Woda Villa & Spa

The resort’s building has plenty of potential as a high-end getaway, and the setting looked peaceful when we arrived. They even gave me a birthday cake. After that, though, the upkeep was disappointing. Our bathrobes and hand towels were wet on arrival, and when we left the villa cleaning sign out on Day 2, we returned to an untouched room. The birthday cake plate had ants on it. We’ve stayed in older properties before, but never one where the bedsheets and bathrobes were stained. The linen smelled fresh, so I couldn’t tell if the room had been turned over; the pillow covers weren’t stained, but they were very grey from wear and washing. The bathrobes were frayed, and the sofa cushion was almost nonexistent. The bathroom looks lovely but needs more places to hang things. The towel rack was too small to spread a towel out to dry, and it was the only bar in the room. There were no hooks for wet swimsuits, bathrobes, or clean clothes, so we had to hang the wet robes beside our luggage. A villa with a king bed and pool also came with just one deck chair. It would’ve been nice for my partner and me to sit in the sun together, but one of us had to sit by the pool, and there wasn’t a chair we could bring out from the room. The location of the villa matters if you’re a light sleeper. Our door faced restaurants outside the property, where a live band played and sang well, but the music’s constant boom and vibration came right through the villa. Breakfast was another letdown. If breakfast matters to you, take a look at their buffet spread first. The coffee and tea were like “infused water,” and on the rainy day we were there, rainwater even got into our food as we carried it back to the table. This is the first time I’ve left a negative review for a property. It’s a real pity, because the building itself has so much potential.

The stay was great, but the TV’s Wi-Fi was locked, so we couldn’t use Netflix or YouTube. Reception told us we could only watch local channels, and I couldn’t make sense of the four or five options on our TV. Letting guests use the smart TV would make it much easier to unwind in the room with a drink and something to watch.

The staff were the friendliest part of my stay, and the massage was really good, so give it a try. The room was huge and had its own pool, though it stayed humid because the two air conditioners weren’t strong enough to cool it down. It’s on the outskirts, but getting around by Grab was convenient. The mall and seafood restaurant were both about 10-15 minutes away. Breakfast was just okay, so don’t expect much.

Jackie, the manager, kindly gave me a belated birthday cake. He was friendly and polite, and my first visit to Woda Villa & Spa left a really good impression. From the moment we stepped into the lobby, the reception staff welcomed us warmly, and the bellhop helped with all our barang barang. The wait staff were welcoming too. I had a great time, and I’m grateful to everyone for looking after me and my girlfriends. I’ve told my friends about the place, and we’ll come back for our next vacation. See you all soon. Andrew