The Aristo Resort

I booked through Booking, and it felt like a total scam. I reserved an apartment near the pool but was given a 28 m² studio. This isn’t a resort, and the building is still under construction, with broken tiles everywhere. There’s supposedly a gym, if you use your imagination. Cleaning isn’t included, and they give you two towels to last the whole holiday. There’s no reception service. The furniture looks at least four or five years worn, with crooked cabinet doors. Hot water comes and goes, and the shower never keeps a steady stream or temperature. The location is very inconvenient, and it isn’t quiet either. There’s an outdoor Thai boxing gym operating from early morning, all hours. There’s nothing in the area, and it’s not close to the sea, despite how it may seem. Walking there takes at least 15 minutes through small streets. The TV didn’t work. They gave me a modem that also didn’t work, the remote was broken, and cable TV was out, perhaps because the central antenna wasn’t active. Honestly, I can only call it a scam. I wish I could give half a star or one or even zero, but had to give one.

Stephen and his team greeted us so warmly, and our rooms were ready when we arrived. We had an amazing week at Aristo 1. The accommodation was immaculate and very pleasant, with all the amenities we could ask for and more. The rooftop pool offers breathtaking views, and the two other pools were also spotless and maintained daily. Thanks for the excellent service, Aristo 1. I’d highly recommend Aristo Beach Resort to travelers and hope to see you again.

This is a condotel, with privately owned apartments rented out by their owners. The pools are good and well maintained, but take care choosing a unit. The rooms are small, about 32 square metres, and rental platform photos can make them look much bigger because of wide-angle lenses. Ours cost far too much for the space. The major issue is the Thai boxing gym next door. It’s extremely noisy, especially in the morning. Sometimes shouting, banging, and the sounds of blows downstairs woke us as early as 7:30 a.m. It was unbearable. Only the side facing the gym is affected, while the side facing the sea is quiet. Owners renting for a hefty price may focus on the pools and leave out the noise and cramped rooms, so buyers should be careful. It isn’t what it seems.

We vacationed here in January 2024. The condo was good and the room was great. We used the second-floor pool where we were staying, and only made it up to the rooftop pool at the very end of our vacation. The one downside is that cleaning and changing the bed sheets cost extra.