Abaton Island Resort & Spa

Gerry Murphy

When you walk into the foyer, it is breathtaking. Clean minimalist lines, clearly designed by someone at the top of their game. The resort is spectacular, perched above a rugged coastline, it truly is luxurious. Our room (with a private pool) was very good, great bed and very clean. The pool was very cold in September but it was nice to sit near it. Strange thing was there are dividers between the pools to provide privacy, but only on every second room. We found that a bit strange. The staff we encountered were great, yes service lacked occasionally, but overall we had nice people doing their best. The food was terrific, every meal we had there was excellent. The hotel is a fair way from the airport and is clearly the best place in the area. If you are planning on a lot of tours, it’s about 40 mins from the main city. Overall, beautiful place, just a few tweaks required.

ac jones

A very smart hotel with excellent sea views and a lovely main swimming pool. You can have room with its own jacuzzi and garden, or one with a plunge pool or a share infinity pool. The bath by the bed and open plan wash basin is a bit odd, and if you do feel like having a bath, it would take an absolute age to fill. The rooms are spotless but more attention to refilling teas coffee and replacement of towels would be better than the little treats left. We did not use the hotel for meals other than breakfast which was fabulous, a great range of food on offer. The only gripe about the pool area was that you had to use an app on your phone ( that didn't always work) or catch the attention of a server. The music was a little annoying and towers were not always available first thing, but on the whole, a great hotel.

Joe

I stayed on 25 September and had a very disappointing experience. Power cuts caused the in-room phone to ring loudly every time electricity was restored, waking me up repeatedly until 3am. The next morning, a housekeeper entered my room without properly knocking while I had just come out of the shower — a serious breach of privacy. When I reported this to reception, the manager was dismissive and uninterested. Senior management later refused any goodwill refund or even a proper apology. For €315 for one night, this is not the level of service expected from a 5-star hotel. Only positive note: Kostas was excellent and the food at Buddha Bar was great.

David Robinson

This is a review of the WOW restaurant. It is based within this hotel complex and shares its facilitiies. It's a nice location in thevening but the food and service are not good. Especially considering the price. You won't get a meal for under £100 a head and probably will still leave hungry and disappointed. Its seems to survive on people not seeing through the pretension. Of course as the owner states in the response we knew it was going to be expensive as it is advertised online -there is no dishonesty on the website and the bill wasnt a shock (the service was). It was based on the website that we thought it would be suitable for a special occasion. Naturally this creates expectations which this restaurant falls well short, both on food and service and so it is worth restating that you will easily spend >£$€100 and still leave hungry. This is what the owners respone still doesnt understand and so i wouldnt expect any improvement on our experience

CL

The hotel grounds and rooms are truly beautiful and absolutely at the level one would expect from a five-star hotel. Everything is well-maintained, tastefully designed, and you immediately feel comfortable upon arrival. The quality of the food, especially the breakfast buffet, is also excellent and leaves hardly anything to be desired. Unfortunately, the positive overall impression is overshadowed by the service. This was my second stay here – and just like two years ago, nothing has improved when it comes to the staff. At breakfast, you are seated at a table, but the employees come across as unfriendly, unmotivated, and completely lacking in attentiveness. A smile or a simple question about whether you would like another coffee or orange juice never happens. Drinks are brought once, and then you are left entirely on your own. Plates are often cleared away without even asking if you are finished, which feels intrusive and careless. Overall, the service there appears indifferent and annoyed. The situation at the beach is far from five-star standard. In theory, there is staff available to serve guests at the sunbeds – in practice, however, you constantly have to search for the responsible attendant. He is often nowhere to be found, hiding near the beach restaurant or occupied with his phone. Even when he does come by, he gives off the impression that serving guests is a burden. No proactive service is offered: neither beach towels nor help with opening the umbrella are provided unless you specifically ask for them. Everything must be requested – whether towels, drinks, or snacks. This makes the experience not only inconvenient but also frustrating, as you always have to take the initiative and walk around just to place an order. For a five-star hotel, this is simply unacceptable. We also addressed our concerns with the reception. While they did apologize, it did not feel like the feedback was taken seriously or that any genuine effort would be made to improve the situation. It came across more like a polite “yes, yes” to dismiss the complaint rather than a real willingness to act. Conclusion: The property, rooms, and food are outstanding and could provide a perfect stay. However, the staff often display a striking “don’t care” attitude, which seriously diminishes the overall experience. For a hotel that claims to be five-star, the service level is disappointing and falls short of expectations.