Villa Del Palmar Flamingos Beach Resort and Spa - All Inclusive

I'm currently back at Villa del Parmar flamingos as a repeat guest. Some parts of the resort could use a refresh, and the rooms are getting dated and worn. The staff more than make up for that, though. Everyone is friendly and helpful. Reggie around the pool is a gem. He's always there to answer questions, lend a hand, or do what he can to keep everyone happy. We'll definitely be back next year!

The staff work hard and are friendly, and the service overall was outstanding. Still, after staying here more than 20 years ago, I was disappointed by how much the property needs refreshing. It felt less clean and polished than other resorts from the moment we arrived, and it doesn't feel truly luxurious by today's standards or prices. We weren't on an all-inclusive plan and tried to use hotel credits from a timeshare presentation. They were devalued, hard to use, and came with an unexpected mandatory 15% gratuity. The restaurant options weren't great, either. The Japanese restaurant had no [unclear in source] and was cold, a little dirty, and unappealing.

This was the worst experience of my life. I spent over 5k for eight nights and felt like the only thing that mattered was how much money they could get out of me. If you don't tip extra on top of what you're already charged, they stop noticing you. I even found pubic hairs in the bed on the day we arrived, plus hairs inside the microwave, kitchen sink, and on the floor. The elevators were broken the whole time, so my son and I had to carry our bags to the 5th floor. A housekeeper told us the elevator had been broken for 6 months and warned us not to buy a timeshare there because they take the money and don't maintain the place. On our third day, water started dripping from the ceiling. Maintenance left a bucket and said housekeeping would empty it each day, so we listened to the dripping all night for the rest of our stay. They blamed the hidden fees on Costco because I bought the trip through them. I learned my lesson. Please take my advice and stay away from this hotel if you want to avoid a horrible experience.

Don't stay here. The food was average at best, the drinks were way overpriced, and most of the staff seemed to hate their jobs and dislike Americans. The man in the side office who handles excursions was extremely rude and wouldn't let us book massages.