Laguna Beach Club Resort

The pool is a real plus, with plenty of length and both shallow and deep sections for children. The bungalow has a water heater, but ours didn’t work, so there was no hot water. The rooms were much smaller than they appeared in the Booking.com photos, and ours was in terrible shape. The toilet clogged on the second day. There were “no smoking” signs, yet the room and outside area both smelled as if the hotel had been a heavy smoking spot for decades.

We loved being able to watch the sunset from the beach or our jacuzzi. Our Beach House had sun beds just centimetres from the sand, with the bar only two metres away, and it worked perfectly for our family of four. My dad stayed in the room closest to the pool, so the setup suited all of us. We spent two weeks at Laguna Beach Bar. The beach was clean, and there were plenty of restaurants and minimarts along the shore. The pool was clean and peaceful, with palms around it. Rooms had AC, were kept in good condition, and were cleaned daily. Breakfast was something we looked forward to each morning. The staff were kind and helpful with everything, including arranging taxis and snorkeling tours, taking care of bookings and payments. Mopeds were available to rent, and there was daily laundry service too. It was just the relaxed beachfront family holiday we wanted, and we’d happily come back.

The pool was the one good part. The nearby beach was covered in rubbish and looked nothing like the photos, while the room felt neglected, with peeling paint and a persistent drain smell. We booked five nights but left after two, losing money in the process. Mosquitoes came through poorly insulated windows, some without nets. Even the anti-mosquito device we bought didn’t help. It was a stressful disappointment and not worth the money.

The staff were welcoming, and we had a really nice week in a bungalow with the basics we needed. A few small bathroom touches would have helped, like somewhere to put soap and a towel hook. The restaurant menu is a bit limited, and although reception rents scooters, they were fully booked whenever we tried.