Shoni Bay Resort

There are swimming pools with a slide.

The best thing here is the water access. You can get to the sea and reef for a swim even when it’s windy. The loungers are well spaced, so you can avoid the chattering Italian crowd, and nearly all the staff are friendly and helpful. Despite the somewhat run-down buildings, the hotel is clean, and the pools and grounds are looked after. There are some clear downsides. Dogs wander around during dinner, begging indirectly, and are allowed on the beach loungers. Food that isn’t cooked in front of you is often lukewarm or cold. The free mixed drinks are unbelievable, though wine, beer and coffee are drinkable, and rum without cola is okay. Wi-Fi is only near reception and gets very poor in the evening when lots of people use it. The TV, which we mostly wanted for news, only works now and then. The whole building is shabby and depressing wherever you look. Behind our three-story apartment, sold as a "chalet with sea view," there was an active construction site with concrete pumps, hammers on formwork and wheel loaders. Fortunately, the noise wasn’t too noticeable on the windy beach. This is a budget hotel with excellent water access and kind staff. Our review is just a neutral snapshot, not a complaint. We know both luxury and very run-down places, and have traveled a lot ourselves and as travel experts.

We had to change hotels because staying here became impossible. From the beginning, the place felt neglected, as though nobody cared about the property. Staff were unpleasant, unwilling to help, and often ignored guests; even a simple question seemed to bother them. At the bar, drinks came in tiny plastic cups, hardly enough for two sips, and supplies were constantly gone or unavailable. For anything cold or a normal drink, we had to pay ourselves. It hardly felt all-inclusive. Poor organization, no service, and so little interest in guests made for a deeply disappointing stay.

The food was poor and disgusting, and the alcohol was awful. The wine was almost clear, and the other drinks were tragic, so I ended up buying alcohol outside the hotel with my own money. I also felt staff were continually trying to get money from guests, and their manner was unpleasant and unprofessional. The room was dirty, the air conditioning didn’t work, it wasn’t cleaned, and the bedding wasn’t changed. There were lots of flies and mosquitoes, and I left with many bites, probably from insects, though I still don’t know whether they might have been bedbugs. At a local clinic they wanted €250 for an injection despite my travel insurance, which was stressful and upsetting. This was the worst stay of my life. Bad hygiene, service and attitude, just a complete disappointment. I absolutely wouldn’t recommend it. It was the worst kind of "rest" I’ve ever had.