Shana Hotel & Spa

No credit card was requested at check-in for a pre-authorization. When I ordered something at the pool (US$35) and was without my wallet, the attendant called the front desk in front of me to check whether I had any credit on my account. Since the answer was no, I was told I had to pay immediately. I had to ask my friend to return to the room—which is very far away—to get my wallet so I could make the payment. I believe treating guests as if they might be dishonest is a very poor hotel policy. Hotel Weaknesses: Breakfast with no options of breads, pastries, or cold cuts. Bathrooms urgently need renovation: leaking shower boxes, loose showerheads and faucets. Bed linen old and worn. To reach the beach you must walk about 10 minutes along a steep and muddy path. Overall, this is presented as a 4-star hotel, but in reality it should be rated no more than 3 stars.

Upon arrival, I was informed by the front desk of daily construction happening every day from 7am-5pm. This was not disclosed on their site, and Expedia only referenced parking was under construction, there was definitely more than garage/parking construction going on. We booked a superior ocean view room, and the construction was right outside our door. There were missing balcony railings on our floor, and only yellow tape marking it off. The superior room we stayed in had a great view, spacious, but it was not luxury. The sheets on the bed were old and pilling. I had to ask for new sheets to put on top. The sofa was uncomfortable, it was lopsided, not functional. The console below the tv had paint peeling off the top. The bathroom sink had cracks in the countertop. The staff were all very nice and offered to move us to a different room, but unfortunately, both rooms offered were a "downgrade" for the type of room we paid for. We declined the offer and made the best of our stay in our superior ocean view room since they were not able to give us a refund, which I understood. The hotel is on a very steep hill. To get to the reception office, restaurant or pool, you need to walk out and down a very steep pathway with no stairs, just a ramp path all the way down. I'm not sure why they didn't build steps to ensure the safety of guests. But there were staff driving up and down the hill in a golf cart offering rides, which was very helpful. The daily breakfast was nice, but same food options offered every day. We only ordered pizza from the restaurant, which was very good. Overall, not a luxury hotel, it's a 3 star hotel. For the price we paid, it should be luxury as advertised.

We loved Shana! Checked in, unhappy with our room (lowest floor with absolutely no view), got moved to a balcony room with an ocean view. We could’ve cared less about seeing the ocean, we went for the wildlife and BOY did we get it! All 3 species of monkeys, both toucans, macaws, sloths and so many other birds all right from our balcony. Beds comfortable and rooms cleaned everyday. Bar staff: Daniel, Lester and Isman were lovely and attentive. Pools were clean and refreshing (we used the adult only side). Only feedback I’d give is we would’ve liked breakfast to change every couple of days. Literally the same options every day for 8 days. Food was excellent, just the same day after day after day. Also, BOGO happy hour… why not allow mix and match and pay for the higher priced drink? Getting either the same exact drink or 4 drinks at the same time, doesn’t really make sense for a couple. These 2 items don’t change my excellent rating though!

We had such a wonderful stay at Shana by the Beach. The staff are all so attentive. We especially loved the happy hour each evening and enjoyed getting to know Daniel, Lester, and Yasmin. They were great to talk to and made our stay very enjoyable.

Beautiful Hotel with friendly staff. Especially the staff att breakfast was very helpful. Our balcony was really great.