I've been coming to this resort regularly for many years, and it has always been one of my favorite…read moreplaces. I've recommended it to so many people because our stays were consistently close to perfect. Unfortunately, our last few visits have felt noticeably different, with enough recurring issues and changes that they no longer feel isolated.
Housekeeping and room maintenance have become inconsistent. Across recent stays, we've encountered dirty mirrors and sinks, hair and dirt left behind, a stained towel, clogged sink, broken door lock, and missing room amenities that used to be consistently provided. During another stay, housekeeping loudly knocked between 8-9 AM asking about checkout two mornings in a row when we weren't checking out. Most recently, our mini fridge was essentially a freezer, freezing my dog's food and eventually causing a seltzer to freeze and explode around 6 AM, blowing the fridge door open and waking us up scared.
Dining has changed considerably too. Calusa has closed at 9 PM instead of 10 PM due to lower occupancy, which makes enjoying dinner after sunset difficult. The dinner menu could use more variety and consistency, although the braised short rib is AMAZING! Bread service has also disappeared, as has one of my favorite amenities, ordering food directly to Hammock Beach.
Breakfast may be the biggest disappointment. The old menu has essentially been replaced by a $40-per-person buffet. During our stay, the limited alternative menu went from being available upon request to suddenly not being offered at all. We, along with several other parties, left the resort for breakfast instead. The buffet itself also feels like a downgrade from the breakfast experience we used to love.
Another concern is that more things cost extra while fewer extras seem to be included. Overnight parking now costs extra, as do kayaks and paddleboards. I completely understand charging day-pass guests for activities, but overnight guests are already paying for their room AND a resort fee. Charging those guests again for basic resort activities while other included amenities disappear contributes to the feeling that we're paying more while receiving less.
Even little touches have changed, like sunset champagne going from acrylic flutes to basic plastic cups. Individually these things may sound insignificant, but together they affect whether the experience feels like a luxury resort or simply a nice hotel.
There is still so much I love. The property and sunsets are beautiful, and I LOVE how dog-friendly the resort is. Peter, Stacey, Tashana, Valdez, and Miguel at Calusa have also consistently been wonderful and deserve recognition.
I'm writing this because I genuinely love this resort and know how great it can be. Lately, though, we find ourselves leaving the property to eat or find experiences we previously enjoyed right here, which starts to defeat the purpose of choosing a resort (and paying a resort fee).
For me, five stars represents the luxury experience we consistently received here in years past. I'm giving four because there is still so much I love, but our recent stays simply haven't been at that same five-star luxury level. I truly hope it gets back there.