My links with this hotel go back a long way: 30 years to be precise. It was where we went on our honeymoon; a rustic-styled low-lying hotel on an unbelievably beautiful beach with fabulous food.
We went back five years ago for our silver anniversary to find that although the beach was as lovely as ever, the hotel itself had changed a lot, and not in a good way. The décor had become trashy, loud and plastic, and the food was a triumph of style over content, with lots of lurid, sickly desserts.
We decided after taking advice to revisit this hotel, now renamed Avani, for our 30th anniversary, and I'm SO glad we did. The company which has taken it over has taste which is MUCH more in line with ours. Gone are the garish plastics and the menus have been completely made over.
The beach which brushes the edge of the hotel is as perfect and as deserted as ever (most holidaymakers don't seem to walk on it beyond the hotel frontage) and is edged with perfumed takamaka trees. The dining and communal areas have been refurbished in a good balance of rustic and comfort, and there are lots of little areas where one can have a quiet seat - hanging openwork pod chairs by the beach, rooftop seating areas with beanbags and swing seats, and dotted all round the gardens are self-contained seating areas with central tables.
The food is excellent, with a huge range of international themes and the best chocolate mousse I have ever tasted.
The rooms have been refurbished with the beds in a different position which affords a view out of the window from the bed - a nice touch.
To the right of the hotel there rises up a rocky promontory covered in tropical vegetation which has paths leading to it. You can clamber to the top, or the end or over to the next bay (worthwhile!) and it looks enticing from the hotel gardens. Unfortunately one has to walk through a lot of rubbish at the edge of the gardens to reach the track, which is a shame, and I very much hope the staff get this cleared as it spoils the walk.
If you feel adventurous the clamber over to the next bay brings you to a huge beach which has a river running out onto it, which is lovely to wade through.