Gara Suites Golf & SPA

Breakfast was nice, and the coffee was great, though the bacon looked odd, like pressed bits cooked in a loaf. It tasted okay. The hotel is generally pleasant, but the maintenance issues seem to be piling up, and it no longer feels like a four-star place. I was disappointed, honestly. There’s only one person at reception at a time, so it’s always crowded. The room phone didn’t work, the patio door wasn’t secure, and the WiFi was weak and kept cutting out. After the cleaners came, the razor I’d left in the shower had mysteriously disappeared. The shop sells no soft drinks apart from water, and the things it does sell are ridiculously priced. The bar charged us €1 for four ice cubes in a paper cup, and the staff were rude when we asked. I’ve never been charged for ice at a hotel before.

The one-bedroom apartment was spacious and cleaned every day. Big thanks to Yuri on the animation team for keeping the kids entertained. Breakfast was good, but dinner wasn’t really for us, so we ate out most nights. The beachfront restaurants are worth trying, rather than Tik Tok ball’s hit! Taxis to resorts like Adaje, Christianos, and las vistas cost about 8-10 euros and take around five minutes. Don’t tip, as we felt they overcharged us. Walking to those resorts isn’t easy. We didn’t try, since they’re a long way off.

The location worked really well for us. It’s a 20-minute walk to town, or a €6 taxi ride, and Siam Mall is 10 minutes away on foot, about €4 by taxi. The pool was lovely and warm, with plenty of loungers so there was no rush to claim one. Our room was amazing, spread across two floors, and cleaned every day. The whole hotel was spotless, and the staff were so friendly and went out of their way to help. Bingo was great fun too, especially with the young woman running it, though I can’t remember her name. I’d happily recommend the hotel and stay again.

The room was huge and a 10/10 for us. The balcony view wasn’t great, but we didn’t mind. Breakfast was included and had loads of options for a hotel buffet. One pool was heated, which was great on cloudier days, while the other stayed cooler for sunny weather. There were plenty of loungers, so no need to run out early to save one. It’s about a 25-minute walk to the main strip, but taxis are always at the hotel rank and usually cost €4.00-€9.00. The bar and food are quite dear compared with town. Cleaners came every two days for a full clean and mopped the floors, and reception gave us extra towels when we needed them. Honestly, we had the best holiday ever and would definitely return to Gara suites.