Idle Awhile Resort

For more detail, see below, but the short story is that we had a 5-night reservation at the White House suite and were unhappy enough to ask to be moved to a different room. We were lucky to be moved to a wonderful room at Idle Awhile Cliffs, where we stayed for 4 nights. I'll leave a separate review on the Cliffs since it deserves a very different rating. When I made our reservations for Idle Awhile Beach last spring, the only room available was the lower level of the White House suite (109). I was a bit concerned that all but 2 of the pictures on the hotel's website were of the upper suite (for the lower level see: one has a shot of the space with blue ceilings and the other is the kitchen with a gas range), but I assumed that they could not be that different. I was also fine with being located across the street from the beach and that the design of the White House looked different from the that of the main hotel, which seems really beautiful. There were some great things about Idle Awhile Beach: the staff are wonderful and really work hard to make you feel welcome - can't say enough good things about the folks who work here; everything we ate and drank at the restaurant was delicious; the beach and the grounds of the main hotel are beautiful. The reason we moved to the Idle Awhile Cliffs location after 1 night is due to the condition of the room. When we arrived, we noted that the room had at least a dozen mosquitoes, which made me check the screens and I noticed that many were torn. Since the White House is set a few lots back from the road among lush vegetation (and not exposed to any ocean breezes), the screens are important to have in this location. (Conversely, our room at the Cliffs location had no screens at all and we had no issue with mosquitoes as we had the breeze off the ocean.) We tried fixing one of the larger holes but after realizing how many needed repair we asked for tape to cover the openings. The staff kindly apologized and tried taping over the holes, noting that the screens needed to be replaced. We also noticed that the general condition of the room was shabby and in need of an overall update - peeling paint, cobwebs, stained surfaces, filthy range, broken trash can, rusted and/or missing window shade handles, worn furniture, etc. (see the attached pictures). The place just feels like neglected and it's depressing. While I was sitting on the bed, a screw fell out of the ceiling fan, making one of the blades come loose. Finally, I asked if they had any available rooms and they had one at the Cliffs location and we gladly and gratefully took it, figuring that we could visit the beach via the daily shuttle between the 2 locations. Overall, I don't think it's fair to market the lower level room as part of the main hotel. It implies a similar level of quality that is just not there. So, I would avoid the lower level of the White House unless you're getting a heavily discounted rate, which we weren't - there are many

My husband and I with our two boys 11 & 15 stayed for 5 nights in November. The resort is perfect. The rooms were large enough for everyone to be very comfortable. The beach is a little slice of heaven. It’s in a wonderful location to walk the beach and explore other resorts and restaurants. The food was great. We ate breakfast there every day and dinners multiple nights. They have paddle boards for use for free. Plenty of chairs for everyone staying onsite. The highlight of the trip was the staff. Everyone working there was so friendly and accommodating. Special shout out to Claudia and Nicholas that made sure we had everything we needed and assisted in setting up trips to the cliff’s and snorkeling. We cannot wait to return. If you’re looking for a smaller resort with high end customer service this is your place!

This is a review for the Beach resort. I can say that it is deserving of its high scores as it's a really lovely place. The staff are happy, helpful and hospitable. The location is brilliant as the strip of the beach they are on is clean and quiet. It was so quiet that we saw barracudas, rays, star fish and small coral fish. The only downside is that on one day jellyfish arrived and stung plenty of people but the bar staff quickly stepped in to administer first aid. Plus it's easy to get to the shops, other restaurants or get a taxi to go on excursions from here either by asking the receptionist to book, using Uber or getting a passing one. The kayaks, trampoline and paddle boards are fun and more importantly free. They have a permanent beach security guard and a lifeguard during the days (except Sunday). They have ample sun loungers, umbrellas and beach towels. The service on the beach bar is great. They are so friendly and go the extra mile. They explained when we checked in that the kitchen was small so food service is not immediate which was fine as it was worth waiting for. Room service is free, you get a welcome free drink and they take your luggage across to your room. Room Stayed in the family suite (108) across the road. It is large and well air conditioned (3 units). It has two sinks and one is out with the bathroom but only one toilet and shower. The beds are very comfortable and the main bed is so large that it fits 4 people in it...though not to sleep, to watch TV. They need to put blackout blinds on the bathroom and across the front windows as although no one can see in (we checked) at night there's a street light that shines in and the morning light means an early wake up for whoever is in the bunk bed. You get all the toiletries you need except hair conditioner and body lotion. The kitchen came with washing up liquid, plenty of utensils, plates etc and a big fridge freezer. You can cook a meal if you want as there's a hob, microwave and a mini electric oven/toaster. The housekeeping was excellent. The TVs couldn't broadcast cable but you could use Netflix if you have it. The WiFi is slow, cuts out and they really need better security. If you live in a town or city the noise level is much the same during the day and up until approximately 23h. Thereafter it becomes fairly quiet until the early morning. However if you are a light sleeper or go to bed early take ear plugs. Safety Felt secure as the hotel office is on the ground floor so staff and usually about, the laundry service is at the back and they work until late. Plus the restaurant next door and Garfield farm keep a watchful eye. There's also a safe in the room. Walkability The security staff or general staff will help you across the road. The local shops are a 10 minute walk Food and drink The menu is a little expensive and lacks variety but the lamb chops, saltfish fritters, festival and fruit plate are lovely. They really need to specialise in snacks such as p