OMG better than ever expected! Well, I was hesitant because of the negative reviews on TripAdvisor, and my experience in staying in other “budget” GC accommodation and having awful experiences.
Well, this place is amazing. From phoning reception pre booking to leaving, I enjoyed every minute. And I booked more nights than I originally booked once we got there. As many as I could. Didn’t want to leave. The big difference here is the place is smaller than the mega-resorts, so the service is wonderful and very personal, the pool is never crowded, the facilities are easy to use and the gardens and areas are kept very clean. This was the first time I actually jumped in a resort pool (because (a) it was clean and (b) it was not busy).
The rooms are massive, the furniture is massive, the bed was new and clean and the bathroom all good. The kitchen had an old stove and old fridge, but they were super clean and it didn’t stop me from using them at all. Far from it. They worked. No problem. Service was just amazing. I asked for an extra casserole dish and a large frypan (we cook a lot) and they were instantly provided. No problem at all. I met 3 staff and they were all amazingly helpful.
The position is central. If you don’t know Surfers, this is right in the middle of the nightclub strip. That means fun. It’s just amazing to be right in the heart of it all and never have to drive a car. The nightclubs are all very harmless – there is a full police station next door. The hotel is at one end of the strip and is relatively quiet. We didn’t hear anything much. The rooms are all made of thick concrete. We heard the ocean and the waves more than the nightclubs (really). I’m not a nightclub person, but there is a lot of fun being in a busy, bustling area full of young people having a lot of harmless fun. It made the holiday fun. I have never stayed so close to anything like that before (I didn’t think I would like it) but it was great. You only notice the clubs late at night on the weekends anyway.
The garden and common areas are clean and beautiful. They look great at night. Our balcony just looked over lots of palm trees, full of birds. At night everything is lit up very nicely. The only problem is the stairs. There are not many at all, but if you are dragging one big heavy suitcase from the carpark basement, it might be easier to take up 2 lighter and smaller cases.
This is the only place I will come back to now. I can afford to stay at others, but this one is just so much better. Much less crowded, much better service and much more “liveable” rooms.