http://www.travelpost.com//hotels/FantaSea_Resorts_at_Atlantic_Palace/hid33195 TravelPost.com - Hotel reviews, information, and rates from thousands of websites http://www.travelpost.com//hotels/FantaSea_Resorts_at_Atlantic_Palace/r583672 All Review Photos Shortens Guest House is reminiscent of California in the 1960s and the substantial gardens are an interesting mix of restrained tropical abundance. Tall trees strewn with bougainvilleas, palms (trees and scrubs), green grass, white stucco, covered porches, and a pool conjures up the picture of tall, cool drinks and bathing suits. Being wintertime, what we actually experienced was breakfast and afternoon tea taken out on the verandah in the true English fashion. The local’s accent is even tinged with a bit of British. As delightful as the exterior was, our guesthouse was a disappointment. Small, cramped, and smelling of mildew, we only spent enough time to wash up and sleep. The English influence continues inside the room with chintz curtains, floral chair cushions, and a coverlet on the queen size bed. A tea setup is provided, but I had to be careful not to topple it getting out of bed. A small alcove in the corner, next to a built-in wardrobe, had a table, mirror, and stool which I soon covered with my toiletries and put made that side of the room off limits to my husband who could not comfortably negotiate the space anyway. His side was crammed with two chairs and a small table. He moved the chairs out to the covered porch, kept the small table for his toiletries, and our larger suitcase took over the space the chairs had occupied. Our small suitcase was stashed in the wardrobe. The bathroom did have a large tub, and since we were sore from a vigorous hike two days before, the tub was heaven-sent. There was also a shower, but very little space around the sink, hence using the tables in the bedroom for our toiletries. Shortens Guest House is a bed-and-breakfast guesthouse and the food made up for what was lacking in the room. The friendliness of the staff was another plus. Desmond and Wayne are the managers and greeted us warmly, offering sherry in front of a roaring fire in the evenings and tea in the afternoon. http://www.travelpost.com//hotels/FantaSea_Resorts_at_Atlantic_Palace/r583672 http://www.travelpost.com//hotels/FantaSea_Resorts_at_Atlantic_Palace/r583673 The view from the accommodations at the Royal Suites was beautiful. We had a studio that was fine for two but I wouldn't recommend it for four people, there would be little or no privacy. The room was set up well and everthing was provided. The staff was friendly and I liked the decor -- it was diffrent from the usual pink and blue in most beach resorts. The only problem was the exercise room; even though it had a lot of equipment the only one that worked was the treadmill. http://www.travelpost.com//hotels/FantaSea_Resorts_at_Atlantic_Palace/r583673 http://www.travelpost.com//hotels/FantaSea_Resorts_at_Atlantic_Palace/r583674 Best Things Nearby:Directly in between all the major casinos. Ocean is steps away from the door.Best Things About the Resort:Gorgeous view of the ocean, very friendly staff, good location, and large whirlpool bath.Resort Experience:The timeshare unit was a little old and the carpet looked worn, but those were the only downsides. Our studio unit had a partial kitchen which was plenty and included two burners, a microwave, toaster oven, place settings for four, and all the untensils you could need. The large whirlpool bathtub was a nice surprise. There was a large picture window with a sitting ledge overlooking the ocean, which is practically just outside the door. The hotel has a pool and is a couple of minutes' walk to every major casino on the Boardwalk. Unit Type: Studio Activities: Not Available Amenities: Excellent Unit Satisfaction: Fair Family Friendliness: Good Service: Excellent http://www.travelpost.com//hotels/FantaSea_Resorts_at_Atlantic_Palace/r583674 http://www.travelpost.com//hotels/FantaSea_Resorts_at_Atlantic_Palace/r583675 Best Things Nearby:Right in between two major clusters of casinos.Best Things About the Resort:View was excellent and the large whirlpool bath. LOCATION!Resort Experience:Timeshare units seemed old and the carpet was rough and stained. Besides needing a face lift, it was very nice. It said it was a partial kitchen, but it had a microwave, toaster oven, two burners, plenty of dishes/utensils - very nice. They had a large whirlpool bathtub, and the staff was very helpful. Unit Type: Studio Activities: Not Available Amenities: Good Unit Satisfaction: Fair Family Friendliness: Excellent Service: Excellent http://www.travelpost.com//hotels/FantaSea_Resorts_at_Atlantic_Palace/r583675 http://www.travelpost.com//hotels/FantaSea_Resorts_at_Atlantic_Palace/r583676 All Review Photos Best Things Nearby:The ocean and boardwalk have to be the biggest attractions in my estimation. But many people also go for the casinos, restaurants,shows, antiquing and special events held here all year. You are within easy walking (or push car ride) from all the casinos and top shows and restaurants. This makes it convenient if you want to really "live it up" and stay out late celebrating your winnings!Best Things About the Resort:The "junior" suite as it is called has plenty of room for 4 people to spend a weekend comfortably. The kitchenette and whirlpool tub(in every suite) provide extra extravagance. It is centrally located right in the middle of the boardwalk,with almost every suite sharing a breathtaking ocean view. It is close to virtually everything in town and can be seen from everywhere. The service,decor and amenities made this place a real gem on the boardwalk.Resort Experience:The rooms are decorated in very neutral,yet stylish "seashore" themes...all freshly painted and furnished with up-to-the-minute furnishings. The elevator service is quick and you can go to and from the beach literally anytime of day. The friendly desk and service people made us feel truly special. Unit Type: Studio Activities: Very Good Amenities: Very Good Unit Satisfaction: Very Good Family Friendliness: Very Good Service: Very Good http://www.travelpost.com//hotels/FantaSea_Resorts_at_Atlantic_Palace/r583676 http://www.travelpost.com//hotels/FantaSea_Resorts_at_Atlantic_Palace/r583677 All Review Photos We chose the Sheraton Laguna Grande Resort as our base. The resort is part of the five-resort Laguna Resort complex wherein guests in all five resorts can use all of the five resorts' facilities. Sheraton has Asia's longest pool at 323 meters but it is only 0.7 meters deep all throughout that diving is not allowed. We stayed in a lagoon villa. The lagoon villas are connected from the main hotel buildings by bridges and walk ways. The villa has two levels. The ground floor has the living and dining rooms, a toilet and a balcony with a private pier to the lagoon. The second level has the bedroom and the massive toilet, a separate shower and an outdoor sunken bath. Video and CD players were available together with a personal ref. From the living room, there is a balcony leading to a private pier which is a common feature of all villas. During our stay everything seems okay except that the air-conditioner in the ground floor was too noisy for us but overall, the villa was superb. http://www.travelpost.com//hotels/FantaSea_Resorts_at_Atlantic_Palace/r583677