Dhevatara Beach Hotel & Spa

I would not normally write such a review, but on this occasion I felt like the experience was so poor and different from what was advertised and charged at a high price that it required an honest review to warn others. We stayed at Dhevatara for 4 nights. From the moment we checked in we had a very unfriendly welcome, no smile, no hospitality from check in start to finish. Definitely not what you expect considering the high price paid. There was only one lady running the whole check in process on arrival, plus then covering dinner service, plus the bar the whole evening. Speaking of food, if you wish to place a food order please be prepared to wait 3 business days to receive your food. Especially at breakfast (bring a newspaper to read), the service was extremely slow. On top of this, the waitress had offered us that there would be the possibility to order some Gluten Free bread for my partner the next day, provided we inform them. Each day we kindly asked if they would honor what they offered and each morning they forgot, in the end we gave up. Please do not offer options which never materialise. The speed of service was so slow, you could see many guests also getting frustrated each morning. I would also like to mention each morning we ordered fruit, yoghurt and cornflakes, something which shouldn’t take long to prepare. Eventually when we did receive our food, please be aware, it looks nothing like the picture’s advertised. The burger was so uncooked we had to send back to the kitchen (request well done) and their French toast was burnt in the morning. The pool is extremely murky and full of debris at the bottom when swimming in, to the extent you cannot see the bottom (slimy). It needs a good clean. In the room, i was unable to use the kettle to boil water as it was brown and rotten inside and there were stains on the towels. The hotel restaurant is empty each evening with no atmosphere which speaks volumes about the state of the food and service. This could be made so much better if the employees were trained with some hospitality. Considering the price advertised and the idea that this is ‘5 stars boutique retreat’ it is a complete lie. The hotel has no service considering the size of the hotel! There are many better options on Praslin to stay at.