We stayed at Sunseeker Resort over the July 4th weekend, so we fully expected it to be busier than…read morenormal. Overall, we had a wonderful vacation, but there were definitely some highs and lows.
Let's start with check in. When we arrived, the lobby looked like the entire state of Florida had decided to check in at the exact same time. The line was LONG, but to their credit, it only took about 25 minutes.
Before our stay, I specifically called the resort because my husband has severe allergies and asthma triggered by pet dander. I was assured we'd be placed on a non pet floor. At check in, we reminded the staff again, but unfortunately, we were assigned a room that had very clearly just had a pet in it. Within five seconds of walking inside, my husband's allergies went into overdrive. Thankfully, the front desk was very understanding and immediately moved us to another room, and inside that room he had no issues. However, there were at least six dogs on our floor during our stay, so every walk to and from our room caused his allergies and asthma to flare up. What was really disappointing was finding out at check out that there is actually a pet free tower specifically for guests with allergies. Had we been placed there from the beginning, it likely would have made a huge difference for my husband.
Now for the MVP of our trip, Lauren Hill. She is the manager at level blue & she completely turned our experience around. When we booked our hotel stay, I was able to reserve lounge chairs for July 5. At the time, I was told that July 4 would be first come, first served and that reservations would not be accepted because of the holiday. However, when we arrived on July 3, we were told that all of the lounge chairs for July 4 had actually been reserved and were completely sold out. Needless to say, I was frustrated.
While ordering drinks at the adult pool, I noticed Lauren helping one of the servers and asked if she was a manager because she was dressed a little differently. Thank goodness I did! She listened, genuinely cared, and somehow worked her magic to secure five lounge chairs for us on July 4. She also told us about the rooftop fire pit reservations for the fireworks, and we were able to book one of those too.
Lauren did not just solve problems. She made us feel like valued guests. She is the definition of outstanding customer service, and honestly, if it were not for her, this review would look very different. Sunseeker is incredibly lucky to have her. She deserves every bit of recognition for the way she takes care of guests.
The rooftop fireworks experience was a lot of fun. Watching both the fireworks from the adult rooftop should have been the perfect experience. Unfortunately, several people who had not paid for reserved seating decided to stand directly in front of us, completely blocking our view of the county fireworks. It would have been nice if staff had stepped in since many guests had paid for those premium seats. Thankfully, once the resort's own fireworks began, we had an incredible view. The resort absolutely knocked their fireworks show out of the park. It was beautiful!
Now...the food.
Unfortunately, the food was the biggest disappointment of the trip. I ordered the tuna poke bowl, and the tuna was a grayish brown color that did not exactly inspire confidence. But the real surprise was the two scoops of white rice, which were completely frozen solid. I honestly did not know frozen rice was a thing, but apparently it is.
The pizza downstairs was ok. We enjoyed the BBQ Chicken pizza, which was our favorite.
The family pool was beautiful and had a great atmosphere. One thing that caught us off guard was the towel policy. The lounge chairs had noticeable mold and mildew stains on them, so I asked for extra towels, . I was told the policy was strictly 1 towel per person. I'm sorry this is luxury Hilton Curio Collection resort, not a holiday inn.. Buy more towels so you can accommodate your guests, or have chair covers like do they upstairs at level blue.
Now for the best part. The resort itself is absolutely stunning. The adult only rooftop pool and bar are incredible, the family pool is beautiful, and the rooms are gorgeous with floor to ceiling windows overlooking Charlotte Harbor. Waking up to those water views every morning was pure bliss.
Despite a few frustrating moments, we genuinely enjoyed our stay. The beautiful property, amazing pools, incredible fireworks, and exceptional staff made for a memorable Fourth of July weekend.
If there is one area Sunseeker could really improve, it is the quality of the food. The resort itself feels like a five star destination, but the dining simply did not match the caliber of the property. Elevating the food experience would take this resort from great to truly exceptional.
And one last time, Lauren Hill deserves every bit of recognition she can get. She did not just improve our stay. She saved it!
