Porto Bello Royal - All inclusive

We had a great holiday and would highly recommend the place. The staff were polite, friendly, and great at their jobs. When we called because the power had gone out, it was back on within ten minutes. Our room was made up every morning, with fresh towels daily, and we were given a beach towel too, which we hadn’t had before. They changed those three times a week. Each section of the resort had its own pool, so there was no need to be up at 7 am racing for a sunbed. Food had a good range of choices, the beach was a short walk away, and there was evening entertainment at the amphitheatre. Thank you, The Watson's.

We paid extra for Porto Bello Royal because the offer advertised more restaurants and premium facilities, but a lot of what was promised wasn’t available. Only three of the five listed restaurants were open, and the beach bar stayed closed and under construction throughout our visit. Nobody told us before we arrived. Reception said it would “open soon” after we complained, but nothing changed, and there wasn’t even an apology for the misleading offer. At a five-star property, I’d expect someone to try to help resolve a complaint. The cheaper neighboring hotel, Porto Bello Beach, had more going on: its beach bar was open, there was music on the beach, the atmosphere was better, and there was much more entertainment. At Porto Bello Royal there was almost nothing to do during the day. Apart from about 20 minutes of music during “water aerobics,” it was very quiet and depressing. The weather was poor, which wasn’t the hotel’s fault, but the restaurants, bars, and entertainment should have helped make up for it. Instead, we had to carry drinks about 200 meters from the hotel to the beach, far below what I’d expect from a premium five-star resort. We feel extremely disappointed and misled, having paid more for less than the cheaper hotel next door. This was nowhere near five-star quality. If the actual experience had matched the offer, five stars might have been justified, but at its current standard I’d say three stars at most. The staff in the restaurants, bars, and other areas were extremely helpful, polite, and professional.

We had a week in a room with a private pool and really enjoyed it. The buffet was very good, with lots of fresh food to choose from, and the room was cleaned meticulously. The hotel is a bit out of the way, with a couple of other hotels nearby. We didn’t mind that, but would have liked to visit the nearest resort. Taxis can be hard to find on the island. One thing to know is that planes land over the hotel, so there is aircraft noise, though we got used to it quickly.

The wedding venue and service were beautiful, and the buffet food was good. The hotel looks lovely from outside, but there were lots of loose and broken tiles around the property. The rooms felt basic, with flat pillows and no socket near the mirrors for using straighteners. I’d rate it three to four stars at most, and the restaurant quality wasn’t as good as the buffet.