Guest User
October 15, 2024
The hotel itself was flawless, the staff were friendly and welcoming, the experience was fantastic and the rooms were incredible. However, I was extremely disappointed with my experience at the poolside (Starfish + Nao) bars at the Royal Hideaway hotel. I had previously enjoyed the beef mince nachos by the pool on a day visit a couple of years ago, so I was looking forward to having them again. However, when I ordered them this time, I got a nasty surprise when they came with black beans, NOT beef mince, despite the menu stating beef mince. This was particularly problematic for me, as I don't tolerate beans well and they give me a bad stomach. I was told that the chef had assured that there was beef in the nachos. I felt like I was being gaslit or lied to, as there was no evidence of beef whatsoever - no taste, no texture, just black beans and black bean sauce. I even had a picture of the nachos I had yrs ago vs the latest ones - different dish entirely, but same advertisment. They offered to show me how the nachos were made, which I declined as I didn't want to waste my holiday on a kitchen tour. To make matters worse, I had a poor experience at another bar (Nao i think), where I was served a margarita that was the worst cocktail I've ever had. It was essentially a lump of tasteless ground ice with alcohol in it, and I was charged around €14-€16 for the privilege. This was particularly galling given that I had enjoyed a unique and delicious cocktail at a beach club the evening before for €11, made by an expert mixologist. In contrast, the bartender at the Royal Hideaway was new on the job, undertrained and overwhelmed, and it was clear that he didn't know how to properly make a cocktail. Despite the hotel's overall excellent service and accommodations, these experiences left a bad taste and made me feel that the hotel was cutting costs and failing to deliver on basic amenities.