Hotel Esplai

We stayed for 11 days and got good value for the money. The staff were friendly and willing to answer questions, though they were understaffed during high season because of the number of guests. There were evening activities at the hotel, and the food and drinks were great. This is a family-friendly place, so expect noise and kids running around. You’re paying for a three-star hotel, so set your expectations accordingly. The pool is nice, but sun chairs are hard to get unless you queue from 8 in the morning. The covered jacuzzi was always cold and had a strong smell. There’s an open bar with food beside the pool, and the kids’ pool is a great addition.

The reception staff were lovely and very helpful, but I wouldn’t recommend this place to anyone, especially families. The rooms were quite dirty, and our shower had a huge leak that poured water out. The pool area was filthy, with plastic cups and rubbish everywhere. There was no lifeguard or anyone enforcing the rules. People still played ball in the pool despite a sign saying not to. There was nonstop noise at all hours, with people banging on doors and walls through the night. The thin walls meant I could hear next door as if they were in our room, and I’ve barely slept since arriving. Parties on balconies filled the evenings, with no hotel entertainment. The food wasn’t great, had little variety, and didn’t seem fresh. The all-inclusive area was very small.

The front desk staff were pleasant, patient, and understanding about the language barrier. They were very helpful and direct. The location is close to the strip, with shops, cafes, and restaurants nearby, and the beach is about a ten-minute walk away. The room needs some TLC. Our curtain rail fell down in the middle of the night, there was no safe key, and only one of our two door keys worked. We tried changing it three times and got the same result. The maids also unlocked the door to clean while we were asleep, which was different from what I’m used to. Still, it’s decent enough if you’re not too fussy. It did me fine for the week, and I’d recommend it.

The room didn’t feel safe. The front door wouldn’t lock, and the balcony door wouldn’t close all the way, leaving it half open at night. We’d also heard reports of cleaners taking things from rooms. This morning they knocked, but before my partner could reach the door, they opened it and tried to come in. We paid for a double room and got three single beds. When I raised it, the receptionist was very rude and uncaring, saying there was no problem, nothing he could do, and no other rooms available. He wouldn’t remove the extra bed either, saying there was nowhere to put it. Meanwhile, the room had no kitchen or fridge, just one socket for charging a phone unless you used the bathroom, air conditioning that barely worked, stains on the walls, unclean sink water, and a shower that only sometimes had hot water. At the pool, people queue for beds, which are all taken at 9:00 sharp. The pool was freezing, and staff were incredibly rude and acted like they didn’t care about anything. The hotel felt unclean everywhere we looked. People stared at us like we had three heads. We felt very unsafe and unwelcome, and don’t recommend this hotel.