To begin on a positive note, the Pompano Beach Club is situated on a first class property. The views are simply wonderful. The staff is friendly (though unsophisticated). In particular, Clay was beyond helpful and generous with his time from our first call to the resort until checkout.
Unfortunately, this review goes downhill from here on in. We chose the PBC because it was rated #1 on Tripadvisor, whose ratings we have otherwise found to be consistently accurate. Much to our surprise and disappointment, in this case the reviews could hardly have been further from the truth. The PBC disappointed in so many regards that it is hard to imagine how it ranks so high. (I'm not a conspiracy theorist so I won't go with my travel agent's suggestion of canned reviews. Plus, I've found Tripadvisor to be quite authentic and accurate thus far.)
As soon as we drove up we noticed that the grounds looked unkempt -- the landscaping sloppy, the pavement uneven. Upon entering, We felt transported to the 1970s forty years late. The decor was outdated, the upholstery and carpeting worn. The lobby was simply tired. The "front/concierge desk" is a 10x10 cubicle featuring a weary, messy office in the background. The staff was not uniformed and sloppily dressed.
We were taken to a room, but had to decline in light of the unbearable musty smell and the spider and ant party in the bathtub. (In fairness, we were checking in early and were told that this room had not yet been prepped.) We eventually proceeded to our room, which looked fresher and smelled less of mustiness (except for the closet) and more of ammonia. The room itself was not bad, and the view was second to none. But the walls were chipped, the bureau old (the drawers had to be pushed in and pulled out with force). The sofa looked unappetizing, the upholstery discolored with age.
The PBC's private beach is truly beautiful, but it would have helped if they took a few minutes in the morning to rake up the seaweed. There's a tiny, self-service beach bar with holes in its ceiling and no food. Nor is there towel service -- you have to bring your own from upstairs.
The clientele was mostly older, and not particularly cosmopolitan. People were often loud at the pool and while dining. We unfortunately suffered the consequences of an unruly individual at the beach.
Both restaurants on the premises were perfectly average, the cuisine reminding both my wife and me of canteen food. The appetizers were actually quite good, but the fish consistently overcooked and dry, the roast beef tasteless, the dinner rolls soggy and the deserts tasteless sugar cakes (which I suspect were non-dairy).
Another oddity -- birds fly around all public areas including the restaurants. Though we have pets and love animals, bird poop doesn't necessarily enhance the appetite.
The PBC is family-owned and therefore supposedly all about friendly service. But we found the staff to be unsophisticated, artificial and replete with fake "hellllo, and how is the happy couple doing this wonderful, sunny morning" kind of stuff. Yet no one (except for Clay) even knew our names. Not much in the way of the boutique hotel advertised.
We were so under-impressed, our expectations fell so short, that we checked out after 2 days and switched to the Fairmont Southampton, which was remarkable. (If the Fairmont is a 10, then the PBC is a 3.) We asked several locals, who informed us that "in it's day" the PBC was quite special, but they've apparently been resting on their laurels while modern, luxury resorts have sprouted all about Apparently, the PBC benefits from a lot of repeat-customer loyalty from families that have been going there since times of old.
In sum, a 5-10 million dollar renovation might turn the PBC into a first-class resort with unmatched grounds, premises and views. Now it's tired and not close to top-tier. It's a good place for a bunch of teenagers to crash for a fun week at a significantly discounted rate, but not for those seeking a first-class experience.