The Atlantis Resort features 3 towers, as
well as two separate partitions known as The Reef and
The Cove. Its three towers, the Beach Towers,
Coral Towers (pictured left), and Royal Towers, are
part of the original resort. The Beach Tower, as
we found out during our stay, is the least modern and
has not been renovated for a number of
years. Our particular room had a mediocre view
of the beach and a full-on view of the neighboring
hotel, the Riu.
We were staying in
two adjoining rooms at the Beach Tower, since no more
than four people are allowed into one room (we had five
total). Both rooms featured the same decor -
worn-out, tropical-style carpet, tired wallpaper, and
all-around dingy decor. The beds and mattresses in
both rooms were sub-par, as we could feel the springs
poking through the padding, and they sagged miserably in
the middle.
The bathrooms were an
entirely different story. Although well-furnished,
the hair dryers were out of date, the wallpaper was
peeling, and there was no water pressure whatsoever coming
from the faucet in one of the rooms. The showerheads
were unmanageable and propelled either a trickle or a
torrent, depending on the alignment of the head.
Needless to say, with the
price we were paying to stay in Atlantis, this was all
rather disappointing. After complaining to three
hotel personnel, and finally to the hotel assistant
manager, we were upgraded to two adjoining rooms in the
Coral Tower, pictured right.
Although the decor here was
about the same, the rooms in the Coral Towers were much
cleaner, as they had been renovated more recently than
those in the Beach Towers. The view was the most
magnificent we could have asked for as well. We were
able to look out on the main towers of Atlantis Resort
(Royal Towers), as well as the Mayan Temple and Power Tower
waterslides. Best of all, we had an ocean view that
stretched for
miles.
If you're thinking about
staying in Atlantis, you won't necessarily have much say in
choosing which towers you will lodge in. The Reef and
the Cove are more posh than the three towers, and have
restrictions on children. The information you give to
the hotel booking staff on the phone will dictate where you
will be staying. You could try requesting rooms in a
particular tower, but they guarantee
NOTHING.
(Left) This is only part of our fabulous
view from our balcony in the Coral Towers.
Room amenities in the Beach and Coral Towers
are limited; there is no microwave, personal refrigerator
or bar sink, all of which are somewhat common in
comparable rooms in the United States.
Furthermore, don't expect to
receive a lot of towels; the first few days we went without
washcloths completely, and even when we received them there
weren't enough for everyone. So you might find
yourself making multiple calls to the front desk asking to
be equipped with clean towels.
They do keep you
well-stocked on hygenic items, such as shampoo, bars of
soap, conditioner, and lotion. We used these up
quickly, but never had to request refills as our maid
replenished us with enough to last throughout our
stay.
