SBH Monica Beach Resort

We stayed at this hotel for 4 nights. Don’t believe all the reviews – it’s best to make up your own mind. The hotel was beautiful, including the room and the ocean view. We explored the whole island, and I consider the beach here to be the best one for swimming – calm, without big waves, and never overcrowded. The room was always clean and tidy. The food was excellent, with a wide variety to choose from and very tasty. The staff were extremely friendly and welcoming. Overall, we were very satisfied with our stay – everything went smoothly, and we would definitely recommend this hotel to everyone. The location is also great – close to everything you’d want to see on this side of the island if you have a car. Parking at the hotel was no problem at all. We also felt safe the entire time – there were no strange people around who didn’t belong there.

I am sad to write this as I don’t normally write poor reviews and am always able to find a positive in any hotel we come too but this is a terrible hotel perfume has been stolen from our room, there is a general feeling of unsafety and disrepair. Our room has barely been cleaned in the time we have been here. This is nowhere near the standard of a 4* hotel despite charging as one and we would never return here again. If you have booked please try and change your hotel if you haven’t booked please don’t as you can find a far better alternative.

After reading all the negative reviews we were pretty anxious about our holiday here. Upon check in the guy behind the desk was lovely, really welcoming and we were given something to eat and drink due to our delayed arrival. Rooms - our room was right on the edge on the complex which meant quite a walk to get anywhere, room was very dated and there were stains on the curtains and walls. We were told not to leave anything outside which we couldn’t anyway as didn’t really have a patio or balcony and not to leave doors or windows open due to previous breaks ins (not scary when there with children). Air conditioning was hit and miss and the room did tend to get very stuffy. Shower leaked, celling was covered in mould and the pull button to switch from bath to shower was broken. Reported these issues daily but they weren’t fixed. Room was cleaned daily although 1 day no new towels to shower with were left which meant the lengthy walk to reception to get some as the telephone in the room didn’t work. Did request a room change as didn’t feel particularly safe or a room close to what is advertised but were told they were full so a room change wasn’t an option. Food - food was plentiful however it was the same each day, no difference in the choice you had so did get rather boring and unexciting. Dinner hall does get busy and they ran out of clean plates, glasses quite regularly. There also appeared to be regular visits from local birds who liked to do their business on the floor and pinch food of plates. Facilities - Only 1 of the slides are working, pools are dated and need of repair here and there, only 3 pools not 4 as stated the 4th pool is now a patch of astro grass with showers. The basement room where the evening entertainment is does get really warm as no air conditioning and the entertainment is very hit and miss but wasn’t an issue for us anyway. Staff at this bar can be quite rude and unfriendly but the way some guests spoke to them I’m not surprised. If you’re not at the main pools by 8am at the lastest you stand very little chance of getting a sun lounger (which are also in need of an upgrade as some are broken and very dirty). No where enough outside seating in the evenings which lead to people including us having to sit on the sun loungers which isn’t ideal or comfortable. Staff - most staff are really friendly and work their butts off but again the way they get spoken to by some guests I’m not surprised some are grumpy. Doesn’t take much to say please, thank you or take your dirty plates/cups etc from around the pool to the bar rather than letting them build up by the loungers. Entertainment staff were ok, only really went out their way to entertain when it was a little cloudy. It was all very much the same every day and only really bothered when we were asked to fill out a survey. All in all I don’t believe this hotel is the 4 stars advertised, it’s such a shame it’s so run down and need of re-decorating, deep clean etc bec