ACOYA Curacao Resort, Villas & Spa

The resort's evening entertainment was a real highlight. The singers and instrumental players were fantastic, and we also loved the food and cocktails at the restaurant. Service there could be slow when they were short staffed, even on quiet days, but the staff were nice. The water fountain show at 8 each night was great too. Grounds were well kept, the pool and cabanas were lovely at sunset, and I enjoyed swimming in the evenings. We saw lots of turtles around the little lagoon. We stayed for a week in September and felt the quality was generally good for the price. Our deluxe room had a pool view balcony, and the bed was comfortable. The balcony was perfect for coffee in the morning and sunset watching, and housekeeping left the room spotless every day. There was a small kitchenette with dishes and a mini fridge, though no sink, so washing up in the little bathroom sink wasn't ideal. We were right by the restaurant, so the music went on until 11 every night. I was glad I'd brought earplugs. Some staff were kind and pleasant, while others weren't. At check-in, the woman who greeted us simply showed us to the room without explaining what the resort offered, so I had to ask about everything. The shuttle drivers were all really nice, which helped make up for that. Though the resort isn't on the beach, the daily shuttle to Mambo Beach was convenient. When we wanted to stay longer, a taxi back cost $20. We skipped the included beach club chair and paid $7 for a chair by Chill bar at Lion’s Dive, on the nicer side of Mambo. There were good food choices at Mambo as well. The resort shuttle also went downtown and to a Dutch Supermarket with all kinds of snacks and sandwich supplies for lighter meals. We had a pleasant visit and a great vacation. Curaçao is an amazing island and I'd return.

The resort itself has beautiful grounds, lovely landscaping and a nice pool. My two-star review is about the Christmas brunch. We paid $120 per person, not including drinks, and it didn't live up to the price. The buffet was supposed to begin at 11:00 a.m. but started about 45 minutes late. The room was dim, the furniture dated, and the tables tiny. The food was only okay, and buying tokens for drinks was an unnecessary hassle. The atmosphere felt more like a retirement home restaurant than a festive brunch, and service was so-so. We wouldn't return for brunch or recommend the holiday event.

At least the pool had loungers for everyone, and I liked the decorated Christmas trees. We also had breakfast at the buffet once, and it was good. But I wouldn't stay at this hotel again, even though Curaçao itself made for an enjoyable trip. The room was noisy: we heard neighbors coughing and talking, and music outside carried on late. Cleaning was poor too. The sheets weren't changed all week, as the same stain stayed put. There was dust and mold, dishes left dirty by the previous guests, grimy bedroom windows we couldn't see through, and crumbs and a bad smell in the sofa. The shower had no door, so water covered the bathroom floor. The bed was so hard that I woke up sore most days, and the couch was uncomfortable. There was no TV in the bedroom. Staff seemed indifferent and unhelpful. We had to ask for towels at check-in, and the towels were tiny and hideous. The hotel felt outdated, with a tiny lobby and ugly furniture; the pool table by the bar was completely scraped up. The worst part was that we left something behind at checkout, returned less than 10 minutes later, and it was gone. Nobody could find it. We literally got robbed. The location in the city was decent, at least. Mambo Beach was a 15-minute walk and the center maybe 40 minutes, though we rented a car nearby and didn't walk those distances. There was also a bus stop about five minutes from the resort.

The room was my biggest disappointment. We booked the cheapest one, and it was much smaller than it looked online. A door between our room and the neighbors' meant we could hear everything from both sides, with no privacy. The shower had no curtain and soaked the bathroom floor, and the water stayed so cold we had cold showers for most of the trip. Housekeeping made the bed and changed towels, but never changed our sheets. Some staff, especially at the front desk, weren't friendly at all. The restaurant staff took a couple of days to warm up, then became nicer. Customer service should be there from the start. Maybe spending a bit more next time would help. I really want to like this resort, but they make it hard. There are things I did enjoy: the place looks gorgeous, with a lovely view, landscaping and pool. I liked the different events, the food was mostly pretty good, and the spa was amazing. The spa staff were professional and deserve stellar reviews.