I was here for five nights in early June attending a conference staying in two different rooms in the main building (first two nights by myself with a king bed and the remaining nights sharing a room with two double beds). I also visited the room of other colleagues in some of the other buildings. Pretty much identical layout for all standard rooms: living room (which included a sleeper sofa). short passage (with toilet/shower on one side and sink on the other) through to the bedroom. There are doors on either end of the passage so privacy can be had. As a standard room setup, this is great! Very comfortable beds. Flat panel TVs in both living room and bedroom. Wired internet in room. Lots of space. Good housekeeping.
First, the positives. As other have commented, it is a beautiful location. There are pools throughout the property (so one never far away) and the main pool complex is enjoyable (although describing it as a water 'park' is a bit much...the highly advertised slide is a fun (but short) experience). The views from Different Point of View are stunning. I didn't eat there, but drinks on the terrace at night were very enjoyable. The grounds are immaculate. The staff are very friendly and a problem with our billing was fixed quickly by reception. When I called housekeeping about a missing bottle opener, staff brought the replacement within a couple minutes. They are also flexible about allowing you to stay after official checkout.
As a meeting venue, it is fantastic. Event catering was good, the meeting rooms were configurable for different sizes of events and the AV setup was well-handled. The conference center is next to the main building, so very convenient for those staying in the main building.
Now, the negatives. It is pretty isolated. The hotel does provide a shuttle (for a fee) to get to the local shopping mall, but you really need a car to get to anything outside of the resort. Without a car you are a willing hostage. Internet is $12/day (although you can print out boarding passes for free and they do offer free printing in the business center from your own laptop). As for the food, I only ate at the Cantina (the Mexican restaurant in the main building overlooking the family pool). it was OK but not great and I could taste no alcohol in my drinks (and IMO was overpriced for what you got).
As others have noted, it is fairly spread out/hilly and for those with mobility issues, it can be a challenge. However, the free shuttle service is excellent (one of my colleagues was staying up the hill and the shuttle appeared 3 minutes after she placed the call) and the staff encourage use of the service. The layout is fairly confusing. There are a number of footpaths/bridges that provide shortcuts (so that guests don't have to walk in the roads) but they're not obvious. Again, staff are very good about telling you about them, but I think the signage to these paths could use some improvement. Signage for drivers was very good.
I'm not a golfer, but friends that are commented on the great course and facilities available.
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend?
absolutely!
I recommend this hotel for:
An amazing honeymoon, A romantic getaway, Girlfriend getaway, Older travelers, Great pool scene, Families with young children, Families with teenagers, Tourists
I do not recommend this hotel for:
Young singles, People with disabilities
I selected this hotel as a top choice for:
Business meeting / Event