Banyan Tree Alula

this is an amazing location, and the 2 bed villas are simply out of this world (we were upgraded from 1 bed pool villa). lovely people working there. but there is no information given on arrival about what to do, eg at the hotel or in locality worst thing is the pool, whilst beautiful, carries a really limited drinks offering. so forget lounging there all day. we ended up going to the Habitas on a day pass each day. Banyan Tree ferried us back and forth - great service! habitas doesn't look like it has as nice rooms but the pool is so much better - and more lively. so banyan tree for the rooms - they are stellar - and habitas for the pool and vibe.

I first stayed at the Banyan Tree Al'Ula 2 years ago, and I ranked it in my top 3 hotels globally. It surprassed all of my expectations. And that visit was during the middle of Summer, when it's cheaper + also harder to provide good service in the heat. So I decided to go back and take my partner, thinking I'd show them one of my favourite hotels - and during winter when prices are up to 4x more expensive. To my horror, this was the biggest fall in standards of a hotel I’ve witnessed ever. And I don’t think anything was really done to make up for these experiences we encountered despite talking to the manager on duty. 1.⁠ ⁠ARRIVAL EXPERIENCE - driver was nowhere to be found, he was busy on a personal call so unable to be reached by the number provided. He didn’t welcome us or apologise for being late. Didn’t explain the welcome amenities (Arabic coffee + dates) in the car either. This greatly contrasts to the arrival I had 2 years ago where a local Saudi guy welcomed us and explained the surrounding area. Given the hotel charges a substantial premium for its transfers over a taxi, this should be rectified immediately - it sets the first impression. 2.⁠ ⁠⁠LOST BAGS - we had to follow up getting our bags to the room and deal with the delay. 3.⁠ ⁠⁠SWIMMING POOL CLOSED - we weren’t advised of this and given its “under renovation” and has been for four months despite no actual renovation work going on, I found this to be quite misleading given it’s a key part of your hotel. We were given a room upgrade supposedly because of this + that we were returning guests to one with a pool, which was appreciated, but this should have been communicated and I don’t understand if the pool is actually being renovated at all. It's a key sell for this hotel so be aware. 4.⁠ ⁠⁠COMMS W STAFF - the replies to their WhatsApp were sporadic and often times I had to follow up 3-4x on the same item. Last time I was here we had a dedicated staff member looking after us, which I would expect at this price point of *** a night for their most basic room. One staff member I asked to organise a taxi - he only wanted to offer me a hotel car. He said too difficult to get a taxi and he failed to get one. When I texted the taxi company, I got a reply within one minute - showing he either didn’t want to help or only was going to help with a hotel provided car. This again contrasts with the help their team provided 2 years ago. When we asked a team member the day before for bikes, this was ignored and not delivered. The next day I followed up again to say all bikes were used and only got them several hours later. Why aren’t there enough for each villa? 5.⁠ ⁠⁠ ROOM UPKEEP - the main sliding door broke and could not close, and the door handles on 2 other doors fell off within us entering the room - showing the rooms aren’t being upkept well at all. 6.⁠ ⁠⁠BREAKFAST SERVICE - this was the biggest let down - I saw their manger arguing loudly 2x in the restaurant at breakfast in front of guests. No one told us about the à la carte menu until I asked remembering it from 2 years ago - only to then be told half the dishes weren’t available and the staff had no clue which ones were. Had to remind staff 3-5x for our orders, and to get cutlery. A total shambles. The only highlight was *** at Harat, who I remembered from 2 years ago, who continues to offer what I consider a 5* service experience. Really so sad to see such a great hotel fall from grace in what is one of the world's most beautiful spots. I'd only recommend going once these issues have been resolved, otherwise it's not worth the price point - go to *** instead and save some $ and get better service.

I don’t usually leave negative reviews, but this experience was incredibly disappointing from start to finish. I initially booked this hotel through Agoda, and the booking was non-refundable. Unfortunately, I made an honest mistake with the dates. When I reached out to Agoda to request a date change or refund, they were completely unhelpful — they refused both options and declined to contact the hotel on my behalf. I had to personally contact the hotel, explain the situation, and escalate it myself. The hotel was understanding and agreed to cancel and refund the booking. However, because Agoda acted as a middleman, this turned into a late-night ordeal that had me on the phone until 2am, speaking with multiple representatives until the refund was finally processed. I found Agoda’s handling of the situation unacceptable, and I won’t be booking through them again. I then rebooked the correct dates and purchased a villa with a private pool, as clearly stated in my confirmation. When I arrived at the hotel, I was told that Agoda had only booked a villa without a pool. Despite showing all my documentation, the reception staff were dismissive and unhelpful, simply telling me to “contact Agoda.” After refusing to leave the desk until the issue was resolved, I spent nearly three hours waiting while they tried to sort it out. During that entire time, no one checked on me, offered a drink, or made any effort to make me comfortable — despite the fact I had just come off a long flight and drive. Eventually, they provided me with a pool villa — but it was a disability-access villa, not a standard one. The layout was awkward, the pool was shallow (hip-deep at best), and the space had rails and gating throughout, making it feel clinical and restrictive. It was not at all what I booked or expected. I couldn’t even enjoy the pool properly or take any photos, as it simply wasn’t designed for standard use. While the food was good, the overall experience was a major letdown. Between Agoda’s mishandling, the hotel’s poor customer service, and the long, unnecessary delays, this stay was more stressful than relaxing. For the price paid and the reputation of the property, the level of service and accountability was completely unacceptable. ***

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Alula is a very unique destination with amazing landscapes. The banyan tree makes this place even more magical