool and beachfront are too small for all the guests from the three hotels sharing them.