Asia Gardens Hotel and Thai Spa

Booked a weekend break to celebrate our wedding anniversary. Arrived and decided to have dinner at the Bonsai bar ordered a steak and Salmon. Salmon was dry and the steak was over well done and very dry after ordering it medium to medium rare. When I complained and thought they were replacing it, they didn’t and just left us waiting. Things didn’t improve much from there. Will not be returning

We recently stayed at Asia Gardens for nine nights, having visited the hotel more than ten times previously. Unfortunately, this return visit fell well below the standard we had come to expect.

We initially booked a suite for approximately €5,500. The first suite allocated to us was dark and poorly presented, with a very small balcony despite being advertised as having a large terrace.

We were subsequently moved to a considerably better suite with a large terrace and hot tub. However, the upgrade cost an additional €3,000, bringing the total cost of our stay to approximately €8,500, or around €945 per night. At this price, five-star accommodation and service should be expected.

Unfortunately, the room and service did not justify the cost.

Throughout our stay, dust was visible on various units and surfaces. The bathroom had an unpleasant smell of urine, the lounge curtains were ripped, and the furniture and overall décor appeared tired and in need of refurbishment. The mattress was also extremely lumpy and uncomfortable.

The shower door allowed a significant amount of water to escape onto the bathroom floor, creating a potential hazard. We had to place a towel on the floor to absorb the water, which was particularly inconvenient given the shortage of towels.

We were generally provided with only two bath towels per day. As a result, after showering in the evening, there were no fresh, dry towels available the following morning. On our final night, we received only one towel and had to use an old towel that had previously been left in the bathroom.

The terrace towels provided for use with the hot tub were not replaced during our nine-night stay.

Basic room provisions were also inconsistent. The Nespresso coffee pods were not replenished until I specifically requested them on the fourth day.

The suite benefits were not properly organised either. One of the advertised benefits was in-room breakfast, as well as a complimentary meal in the buffet restaurant. For the first three days, however, there was no card in the room explaining how to request breakfast. I eventually had to enquire about the process and was told that a card should have been provided. Although I asked for one to be placed in the room, this did not happen, and I ultimately had to ask a member of the housekeeping team in the corridor to obtain one.

There was also no information in the room about the complimentary meal. I was only able to enquire about it because I was aware that it was included as an additional benefit. I was then told that I needed to obtain a voucher on the day we wished to use it.

I asked whether the complimentary meal could be taken in one of the à la carte restaurants and was initially told that this was not possible and that it applied only to the buffet restaurant. However, on the day we wanted to use the benefit, a member of staff explained that it could in fact be used in one of the à la carte restaurants. Unfortunately, this was our final night, and our favourite restaurant at the hotel, the Thai restaurant Koh Samui, was closed that evening. We therefore had to use the benefit in the Italian restaurant instead.

Room service was another area of concern. Some dishes were disappointing, particularly given their prices. On one occasion, we ordered a pot of tea but received a jug of hot water that was visibly dirty. I have attached a photograph, which clearly illustrates the issue. Despite reporting it, we received no apology or acknowledgement.

We were later given fruit plates on two occasions. These may have been intended as gestures following our complaints, but this was never explained, so their purpose was unclear.

Staff service was inconsistent. Some employees were friendly, warm and professional, while others appeared unwelcoming and dismissive. This inconsistency was not in keeping with the level of service expected at a five-star hotel.

I would, however, like to recognise Paula, who greeted us on arrival and was extremely friendly, and Rebecca from housekeeping, who was genuinely warm and helpful. Both were a credit to the hotel.

Asia Gardens remains a beautiful property. The gardens are impressive, the swimming pools are attractive, and the reception, restaurants and communal areas provide a wonderful setting. This made the shortcomings of our stay particularly disappointing.

Having stayed at the hotel more than ten times, we know how good Asia Gardens can be. On our previous two visits to the area, we stayed at The Level at Meliá Villaitana. Although Asia Gardens has superior surroundings, our stay here cost approximately twice as much, and the experience did not justify that premium.

We have also stayed this year at the Ritz-Carlton Koh Samui, Banyan Tree Samui and Mandarin Oriental Singapore. Those hotels demonstrated the level of accommodation and service we would expect from genuine five-star properties. Unfortunately, Asia Gardens did not meet that standard during this visit.

Asia Gardens is a beautiful hotel with considerable potential, but based on this experience, the overall standard felt closer to four-star than five-star. At almost €1,000 per night, dusty surfaces, tired furnishings, an unpleasant bathroom smell, inadequate towels, unreplenished coffee, poorly organised suite benefits and dirty water being delivered with room service are not acceptable.

We returned hoping Asia Gardens would impress us again, but it did not.

After more than ten previous stays, it is disappointing to conclude that we will not be returning. In future, we are likely to return to the Presidential Suite at Meliá Villaitana, where we have enjoyed a similarly comfortable experience at considerably lower cost.