Restin’ At The Westin – A Family Holiday

Posted by Vicky on | April 5, 2011 | No Comments

One of the greatest assets The Westin has must be its staff. They were wonderful and I can’t think of even one exception. From the waiters to housekeeping to the bar staff, they were all lovely and always keen to help. We especially noticed this when it came to the restaurant.  We would feed the children in the hotel room due to CJ’s anaphylactic allergies, before heading down to Taste, the air-conditioned restaurant that offered a buffet (with different themes) every evening. The first time we went there, we asked for a highchair for CJ, and also some Dettol so we could sterilize it before CJ sat down. The next night we went to the restaurant, the high chair was waiting for us (in our favourite spot – one of the booths), with a bottle of Dettol and a cloth, which the waitress used as soon as we were seated. It was gestures like this that really upped the anti in terms of service, and helped to increase my levels of confidence in the resort and staff. Small gestures that meant a great deal to us, that really improved our stay. Chef Severin mentioned to us once at breakfast that he had read on the email that I had initially sent the hotel, that CJ and Boo liked bananas – when we got back to our room, there was a huge fruit bowl waiting for us with bananas, dragon fruit, logon and oranges.

As CJ had to eat breakfast in the room every morning (as even the smell of eggs brings him out in hives and causes his throat to itch) my husband and I would take it in terms to go to Taste with Boo, for the breakfast buffet. The food was great; Boo was particularly impressed with the pancakes shaped like Mickey Mouse that were freshly cooked in front of her! I really liked the fruit juices and the plain yoghurt served with the different types of homemade fruit coulis. They were presented in what looked like old fashioned jam pots, and were really tasty!

We had a double deluxe room with an ocean view. The room was perfect, and we probably only noticed that it needed a bit of updating and TLC as we in the room for longer than we would normally have been, due to the weather. The room had two twin beds, which were comfy and welcoming. The little balcony was a great feature, we all enjoyed sitting out there, there was a wonderful view and it was even sheltered from the rain.

Although the weather was generally abysmal, whenever the rain stopped and the sun made an appearance, we would rush down to the pool. There were three swimming pools to choose from. Our favourite, had to be the infinity pool that over looked the Andaman Sea, it was breathtaking. Complete with pool bar, which had the in-pool seats that Boo and I loved! Great for gazing out to sea and at the small green volcanic looking islands that dotted the horizon; Pina Colada in hand for me, watermelon juice for Boo. The only downside to this swimming pool was the amount of people who chose to smoke around it. The Westin was certainly not a smoke free hotel, inside or out.

The Children’s Pool was just next to the infinity pool. Shallow and warm, a perfect height for CJ, babies and toddlers. In the middle of the pool was a raised platform with little fountains running the length and width of it.  CJ really enjoyed sitting here, trying to catch and stop the little fountains. Although again there was a slight downside, the pool water could have done with a good clean, and there were tadpoles in it. Which Boo actually quite liked, she would spend a long time trying to fish them all out with her toy digger!

The other pool there was the rock pool, but we did not spend anytime there. It was much quieter than the other pools, and seemed to be more of a “grown-up” pool.

Every evening complimentary cocktails were offered to each guest at Breeze (the hotel bar which also served food). The cocktails were good, and we sampled a different one each evening. During our stay they appeared to be fashioned around a martini cocktail. My favourite was the apple one! Boo was also suitably impressed, as she would have her very own mocktail each evening, also served in a martini glass. CJ had to pass as there were peanuts served in the bar… we were not going to be taking any risks!

There was also a trio of lounge singers who performed every night from 9-12.30. The children were a little more impressed with them than we were. But they were great entertainment, CJ especially was over the moon when they preformed Just The Way You Are by Bruno Mars, I don’t think the lounge singers had ever had such a raptured audience member before, he pretty much clapped and “yay yayyed” the whole way through.

~ Vicky

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