Hotel Helios & Spa

Getting to l'ile was hassle-free, with the option to arrange the car park and ferry in advance and plenty of information provided. The place was clean, quiet, and nice, with a comfortable, welcoming bedroom and helpful people. Breakfast was excellent, and I noticed a decent GF / DF choice.

Thieves! I booked a room for May 31-June 1 through hotels.com and have been trying to cancel since last week. Hotels.com told me they refused to cancel and refund me. The booking was eventually cancelled without a refund. I had a terrible flu, and my dog had just had her gallbladder removed and was recovering. I have proof of all of it, but they still kept my 250$. Even hotels.con apologized, saying they’d spent the past three days trying to reach someone there to cancel and refund me, with no luck. Today they finally reached a manager, who refused the refund but agreed to cancel. No thanks. Terrible, terrible hotel.

For a regular hotel, it would be fine, though I’m not sure where the four stars come from. We could hear people on the main stairs, trucks unloading at the back, and carts rolling around because there’s no noise insulation. The air conditioning was off, and there were no mosquito nets on the windows. Staff came to do the room in the middle of the day, but there was no sign to let them know we were inside. There are stairs everywhere, which is inconvenient for anyone who has trouble walking stairs. Also, the lobby bathrooms had no sign to show whether they were occupied, something that’s standard almost everywhere.

The beaches and coves are incredible, and the whole place is quiet with great service and restaurants. It made for a lovely retreat. We’ll definitely return with the kids too. It’s very family-friendly, feels super secure, and there’s plenty for them to do.