It's true that both `hope` and `expect` can be translated as `esperar`, but they can have aslo other translations...

In most sentences you will only want to use one of the meanings, and it'll be quite clear which one you're meaning... 

In this case, as you want to use both meanings, you'd better use synonyms, something like:

>Fue mejor de lo que **pensaba** / **suponía** / **preveía** / **figuraba** / **imaginaba**, pero no tan bien como **deseaba** / **quería** / **me hubiera gustado**.