Royal Princess Hotel

Updated Review - Had to delete original to update with acknowledgement of service.

The rooms here are undeniably large, but that’s about where the positives start.

Despite the size, they feel oddly empty and under-furnished, and what is there makes very little sense. The design is completely incoherent. An ornately carved wood coffee table sits next to a generic modern desk and chair, as if everything was sourced separately with no plan or point of view. More than mismatched, the decor feels random and low-quality. Pieces don’t relate to each other in style, scale, or era, and the overall effect is less “eclectic” and more “assembled from whatever was available.” It genuinely looks like furniture pulled from garage sales and placed wherever it fit, rather than a space that was ever intentionally designed. For a property that seems to be positioning itself as upscale, the lack of cohesion is surprising and undermines the entire experience.

More concerning was the smell. Many hotels pay attention to scent as part of the overall experience. Here, it’s the opposite. There was a persistent, unpleasant odor in both the rooms and common areas that made the property feel poorly maintained, regardless of appearances. It’s hard to relax in a space that doesn’t even smell clean.

Service was also lacking at first. At check-in, I was simply pointed toward the elevator with no explanation of basic information like WiFi, minibar, or how to contact the front desk. Throughout much of the stay, nothing was proactive and everything had to be asked for, which quickly becomes frustrating.

That said, after raising some of these issues, the manager did step in and clearly made an effort to address them. That responsiveness and willingness to engage made a noticeable difference and is worth acknowledging.

Overall, while the hotel has some fundamental issues in design, maintenance, and consistency, there are people there who care and are trying to improve the experience.

Just returned home following a two-week stay at the Royal Princess, and what a fortnight it was. We stayed in one of the sea-view suites, and it was massive.

The bedroom had a super king bed with more storage than you could ever need, plus an en-suite with a bath and shower (over the bath), his-and-hers sinks, a toilet and bidet. There were large double-opening French doors with a Juliet balcony, you could enjoy a magnificent view from your bed.

The lounge was even bigger, with a bar, sofa bed, coffee table, and desk. Both rooms had large TVs. I assume the suite could sleep four because there was also another separate shower room and toilet, along with even more storage. And of course a balcony with patio doors, chairs and tables

The hotel is part of the Royal Resort, and you can use the facilities of the other four hotels, including the swimming pools, spas, restaurants, and bars. Breakfast, however, was taken in your own hotel.

We went B&B, and it was the usual buffet breakfast with show cooking for fried or poached eggs and omelettes. If you go half board, you eat buffet-style at the Royal Terrace in the evenings. We tried it once on one of their themed nights — a BBQ — and it was very nice too, although I was disappointed they didn’t offer any ice cream.

Personally, we preferred to eat somewhere different each night, probably splitting our meals equally between the hotel restaurants, local Lapad restaurants, and the Old Town.

There is a local bus stop nearby with buses to the Old Town every 10 minutes, and they run late too, with the last one back just after midnight.

I think there were six outdoor pools, and you could always get a sunbed and umbrella. That said, the season had only just started, so the hotels weren’t full, although the weather was lovely (hot).

There were also two indoor spa pools and a gym. Any sea swimming was from the rocks, although there were steps to help you in and out. The two nearest beaches were about a 20-minute walk away, one in each direction, where you could rent beds and umbrellas. There is also a beach club slightly nearer if that’s your sort of thing, although it was a tad expensive.

I can’t finish without mentioning the staff — everyone we dealt with was brilliant.

Would I go back? Yes, without hesitation.