Four Points by Sheraton Bintan, Lagoi Bay

The beach

It was noisy from outside event

Very child friendly. Good value for money. Staff very proactive.

A bit limited food offer with the full board

Beautiful beach, lovely to be able to easily walk out to other restaurants, comfortable

Unfortunately nearby Lagoi Plaza was a bit dead. Seemed to perk up at the weekend but in week restaurants were very quiet.

The ferry transfer was smooth and well organised, the staff happily moved us when our first room smelled of mould, and they also granted us a late check-out to reduce our wait for the ferry. Throughout our stay, the staff were consistently friendly and professional—it was the management and standards that let the hotel down.

I've stayed at many Sheraton hotels over the years, so it was particularly disappointing that this was by far my worst experience. The hotel feels tired and in need of refurbishment, particularly the outdoor areas. Around the pool, the paving is cracked, there were loose wooden boards and small stones scattered around, while the pool itself had missing tiles and sections of rubber edging coming away. It also didn't appear to be cleaned frequently enough. There were nowhere near enough sunbeds for the number of guests, leading to the familiar "towel reservation" race before breakfast each morning. While the hotel can't prevent this entirely, there is plenty of space to add more sunbeds. Some also lacked umbrellas, there were no staff regularly attending the pool area to assist, and the Wi-Fi signal around the pool was poor. Breakfast was the biggest disappointment. The staff were friendly and clearly doing their best, but they were overwhelmed by the number of guests. We waited almost 30 minutes for our eggs and noodles, our tea never arrived, and although the buffet offered plenty of choice, the overall quality fell well below what I'd expect from a Sheraton. I'd much rather see a smaller selection of better-quality food than a huge buffet that disappoints. We also weren't told at check-in that Friday and Saturday evenings are barbecue nights, with the à la carte menu unavailable. Knowing this in advance would have allowed us to make alternative dinner plans. The restaurant was also poor value for money. My fish and chips looked more like a child's portion, and the drinks were similarly overpriced. Overall, it felt as though the hotel was prioritising occupancy over maintaining its facilities and service standards. A busy hotel is understandable, but it should be matched with appropriate staffing and maintenance.