Citygate Kamala Resort and Residence

The room itself was clean, tidy, and spacious, and housekeeping did a good job. That's the only real plus. The hotel price doesn't feel justified: breakfast is very limited, and the location is noisy, between construction sites. The internet was awful. They changed the router a couple of times, but we still barely had a connection. For what they charge, I'd look elsewhere.

Our room was on the 7th floor, and we were pleased with the service from both reception and housekeeping. We stayed four nights in a comfortable apartment with a bedroom, bathroom, small living room, and private kitchen. There was plenty of closet space, air conditioning that worked well in two rooms, and a very comfortable bed with great pillows. The place was clean and well kept. Something was missing when we arrived, but it was sorted within minutes after we asked. The beach is about a 15-minute walk, or just 4-5 minutes by the private shuttle. Shops are close too. Breakfast was simple but had enough variety, and the service was good. We were lucky with the weather. A friend traveling with us got a room facing construction, and although we tried, we couldn't move her because the hotel was full. A couple of things to mention: the white parts of our swimwear turned yellow after using the rooftop pool, and the bathroom sink drained slowly. Still, we were very satisfied and would consider coming back.

The location was convenient, with the beach about a 10-minute walk away and lots of restaurants nearby. The room cleaning was also consistently good. But we stayed three weeks and regretted booking this place. The photos make it look elegant and cared for, while the hotel felt smelly, neglected, and poorly serviced. The price was good for a long stay, but I wouldn't return. There's a strong sewer smell as soon as you enter the property. In our room, the air conditioner only worked in the bedroom and leaked constantly. There was little storage, and the shower never got properly hot. The facilities were in terrible shape: wiring hung into the rooftop pool, so we stopped swimming there because we feared electrocution. There were broken chairs and tables, only about two sun loungers on the top deck, holes in the floor, peeling hallway wallpaper, and dirty food plates left in the hall for days. We got no help when we asked staff to call a doctor and translate during an emergency, even though they speak Thai and English. There is no security, so anyone can walk in or out, which didn't feel reassuring. Don't pay for breakfast, it was overpriced with a poor selection, and there are much better breakfast places within walking distance. This did not feel like a 5-star hotel, more like a 2-star one. The photos really misled us.

We won't be coming back. Construction was going on around the clock, starting around 6-7 a.m., and we could hear it even with the windows shut. Our room looked straight onto the site, and nobody warned us. Getting to the beach meant a 15-20 minute walk in unbearable heat; the shuttle only came every 2-3 hours. The room had ants all over the kitchen, old furniture with burn marks, and hot water that came only sometimes and took ages to warm up. After a shower, the bathroom floor was flooded. The rooftop pool was so tiny that we just looked at it and left. It seemed designed for photos to help sell rooms, not for swimming. At night, drunk people shouted across the complex outside, and nobody intervened because there was no security. A terrible stay.