Balboa Bay Resort

I rarely leave negative reviews, but this experience was extremely disappointing and did not reflect the high rating this resort has. Based on our stay, I genuinely question how this property maintains such a high rating because our experience was nothing like what we expected. The only positives were the beautiful view and the housekeeping staff, who were polite, hardworking, and doing the best they could. The lobby was under construction, and this was never communicated to us before our arrival, creating a poor first impression from the start. While I understand that check in begins at 4:00 PM, we waited nearly four hours to receive our room. Throughout that time, the front desk repeatedly assured us that our room had been “rushed.” However, after speaking with a member of the housekeeping staff, we learned that housekeeping is notified whenever a room actually needs to be prioritized. Based on that conversation, and considering it still took nearly four hours to receive our room, it certainly did not appear that our room had been rushed at all. If it had truly been prioritized, it’s difficult to understand why it would have taken that long. We would have appreciated honest communication instead of repeatedly being told the room was being rushed when our experience suggested otherwise. When we finally got into the room, it was outdated, had a noticeable unpleasant smell, and certainly wasn’t worth the long wait. I also want to recognize one employee who stood out. I believe his name was Ramy, and if I understood correctly, he was a new hire still in training. Despite being new, he was by far the most professional, honest, and helpful person we encountered. He genuinely cared about helping guests, and his customer service was exceptional. It’s remarkable that someone in training demonstrated more professionalism than the management team. If anyone represented the level of customer service this resort should strive for, it was Ramy. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for management. Adam Shefler displayed one of the worst attitudes I’ve experienced from a manager. Rather than taking ownership of the situation or showing empathy, he made the experience even more frustrating. Susan R. was also unhelpful throughout the process. This resort has a beautiful location and some excellent frontline employees, but it is being let down by poor management, misleading communication, and a lack of accountability. Based on our experience, I genuinely question whether the current rating reflects what guests can consistently expect. If ownership truly wants this resort to succeed, it should take a serious look at the current management team. Until that happens, I cannot recommend staying here. Don’t let the current rating alone be the deciding factor. It certainly didn’t reflect our experience.

Very clean and good service

A lovely, very clean, attractive resort with nice amenities and wonderful, friendly staff.

Location was great. Lots to do nearby. Fashion Island. Balboa Island. Ferry. Great for families. Room was large and spotless. Great bay view. Atmosphere was very welcoming. All employees were polite and professional.

Lovely property. Staff is top notch. Rooms need a bit updating.

Rooms a bit dated