Cascade Wellness Resort

Just home from a week's stay at Cascade Wellness Resort. Originally, we were meant to stay at Belmar Spa but, having paid for our visit in full at time of booking, five weeks later (and five weeks before we were due to travel) we were advised that they were no longer able to honour our booking (with no explanation), leaving us scrabbling to find a suitable alternative at relatively short notice. Given we were looking for somewhere within walking distance of Lagos but away from the hustle and bustle, with an easy walk to a beach with beach bars/restaurants, separate sleeping area for kids, a spa and gym, that wasn't necessarily the easiest task but we settled on Cascade as our best available option. Several reviews had us worried about the quality of rooms/service prior to our arrival but we needn't have been concerned. We stayed in a one-bedroom apartment (block 6), which had plenty of space for four (2 adults, 2 children) and was well furnished. Yes, there is the odd area that could do with a fresh lick of paint to tidy up but some wear and tear is inevitable in any resort. We had an issue with shower drainage on day one that was quickly resolved by the reception team and everything was smooth sailing from there. There was plenty of sunbathing/eating space on the balcony (with lovely views) and we even had a private roof terrace with sunloungers too. The pools were quiet and there were plenty of sunbeds and parasols to choose from whenever we visited. In response to comments about children not being allowed in the pool after 10am, that refers only to the heated spa pool. There were plenty of other pools the kids could - and did - use freely. The staff at the Lighthouse Bar were great - very hospitable and engaging - and the quality of food was excellent. Be warned, if you opt for the snack menu, it may seem expensive at first glance but theses aren't just snacks, they're full-sized meals and very well prepared 😋. There was some confusion over whether or not breakfast was included in our booking but that was also deftly handled by the restaurant staff and we enjoyed the food both mornings we decided to avail of the breakfast facilities. Lots of choice for all tastes and good quality. Added highlight was being able to see Sporting Club Lisbon training behind our apartment - their presence added more excitement for the kids but, had we not been located next to the football pitches, nor seen the coaches, you'd never have known they were there. We didn't get chance to use the spa or gym in the end - too busy exploring the rest of the local area - but all in all, it was a lovely, relaxing stay with wonderful views out to the ocean, and Cascade is a resort we would be happy to go back to. The site is clearly still being updated but any works underway (e.g. sand pool bar area) didn't interfere with those already holidaying there and it will just be even better when complete. Thanks to all the staff for a great break.

Currently staying at Cascades. Have a beautiful sea view room (243) with all amenities we could want. Water and coffee pods replenished twice daily, turndown service offered and housekeeping spot on. Check in was great, very friendly and efficient. Our room wasn’t ready until 3pm (standard) so upon arrival at 11am we were prepared with swimwear to hand, and used the facilities seamlessly The main pool area is beautiful, relaxing and great sunbeds. No problem with overcrowding. Food is ok, not quite a 5* offering in my opinion, but okay. No complaints so far. EUR6 into Lagos by uber, so eating out is not a problem if the hotel offering isn’t to taste. All in all, this hotel has so far ticked all boxes for a relaxing 5 day break in the sun The

I had to write this because our experience was the opposite of a few reviews I read—we absolutely loved this resort! We did the couples package with an aromatherapy massage, breakfast, and dinner at Senses. Our sea-view room was spotless, with a great shower and tub. Housekeeping even refreshed our water twice a day. The property has scenic trails to cliffs, and three pools. Breakfast was one of the best buffets we’ve had—fresh coffee, made-to-order omelets, and great variety. Dinner at Senses was fantastic, especially the oyster and steak tartare.

I stayed here for 5 nights at the end of a six week trip, hoping to cap off my vacation with a luxurious experience. This was not that. As other reviews mentioned, it’s fairly dingy and needs a significant makeover. But my biggest complaint is with the service. The A/C broke and they couldn’t fix it, but we got such a run-around by the staff. One person would say it’s just our room, the next would say it’s been fixed, the next would act like they had no idea what we were talking about. We eventually got moved to an apt with A/C which we really appreciated but it didn’t make up for the sweltering night that we couldn’t sleep and the super frustrating lack of communication. The location of the hotel is a mixed bag. It’s set back from the coast so it’s not really an ocean view, but it’s very close to the walking paths that take you to Piedade and sunset view points. Just wish the hotel had provided a map of the paths so we didn’t have to figure it out on our own. We weren’t crazy about the restaurants in the hotel so we either took an uber to town (10 mins) or walked to nearby restaurants (20 min walk) Overall, not a terrible stay, but a far cry from the five star stay we expected. And definitely not worth the high prices.

Cascade Wellness Center is NOT even close to a Five-Star Luxury resort. And the management knows this. Shame on them. As I was checking in, two ladies were at the front desk complaining about the lack of hot water—an ominous sign! We stayed at the “luxury” two-bedroom Apartments—the apartment was smelly, old, and worn. Stains of all varieties on the furniture, scratched up chairs and tables, mildew in both closets, silverfish in glassware in the kitchen, paper thin walls, dishwasher that didn’t close properly, water running out of the washing machine, ice cold showers, mold-stained balcony and chairs, and the list goes on and on. These apartments are well-worn Holiday Inn Airport quality. We were shocked by the condition of the apartment and asked to be moved to another apartment but were told that we had booked "the standard two bedroom” or whatever that means. We booked through Expedia, so I guess that meant we had to be thrown into the worst apartment they had. Nowhere on their website does it differentiate between “standard” two bedroom. They are just called “Two Bedroom Apartments.” We didn’t have a “pool or resort view” as they advertised. Just ripped green tarp around a field and views of cars parked on the street. Cascade “Wellness” Center is a Three Star resort (some of the time) four star (the pools/some landscaping) and 2 star the rest of the time. (no hot water, mildew, run down apartments, empty, derelict buildings, stains on furniture, leaking washing machine, bugs (silverfish and ants) and gaslighting by the front desk staff). Did staying at Cascade “Wellness” Center ruin our vacation? Yes, partially it did for the reasons I will explain below. Was it the worst place I’ve ever stayed? No, but it is the worst, most expensive place I’ve ever stayed. Here is my honest review: Things that Make Cascade “Wellness” Center a “Five Star Luxury Resort”: The natural rocky coast that has been there for time immemorial and has nothing to do with Cascade “Wellness” Center. That’s it. Four Stars: The paths along the rocky shore, the pools, the lobby area, and some of the landscaping. The management is clever: they maintain the lobby area and pools because it is cost effective: mowing the lawns and making sure the walking paths are maintained and the pools are clean is cheap compared to actual MAINTENANCE of the property which is the biggest problem. Three Stars: Rooms in the hotel (not apartments or villas)—These are Basic Embassy Suites Design and decor Restaurants/Bar: good, basic food—somewhat disinterested staff--pricey Gym—this is like your gym back home—outdoor area was run down and had moldy mats Spa—tiny, cramped, and overcrowded—small steam and sauna rooms—more like a gym than a five-star resort spa. Staff unfriendly—seems like they are just there to hand out towels. Small treatment rooms behind glass doors. Very strange design: dark and gloomy. Two Stars and Less: Now this is a category where Cascade “Wellness” Center really excels! 1) Bugs—silverfish in a cabinet and glassware—we were there five nights—the glass with silverfish was never removed. Ants in the bathroom for some random reason. The staff will probably use the excuse of a “tropical climate” but it was in the 40’s-50’s when we were there and ants and silverfish appear for poorly maintained and dirty buildings—not just for humidity. 2) No hot water—two days with ice cold showers. And the staff suggested we somehow wait to “see if it comes around again?” Huh? 3) Mildew in closets—we kept them closed and hung our clothes on the chairs or kept them in the suitcases 4) Moldy smell—these old apartments are damp and moldy—we washed clothes, and they did not dry inside for three days—that is how moist the apartment was. Terrible place for elderly or those with asthma/COPD. 5) Stains on the furniture—yellow, gray, black—urine, feces, food, wine, coffee, who knows! It was disgusting! The front desk manager responded by saying “that’s ok—we have stains on the furniture”—this is not what front desk staff at an actual Five Star Resort would say. 6) Basic kitchen which lacked even a proper knife--broken kitchen cabinets, old and poorly maintained appliances; dishwasher that didn’t close and washing machine that leaked. 7) Gaslighting: as I was watching water pour out of the washing machine and relaying that information to the front desk “manager” she told me, “no, all our appliances are new and there’s no water running out of them.” Note to management: DON’T GASLIGHT YOUR GUESTS. If they tell you they see water running out of one of your appliances, believe them. A maintenance man confirmed that the appliances were not in fact new. 8) Empty and derelict (some boarded up) buildings—especially near the gym. 9) No safe in the room as advertised 10) No view—ripped and falling apart green tarp surrounding a field The staff did finally attempt to fix the problem by offering us a room in the bottom floor of the hotel, but that did not work for us as we had a refrigerator full of groceries, and my son didn’t want to sleep on a living room sofa. That’s why we booked a two bedroom apartment. After two days of ice-cold water, they finally comped us two nights. The front desk mentioned the apartments were going to be renovated and we should come back which was completely tone deaf after what we experienced and coming back to this resort after a day of sightseeing was depressing. We spent the first day back home washing/airing everything to get rid of the mildew smell. The biggest regret I have is believing Cascade “Wellness” Center’s false advertising and wasting my money on this run-down place. My advice is stay anywhere else!