Port Royal Ocean Resort And Conference Center

This place is in a continuous, sad decline. We stayed 4 nights as a family (rented 2 condos) in July 2026. We have been coming to Port Royal for years as a family tradition. This condos have become so run down that it is decidedly no longer worth the expensive price. While one could previously justify spending the money on run-down condos because of the beautiful resort style pool, that is no longer the case. The pool is now not being kept up, and the condos are so unpleasant that it is no longer worth it. There are cracks and mildew / mold throughout the pool edges. We are so sad as this has become one of our favorite family traditions. Examples: The condo we stayed in was terrible (#5203). The blinds are probably from the early 1990's and they are bent, yellowed and broken. There are multiple hardware items that have fallen off the walls and no one has bothered to fix them (toilet paper holders for example). The glass shower door in our kids bathroom was dangling by a thread, precariously swinging back and forth. The couch in the master bedroom looks like it was there in 1983. The master closet was filled with numerous old lamps, many of which were broken, which reduced the space for our luggage. There were large pieces of "art work" just lying up against the wall. The kitchen cabinets were poorly appointed. One had a single pot lid and nothing else. There were dried white paint stains all over the floor of the condo. We were given 1 roll of toilet papers in the master bathroom. We ran out on day 2 and called to have more delivered. They never brought any. There were piles and piles of trash and broken equipment all over the grounds / premises of this property in direct line of sight (see picture). There was constant trash on the stairwells. I could go on and on. For the price you are paying to stay here, you expect a basic level of upkeep and service. Terrible.

As the owner of a travel agency, I understand the realities of the hospitality industry. I know maintenance issues happen and staffing can be challenging. But I also know that amenities should be available during their advertised hours, especially during peak season. Resort fees should reflect a true resort experience, not one where guests encounter broken elevators, unstaffed amenities, security concerns, and repeated maintenance issues. My family has been vacationing at Port Royal for over 30 years. We’ve made countless memories here, which is exactly why it’s so disappointing to watch the resort continue to decline. This isn’t coming from someone who visited once—it’s coming from a loyal guest who remembers when Port Royal truly was one of the premier family resorts on the Texas coast. I’m not commenting on the condo itself because we rented through the owner directly. However, in many past years when we booked straight through Port Royal, the condos were very worn and in need of repairs and updates. Everyone pays the same price, yet you may end up with a very old, run-down unit or possibly a slightly updated one. The most frustrating part is paying premium rates plus a resort fee while so many advertised amenities are unavailable, poorly maintained, or simply don’t operate as advertised. The water slides are a perfect example. The resort advertises they are open from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., yet they repeatedly closed well before 6:00 because there wasn’t a lifeguard assigned. Guests were expected to go find a lifeguard and ask someone to come reopen them. Sometimes they would, sometimes they wouldn’t. During peak summer season over the July 4th holiday, there is simply no excuse for attractions closing early due to staffing shortages. If staffing is already an issue during one of the busiest weeks of the year, it makes you wonder what the experience is like during the off-season. The inflatable obstacle course also closed well before dark on multiple evenings despite plenty of daylight remaining. Families are paying for these amenities and should be able to use them during the posted hours. The resort advertises newly resurfaced pools, yet there were still multiple areas with black, mold-like buildup that made the pools appear dirty rather than renovated. The elevators were another major disappointment. The resort advertises new elevators throughout the property, yet the elevators serving our building never worked during our entire stay. Elderly guests had to climb three flights of stairs multiple times every day just to reach their condo. On departure day, families were forced to carry luggage, coolers, beach carts, and other belongings down three flights of stairs because there was no working elevator. That’s not simply an inconvenience—it’s an accessibility issue. The beach gate security was also alarming. The gate was never staffed during our stay, and no room key was required to enter from the public beach. Anyone could simply walk off the beach and onto the resort property. For a resort full of families and children, that’s unacceptable and defeats the purpose of having a gated property. The Cabana Bar was closed one evening during our stay, and the televisions at the Cabana Bar weren’t working during the World Cup and July 4th weekend—arguably one of the busiest weekends of the summer when many guests wanted to watch the games. These are the kinds of details guests notice when paying resort prices. Cleanliness has noticeably declined throughout the property. Pool trash cans were overflowing first thing every morning, indicating they had not been emptied overnight. The pool tables remained dirty and sticky day after day, with no evidence they were cleaned overnight either. Housekeeping was equally disappointing. We called the front desk twice requesting that our floors be swept. No one ever came. Yet guests are still charged a cleaning fee. If you’re going to charge that fee, the service should actually be provided. The overall atmosphere has changed as well. There were multiple large, loud speakers set up around the pool area by other guests, not the resort, and they were not being controlled or addressed. On many nights, one speaker in particular was so loud it could be heard clearly across the entire property. The music being played was often inappropriate for a family environment. Port Royal does have its own music piped through the resort sound system, but it was completely drowned out by these guest speakers. Guests should not have to chase down a lifeguard to ask them to turn the music down when it is clearly not appropriate for the setting. Combined with lifeguards yelling across the pools, it no longer feels like a relaxing, family-friendly environment. At times, it felt more like a crowded public pool than the elevated resort experience Port Royal once offered. It’s difficult to say, but the atmosphere is starting to feel less refined and more chaotic, which is disappointing given the premium price point. One final disappointment is that comments have been disabled on the resort’s social media pages, making it difficult for guests to publicly ask questions or provide honest feedback. That said, there were still some positives during our stay. Several of the scheduled activities did take place as planned, including popsicles being passed out around the pool, the dive-in movie, the lunch buffet, and live music. These touches are part of what has always made Port Royal special, and it was nice to see them still happening. The pool and beach location also remain one of the best on the Texas coast, and most of the lifeguards we interacted with were kind and understanding when guests expressed frustrations. Port Royal still has one of the best locations on the Texas coast and holds decades of wonderful memories for our family. That’s why it’s so difficult to see it operating below the standard that made so many families return year after year. We would gladly continue paying premium prices for the luxury, elevated experience this resort is meant to provide. I sincerely hope management makes guest experience, maintenance, cleanliness, and staffing a priority before more long-time guests decide to spend their vacations elsewhere.

I had a wonderful experience thanks to the exceptional customer service. I accidentally booked the wrong date by one day, and the manager and Joe went above and beyond to find a solution for my family. Although we weren't able to check into our room until early evening, I completely understood since the mistake was mine. A special thank you to the housekeeping team for adjusting their schedule at the last minute to get our room ready. We were also able to enjoy the resort and use all of the facilities while we waited, which made the day much more enjoyable. I truly appreciate everyone who helped make our stay possible. Thank you to the manager, Joe, the housekeeping staff, and the entire team for your kindness, flexibility, and outstanding hospitality. You turned a stressful situation into a great experience, and we're very grateful!