Rockside Cabanas Hotel

The oceanfront location was stunning, and waking up to that view in one of the Luxury Gabana beach cottages was unforgettable. The service was friendly, and the manager sincerely tried to help. One waiter was very kind too. The atmosphere is pleasant and the people are warm, but our stay was badly affected by food problems, and I feel the hotel should have shown more care and flexibility in resolving them. We ordered hotel food that tasted good, but my daughter and I both got food poisoning. We hadn't eaten anywhere else that day. Her mixed fruit juice contained mango, which caused an allergic reaction. She hadn't told them about her allergy, so that part was her responsibility. But her condition went well beyond an allergy: she became severely dehydrated and couldn't walk. We called an ambulance, went to the National Hospital, and spent the whole day there. I became sick too, so it was likely something in the food or sauce as well, not just the juice. We missed breakfast and nearly a whole day of our holiday. When we got back, the hotel kindly offered complimentary food as an apology. We appreciated it, but the burger was so tough it was impossible to eat. The club sandwich, which we'd hoped would be light, had a heavy sauce again. I tried only a small bite of the burger, and between us we ate just one small piece of the sandwich before feeling unwell again. It wasn't as severe, but it worried us. I asked for at least a half-day's compensation for the lost time, but the request was declined. I was told every room was fully booked, though Booking.com showed availability. The dishes tasted good, but the quality or preparation of some ingredients needs improvement. The hotel must take food handling and ingredient safety much more seriously.

We came for a few hours and stayed the rest of the day. For a reasonable price, we got a sunbed, towels, and access to the pool and sanitary facilities. The food and drinks were excellent, and the atmosphere was calm. Chanakana welcomed us after we passed the hotel on our walk toward turtle beach. He set up a table right by the beach, where we enjoyed coffee and watched the turtles. Chanaka looked after us with so much warmth that we really enjoyed being there. Turtle beach is a very short walk away, though you have to climb over some rocks. We'd definitely recommend the place, even for a few hours of relaxing.

The staff were so kind and friendly, and we loved relaxing in the garden by the pool and visiting the turtles at the beach most mornings. A pretty, peaceful hotel and a lovely stay. Highly recommended.

Such a nice spot for an afternoon drink and something to eat while watching turtles feed in the shallows. Our host Chan was welcoming and paid close attention to every request. The food was delicious, and the drinks came out perfectly made and quickly.