Quality through and through

A hotel is only as good as the people who work there - and the staff at the Hotel Botanic are top of the game when it comes to customer service. I'd particularly call out Toni on reception, who was always helpful, smiling and going the extra mile. But she was by no means the only one. The hotel is up near the town's wonderful botanic gardens and has beautifully landscaped grounds of its own too. One half is given over to the spa, with outdoor pool, lawns and jacuzzis, as well as the indoor facilities, including steam room, sauna, ice chamber, pool and treatment rooms. It's all very Thai. The only thing that ruined it for me was the very old dear who chose to ignore the 'no nudity' rule... Not a pretty sight. The rest of the grounds include an outdoor pool and poolside bar/restaurant. We got to use the facilities on a few of the days we stayed but average weather meant it was too cloudy and chilly some days to sunbathe. Our room was a standard double and very comfortable and spacious, with a balcony overlooking the spa area. The bathroom had a bath and shower. Cleanliness was excellent and there was a turn-down service every evening. There was a safe, plenty of clothes hangers (which you don't see that often in a hotel) and the option to get tea and coffee making facilities in the room should you want them. We had a hire car and made use of the free parking and valet service. Breakfast offered a wide range, buffet style, from fruits to pastries, continental and hot options. I have to say that a lot of the fruit didn't seem to taste of very much, which was a bit disappointing. We ate in the hotel's Italian restaurant one night, when we were given someone else's meal. The waiter insisted that my bland plate of spaghetti with no sauce was in fact my Pasta Arabiatta - until the maitre'd stepped in to save the day! Otherwise, we ate in town. What wasn't so good in this otherwise brilliant hotel? The wifi was fairly weak in various places around the building, including in our room, and I thought the ads for Loro Parque were not in keeping with the hotel. For those who don't know, Loro Parque keeps killer whales captive despite the evidence that this is seriously harming the creatures (see such films as Black Fish). Otherwise, this hotel is excellent and well worth spending the extra money on.