my parents just spent 10 nights there very recently and while they absolutely raved at the views, they were much less impressed with the service there and found it way overpriced for what it was (at low season).
It was very impersonal, and was not one bit generous. In my mom's word, if you could bring the level of service of an aman, or the club chedi at Tanah Gajah then it could worth twice as much, but with the current service half the price is already overpaying.
Several examples:
- Inconsistency in the food, same dish ordered at the same restaurant on different days: completely different taste.
- Generosity: a welcome or parting gift would have been appreciated (like the IC amb gift), the cost didnt matter (2-5 US would have been more than fine), but just something that reminds you the property a couple years later and leaves you a good memory.
No slippers/sandals provided in the room, and if requested they sell them to you.
- Incomfortable setup of the room: TV is hard to watch for 2 people except if one standing. Only one chair in the bedroom itself, and it was hard to view the tv from the bed.
They were awaken a couple times by rats eating through the roof apparently...
No place to eat in the room except outside by the pool, with no lighting in the evening except candles...
While the staff was always smiling and extremely polite my family did not have the feeling everything was done to try to please the guest like is normally espected in those kind of resorts. The word "No" should not exist in the staff vocabulary, ie not possible to get a la carte on buffet nights.
They were much more impressed with the service at the MO and the R&C in Chiang Mai and the Hyatt in Hua Hin where they are right now.
In summary they said 10 nights was too long a stay at this property and they probably would not have remarked as many flaws if they only stayed 5 nights or less. Most people there left after a couple of days.