The Royal at Atlantis

The beach was great, and the pools were nice, though cold. Beware of scams at the beach. Our waterview double queen room was in rough shape. It smelled awful when we walked in, and was dirty almost everywhere except the beds. The curtains smelled so bad the odor stayed on my hands after I opened them. The mirror, tables, and counters were dirty or damaged. The sink was backed up but fixed the next day. The toilet leaked and was very dirty on the sides, as if it hadn’t been cleaned in weeks. The vanity wall was damaged, the tub had what looked like damage painted over near the drain, and black mold near the shower soap holder had begun spreading into the tile grout. No room switch was available. We arrived late, after the main restaurants had closed at 10pm, so we ordered room service before it closed at 11pm. They said it would take 90 minutes, so we went to explore the resort. They showed up after 30 minutes, and because we weren’t in the room, they disposed of the food rather than leave it there. We hadn’t been told we needed to be present, so we missed a proper dinner. We were sent to a quick takeout place for sandwiches and salads. The salad was full of rotten lettuce, and it took 15 minutes to get a refund. Service was horrible overall, with no shortage of bad attitudes. The one exception was a friendly, attentive person at a sit-down restaurant near one of the pools.

This may have been a great hotel when it first opened, but now it feels outdated and poorly maintained. The room thermostat didn’t work properly, the bathroom smelled unpleasant, and the public restrooms felt like an old, unserviced airport. It was so crowded that you had to get up at 7 or 8am and rush to claim a place at a pool. After I had already booked and paid in full, they added charges I hadn’t expected: $60.50 per child per day, which meant $120 daily for my 12-year-old twin daughters on top of the room rate; a $28 daily Royal Gratuity; a $71.50 daily Royal Towers Resort Fee that I hadn’t been told about when I made the reservation by phone; and a $51.60 daily room service fee. At that point I was surprised they weren’t charging me for the air I breathe. On top of all that, every restaurant, cafe, or vending store charged a 15% tip on each transaction before asking for an additional tip, even for pickup. The hotel is overrated and overcharging. This is definitely my last time here.

My stay at the Royal was wonderful and exceeded what I expected. There was a small issue with my first room, but Ovan went above and beyond and promptly moved me to a new room that was an absolute dream. I can’t thank him enough for his excellent service. The whole staff were kind, responsive, and accommodating throughout my visit. They made the stay perfect, and I’d absolutely recommend this hotel.

There was no internet anywhere at the resort, and the service was very poor. The shower had hair in it, and the bathroom had an awful gas-like odor, like fresh paint mixed with something else. Terrible experience. I’d never recommend this place or come back.