royaltonresorts.com

Disappointing Experience at the Resort

We booked a stay at the resort through a holiday service for our second trip abroad with our 10-week-old daughter. Having traveled extensively in the Caribbean and previously visited the island, we chose this resort due to our trust in the brand. Unfortunately, our experience did not meet expectations. Positives to Note There were some highlights. The bracelet room keys were a smart and convenient feature, eliminating the worry of losing key cards—though guests should be aware of the hefty US$150 PER DAY charge for replacements. Most of the frontline staff were friendly and welcoming, even if it was often challenging to get their attention. We particularly enjoyed the coffee shop, which was bright and airy, overlooking the lagoon, with great staff and a nice selection of coffees, pastries, paninis, and gelato. The three à la carte restaurants were acceptable, and once the booking system stabilized after a couple of days, we could reserve tables with some planning. The Caribbean restaurant became our favorite, although on our second visit, we were unexpectedly informed that there was “no room” for our stroller, forcing us to place our infant on a pillow beside us. This was not what we expected from a family-oriented resort. Consistent Issues The buffet was a significant letdown: limited options, average quality, and poorly prepared dishes. We are realistic about Caribbean resort buffets, but this was by far the weakest we’ve encountered. Basic supplies ran out frequently, even in the first few days—such as water, orange juice, butter, yogurt, straws, and even certain main dishes. Rather than addressing these shortages with urgency, the hotel’s response was indifferent. Other practical problems added to our frustration. The onsite ATM was out of order; cash advances were available but came with a puzzling 10% fee. One of the two lifts in our accommodation block was not operational, leaving a single small lift for nine floors. With a stroller, taking the stairs was not feasible. We even learned to ride the lift upward first just to create space to come down. Our polite request for a ground-floor room was simply overlooked. A Common Experience Throughout our stay, we encountered many other guests facing the same issues—some even worse. Many expressed feeling ignored, dismissed, or even insulted by management when voicing their concerns. Hearing their stories made it clear that our experience was not a one-off, but part of a larger pattern of neglect and poor management at the resort. Customer Service Woes By day two, we reached out to the holiday service to explore relocation options. By day three, we contacted the hotel’s Guest Services directly. This is when our experience took a turn for the worse. Interactions with the Guest Experience Manager were particularly concerning. Instead of helping to resolve issues, the tone was dismissive and defensive, bordering on rude. Conversations were contradicted or denied entirely, creating an adversarial atmosphere rather than a service-oriented one. It felt unprofessional and far below the standard expected from a brand of this caliber. Despite our repeated attempts to find a solution, neither the holiday service nor the hotel seemed able or willing to intervene effectively. Instead, we were offered 20,000 loyalty points in exchange for signing a non-disclosure agreement, which we declined. Final Thoughts While the frontline staff do their best, the resort is clearly mismanaged. The guest services department—especially under the Guest Experience Manager—needs urgent and thorough customer service training. Meeting so many guests experiencing the same issues only reinforced that these problems are systemic, not isolated. There is potential at the resort, but until leadership addresses the fundamental operational and service shortcomings, guests—especially families—should approach with caution.

Date of experience: Dec 16, 2025