Portia Hotel & Spa

This property has the potential to be lovely, but I would not recommend booking until construction is finished. TL;DR Pros: -Friendly staff -The finished part of the property looks great -We received help before arrival and a warm welcome -After checking out early, we were still offered breakfast to go (which we didn't take) and given a lift to the jetty -Food that was available was very tasty. -You can watch sharks swim up to the shore while eating breakfast outside -They provide sun beds free of charge to the nearest bikini beach Cons: -The small ***** of beach out front was very messy, with bunched-up fishing nets -Active construction site with lots of noise during the day -No hot water for three days -Many items on the menu were unavailable I will try to keep this review fair. We originally booked for 6 nights and can't fault the hotel for their prompt response to messages. Our ferry was delayed, and they helped us figure out the arrival time. We arrived in the evening, were picked up from the jetty, and received a warm welcome as the first guests to check in after their month-long renovation. More guests were expected later and the following day. The check-in process was smooth, and we were taken to our room. The room itself was lovely, with bright, neutral decor, a soft, comfy bed, and a pleasant lemongrass scent. However, things took a turn for the worse from there. When we went downstairs for dinner, we were informed that many items on the menu were unavailable as they were expected to arrive the next day. This wasn’t a major issue. After dinner, we headed back to the room for a shower, only to find there was no hot water. We reported this to the hotel, and they acknowledged the issue, saying they had forgotten to inform us and that it would be fixed by the next day. It would have been nice to know this before getting into a cold shower, but we understood these things can happen. The next morning, we noticed in the daylight that the building was still a construction site. They were adding another level, which was still incomplete with no windows. Even on our floor, there was one room without a door, just a dark, messy hole. The active construction resulted in constant noise during the day—drilling, hammering, and moving materials up and down. It was impossible to relax. I wish I was able to attach a video to show the level of noise. By evening, the kitchen still hadn’t received its supplies, so many menu items remained unavailable. The fridge in our room did not work, and there was still no hot water. When we inquired again, we were told the hot water wouldn't be fixed even by the next day (making it three days without hot water). At that point, we decided to check out the following morning and find another place to stay. We asked for a partial refund for the two nights we spent there but were refused. I understand that there can be unforeseen delays and maintenance issues, but it is not fair to start accepting bookings while

Very comfortable and the staff were friendly and helpful. Texted all the information we needed on arrival. Even made us a breakfast to take with us when we left really early to catch the ferry. We wished we could have stayed longer, would definitely come back.