Orchid House

We’d happily book here again. The place is cute, with palms and flowers, and it’s an easy walk to a small grocery shop, the beach, and Atlantis Marina with its little restaurants. The gated grounds have 24/7 security. Both pools were really clean, and I often saw staff cleaning them. They also lend tennis rackets and balls for free, so you can use the court. Our room was very clean too, though it could use a little attention: only two of the four stoves worked, and the hot water was unstable. For the price, I don’t think it could be much better. From what I read, the gym has been closed since 2023, and the mini mart and restaurant don’t open every day, so don’t count on them. Staff were incredibly friendly. We loved Yunès and all her colleagues. Great family holiday.

I’m here longer term, rather than just for a holiday or business trip, and I love the quiet, homely feel of the complex. Service is very good. There are several well-kept pools and a tennis court I still haven’t tried. There’s also a laundromat, though you’ll need quarters, and a gym room that’s currently inoperative. You’ll enjoy staying here.

This was my second stay, and I checked out early because of how I was treated. At 10:30, with checkout at 11, I had a clothing malfunction and needed to go back into the room to change. The woman in the office refused to let me in and had the nastiest attitude I’ve ever encountered. She makes me not want to stay here again and needs to learn some empathy. Before that, I’d told her the safe wasn’t working, there was noise outside my window until 2am, the tub was dirty at check-in, and the TV didn’t work. I guess I “bothered” her by bringing it up. The guy who’s usually in the office is super nice and welcoming.

The rooms are old, but the furniture is great, the kitchen has what you need, the bed is super comfortable, the AC is good, and there’s a nice back deck. If I were rating the rooms by themselves, it’d be 5/5. The one real issue there is that the cable doesn’t work well. I’m torn between 3 and 4 stars because the facilities and location bring it down. The fitness center, restaurant, and mini mart, among other promised facilities, were never open. The closed mini mart was especially inconvenient given the location. It’s about 10 minutes from cabbage beach and 15 minutes from a grocery store, but in mid-90s heat under full sun, walking uphill on roads that often have no sidewalks is miserable. If you want to visit Paradise Island on a budget, this place could work. We learned that, if possible, a shorter stay at Atlantis or RIU or another top-tier place is worth paying more for.