Sometimes the hardest part of a disappointing holiday isn't what went wrong. It's remembering how wonderful it was the first time.
There's something lovely about returning to a place you've visited before. You already know what to expect, you've got happy memories attached to it, and you can picture yourself settling straight back into holiday mode without needing to figure everything out from scratch.
That was exactly how I felt heading back to the Warwick Le Lagoon Vanuatu Resort for our stay from 28 September to 8 October 2026.
Having visited previously and genuinely loved the experience, returning felt like an easy decision. I remembered the atmosphere, the entertainment, the friendly interactions and that wonderful resort feeling where you can switch off, relax and let someone else take care of the details for a while.
Naturally, I was looking forward to experiencing it all again.
Unfortunately, this visit was quite different from the one I remembered.
And while I understand that no two holidays are ever exactly the same, this stay left me disappointed in ways I hadn't anticipated.
First impressions matter, especially after a long day of travel
Anyone who has travelled with a family knows that by the time you arrive at your accommodation, everyone is usually ready to do one thing: get into the room, unpack, find some food and start enjoying the holiday.
After a long travel day, our arrival didn't quite go to plan.
The golf cart transporting us to our room appeared to be having some mechanical difficulties, and the journey wasn't as smooth as we'd hoped, at times accidentally crashing into the manicured garden beds with only to hear “oops this cart is not working well” Then came the room itself.
The lights and air conditioning weren't on, the main bed hadn't been made, and there were no beds or bedding prepared for our children finally the bathroom and floors were not cleaned.
After discovering that our room wasn't ready for us, we spent approximately another hour waiting to be moved to a different room. NOT the room we had booked but the lowest priced room in the resort.
There was also some confusion during check-in, including an offer of a complimentary dinner despite our all-inclusive booking.
Individually, these things might sound relatively minor. Travel doesn't always run perfectly, and unexpected hiccups are part of the adventure. But when you're tired, travelling with children and eager to start your holiday, these little things can quickly add up.
It wasn't the smooth, welcoming start we'd hoped for.
When the atmosphere feels different
This was probably the biggest difference I noticed between our two visits.
During our previous stay, I remember the resort feeling lively and welcoming. There seemed to be a genuine energy around the place, and the staff interactions helped create that relaxed, holiday atmosphere.
This time, the overall experience felt noticeably different to me.
I found myself missing some of the little touches that had made our first visit so memorable. The arrival drum-beating ceremony wasn't there, and the pre-dinner fire-lighting experience I'd remembered was also missing. The fires we did see appeared to remain lit for only a short time.
I also missed seeing staff moving around the pool area, chatting with guests and letting everyone know what activities were coming up.
These might seem like small details, but when you book a resort, you're not just paying for a bed and a swimming pool. You're also paying for the atmosphere, the activities and those little experiences that help make a holiday feel special.
For me, those elements had been a big part of what made our previous visit memorable.
Without them, the resort simply didn't feel the same.
Of course, I can't speak to what was happening behind the scenes or why certain experiences weren't available. I can only describe what we experienced during our stay and how it compared with our previous visit.
Entertainment and activities: the things you look forward to
One of the things I'd been particularly excited about was enjoying the resort's entertainment again.
Unfortunately, because of the delay with our room, we missed the first fire show. When the following week's show was rescheduled, we didn't receive notice that would have allowed us to plan around the change, and we ended up catching only the final five minutes.
That was disappointing, especially when it was an experience we'd been looking forward to.
I also hoped to enjoy activities such as beach volleyball and golf. During our stay, however, I didn't see these activities taking place.
I appreciate that resort schedules can change, and activities may depend on staffing, weather or other circumstances. But from a guest's perspective, it's difficult to enjoy activities you don't know about or can't seem to find.
A little communication can go a long way. Even a simple daily activity schedule or staff member checking in around the pool can make it easier for guests to get involved.
These are the kinds of details that can turn an ordinary resort stay into a genuinely memorable holiday.
The all-inclusive experience: more than just meals
One of the advantages of booking an all-inclusive holiday is the convenience. You pay upfront, have a general idea of what to expect, and can hopefully spend less time organising the practicalities and more time enjoying yourself.
During this stay, the dining experience wasn't quite what we'd hoped for.
We found the breakfast and dinner selections relatively basic, and there were occasions when we had to wait for clean plates and bowls. Some food items also took time to be replenished.
I'm certainly not expecting every meal to be a five-star dining experience. That's not the point of every all-inclusive resort, and expectations should always be realistic about the type of property you've booked.
However, I do think consistency matters.
When you're travelling as a family, small delays at mealtimes can become frustrating, particularly when you're trying to organise children, fit in activities and make the most of your day.
The food itself is only one part of the experience. Presentation, availability and the ease of the dining process all contribute to how guests feel about the value of their stay.
Cleanliness and maintenance: the details you can't help noticing
This was the area that concerned me most during our visit.
There were a few occasions when I noticed things around the resort that I felt detracted from the overall experience.
On one occasion, I saw a rat caught in a sticky trap in the outdoor kitchen area. Another morning, a table near the pool still had dishes and food scraps from the previous evening, and a broken plate had been left on the floor nearby.
I also noticed supplies and boxes sitting on the floor around the pool bar during busy periods, along with various cosmetic maintenance issues throughout the property. These included areas of uneven or poor-looking grouting and paint splashes and drips on floors and surfaces.
I also observed what appeared to be potential electrical safety concerns. I can't assess the underlying condition of electrical installations as a guest, but anything that looks potentially unsafe deserves appropriate attention from qualified personnel.
I understand that resorts are large, busy environments and that maintenance is ongoing. A property exposed to tropical weather and constant guest traffic will naturally experience wear and tear.
It's not reasonable to expect every corner to look brand new.
However, cleanliness and upkeep play an important role in how comfortable guests feel. When several things catch your attention during the same stay, it's difficult not to wonder whether the overall presentation matches the standards you expected.
These observations weren't the holiday memories I had hoped to take home.
The difference between a bad holiday and a disappointing experience
To be clear, I'm not writing this to suggest that every aspect of our stay was terrible, nor am I claiming to know why things unfolded as they did.
I'm sharing our experience because I believe there's value in being honest about travel, including the parts that don't make it into the glossy holiday photos.
It's easy to share the turquoise water, tropical gardens, cocktails by the pool and smiling family photos. Those moments are wonderful, and they're often exactly what we want to remember.
But honest travel stories also include the unexpected delays, the missed activities, the things that didn't meet expectations and the little frustrations that can change how you feel about a destination.
For me, the disappointment wasn't about one isolated incident. It was the cumulative effect of several things throughout our stay, particularly when compared with the positive experience we'd had previously.
I had returned expecting to recreate some of those wonderful memories. Instead, I found myself noticing how different the experience felt.
Perhaps that's part of the risk of returning somewhere you've loved. You're not starting with a blank slate. You're comparing the present with a version of the place that lives in your memory.
And sometimes, that comparison can be difficult.
Would I return?
That's a question I'm still considering.
One disappointing stay doesn't necessarily erase a previous positive experience, and I recognise that resorts can have off periods for many reasons.
I also believe feedback is more useful when it's constructive rather than simply critical. Businesses can't address concerns they don't know about, and guests deserve to be able to share their experiences respectfully.
I have provided feedback directly to the resort, outlining the areas that concerned us and the differences we noticed compared with our previous visit. My hope is that the feedback will be taken in the spirit intended and that the concerns raised will be reviewed.
I genuinely wanted this return visit to be just as memorable as the first.
Unfortunately, it wasn't.
The takeaway: keep your expectations realistic, but don't stop being honest
If there's one thing travel continues to teach me, it's that no holiday is guaranteed to unfold exactly as planned.
Sometimes the weather turns. Sometimes the flight is delayed. Sometimes your carefully researched itinerary falls apart before you've even reached your accommodation.
That's travel, and it's part of the reason I love sharing the real-world side of it.
But there's a difference between accepting that things can go wrong and feeling disappointed when the overall experience doesn't meet the expectations that brought you back in the first place.
For anyone planning a resort holiday, I'd suggest researching recent guest reviews rather than relying entirely on your own previous experience or the memories of someone who visited years ago. Check what activities are currently offered, read the details of your all-inclusive package, and remember that a resort's experience can change over time.
And if something doesn't feel right during your stay, raise it politely with the appropriate team while you're there where possible. It gives the resort an opportunity to respond, and it may help resolve an issue before it affects the rest of your holiday.
As for us, we'll take away the memories we did make, the lessons learned and a reminder that even a return visit to a place you once loved can be a very different experience.
Because travel isn't always picture-perfect.
And sometimes, the most honest travel story is the one where the holiday simply didn't live up to the memories.
This article reflects my personal observations and experience during our stay from 28 September to 8 October 2026. Experiences and expectations can differ between guests and across visits. I have shared these observations in the interest of honest, constructive travel discussion.
