Vincci Helya Beach

Extremely disappointing – I would not give this hotel 4 stars or call it all-inclusive We stayed at Vincci Helya Beach for a week for our anniversary, and unfortunately the experience was extremely disappointing. We booked and paid for a 4-star all-inclusive holiday, but in our experience this hotel was nowhere near that standard. When we arrived, we were given a room with two single beds pushed together instead of the double bed we had booked. It also had no garden view as advertised and instead overlooked nearby buildings through a small window. When we complained, we were initially fobbed off and made to feel like we were being difficult rather than being offered a room change. We had to keep raising the issue before we were eventually moved the following day. The second room did have a double bed and garden view, but it was extremely frustrating having to fight for something we had already paid for, especially on an anniversary holiday. Unfortunately, the second room had several problems of its own. The toilet flush was broken, the shower did not drain properly and regularly flooded, there were ants in the room, visible mould and the air conditioning was extremely limited. There was also an awful lingering smell throughout parts of the hotel, particularly around the dining area and other communal areas, which made the overall experience even more unpleasant. The all-inclusive offering was another major disappointment. I would not describe this hotel as all-inclusive at all. Drinks were regularly unavailable, including Cola and Fanta, leaving very limited choices. There were also extremely long queues at the bar, often with only one member of staff serving during busy periods. The hotel clearly did not have enough staff to cope with the number of guests. There were virtually no proper snacks available during the day either. The only snack offered was churros, with no real variety or proper snack options around the pool. Despite paying for all-inclusive, we ended up spending a considerable amount of additional money on food and drinks outside the hotel. The food in the restaurant was another major disappointment. We only ate there twice during our entire week because the quality and choice were so poor. There was very little variety and a heavy focus on seafood. The restaurant was also severely understaffed. We had to wait for a table and, once seated, there were no knives, forks or cups available. On one occasion, I had no choice but to eat with my hands. On our first morning, breakfast had even run out of bread. After that, we decided not to return for breakfast for the rest of our stay. There were also nowhere near enough sunbeds for the number of guests, and the entertainment was very limited. Another issue was the taxi situation outside the hotel. We found some of the taxi drivers waiting outside the gates to be extremely rude and persistent. We felt they were trying to overcharge us, so we used the inDrive app to arrange alternative transport at a more reasonable price. On several occasions, the taxi drivers would then tell security not to allow our inDrive car through the hotel entrance, and unfortunately security appeared to listen to them most of the time. This was incredibly frustrating and made us feel uncomfortable every time we needed to arrange transport. The drivers were constantly on our case and their behaviour really added to an already disappointing stay. The lack of staff seemed to affect almost every aspect of the holiday — drinks, food, restaurant service and general facilities. We spent far too much of our holiday waiting in queues or trying to find basic things that should have been readily available. We normally return from a holiday feeling relaxed and refreshed. Instead, we came home exhausted, disappointed and under the weather. I would not give this hotel 4 stars, and I would not consider it an all-inclusive resort based on our experience. The standard simply did not match what we paid for or what was advertised.

The one star I gave is exclusively for the housekeeping staff, waiters, and kitchen staff, because it is obvious how hard they work and how little they are paid for it. It is honestly heartbreaking to see managers and other people “at the higher level” simply standing around and watching these poor workers struggle through extremely demanding jobs for much less money. If you want to have lunch or dinner, prepare yourself for a battle. It is almost impossible to find a table right away, and even finding a fork and a knife can be a challenge. First, you wait in line for around half an hour just to get your food, and then another half an hour trying to find somewhere to sit. There are far too few staff members, yet everything is expected of them, while the managers walk around smiling proudly. It is truly shameful. And when it comes to finding a clean plate, you should be prepared to search for one like a needle in a haystack. I do not blame the workers who wash the dishes, because they probably simply do not have enough time to do their job properly. It is very obvious that the hotel expects one employee to do the work of several people because they do not want to pay for enough staff. If you want to go to the pool or the beach after lunch, prepare yourself for another battle — this time for a sunbed. The hotel accepts far too many guests. There seems to be no sense of basic manners or respect; everyone walks around wherever and however they want. Drinks at the bar also take around half an hour to get, both inside the hotel and by the pool. The staff themselves are wonderful people, but they simply cannot keep up with serving everyone without huge crowds forming. They are exhausted, completely soaked with sweat, and clearly struggling. It is genuinely heartbreaking to watch them like this every single day while you are supposed to be enjoying your holiday and you cannot help but feel sorry for them. The workers deserve so much better. The problem is not the staff — the problem is the management and the decision to operate a hotel with far too few employees for the number of guests they accept. They charge far too much money for what they advertise as unlimited food and drinks. But honestly, believe me, when you know you are going to have to wait that long, you will not take what you actually want or what you paid for — you will simply choose whatever has the shortest queue. Bravo to the waiters, chefs, and all the staff who leave their hearts and souls at work.

Would not recommend Vicci Hotel Monastir. This was our second stay, having previously had a good experience, but unfortunately the standard has deteriorated significantly. We travelled with our two young children and experienced numerous issues, including the advertised snack bar being closed throughout our stay, very limited food options, overcrowded restaurants, poor housekeeping, insufficient towels, no toilet paper for two days, bedding not changed for five days, and faulty air conditioning throughout our stay. Our room was poorly cleaned, with the bathroom and bin not cleaned for several days. Most concerning was an exposed electrical light switches, which was particularly worrying with two young children. We raised these issues repeatedly with reception and management, and have photographs to support our complaint. I submitted a formal complaint on 23 July and have followed it up several times, yet I have received no response whatsoever and no resolution. For a hotel we had previously enjoyed, this was extremely disappointing. We would not return and would advise others to consider alternative accommodation.

I definitely do not recommend this hotel. The restaurant was dirty, with unclean plates and cutlery, and sometimes it was difficult to even find cutlery for a meal. Staff were spraying chemicals against flies close to tables, dishes and cutlery, which was very unpleasant. Service was generally slow and unfriendly. You often had to wait a long time for food, a clean table or basic assistance. Unfortunately, the attitude of some staff members was unacceptable. During dinner, I asked for a whole pizza because I was eating with my family of seven. The staff member wanted to give me only one slice. When I explained the situation, he reacted very rudely, pushed the plates with pizza towards me and walked away. A similar situation happened again the next day. When I finally complained, I was told to bring my whole family to the queue to prove how many people we were. The employee then started shouting and making rude gestures. We also noticed staff making fun of guests, gossiping about them and behaving inappropriately towards young female guests. There were many other unpleasant situations during our stay. Unfortunately, the overall level of cleanliness, service and staff behaviour was far below what we expected.

Verry good animation team. They made our vacations perfect 🩷