I'm extremely disappointed with the Banyan Tree brand; this stay was a huge letdown and completely failed to meet the expectations I have for a luxury resort.
The room facilities were outdated. The toilet design was very impractical; an adult couldn't even touch their toes to the ground when sitting on it, making it an awkward experience. The dining experience was terrible; I felt unwell after eating the hotel breakfast and hadn't consumed anything else. This led to two consecutive days of gastroenteritis. As a tourist from out of town, this severe bout of gastroenteritis even cast a shadow over my entire trip.
The check-in experience was awful. After just one night, we asked the hotel if we could check out early and only pay for one night, but they flat-out refused. Throughout the process, they never even bothered to ask why we wanted to cancel or change our stay so soon after checking in, showing a complete lack of concern. The butler/customer service staff had an indifferent attitude, their replies were robotic and completely devoid of empathy.
Even worse, the pool attendants were unhelpful. One child was hogging four or five public floats by themselves, and when my child wanted to use one, they wouldn't share. The pool staff just stood by and watched, refusing to intervene or help mediate. Regarding the public swimming goggles, I asked the staff if I needed to buy them, and they said yes, I had to pay. However, I later witnessed staff putting the goggles back into the public area, meaning there were free ones available, but guests weren't informed.
Overall, the hotel's service management was chaotic. During check-in, the staff had difficulty understanding and communicating, making the conversation very arduous. The entire experience felt heavily profit-driven, and many promotions were just superficial gimmicks. The advertised complimentary travel photography actually required an additional fee. Surprisingly, the rooms didn't even provide free bottled water, instead expecting guests to boil tap water for drinking.
In stark contrast, the guesthouse we stayed at the day before cost about the same but offered a much better experience in terms of service, facilities, and overall ambiance. I suspect that perhaps the discounted prices during the summer promotion attracted a different type of clientele, affecting the overall environment. For a renowned luxury hotel, the hardware, dining, and service were all unsatisfactory, offering very poor value for money. This significantly diminished my travel experience, and I'm very disappointed. I would not recommend choosing this hotel.
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