Fleur d Epee

The view is to die for, and having the beach right behind the rooms makes a huge difference. The hotel was cleaner than I expected, and the front desk staff were accommodating, though they could be friendlier. I would've liked a cafe or somewhere to get snacks between meals, but it wasn't a big deal. The dancers and performers especially won me over, they were beautiful and entertaining. I'd definitely come back.

The surroundings are stunning, and stepping straight onto the beach is so convenient. My room was clean and comfortable, with excellent daily housekeeping, even though the hotel and rooms could do with renovation. Check-in and checkout were easy. Marie Claire from the breakfast team was especially sweet and hospitable. I had a really nice stay and highly recommend the experience.

The grounds were clean and the Wi-Fi worked, so we could work during our two-week stay near family and friends. The sea view from our very dated room was amazing, and Angelina at the beach eatery was the friendliest person we saw each day: she smiled, chatted and was very accommodating. But I've never felt so unwelcome as a paying guest, and I'm not looking for another apology after we've already had two. As a vegetarian, I got by on eggs, cheese, rolls and melon at breakfast. The evening vegetables were mush and inedible. Some dining staff were pleasant, but the head of service ridiculed us in a packed dining room for speaking English, and another person was openly rude and confrontational. We raised our concerns at length with two reception staff and got no feedback. Reception was poor throughout: three people at the desk each day wouldn't look up, greet us or smile. Staff seemed thrown by English and came across as aggressive. After a 13-plus-hour journey, check-in was easy, but then we were sent to take our own suitcases upstairs on a trolley. Nobody explained the lighting or gave us the number for reception. There were no welcome drinks or complimentary water. Prices at the bar and dinner changed, and staff didn't seem happy when we asked for receipts. A rainy season with no umbrellas, no concierge and lots of staff standing around doing little made the service feel even worse. The room had a leaking air conditioner that dripped onto our open luggage, a loose bath panel, heavily soiled taps and cracked tiles. The mirror light worked randomly, and the hairdryer cut out after a few minutes. The TV failed; an engineer came promptly but said only five channels were available and none were working in English, claiming the whole island was affected, though that wasn't the case outside the hotel. It worked for one more day, then failed again. We asked to change rooms on arrival and were refused. In the communal toilet, the soap ran out. I told reception, returned hours later, and there was still no soap, then no toilet paper either. Food I'd pushed onto the floor took two days to be noticed and cleaned. We had to set our own table every day. I also saw a waitress drop a knife, look around, then put it on the table. Bananas rarely appeared at breakfast, and when they did they looked tired. The outside of the hotel looks great, but reception is dark, with mismatched sofas in orange and brown covers. Nightly entertainment was very loud, dated, and catered only to a French-speaking audience. The beach is public, something we didn't know: a homeless man bathed naked in the sea, came out naked and urinated openly on the sand. A short briefing or updated TV guide could have prepared guests for things they need to know. The hotel has a lot of potential, but it needs a customer-focused team that listens and makes improvements based on guests' actual experiences. Updating rooms alone won't raise its standing. Reviews from a year ago described the same problems we encountered. This is not yet a three-star hotel. People were constantly arriving and leaving, but for us, two weeks felt like hell. It was clear to me the staff hadn't traveled enough to see good industry practices elsewhere.

We were there for four days in a so-called suite. I've stayed in hotels around the world and haven't had service this bad. If you speak English, staff either don't understand or act completely unprofessionally. Receptionists were rude and arrogant, gave us no information, and barely answered when we asked questions. The room and common areas were dirty. It seemed they only made the bed, even though we left generous tips. When I asked for a clean towel, they sent me to reception, where they had none and said that was normal. On the beach, homeless people urinated between the sunbeds and shouted. It definitely didn't feel safe for children, and security said this was normal too. Avoid this place if you don't want your holiday ruined, especially if you don't speak French. I couldn't find a single positive thing about the hotel.