We arrived at the Le Royal Meridien on the 5th June for a 10 night family holiday. We had already paid extra with the travel agent for the club sea view to make the most of the free drinks and afternoon snacks ( especially as we had heard that the prices are very expensive). On arrival we were offered the chance to upgrade to a tower room at the cost of £800, after saying that this was too expensive the gentlemen offered to reduce the cost to £500. We asked to see the tower room to see what extra we would be getting compared to the club room and although it was a lot larger with a seperate room which could be used to bed the 2 children, we decided due to cost to stick with the club room we had booked. I was made to feel that this was a fantastic offer and was silly to turn it down, but having read on trip adviser before booking that a lot of people get upgraded for free, it didnt feel at all a good deal. The last thing i wanted after a long flight with 2 children was to get into a bartering situation with the price of the potential upgrade.
Overall the hotel is beautiful, great gardens, very clean throughout, wide variety of good food at breakfast, and in the brasserie where we had dinner since we were half board.
The room guys were always very helpful, gave us plenty of bottles of water, chocolates and kept our room very clean and tidy.
I would recommend this hotel to older couples without children. I only found 1 of the toilets had any form of baby changing facilies so very often had to change my 18 mth old on the toilet floor. There are ramps throughout the hotel for wheel chair users/ prams but these were so steep my husband was skidding down the ramps.
With the club facilities you are allowed to have sandwiches, cakes and afternoon tea in the club suite but this is so NOT friendly for children. It has no highchairs, no toys for the children to play with, and is set up for older clients who want a very peaceful afternoon snack. It is impossible to keep a 4 year old and an 18 mth toddler out of trouble when the room is full of very neat sofas, cushions, glass tables and china tea sets e.t.c.
You are not allowed to take children into this room after 6.30 pm when they provide free alcoholic drinks from 6.30 - 8.30 pm. We were very lucky since i emailed a manager called Edwardo before our arrival and he kindly let us have these drinks in the Sea Breeze bar downstairs. We met another couple with a 16 mth old who asked if they could do the same but were refused. They even asked if they could take drink from the club room back to their room but again this was refused, and they were told the only option was to get a baby sitter. The staff in the Sea Breeze were probably the nicest and friendleist of all, but even they said the management dont really want children in there as it puts off any guests of having meals there.
The lady Melanie who worked in the club room, was always very miserable. My husband asked for some milk to go with his pot of tea and he was made to feel as if he was being a nuisance and then she banged the milk down without a word or any eye contact.
For the previous 2 years we have always stayed at the Jumeriah Beach where in contrast the staff cant do enough to help parents with children. They provide the same 3-5 pm afternoon snacks and free alcholic drinks from 6.30- 8.30pm, but they have staff on hand to play with the children, while you have a drink and have a children area with tvs. computers games, books, toys e.t.c to keep them amused, and have no problem with children being there at any time in the evening.
My husband felt that the staff werent very helpful with the buggy and very often would not hold the door open for him to follow through but just let it close.
Often after dinner we would go to the Piano Bar for drinks. We asked reception if there was a lift and were told no so most nights my husband was a carrying a double buggy up a flight of stairs.
The staff in the Penguin club were very cheerful and my son enjoyed his time there, although the hotel could do with some signs to point you in the direction of the club as it is so well hidden, you would never see it without looking for it.
Overall we did enjoy our stay and would recommend it to couples without young children, its just that the hotel is not set up to cater for very young children.
Previously when we stayed at the JBH the kiddies pool has loads of toys which the kids can use but here there isn't anything. I spent £40 on a bucket and spade set, a set of 4 diving rings and 4 soft animals squirters from the Beach shop which i could probably have got from tescos before hand for a £10, to keep my children amused by the pool. So if you have young children please take some beach/ pool toys with you.
