"To be completely transparent, my review focuses solely on the Hippopotamus Pool area. We didn't stay at the resort, but the pool is open to the public. The photos and videos online give a different impression of the pool compared to the reality. First off, there are only about 10 lounge chairs available for the entire area, and the remaining white wicker chairs are in poor condition. There is no shade or umbrellas unless you pay $25 per hour to rent a cabana (with a two-hour minimum), which we decided to do since we planned to spend a good part of the day there with our teenagers. However, the cabanas were quite shabby. It wouldn’t take much effort to make them ready for guests, but apparently, there’s a labor shortage in the area. We had to scavenge furniture from other empty cabanas to assemble a decent setup in one that actually had a roof. Most cabanas had side curtains, but they were flimsy and incomplete. Plus, there were no cushions for the wicker seating. The swim-up bar was understaffed; although the one bartender was efficient, he wasn't particularly friendly (then again, I can't blame him for being overwhelmed handling the bar alone). The food situation was particularly chaotic. We ordered at the swim-up bar, only to have to retrieve our food from a building on the pool deck. There was only one cook, and he kept the shutters closed, making it impossible to know when the food was ready. Overall, I’m thankful that pool admission was free and really relieved we chose not to stay at the resort, as I can't imagine it being any better managed."
