Volando Resort Kenting

I don't see anything that justifies this hotel's price. By international standards, I'd give it no more than 3.5 stars. There's no direct access to a nice beach, and you're basically beside a fishing harbor. For what one night costs, I could fly to Thailand and back and stay several nights in a nicer hotel. I suspect some five-star ratings come from people who don't want to admit they paid far too much for an average place. Spending a lot must mean it's good, right?

The restaurant was decent, the staff provided great service, though they could be a little pushy, and the windows kept the wind out well enough for a comfortable night. Still, I won’t be coming back soon. After staying at several resorts in the same price range, this one left me with a sour impression. I’d come without expectations. The layout is baffling. The pool, advertised as one of the best in Taiwan, sits across the driveway, so you have to leave through the front door to reach it. With such strong winds, that placement makes little sense. The rooms are crammed together in one area and feel tight for the price. Their design is awkward too: you can only enjoy the ocean view from the windy balcony, and the light controls are confusing and inconvenient. There’s also a lot of Taiwanese equipment around, the kind of thing you see at night markets, and it’s hard to explain why it feels off until you see it. The gym is worst of all, poorly equipped and, as my brother put it, like they ran out of money and threw in whatever they could. The staff seemed like they could use a leader. These problems would take a full redesign to fix, which makes me wonder why it wasn’t planned better from the start.

We held our fifth newborn baby shower here with the whole family. The waitstaff and baby party planner gave us such lovely, unforgettable memories. We love the atmosphere the hotel creates, and we’ll definitely come back for more anniversaries with the people we love.

The room and its pool were amazing, and the food was exquisite. Everyone on staff was so friendly and caring, and it’s a great place for children too.