Mango Bay

Here is our experience of having just returned from a 14 night stay at Mango Bay in a garden view room. We found checking in as a rushed frantic experience. We were invited to sit whilst we completed the normal documentation, three people attending us at the same time. One dealing with the paper work whilst another person trying to give us cold towels and another person trying to hand us welcome drinks. Immediately the paper work was completed we were rushed frantically away to our room. Being fully aware of the standard of room that we booked were initially happy with a pool view. We found the room to be very clean the sheets and pillow cases very clean although the blanket over the sheet did have a few holes in it and looked shabby. To be fair the room was desperately ready for renovation. Feeling extremely tired after a long day travelling we went down and had dinner and a quick drink before going back to our room to catch up on some sleep at approx 10pm. Now the website states " Standard rooms are located adjacent to 1st and 2nd Streets where there is activity from the bars and the restaurants". On returning to our room the noise level was horrendously loud and continued until 01:30am from a karaoke street party at the rear of our room. Monday morning both of us using the shower found that water leaked from the shower tray around the sink unit and gathered in a pool in the bedroom so we went to reception and informed them that we were unhappy with our accommodation for the reasons stated above only to be told that the street party only happens on a Sunday night and that all the rooms in that block are the same. We were told that we could upgrade our room at over $100 a night but they might possibly be able to offer a slight discount. Having not budgeting for an extra $100 per night on arrival at a hotel and not being offered any options we were forced to stay where we were for the subsequent 13 nights. Therefore we had no choice but to place both of the face cloths provided in the bathroom along the edge of the shower tray to prevent the water leaking, which worked satisfactorily. After 3 days house keeping ceased to provide us with face cloths so once again water leaked into the bedroom and we had to ask for the water to be mopped up. The hotel then provided an extra bath mat to be used along the edge of the shower tray which worked, unfortunately this lasted a further 3 days until that was no longer provided and yet again the water leaked around the bathroom and into the bedroom. We then had to mention it to a hotel manager who's response was well there's nothing that we can do whilst the room is occupied. That evening on returning to the room we found that on the edge of the shower tray someone had cut a groove in the marble edge of the shower tray and applied silicon in an attempt to solve the problem, unsuccessfully and now we had been provided with 2 old beach towels covering the full length of the shower tray, which we had for the remaining time of our stay. The hotel appeared to have a total disregard for health and safety of it's guests and we had to continue to step out of the shower onto wet tiled floors and beach towels. This hotel has the potential to be an excellent hotel as it has many good points. It is a small hotel which we found to be a very social hotel with many guest's very pleased at how wonderful it was to have their room's upgraded at zero cost on arrival. We did not expect an upgrade but disappointed that we were not even offered any alternative room In conversation with other guest's we decided to go to the racing in Bridgetown on the first Saturday of our holiday and was advised by a couple of the hotel staff that the hotel was running a trip to the racing and that we should contact reception, we had also heard this from other guest's that we had met. On approaching and asking if the hotel was running a trip to the racing on the Friday morning, the Receptionist went on her computer asked us our room number and then said one moment please. She went into the office and on returning she informed us that the trip was for repeat guest's only..... then immediately realising what she had said went on to say that the trip was full. On our way past the pool we told another couple who also wanted to go to the racing, who were repeat guest's, that we had been told that the trip was full. At dinner that evening those same two people approached us and told us that during that afternoon an invitation to the races for the following day had been left in their room. If this was a private trip that was organised by the hotel I could have accepted it but I cannot accept being lied to by a hotel Receptionist and feel that this is most unprofessional and appalling customer service. As it happened the racing was postpone until the following Saturday. So once again some of the hotel staff advised us of a trip being run to the racing on Saturday and that we should contact reception. We asked once again at reception about a trip to the racing and was told " that it was almost full and we could have our names put on the reserve list" now we found that very strange because a trip is full or not full. Friday evening whilst having dinner we were asked to go to reception once we had finished our meal and amazing we were offered places on a trip to the racing. Now not being people who push there way into situations where they are not welcome we chose to make our own way to the racing. So Saturday morning we ordered a Taxi at reception and witnessed 6 guest's getting into a minibus going to the racing whilst we waited for our Taxi. We have travelled the world and stayed in many standards of hotel and have never stayed in such a cliquish hotel and been treated in with an unprofessional manner. We found the majority of the staff around the hotel to be very good and always happy to assist in any way, we found to food to be plentiful and with a good variety. The beach and the pool area are excellent. The hotel is in a good position in Holetown and convenient for all modes of transport. The hotel is situated off the main road opposite Lime Grove. Directly at the side of the hotel is a drain/culver which drains into the sea which gets blocked at the beach by sand due to the tides and leaves stagnant water further back from the hotel which a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Twice throughout our stay whilst having evening dinner and once whilst having breakfast a JCB passed the hotel along the beach and removed the build up of sand and allow the culvert to drain into the sea resulting in a smell for a few hour's when swimming in the sea. There is another culvert in the opposite direction from the hotel approx 750yds. On the Thursday night whilst in reception with our friends who were leaving the following day ay 2pm the receptionist quite jolly informed them that they could keep there room on until 2pm the following day and that she had already booked them in. So Friday I asked if we could also keep our room on Sunday as were due to depart at 3pm. I was told that I would have to come to reception after 7 am on Sunday morning. So Sunday morning approx 8 am I enquired at reception as to whether we could keep our room until 3pm and was told no and we would have to vacate the room by 12:00. No mention of any courtesy room or changing facilities. So attempting to ignore the negatives about the holiday and concentrate on the positive of which there were many we met the Virgin rep whilst on our way to check out who asked us if we had had a good time and would we be returning to this hotel in the future so we explained our experiences and just wanted to quietly leave this hotel. Whilst having our last lunch at the hotel we were asked to go the reception when we had finished our lunch which we did. Awaiting us was the duty manager who wanted to hear all of our experiences at the hotel and agree that we were not treated correctly with many of the issues, he asked if we would return to Mango Bay in the future and could do nothing but apologise for our problems. He went on to say that that General manager would definitely look into our disappointing experiences at Mango Bay asked for my e-mail address and went on to say that I would definitley be receiving an e-mail from her the following day as we returned consequently as expected from Mango Bay we have heard nothing. The hotel could be fantastic but it obviously it has been neglected and is in need of some TLC, some of the reception staff need some customer service training on how to treat all the guests in the same manner. This was our 4th trip to Barbados also the 4th hotel that we have stayed in so we are fully aware of the standards to expect. We have always had far better accommodation and customer service, never have we been treated so badly in Barbados before and will not be staying in this hotel again. This is a 3 star hotel at 4star prices and we will definitely will not stay here again.

We stayed in this hotel for a week with our 10mth old baby and had an amazing time! All of the staff we met are lovely and very cheery. They made such a fuss of our baby and couldn’t of done any more to accommodate his needs. The restaurant made his meals especially for him - whatever we wanted was made fresh. The food in general is delicious and very varied so we didn’t get bored. This is no ordinary all inclusive. I have to mention Tanya in the restaurant, who really went out of her way to make our stay enjoyable - thank you. We were in a superior room opposite the bar (room 210). There was some noise from the evening entertainment, but nothing that bothered either us or our baby. The room was a nice size and although the bathroom is dated it did the job. The air-con is great and the room was lovely and clean. It was our anniversary when we were out there and the hotel made it into a celebration, which was lovely. The pool is great and there are plenty of sun beds. We didn’t have any issue with towels being put out early to reserve sun beds. The sun beds themselves are super comfortable. Also plenty of sun beds on the beach. The beach is just lovely. There are some comments saying there’s a steep incline into the water but we didn’t notice that. Overall a great hotel, with lovely staff, delicious food and a great range of all drinks and cocktails included. Yes it’s a little dated here and there, but if it wasn’t it’d be much more like expensive. This hotel offers great value for money and we’ll definitely be back!

Standard room noise terrible until 3 am. Staff hear this all the time. Ignore the website ‘bar activity near by’. Should read ‘bar noise until 3 am in your room’. Would never stay here again. Gave hotel plenty of chances to make our stay tolerable. Paid more to be moved 3 times. If they did acknowledge the fact that you can’t sleep in the standard room block they would go out of business.