Grand Hotel Excelsior Port Royal

6.4

Fair

819 Guest reviews

6.4

Fair

819 Verified Reviews

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Cleanliness6.8/10

Service7.0/10

Comfort6.6/10

Condition6.2/10

location7.0/10

Neighborhood6.2/10

Amenities5.8/10

Tv didn’t work bathroom broken staff morale was low

Our stay was nice.

It’s a dirty motel charging hotel prices. It was filthy. No towels, no soap. We had to wait for them to clean towels. The knob on the rust and hole filled shower came right off, the toilet was plugged, there’s bugs all over and overall it’s like a hostel

This hotel is located in a beautiful location by the sea. Loved the views of Kingston & Portmore. Service at the restaurant was extremely slow due to lack of staff I think. The food was not good, we went over to Gloria’s fish restaurant a 5 minute walk (it was good & great value for money). There were no chairs on the patios outside the room which was disappointing. I did ask about this & they were in the process of providing new furniture, which is great. Overall dispute this, I would recommend for a great stopover from/to the airport & for the nearby party cruise mooring.

The bathroom was filthy. The toilet needed cleaning

Out dated property

It's Like Being Surrounded by a Giant Aquarium

Very comfortable and laid-back hotel and atmosphere. Lots of fish and other wildlife around...

Three star hotel with three star staff and 3 star facilities. I went down for breakfast. Beautiful setting over-looking the Kingston Harbour. No staff in sight - likely in the back. No hot water, tea bags at the drink station, only coffee. No water or juice put out. Not appealing. I left without having anything.

I booked this hotel for two family members who were looking to stay somewhere for the night. The room was not cleaned properly. There was used toilet paper (very used roll). There is dust in the air conditioner and the room overall was really stuffy.No cable or room phone. We were really hoping the hotel would have been way better. The staff was super helpful and kind, housekeeping was the issue.

Where to begin? For US279, I've had better service for $40. I arrived just before 9pm on a Monday and was informed there was no food available on the property or within walking distance, not even a vending machine. I was told thet, I left about 3/4 of the free breakfast bar was open til 10, but the bartender was cashing out at nine. The lovely pool had a `pool closed' sign on it all the time I was there. The `free shuttle' was a taxi ride (US$50 tip round trip). I'm not sure how one messes up scrambled eggs and sausage, but after waiting almost a half hour when I was the only person in the restaurant, I left about 3/4 of the free breakfast - I tried giving a piece of the sausage to the cat that was begging and it turned its nose up at it. I couldn't take my medications because There wasn't a glass or cup in the room. I couldn't shower because the shower handle came off in my hand... The staff was very polite about explaining that service was basically nonexistent and would remain so. Without competition, the WORST hotel value I have ever received in my 73 years.

One night stay

It went well. Breakfast was a little sparse but ok! There is no airport transfer service other than calling a taxi

Location of the Marina to the Sea was spot on

Great location and great staff

A great hodden gem

.

very disappointed The rooms were not cleaned and i have took pictures for you to see No hot water so we both ended having Cold Showers No Wifi Had to move rooms twice which were no better I would like a full refund Could not even use the kettle as was Very Dirty and full of dust

Overpriced for what it is. Would not stay again.

If you want to have a good time in Jamaica don’t come here. Most of the staff are unprofessional and not the friendliest. We had to wait over two hours for our food. Items were taken from my friends room The safe box didn’t work so I had no where to keep my valuables There was no do not disturb sign to place on the door, so staff could come in whenever ( and never knock)

It was amazing and i most definitely will be back soon

Continues to improve

The property is very beautiful, however the room had no warm water; not even a drop and there was zero WiFi available. Those are 2 very important amenities to me.

Staff was rude, bed was uncomfortable food from restaurant was burnt and super expensive. I could go on… but to conclude I had to cut my stay short left after one day when I booked 4.

Property needs major renovations

Definitely worth staying a couple of nights and super close to the Kingston airport. A great hub to walk to all the sights in Port Royal and to catch a boat to the cays.

There was no hot water in the room, the pipe in the face basin was not working properly and the TV in the room did not work. Likewise the water pressure was extremely low

Staff at front desk was not. Professional. Treated us like we were begging them breakfast. When we already paid for for 2 days . Gave me a receipt for one night.but charge for two. We were so turned off we refuse to spend the second night there. However the place is nice but again staff just made it ugly.

The food,the view, the staff… everything was perfect

Upon arriving, we checked into, and check in was pleasant. However, when we went to the room, we were greeted with cobwebs, dirty floors, counters, bathroom toilet that did not work, and no hot water. We asked for another room, but was told that "there was no guaurantee that those rooms were cleaned." I forgot to mention earlier, that we also had visitor, a centipede that measured about 7 -8 inches, that thing was quick on its feet. I have never seen one that big except on documentaries. In the rooms, because we had a room change the following day, you have two guests, yet you only have one dusty cup and saucer for coffee, coffee, no sugar, no creamer. Our interactions with the kitchen staff during breakfast was superb. However, we ate out for dinner has the dinner menu was very very limited. The second room did have hot water and much nicer than the first but still needed work. I am not a complainer nor do I allow things to bother me, but this one I had to speak up about. I think the management needs to check the rooms after they are cleaned by staff to ensure cleanliness and readiness for guests. I must admit, they are building a newer section on the property. Hopefully things will improve.

I enjoyed my stay despite the rain that literally flooded the walkway from the room to the front desk! We survived! Staff did their best to rectify the problems.

Dirty and unsafe

The room was dirty upon arrival. The door only locks with the knob. No deadbolt or safety lock. Advertises an airport shuttle but none was available. Had to take an expensive taxi for the same price if I would have stayed somewhere nicer in Kingston

Mixed emotions

3 days/2Night. Fabulous location. Joel is shabby- no amenities in room .. like bottled water( 90° temperature.. had to walk to poolside bar and pay $2 for every bottle water .. even charged for water when eating in restaurant. Some great staff / others not so good.. most front desk staff were not very helpful- shame really as the property location (albeit quite from central Kingston (we found that good). This could be a fabulous hotel . We understand it has recently been purchased and plans are to improve . Ryan was exceptional!

This hotel offers the best view of the wide-open harbor, overlooking downtown Kingston. (There was a renovation taking place at the property when we stayed. The noise was quite intense. The hotel should not rent out the affected rooms during the renovation.)

Not sure if i can stay there againg

Helpful staff, the hotel It was under repair all day so there was a lot of noise the wors interneti ever experienced in my life terrible, bathroom smelled funny , the food at lunch time OMG I ordered a curry chicken no flavor. The hot water changes its temperature very quickly you don't even have a proper bath when the water is already cold. For the price of the hotel and not finding even 1 free bottle of water is questionable the pool looked a little cloudy water so when I saw it I went back to my room. When I went to the restaurant I sat down and it took a considerable time before the waitress noticed that I was there waiting to be served it was the same with a couple that arrived after me, the bartender was very friendly

The Grand Hotel Excelsior is teeming with history and it is no surprise that not much has changed with the building. Everything is well maintained however. Making customers comfortable seems to the priority of staff.

The property was clean, but outdated rooms. The kingside bed only had two tiny pillows. Toiletries were mismatched. So recommend making sure you bring your own. There wasn’t even handsoap or soap, only shampoo, no conditioner. Overall the stay was ok for what it was, and we would stay there again, given the price of places in Kingston itself. The property has high potential but could definitely use an overhaul, especially to the rooms. But overall clean and the staff were friendly and nice for the most part

The best thing about this place is the staff. It’s ideal if you want to escape the world and have limited interaction with persons.

Was only staying for a few hours,so I check in 3pm and was leaving for the airport at 12:30 had was to put something on there freezer when I was ready to leave the was no one at the front dest the security try so hard going back and forth we finally found it and I leave would never go back there

This is a lovely property.

The bathroom was full of mold ..had to leave a little early.. because wasn't comfortable... i wouldn't allow me to upload the pictures

Friendly staff

It was a short quick trip that was well spent. The restaurant didnt have a lot of things on the menu but seevice was amazing. Friendly staff and clean environment.

Need update

This property needs more repair and the rooms especially the flooring need to be cleaner.

Nice

Nothing

Massive room, really good air con. Bath wasnt very clean. Breakfast was limited and not that great. Pool didnt open at the times it said it would and the sea swimming was not permitted bt the hotel, too much rubbish. Stunning location to eat breakfast though.

Appreciate so much your service and your hospitality

I love it here. Service is excellent and staff are very nice

I like all the thlnks i will come back soon thank you for your service we give the good food

The Rooms are not well kept and smells like moles, paints on walls are stripping and cobwebs in rooms

Property is well kept.

Beautiful ground trees flowers and scenery but bathroom facilities poor toilets doesn’t flush properly breakfast stingy with one bottle of pancake syrup one pepper and salt bottle passing around from table to table

This property served its purpose in the convenience of being close to the airport. Amazing view. Property needs work

The views at this property were beautiful, a massive plus for me. Pleasant and friendly staff, good food (lovely traditional breakfast at weekend) & music. The outside of the hotel looks great, rooms need just a little TLC. Would stay again.

My ac was leaking but the front desk is not 24hrs to notify anyone also don’t check in too late call first because front desk is not 24hrs

Off the beaten path

I enjoyed my experience. If you’re looking for an authentic Jamaican experience off the beaten path with an amazing view of the harbor with a restaurant/bar this is the place for you. The DJ has a great music selection cool place to hangout with locals.

I like that the property is right on the water and has a spectacular view of the Kingston harbour.

Spacious, beautiful and clean, close to the airport and Kingston city

Very quiet n relaxing. Throughout the property was very clean

The property has charm and history including Bond movie dr no filming there. The breakfast situation is very confusing. Pool is decent.

Good hotel stay, convenient for the airport.

Better than expected after reading mixed reviews. Room was spacious and clean. Ryan from reception quickly sorted our query with the air-conditioning and obtained a standard lamp for us as weirdly part of the room didnt have lighting. We had a good lunch on our 1st day, 2nd day my lunch was nothing like the description on the menu. Please note (apparently) the service charge automatically added to the bill does not go to the staff. The included breakfast was very good. We used the swimming pool which was fine and lovely bar area. All the staff were friendly and helpful and special mention to Ryan. We visited Fort Charles and had a very interesting guided tour. Worth visiting if you have the time. Convenient hotel very near the airport.

No good

Booked at last minute as close to airport. Was ok for one night

None

Reception was good. Staff was not great at bar and restaurant. Breakfast was a nightmare no one told us there was two different meals, there was a buffet line with eggs and everything I wanted but that was for the Canadian military that was there and I would have to pay extra for that which I would have but they made us go sit down and eventually brought us a Jamaica breakfast. It had good flavor and was nice trying something new but not what I would like to have for breakfast….hotel wasn’t bad. definitely did not get the room I reserved. Went for a morning walk around town also terrible, trash everywhere burnt cars. There was a restaurant down the street and they had fast great food so there was that at least. Never even made the boat tour left early due to these other issues. Also if going to Jamaica make sure you have filled out your c5 for customs that was annoying being stuck in a hallway trying to download an app and fill that crap out for a half hour also everyone has to do it.

Spacious and comfortable and cozy and courtesy

I have to begin this review as in saying this is a Jamaican resort property. This is not a sandals resort or anything like that. I love staying here. I love the people that run it and I love the location in relation to the airport if you’re looking for a perfect place, this is not it but this is a really good place

Poor customer service

Almost 3 hours to eat?!?!

The check in took long as I do not believe the room was ready since once we got in it the floors were still wet. The property is in a very nice and convenient location and the person at the front desk was helpful, the service at the bar/restaurant, however, totally ruin my evening. First it took over 1.5 hours until I was told one of the items I ordered was no longer available, then it took another hour to get the alternative order. I feel overall the place was understaffed.

Food wasnt great. No comforter so i was cold. Waitress was unpleasant. Cost too much for not good service

i have no complain i was very satisfi

Pros: Beautiful grounds. Very friendly, polite and helpful staff. Cons: Room was not very clean. There was no toiletries in my room for 2 days, phone did not work, there should be a fridge in the room, and the soap holder in the bathroom needs to be changed.

I enjoyed my experience here! The environment is super cozy. I loved that the dining area and bar had the sea right in front of it! Staff were very pleasant and helpful!! Food was good too!

love love love and cant wait to return

Good

Our check in experience was good. Staff very friendly and helpful. Room was clean. We had an early checkout and the restaurant staff accommodated us so we could eat breakfast before leaving.

Close to the airport. Good places to eat.

I did like the water pressure in shower. I can’t take a proper shower.

Love the bar area and the verandas!

Stay was so good we extended it. Superb views. Our room was spacious, comfortable and awesome outlook. Great for families that want to spend time together. Met a mother and daughter who had been there a month and were unhappy to leave. Any little niggles are nothing compared to the overall experience. I have seen the plans for this hotel and when they come to full fruition, this place will be hard to beat. No wonder James Bond was filmed here twice. We will definitely be staying again.

Historical Port Royal

Throughout my stay in Room 302, I wondered if I was in the same hotel that others had reviewed, as I did not experience most of the negatives. I enjoyed a hot shower every night, with decent water pressure. The breakfast was delicious and filling. I arrived several hours early and was immediately given a room, which was icy cold from the air conditioner. I did try out the on-site restaurant and ordered the Grand Vegetable Delight, which was very tasty. Since I had been backpacking throughout the Caribbean, this hotel was more than adequate for a comfortable stay. It certainly is not as clean or grand as a five star hotel. Save yourself $25 dollars and take bus #98 to the hotel from the airport for only 0.65 cents. The bus stops directly in front of the hotel.

Room has nice air conditioning and always smelt really good. However, the shower faucet broke off in the tub and the overhead shower was inoperable. Nice and friendly staff, beautiful scenery and breakfast was top notch!!!

Great hotel downtown!

Probably the best hotel in downtown Kingston. Full service with a restaurant, cafe and pool bar. There are a day's worth of museums within walking distance, but if you're staying more than one night, you will probably want a car. Parking is available in the hotel's garage for an additional daily fee.

The view was AMAZING! Great breakfast as well.

The property was ok and not noisy but the bed needs replacement. I fell in a hole on the bed and after investigating the rafters on the bed was all bundled together. I adjusted them and then started to feel the spring in the bed itself.

TV did not have signal. Not enough lighting in the room. Hot water took a very long time to come on. Staff not trained in taking restaurant orders or sorting the billing. Breakfast was late when I had to leave for a scheduled flight. Some of this is Jamaica as often staff seemed to be very laid back in terns of being time or attentive. But glad for some AC after being in lots of humidity when more in the outback. Its an OK hotel. Just not up to US standards but it may be the best you can get near the Kingston Airport.

The faucet in the bathroom is falling off

AC worked intermittently. First room was not clean so we were moved. Second room was clean. Beautiful view, complimentary breakfast was ok but American food only. Meats were cold most mornings!

Everything was great with the hotel

Love it

Needs serious renovation & maintenance

Good location, attentive staff.

Staff was kind and friendly. Rooms were clean and up to standard. Very close to the airport as well, 8/10 stay.

Nice environment, budget friendly, moneys worth nice breakfast, great staff .. would recommend to anyone, definitely going back

Not bad. But there’s no telephone in the room and the hot water was lukewarm. Only spent one night.

Room were okay

Excellent weekend

A very nice quiet place. I would definitely recommend it.

Fantastic weekend

The setting of the place is good.

Unbelievable staff and food. Room was surprisingly big for the price. One of my favorite vacations ever.

Was a great stay, with great staff but they had no blender the 4 days 3 nights I spent there, I would have loved a frozen drink to beat the heat.