Spain / Baleares
Hostel Fleming, Palma de Mallorca **
05-09-17
Stayed August 2017
Having paid just over 40€ per bed in a 2-bed room might seem ok, but honestly, for over 80€ you can find a hotel to stay in that offers a private bathroom and A/C, both of which aren't available here. You might even get breakfast included at that price - here, you get breakfast outside someplace (there is a café right around the corner).
Room
The street is a side street, but still quite noisy, so keeping the windows open wasn't really an option - it wouldn't have helped to get the room temperature down anyway, as it was stifling hot outside. A/C would have been a real necessity, but all the very small room had to offer was a ceiling fan that knew only one speed: turbo! The air was moved so much that while it was quite comfortable on the bottom bunk (ignoring the high noise level), anyone sleeping on the top bunk would definitely get health issues.
Instead of a regular cabinet to put your clothes in, all you get is a standard metal locker with a bunch of metal hangers (the kind you hate from laundry services). You can lock the locker if you have a lock on you or you rent one from reception. The door lock was flimsy and likely easily opened with a credit card (I didn't try), so try to keep your valuables on you. The only power outlet (i.e. to charge your phone) was on the wall to the right of each bed bunk, combined with a reading light that strutted out so far I hit my hand while sleeping several times (waking me up).
Beside the rather small space available for the two bunk beds and the lockers, there is also an encased balcony of about 1x2 meters that has a single chair on it. Lighting is a single gigawatt lamp (ok, I'm exaggerating) that will blind you for hours should you glimpse at it.
Bathroom
The bathroom is a community job on the floor. There are, I would guess, about 10-12 rooms on the floor, most of which are more than 2 beds. The facilities look relatively new and work fine. The showers are single units walled off with a separate door that have enough space for your towel and clothes, hung near the door, to stay dry. The bathroom was clean.
Hostel in general
All in all, the hostel is situated quite well near a major traffic circle in the northern part of the central city. I was there by car and finding a parking spot on arrival (after 9PM) was a challenge, but I did find one that was free until 9AM the next morning. I don't know how the bus connectivity is, but you can walk to the castle / harbor and central shopping areas if you're good on foot from the hostel.
The building had a very pretty courtyard with seating available, but since it apparently offers no bar services what so ever (even though it looked like a restaurant / bar facility in the back), you're stuck with beverages bought from a machine (not expensive). Some of the rooms face the inner courtyard, which might be quieter than the street (possibly not on a weekend).
Unfortunately, the Wifi was horribly slow when I stayed, so I used 3G instead.
There is an elevator available and it, too, looks quite new.
Summary
All in all, the hostel is ok for what it is (not a hotel). If the price was half of what I paid, I would likely stay again, but considering you can get full-fledged hotel rooms in simpler hotels in Palma for the same price, I don't see the advantage of giving up on a private bath and A/C, to be honest.
Having paid just over 40€ per bed in a 2-bed room might seem ok, but honestly, for over 80€ you can find a hotel to stay in that offers a private bathroom and A/C, both of which aren't available here. You might even get breakfast included at that price - here, you get breakfast outside someplace (there is a café right around the corner).
Room
The street is a side street, but still quite noisy, so keeping the windows open wasn't really an option - it wouldn't have helped to get the room temperature down anyway, as it was stifling hot outside. A/C would have been a real necessity, but all the very small room had to offer was a ceiling fan that knew only one speed: turbo! The air was moved so much that while it was quite comfortable on the bottom bunk (ignoring the high noise level), anyone sleeping on the top bunk would definitely get health issues.
Instead of a regular cabinet to put your clothes in, all you get is a standard metal locker with a bunch of metal hangers (the kind you hate from laundry services). You can lock the locker if you have a lock on you or you rent one from reception. The door lock was flimsy and likely easily opened with a credit card (I didn't try), so try to keep your valuables on you. The only power outlet (i.e. to charge your phone) was on the wall to the right of each bed bunk, combined with a reading light that strutted out so far I hit my hand while sleeping several times (waking me up).
Beside the rather small space available for the two bunk beds and the lockers, there is also an encased balcony of about 1x2 meters that has a single chair on it. Lighting is a single gigawatt lamp (ok, I'm exaggerating) that will blind you for hours should you glimpse at it.
Bathroom
The bathroom is a community job on the floor. There are, I would guess, about 10-12 rooms on the floor, most of which are more than 2 beds. The facilities look relatively new and work fine. The showers are single units walled off with a separate door that have enough space for your towel and clothes, hung near the door, to stay dry. The bathroom was clean.
Hostel in general
All in all, the hostel is situated quite well near a major traffic circle in the northern part of the central city. I was there by car and finding a parking spot on arrival (after 9PM) was a challenge, but I did find one that was free until 9AM the next morning. I don't know how the bus connectivity is, but you can walk to the castle / harbor and central shopping areas if you're good on foot from the hostel.
The building had a very pretty courtyard with seating available, but since it apparently offers no bar services what so ever (even though it looked like a restaurant / bar facility in the back), you're stuck with beverages bought from a machine (not expensive). Some of the rooms face the inner courtyard, which might be quieter than the street (possibly not on a weekend).
Unfortunately, the Wifi was horribly slow when I stayed, so I used 3G instead.
There is an elevator available and it, too, looks quite new.
Summary
All in all, the hostel is ok for what it is (not a hotel). If the price was half of what I paid, I would likely stay again, but considering you can get full-fledged hotel rooms in simpler hotels in Palma for the same price, I don't see the advantage of giving up on a private bath and A/C, to be honest.
Comments
Santuari de Cura, Mallorca ****
21-06-17
Stayed: June, 2017
We needed to stay somewhere for one night due to our vacation rental not being available on the evening we arrived on Mallorca. At first, I checked in Palma but was dismayed to find that the only affordable hotels were all, well, not so nice. Then I happened upon this location.
The drive up to the top of the "mountain" is pretty intense and likely quite challenging during the morning (as there are quite a number of bicyclists that you need to take care about), but since we arrived quite late there was almost no traffic. Despite my expectation to find the restaurant deserted at 9PM, we not only had a table with a great view of the setting sun and the plain below, but also a superb dinner at really reasonable prices.
The room was quite simple but had everything we needed, EXCEPT bug screens. And this really takes a whole star off the rating - you absolutely need to keep the window open at night in the summer (there is no A/C), but if you do - despite keeping the lights off - you'll be eaten alive. Why screens aren't installed is beyond me and really drops the total pleasure of a stay at the Santuari a few notches.
Breakfast was nice - buffet style with seating inside or outside.
All in all a really great place to stay, though due to the steep drive a stay of more than a few days is probably not going to be a vacation solution for most people.
We needed to stay somewhere for one night due to our vacation rental not being available on the evening we arrived on Mallorca. At first, I checked in Palma but was dismayed to find that the only affordable hotels were all, well, not so nice. Then I happened upon this location.
The drive up to the top of the "mountain" is pretty intense and likely quite challenging during the morning (as there are quite a number of bicyclists that you need to take care about), but since we arrived quite late there was almost no traffic. Despite my expectation to find the restaurant deserted at 9PM, we not only had a table with a great view of the setting sun and the plain below, but also a superb dinner at really reasonable prices.
The room was quite simple but had everything we needed, EXCEPT bug screens. And this really takes a whole star off the rating - you absolutely need to keep the window open at night in the summer (there is no A/C), but if you do - despite keeping the lights off - you'll be eaten alive. Why screens aren't installed is beyond me and really drops the total pleasure of a stay at the Santuari a few notches.
Breakfast was nice - buffet style with seating inside or outside.
All in all a really great place to stay, though due to the steep drive a stay of more than a few days is probably not going to be a vacation solution for most people.
Blau Resort Punta Reina, Porto Cristo, Mallorca **
08-05-17
Since we had walked through this hotel on previous vacations to Mallorca, we decided to book it, together with a flight. Our package was breakfast + dinner and since it came with a flight it was actually quite reasonable.
Arriving
Since we needed to be flexible during our visit, we opted for a rental car at the airport (much cheaper than at a hotel). Parking at the hotel is tight, the "guests only" lot is packed to the hilt every evening. Keep in mind that our travel was not high-season - I expect that parking there during high season is nearly impossible.
We alway found a spot somewhere on the side of the road leading to or from reception, but this, too was sometimes difficult during our near-off-season visit.
The ladies at reception are very friendly, the men we dealt with were all rather curt or even rude. Our room was 1122, which actually gives you a sliver of ocean view if you look out over the balcony divisions. Luckily, it was a quiet room; there is a row of rooms on the hallway to the bar, with no door to block any sound - I would have asked to switch rooms had we ended up there.
While you can get down to reception using a long ramp from the drive, I found no way to get to the elevators without using stairs. Apparently, Blue doesn't cater to people in wheelchairs.
Room
The room was large enough and had two single beds pushed together. The mattresses were a complete disaster - extremely hard and you could literally feel the springs inside. My wife's mattress actually squeaked if she moved around. Very uncomfortable.
There is a smallish TV with a jumble of channels, some with an acceptable picture quality. Not worth watching (you're not there to watch TV anyway).
There are outlets available at the desk as well as the side of each bed. The A/C was rather too warm and apparently didn't feed fresh air into the room, as the air was like downtown Manhatten during rushhour every morning. The AC cuts out if you open the sliding door to the balcony.
The bathroom is functional, though the shower didn't stay up (I had to wedge a hair pin into the holder to keep it from sliding down) and the tub is relatively narrow and bounded by a shower curtain. Get used to that curtain to fondle your backside while you rinse down - yuck. The sink was set back extremely far, i.e. there were a good 30cm of table from the sink to the edge. Very uncomfortable when brushing your teeth or washing your hands, as you basically have to lean into the table in order to do so.
Air was apparently not exchanged at all in the bathroom - the air in there was usually even worse than in the room.
Restaurant & Food
The restaurant turned out to be your typical, loud, bustling mass-tourism food place. Hot and cold foods were in separate rooms, which has advantages but also disadvantages. Food quality was quite good, though for breakfast the folks making fried eggs and pancakes weren't fast enough to fill demand. Forget having an omelette made to order!
Most fruit was fresh and there was always a guy making up pieces of it in one corner. Unfortunately, often the melon pieces were cut too close to the rind, making for frequent pulling of woody pieces out of your mouth.
Even though we were not there for high season, the restaurant was filled to the brink and so loud that conversing normally at a table anywhere just didn't work. We ended up just taking breakfast in the hotel and eating out for lunch and dinner as eating at the hotel simply wasn't a pleasant experience.
Also, this is the first of many tourist hotels I've been at where they expected you to bring your guest pass to meals and they would actually cross off the meal taken. Join the rest of the family 5 minutes later? Probably an issue… better all go together every time. I don't understand the need for this type of control.
Since we had a breakfast/dinner package, drinks were not included. Drinks at the bar were a bit high price-wise, but still acceptable. The restaurant is obviously not used to catering to non-AI guests, as getting and paying for a glass of wine turned out to be a bit of a nuisance.
Wifi
The hotel offers free wifi - this always worked in the lobby / bar area, though the speed was spotty most of the time. Sometimes, we had good connectivity in the room, sometimes none at all.
Summary
All in all, staying at the Blue wasn't a pleasant experience, and I doubt I would do it again under most circumstances. Also, I don't plan on recommending the hotel to anyone I value as a friend.
Arriving
Since we needed to be flexible during our visit, we opted for a rental car at the airport (much cheaper than at a hotel). Parking at the hotel is tight, the "guests only" lot is packed to the hilt every evening. Keep in mind that our travel was not high-season - I expect that parking there during high season is nearly impossible.
We alway found a spot somewhere on the side of the road leading to or from reception, but this, too was sometimes difficult during our near-off-season visit.
The ladies at reception are very friendly, the men we dealt with were all rather curt or even rude. Our room was 1122, which actually gives you a sliver of ocean view if you look out over the balcony divisions. Luckily, it was a quiet room; there is a row of rooms on the hallway to the bar, with no door to block any sound - I would have asked to switch rooms had we ended up there.
While you can get down to reception using a long ramp from the drive, I found no way to get to the elevators without using stairs. Apparently, Blue doesn't cater to people in wheelchairs.
Room
The room was large enough and had two single beds pushed together. The mattresses were a complete disaster - extremely hard and you could literally feel the springs inside. My wife's mattress actually squeaked if she moved around. Very uncomfortable.
There is a smallish TV with a jumble of channels, some with an acceptable picture quality. Not worth watching (you're not there to watch TV anyway).
There are outlets available at the desk as well as the side of each bed. The A/C was rather too warm and apparently didn't feed fresh air into the room, as the air was like downtown Manhatten during rushhour every morning. The AC cuts out if you open the sliding door to the balcony.
The bathroom is functional, though the shower didn't stay up (I had to wedge a hair pin into the holder to keep it from sliding down) and the tub is relatively narrow and bounded by a shower curtain. Get used to that curtain to fondle your backside while you rinse down - yuck. The sink was set back extremely far, i.e. there were a good 30cm of table from the sink to the edge. Very uncomfortable when brushing your teeth or washing your hands, as you basically have to lean into the table in order to do so.
Air was apparently not exchanged at all in the bathroom - the air in there was usually even worse than in the room.
Restaurant & Food
The restaurant turned out to be your typical, loud, bustling mass-tourism food place. Hot and cold foods were in separate rooms, which has advantages but also disadvantages. Food quality was quite good, though for breakfast the folks making fried eggs and pancakes weren't fast enough to fill demand. Forget having an omelette made to order!
Most fruit was fresh and there was always a guy making up pieces of it in one corner. Unfortunately, often the melon pieces were cut too close to the rind, making for frequent pulling of woody pieces out of your mouth.
Even though we were not there for high season, the restaurant was filled to the brink and so loud that conversing normally at a table anywhere just didn't work. We ended up just taking breakfast in the hotel and eating out for lunch and dinner as eating at the hotel simply wasn't a pleasant experience.
Also, this is the first of many tourist hotels I've been at where they expected you to bring your guest pass to meals and they would actually cross off the meal taken. Join the rest of the family 5 minutes later? Probably an issue… better all go together every time. I don't understand the need for this type of control.
Since we had a breakfast/dinner package, drinks were not included. Drinks at the bar were a bit high price-wise, but still acceptable. The restaurant is obviously not used to catering to non-AI guests, as getting and paying for a glass of wine turned out to be a bit of a nuisance.
Wifi
The hotel offers free wifi - this always worked in the lobby / bar area, though the speed was spotty most of the time. Sometimes, we had good connectivity in the room, sometimes none at all.
Summary
All in all, staying at the Blue wasn't a pleasant experience, and I doubt I would do it again under most circumstances. Also, I don't plan on recommending the hotel to anyone I value as a friend.
Holiday Apartment in Malaga*****
12-09-14
This time round, I’m reviewing not a hotel but a holiday apartment which we booked via FeWoDirekt.
Visit: 2nd half of August, 2014
The apartment on Calle Bandaneira 3 is actually in Puerto de la Torre, which is a small (but nice) town north of Málaga, but it seems closer to Málaga city, which starts just down the hill. “Hill” is a major keyword here: it is situated nearly at the very top of a rather large hill with very steep roads going up - driving up with a stick shift if you’re used to an automatic is a challenge at first - and not something you want to do at night with one vino tinto too many in your bloodstream!
The drive up brings with it two major advantages, though: first, it’s really quiet up there (with exception of the occasional dog barking concert from far below), which is very pleasant. Second, you get a view of Málaga from up there that - especially at night - is really breathtaking.
Getting into Málaga - with a car - isn’t a problem. If it weren’t for a double-digit number of traffic lights (usually red or turning red when you approach), you’d be in the harbor area in about 10 minutes. Taking the lights into account will double that time.
Generally, I recommend a rental car; while it is apparently not problematic to take the bus from the foot of the mentioned hill straight into town, walking up that hill - especially with water bottles or other heavy things - is not something you’ll want to do unless you regularly run marathons. Also, have a navigation device of some sort available, as the streets of Málaga run around the foothills, making line-of-sight navigation nearly impossible. Signage could also be better, so stick to either a Satnav or a software package on your smartphone that lets you preinstall maps.
The apartment is situated on a large property and the entire garden / pool / terrace that are on the same level are for exclusive use of the apartment dwellers! The pool is nice and of large enough size that doing your morning swim doesn’t consist of pushing off the side every 3 seconds. Our kids loved it and we used it extensively.
There are lots of trees and some palm trees, so you’ll find plenty of shade (which comes highly recommended in August!). There are pro-quality deck chairs available (8 of them, so you won’t run out) that make lounging that much more relaxing.
There are three (!) terraces: one right by the pool on the edge of the property - we sat here nearly every evening, as it is the spot where the view of Málaga is best. The second is a ways behind the pool, towards the crest of the hill. This second one is nestled into a patio covered by sailcloth, which will give you some shade (though not enough for the light-of-skin). The third is on the other side of the apartment, overlooking the eastern side of the hill. We never used the latter, as the view of the poolside terrace is just too enticing.
The apartment itself is cozy; it has two bedrooms (each with two single beds), a bathroom and a combination living-/dining room and kitchenette. We ate all warm meals out, so we never had to cook in the apartment - a good thing, as the kitchenette is very small and likely a pain if you feel the need to have hot lunch at the apartment every day.
The apartment is made to “house” four people, as you can tell by the number of beds, and is absolutely spacious enough for a family with two children (for example). Both bedrooms have windows, but the window in the one to the west can’t be opened, making aeration a bit difficult.
Due to the way the house is built, the back wall of the apartment is actually in the hill, making for pleasant temperatures even in August - if you remember to close the curtains on the large bay window facing south! There was usually a light breeze, which made airing out the place simple (just open the east terrace doors and the apartment door facing west).
The only negative aspect was the bathroom - while it is functional and, like the rest of the place, clean, it had an oder issue. My guess is that the rather powerful exhaust fan, coupled with a tight-fitting door, pulls air out along side the toilet mount. The smell wasn’t as bad the first couple of days but got decidedly worse. When we told the owner about the issue, she was very nice about it and had the issue taken care of right after we left, as she indicated in an email.
Right next to the apartment is a hotel (), whose dining room and terrace is situated right next to the western border of the property. While you do hear noise coming from the hotel, it wasn’t an issue for us at all, even though the hotel was completely booked due to the Feria week. The only noise from the hotel that did get annoying once in a while was an air conditioning compressor apparently located just behind the hedge. You don’t hear any of this in the apartment, though.
All in all, we had an exceptional time at this fantastic apartment. The owner (who lives on the levels above the apartment was very discreet, friendly and helpful. I would recommend the apartment to anyone that doesn’t mind having to take a car to go anywhere. Since a car is highly recommended for a Málaga vacation anyways, this should not be an issue. Just don’t forget the Satnav.
The view is exceptional, the apartment quite good, the space that is made available to you is large and variable, the pool is nicely refreshing. There are plenty of sights within relatively short drives, including plenty of different beaches. A perfect mix for a nice vacation with the kids.
Visit: 2nd half of August, 2014
The apartment on Calle Bandaneira 3 is actually in Puerto de la Torre, which is a small (but nice) town north of Málaga, but it seems closer to Málaga city, which starts just down the hill. “Hill” is a major keyword here: it is situated nearly at the very top of a rather large hill with very steep roads going up - driving up with a stick shift if you’re used to an automatic is a challenge at first - and not something you want to do at night with one vino tinto too many in your bloodstream!
The drive up brings with it two major advantages, though: first, it’s really quiet up there (with exception of the occasional dog barking concert from far below), which is very pleasant. Second, you get a view of Málaga from up there that - especially at night - is really breathtaking.
Getting into Málaga - with a car - isn’t a problem. If it weren’t for a double-digit number of traffic lights (usually red or turning red when you approach), you’d be in the harbor area in about 10 minutes. Taking the lights into account will double that time.
Generally, I recommend a rental car; while it is apparently not problematic to take the bus from the foot of the mentioned hill straight into town, walking up that hill - especially with water bottles or other heavy things - is not something you’ll want to do unless you regularly run marathons. Also, have a navigation device of some sort available, as the streets of Málaga run around the foothills, making line-of-sight navigation nearly impossible. Signage could also be better, so stick to either a Satnav or a software package on your smartphone that lets you preinstall maps.
The apartment is situated on a large property and the entire garden / pool / terrace that are on the same level are for exclusive use of the apartment dwellers! The pool is nice and of large enough size that doing your morning swim doesn’t consist of pushing off the side every 3 seconds. Our kids loved it and we used it extensively.
There are lots of trees and some palm trees, so you’ll find plenty of shade (which comes highly recommended in August!). There are pro-quality deck chairs available (8 of them, so you won’t run out) that make lounging that much more relaxing.
There are three (!) terraces: one right by the pool on the edge of the property - we sat here nearly every evening, as it is the spot where the view of Málaga is best. The second is a ways behind the pool, towards the crest of the hill. This second one is nestled into a patio covered by sailcloth, which will give you some shade (though not enough for the light-of-skin). The third is on the other side of the apartment, overlooking the eastern side of the hill. We never used the latter, as the view of the poolside terrace is just too enticing.
The apartment itself is cozy; it has two bedrooms (each with two single beds), a bathroom and a combination living-/dining room and kitchenette. We ate all warm meals out, so we never had to cook in the apartment - a good thing, as the kitchenette is very small and likely a pain if you feel the need to have hot lunch at the apartment every day.
The apartment is made to “house” four people, as you can tell by the number of beds, and is absolutely spacious enough for a family with two children (for example). Both bedrooms have windows, but the window in the one to the west can’t be opened, making aeration a bit difficult.
Due to the way the house is built, the back wall of the apartment is actually in the hill, making for pleasant temperatures even in August - if you remember to close the curtains on the large bay window facing south! There was usually a light breeze, which made airing out the place simple (just open the east terrace doors and the apartment door facing west).
The only negative aspect was the bathroom - while it is functional and, like the rest of the place, clean, it had an oder issue. My guess is that the rather powerful exhaust fan, coupled with a tight-fitting door, pulls air out along side the toilet mount. The smell wasn’t as bad the first couple of days but got decidedly worse. When we told the owner about the issue, she was very nice about it and had the issue taken care of right after we left, as she indicated in an email.
Right next to the apartment is a hotel (), whose dining room and terrace is situated right next to the western border of the property. While you do hear noise coming from the hotel, it wasn’t an issue for us at all, even though the hotel was completely booked due to the Feria week. The only noise from the hotel that did get annoying once in a while was an air conditioning compressor apparently located just behind the hedge. You don’t hear any of this in the apartment, though.
All in all, we had an exceptional time at this fantastic apartment. The owner (who lives on the levels above the apartment was very discreet, friendly and helpful. I would recommend the apartment to anyone that doesn’t mind having to take a car to go anywhere. Since a car is highly recommended for a Málaga vacation anyways, this should not be an issue. Just don’t forget the Satnav.
The view is exceptional, the apartment quite good, the space that is made available to you is large and variable, the pool is nicely refreshing. There are plenty of sights within relatively short drives, including plenty of different beaches. A perfect mix for a nice vacation with the kids.
Novotel City Center, Barcelona, Spain ****
09-01-14
Very good hotel, the room was typical Novotel but with sleeper couch for our two kids (we had reserved a family room). Service at the front desk is excellent with many languages spoken well.
The hotel is just around the corner from a Metro station and there is a mall across the road. Nice section with broad, walkable pedestrian way a few blocks away.
Room price was quite ok, breakfast is completely overpriced at €18 / person - we ended up eating in a small bakery not far from the hotel.
The top terrace is breathtaking, though I would expect it to be quite crowded during the warm months. There is a bar, a sitting area and a small pool / whirlpool. Enclosed on the same level is a Gym with all the basic fixings. You get breathtaking views all around the city from up there; unfortunately, the windows were so dirty that any pictures taken turned out unusable.
One block down is the "Gurken" (or whatever it's called) which is always worth a visit, especially at night.
I would recommend this hotel to anyone and would stay here again.
The hotel is just around the corner from a Metro station and there is a mall across the road. Nice section with broad, walkable pedestrian way a few blocks away.
Room price was quite ok, breakfast is completely overpriced at €18 / person - we ended up eating in a small bakery not far from the hotel.
The top terrace is breathtaking, though I would expect it to be quite crowded during the warm months. There is a bar, a sitting area and a small pool / whirlpool. Enclosed on the same level is a Gym with all the basic fixings. You get breathtaking views all around the city from up there; unfortunately, the windows were so dirty that any pictures taken turned out unusable.
One block down is the "Gurken" (or whatever it's called) which is always worth a visit, especially at night.
I would recommend this hotel to anyone and would stay here again.
Novotel Girona Aeropuerto **
03-10-10
I booked this mainly due to its proximity to the Girona airport, but price was also a key consideration.
We stayed here with our two small kids, which worked out well. The room (and, it appears, most rooms) has a large (king size?) bed and a sofa that can be expanded into two single beds (basically, the two beds are sitting on top of one another and the top one gets pulled forward).
We paid 70€ for the room (without breakfast). The room was spacious enough, it had a door between the short piece of corridor leading to the toilet and room exit door and the rest of the room, with the door to the bathroom opening into the room. Subsequently, any noises from the hallway were drastically reduced.
On a negative note, the room had a strange, somewhat pungent smell. Luckily, it was possible to open the window; the smell disappeared quickly with fresh air coming in. When the window was closed, the smell was back just as quickly. We got „used” to it, but nonetheless it was a bit annoying.
The room has a mini bar and a TV (used neither) as well as a large flat surface along the entire one side, giving plenty of room to put stuff. The bathroom was in a rather poor shape, not dirty but very used. The shower temperature was difficult to control.
The hotel had been advertised to have a pool (which the kids would have appreciated), unfortunately, this was half empty, with the remaining „water” in a condition that raised an innate desire to stay away from it. The drive into town is quite lengthy (although it is apparently only 12 km) and costs about €27 per taxi.
Recommendation: if you’re looking for a good price and a hotel very near the airport (because you have an early morning flight out the next day), then this is a good choice. I would book in Girona (which I recommend to visit extensively - very pretty old town) otherwise.
We stayed here with our two small kids, which worked out well. The room (and, it appears, most rooms) has a large (king size?) bed and a sofa that can be expanded into two single beds (basically, the two beds are sitting on top of one another and the top one gets pulled forward).
We paid 70€ for the room (without breakfast). The room was spacious enough, it had a door between the short piece of corridor leading to the toilet and room exit door and the rest of the room, with the door to the bathroom opening into the room. Subsequently, any noises from the hallway were drastically reduced.
On a negative note, the room had a strange, somewhat pungent smell. Luckily, it was possible to open the window; the smell disappeared quickly with fresh air coming in. When the window was closed, the smell was back just as quickly. We got „used” to it, but nonetheless it was a bit annoying.
The room has a mini bar and a TV (used neither) as well as a large flat surface along the entire one side, giving plenty of room to put stuff. The bathroom was in a rather poor shape, not dirty but very used. The shower temperature was difficult to control.
The hotel had been advertised to have a pool (which the kids would have appreciated), unfortunately, this was half empty, with the remaining „water” in a condition that raised an innate desire to stay away from it. The drive into town is quite lengthy (although it is apparently only 12 km) and costs about €27 per taxi.
Recommendation: if you’re looking for a good price and a hotel very near the airport (because you have an early morning flight out the next day), then this is a good choice. I would book in Girona (which I recommend to visit extensively - very pretty old town) otherwise.
Old Town Apartamentos, Barcelona ***
25-09-10
What wasn’t very clear from the HRS description of the hotel: the address given is the office of a company that rents out apartments. You go to the office to pick up the key and instructions to the apartment they allocate to you. You then either walk or take some other transport to that address to get to your room(s).
I had booked two rooms, one for two adults and two kids, the other for two adults. Even though I had a confirmation from HRS, when I arrived at the office the second room wasn’t included in the apartment. While they would have charged for a single room only (still expensive at 140€), there wouldn’t have been enough room for all of us. Luckily, they had another apartment (further away) with enough beds and rooms.
The apartment was really quite exceptional - it had three bedrooms: two doubles and a single, as well as a sleeper couch in the living room. It sported a huge patio (enclosed), a TV (not used) and a full kitchen, as well as two full baths.
Recommendation: Seeing as hotels in Barcelona are incredibly expensive, the cost per room through Old Town Apartamentos is ok. The apartment we had was exceptional (I could easily have stayed in it for the entire vacation), but that isn’t a guarantee for others they offer. If you’re traveling in a group with lots of luggage and/or kids, you should consider sending someone from the group to fetch the key and map instructions instead of everyone going to the office and then to the apartment.
I had booked two rooms, one for two adults and two kids, the other for two adults. Even though I had a confirmation from HRS, when I arrived at the office the second room wasn’t included in the apartment. While they would have charged for a single room only (still expensive at 140€), there wouldn’t have been enough room for all of us. Luckily, they had another apartment (further away) with enough beds and rooms.
The apartment was really quite exceptional - it had three bedrooms: two doubles and a single, as well as a sleeper couch in the living room. It sported a huge patio (enclosed), a TV (not used) and a full kitchen, as well as two full baths.
Recommendation: Seeing as hotels in Barcelona are incredibly expensive, the cost per room through Old Town Apartamentos is ok. The apartment we had was exceptional (I could easily have stayed in it for the entire vacation), but that isn’t a guarantee for others they offer. If you’re traveling in a group with lots of luggage and/or kids, you should consider sending someone from the group to fetch the key and map instructions instead of everyone going to the office and then to the apartment.
Club Santa Ponça, Mallorca, Islas Balleares *
08-11-09
Mallorca is - despite much of the bad press it has received in the years past, one of our favorite places to go for a quick holiday. If you stay away from Arenal - for me a place on the same “desirable” level as Alicante - the island has some truly incredible locations to offer.
Santa Ponça isn’t necessarily one of them - it does have a nice beach, but the surrounding infrastructure is 100% tourism. Its not a bad place to go either, though, especially if you have a rental car.
Our first Mallorca vacation was in a hotel in Santa Ponça, and it was quite a nice one. When we searched for a place to go for an end-of-season week (we’d originally wanted to go to Turkey, but the club that had been recommended by a business partner decided to close Nov. 1 due to lack of business), we came across Club Santa Ponça and thought - hey, we’ve been there before, lets go!
The place has - to be fair - probably the best location in the entire area. It is built on top of the hill at the northern end of the bay and has an incredible view into the bay. The buildings themselves are traditional spanish style, not the horrid bare-concrete structures you find in town.
But really, that is where the plus points end.
I could go on and on about what is wrong with this place, but I’ll keep the list succinct and to the point. We had a chat with some folks that had been to the club five years ago, and apparently back then, there was no all inclusive package available. The two (elderly) folks were completely flabbergasted by the development and its repercussions, and I understand why. It not only pulls in a completely different crowd, but also demotes the entire restaurant crew to pick-up-dirty-plates duty.
Here’s my list of reasons you should NOT book a vacation here, in order of (my) importance:
The food is atrocious. Really. Bland, overcooked, repeat.
The walls between apartments are paper thin - apparently more so than in other mediterranean hotels I have been in. When people next door walk into their room, you think they just walked into yours.
The crowd is, at least partially, one with the “I’ve booked AI and I will use it” mentality. We had an apartment directly across from the “Comedor”, next to the pool area and diagonally across from the bar. We suffered.
I’ve never come across a hotel of this size that will have days without room service (its not uncommon in family-run pensions to not have room service on Sunday), but two days without? Really annoying!
While relatively clean, the place is completely run down. Besides the wall paint, there are no signs of renovation EVER.
Our apartment was 603, with a separate bedroom, sleeping couches in the living / eating area and a huge terrace with an incredible view. The bathroom, however, was incredibly small full of edges to hit various body parts on. I would gladly have given some terrace space to make a bigger bath!
No broom to clean up little messes, no hooks to hang something ANYWHERE!
The kids animation program consisted of Mini Disco (thanks, Geertje!). Finito. No playground, no toys, no Mini Club. The place has an unheated (but covered!) pool, but our daughter only went in it once because it was clearly too cold.
The only available internet access is three pay-per-use terminals at reception. While the rate is ok (1€ for 15 minutes), it is quite inconvenient - there is often a wait because kids are playing internet games.
Oops - so much for a short list. I think you get the picture...
GO SOMEWHERE ELSE FOR VACATION on this beautiful island!
Santa Ponça isn’t necessarily one of them - it does have a nice beach, but the surrounding infrastructure is 100% tourism. Its not a bad place to go either, though, especially if you have a rental car.
Our first Mallorca vacation was in a hotel in Santa Ponça, and it was quite a nice one. When we searched for a place to go for an end-of-season week (we’d originally wanted to go to Turkey, but the club that had been recommended by a business partner decided to close Nov. 1 due to lack of business), we came across Club Santa Ponça and thought - hey, we’ve been there before, lets go!
The place has - to be fair - probably the best location in the entire area. It is built on top of the hill at the northern end of the bay and has an incredible view into the bay. The buildings themselves are traditional spanish style, not the horrid bare-concrete structures you find in town.
But really, that is where the plus points end.
I could go on and on about what is wrong with this place, but I’ll keep the list succinct and to the point. We had a chat with some folks that had been to the club five years ago, and apparently back then, there was no all inclusive package available. The two (elderly) folks were completely flabbergasted by the development and its repercussions, and I understand why. It not only pulls in a completely different crowd, but also demotes the entire restaurant crew to pick-up-dirty-plates duty.
Here’s my list of reasons you should NOT book a vacation here, in order of (my) importance:
The food is atrocious. Really. Bland, overcooked, repeat.
The walls between apartments are paper thin - apparently more so than in other mediterranean hotels I have been in. When people next door walk into their room, you think they just walked into yours.
The crowd is, at least partially, one with the “I’ve booked AI and I will use it” mentality. We had an apartment directly across from the “Comedor”, next to the pool area and diagonally across from the bar. We suffered.
I’ve never come across a hotel of this size that will have days without room service (its not uncommon in family-run pensions to not have room service on Sunday), but two days without? Really annoying!
While relatively clean, the place is completely run down. Besides the wall paint, there are no signs of renovation EVER.
Our apartment was 603, with a separate bedroom, sleeping couches in the living / eating area and a huge terrace with an incredible view. The bathroom, however, was incredibly small full of edges to hit various body parts on. I would gladly have given some terrace space to make a bigger bath!
No broom to clean up little messes, no hooks to hang something ANYWHERE!
The kids animation program consisted of Mini Disco (thanks, Geertje!). Finito. No playground, no toys, no Mini Club. The place has an unheated (but covered!) pool, but our daughter only went in it once because it was clearly too cold.
The only available internet access is three pay-per-use terminals at reception. While the rate is ok (1€ for 15 minutes), it is quite inconvenient - there is often a wait because kids are playing internet games.
Oops - so much for a short list. I think you get the picture...
GO SOMEWHERE ELSE FOR VACATION on this beautiful island!
Hotel Invisa Club Cala Blanca, Ibiza **
17-08-09
Vom August 2009
Sehr schöne Anlage, gut eingewachsen, Hotelzimmer auf verschiedene, z.T. nicht verbundene Gebäude verteilt, die architektonisch schön gestaltet sind (im spanischen Stil).
Es gibt 3 verschiedene Pools, somit verteilt sich das Publikum recht gut. Da es fast keine deutschen Gäste gab (hauptsächlich Italiener, Franzosen + Spanier), gab es sehr wenig "Liegen vor dem Frühstück reservieren". Man fand fast immer Liegen mit Schirm.
Die Pools waren allesamt sehr sauber - wir konnten jeden Morgen sehen, dass sie ziemlich gründlich mit dem Schlauch gereinigt wurden.
Anfahrt vom Flughafen mit dem normalen Zubringerbus ca. 1h, da es das letzte, angefahrene Hotel ist. Unser Busfahrer schien z.T. von allen Geistern verlassen mit seiner Fahrweise, so dass ich froh war dass es in den vorderen Reihen Sitzgurte gab.
Die Gäste kommen hauptsächlich aus Italien und Frankreich, mit einigen Spaniern und auch Niederländern. Die Deutschen sind in der Minderzahl, was aber nicht negativ zu werten ist.
Lediglich in der Animation / Programm sollte man zumindest der englischen Sprache mächtig sein, sonst hat man wenig Chancen.
Die Bucht ist wirklich sehr schön - der Strand hat feinen, eher dunklen Sand der zwischen 12:00 - 15:00h zu heiß ist um länger darauf zu laufen. Liegen / Schirme sind verfügbar, kosten aber Geld - und nicht wenig. Wir hatten glücklicherweise in Deutschland noch eine Standmuschel gekauft, die hat sich in 2 Tagen bezahlt gemacht!
Oberhalb der Anlage liegt der Club Cala Verde, der zur selben Hotelgruppe gehört. Am Stand gibt es eine Bar / Restaurant, allerdings läßt der Service zu wünschen übrig und leider gab es nur einen Teil der Speisekarte. Es gibt noch 1-2 bars in der näheren Umgebung, der nächste Ort (San Carles) liegt ca. 5km westlich vom Club.
Wichtig zu wissen: der Club ist in absoluter Hanglage, i.e. vom unteren Pool z.B. zur oberen Sportanlage oder zum Miniclub ist es ein ziemlich schweißtreibender Marsch.
Das Personal ist überwiegend sehr freundlich, mit Deutsch oder Englisch kommt man gut durch, ein wenig Spanisch dazu kann nicht schaden. Allerdings kommt man mit speziellen Fragen (z.B. Öl für die Buggy-Räder oder ein Windeleimer) sehr schnell an die sprachlichen Grenzen der Belegschaft.
Zimmerreinigung war in Ordnung, auch wenn das Bad eindeutig nicht jeden Tag geputzt wurde.
Es gibt einen Waschraum mit zwei Waschmaschinen und einen Trockner, allerdings ist die Nutzung der Waschmaschine eher teuer (5€ pro Waschgang + Waschmittel). Das verkaufte Waschmittel ist in Tab-Form und leider eher undefiniert (i.e. Color oder Helles), so dass es sicherlich sinnvoll ist, eigene Tabs mitzubringen, wenn man plant zu waschen. Außer Tabs geht nichts, da die Waschmittelschubladen der Maschinen zugeschraubt sind. Auch sind die Waschprogramme - trotz deutscher Beschreibung - gänzlich anders als bei Waschmaschinen in Deutschland - mit Programm "6" schien ich aber trotzdem gut zu fahren.
Wir hatten zuerst Halbpension+ gebucht, sind dann aber auf All-Inclusive umgestiegen - nicht "weil es sich rechnet", sondern weil die wenigen Restaurants in der näheren Umgebung wenig Auswahl haben und noch weniger Essen das für kleine Kinder geeignet ist, anbieten.
Da es keinen Discount gibt wenn man AI vorher bucht, kann man es sich auch erst mal überlegen.
Das Essen (Frühstück, Mittagessen und Abendessen) findet in der "Kantine" statt. Diese hat 3 Bereiche: einen Außenbereich (einen Tisch in der Saison zu finden ist nicht so einfach, außer man ist sehr früh da), einen Innenbereich an der Fensterfront und einen hinteren Innenbereich ohne Fenster.
Generell geht es beim Essenfassen furchtbar chaotisch zu - alles rennt wie wild durcheinander um von Station zu Station zu kommen - irgendwann ist bei mir die Sicherung durchgeknallt - ich hatte wirklich die Nase voll - glücklicherweise kann man alternativ (mit voriger Anmeldung!) im nahe gelegenen Schwesterclub Invisa Cala Verde essen gehen - dort ist es erheblich ruhiger, da anscheinend weniger Gäste vor Ort sind (das Restaurant ist auch viel kleiner).
Das Essen ist meistens sehr gut, eher Fischbetont (für mich als nicht-Fisch-Esser manchmal ein Problem). Es gibt eine Salatbar, die aber zu 80% identisches Angebot von Tag zu Tag hat, zwei Stationen mit "Tagesessen" sowie eine "Sonderessen"-Station, an der es z.B. auch mal Crepes zum Mittagessen gab, oder einen mexikanischen Abend.
Getränke "zapft" man selber, allerdings ist hier das chaotische Gerange z.T. am heftigsten, da alle durcheinanderlaufen.
Das Essen ist spanisch ausgelegt, i.e. z.T. muss man auch angemachte Salate mit Essig (auf dem Tisch) nachwürzen, etc. Dennoch sollte für jeden etwas dabei sein.
Mit zwei kleinen Kindern freut man sich über eine üppige Anzahl von Kinderstühlen, die allerdings oft gesucht werden wollen. Mit zwei kleinen Knirpsen (1 1/2 und 3 1/2) ist man als Elternpaar sehr viel im Chaos unterwegs - noch mal würde ich es nicht so buchen. Alleine, oder mit größeren Kindern die sich selber bedienen ist das sicherlich weniger ein Problem.
Wichtig für uns war die Kinderanimation für unsere "Große", die auch vorhanden war (Miniclub, Kinderdisco am Abend). 1x pro Woche geht der Miniclub bis 18h - die Kids werden mittags im Restaurant betreut.
Glücklicherweise war kein Problem, dass trotz klaren Infos, dass der Miniclub ab 3 Jahre war (Holidaycheck Website, Angaben der Veranstalter) dieser eigentlich erst ab 4 ist. Unsere Tochter wurde trotzdem genommen.
Das Programm war kindgerecht, wenn auch zu 80% in Französisch oder Italienisch abgehalten. Die wenigen deutschen Kids kamen unserer Auffassung nach etwas zu kurz. Deutschsprachige Lieder bei der Kinderdisco waren Fehlanzeige - das war nach einigen Tagen aber auch egal.
Die Animation ist nicht aufdringlich, aber die abendlichen Shows sind z.T. so laut, dass unser Babyfon anging, trotz geschlossener Fenster (siehe Zimmer). Leider ist die Anlage für diese Lautstärke nur bedingt ausgelegt, so dass einige Frequenzen ziemlich verzerren.
Die Shows sind z.T. Wandergruppen (Flamenco, Papageien, Chicago, etc.), aber sie wiederholen sich wöchentlich.
Es gibt 3 Pools, am Unteren spielt sich die Animation ab (keine Animation an den oberen 2 Pools).
Alle 3 Pools haben Baby-/Kleinkindbereiche, aber keine davon sind überdacht oder beschattet.
Die Gebäude sind, wie schon erwähnt, erfreulich schön gemacht. Leider ist es mediterraner Hotelbaustil im schlimmsten Sinn: man hört seine Zimmernachbarn zu allen Seiten, sowie unten und oben - und zwar alles! Die Zimmer sind wirklich ganz gräßlich hellhörig. Wir waren zuerst in einem Zimmer im Hauptgebäude, da unser bestelltes Zimmer (Familienzimmer B) nicht frei war. Dieses Zimmer (Familienzimmer Typ A, Zi. 305) hatte einen riesigen Balkon (Dachterasse), war aber eindeutig schon länger nicht mehr renoviert worden.
Als Tipp: man sollte sich Typ B als Minimum gönnen, wenn man mit kleinen Kindern reist!
Den Rest des Urlaubs verbrachten wir dann im Zimmer 1208. Der Typ B besteht aus einem Schlafzimmer mit zwei Einzelbetten (zusammengestellt aber auch trennbar) und einem "Wohn-/Schlafzimmer" mit Doppeltür zum öffnen. Das Zimmer hatte, wie bestellt, Meerblick (sehr schön) und schaute über den unteren Pool.
Abends (siehe Unterhaltung) wurde es deswegen ziemlich laut. Obwohl das Zimmer sicherlich vor nicht allzulanger Zeit renoviert worden ist, waren die Fenster eher Schallverstärker als dass sie die Lautstärke reduziert hätten (auch im Schlafzimmer - es schien wenig Unterschied zu machen ob das Fenster zum Treppenbereich offen oder zu war, man bekam alles mit).
Zwischen diesen Zimmern liegt das Bad - etwas größer als das des Typ A, aber bei weiterm nicht riesig.
Generell sei unsere Tochter zitiert "warum sind die Zimmer hier so klein?"
Nach einigen Tagen kann man schon mit Platzangst rechnen, alles ist eher bedrückend eng. Wahrscheinlich ist ein Appartement zu empfehlen, wenn man es sich leisten möchte.
Das Zimmer 1208 ist im 2. Stock - in diesem Gebäude gibt es keinen Aufzug, d.h. Kinder + Badetaschen hoch und runterschleppen. Durch die Nähe zum Dach (vermutlich) wurde es tagsüber ziemlich warm im Zimmer, was sich aber über die Klimaanlage gut ausgleichen läßt. Trotzdem habe ich geschwitzt wie ein Schwein, wahrscheinlich war unter dem Laken ein Kunststofftuch und das Kissen auch aus Plastik.
Die Klimaanlage hat netterweise eine "Low"-Position, mit der man eigentlich sogar gut schlafen kann, wenn man sich etwas zudeckt. Leider war der Thermostat im "Kinder-" Zimmer installiert...
Alles in allem war es nicht schön, in den Zimmern zu sein.
Webzugang per WLAN nur in der Rezeption - Qualität MISERABEL. Urlaubs-Arbeiter sollten sich eine spanische UMTS Karte besorgen, wenn viel per Internet gemacht werden muss - oder aber einen Mietwagen damit man zu den Bars im nächsten Ort fahren kann, die WLAN anbieten.
Einen Mietwagen sollte man für 2 Tage einplanen, es gibt durchaus einiges zu sehen, auch in der näheren Umgebung (Osthälfte der Insel).
Für Familien mit mehr als 2 kleinen Kindern pro Erwachsener wird der Club durch die Hanglage und ggf. Zimmer im oberen Stockwerk ohne Aufzug ggf. zur Plackerei.
Sehr schöne Anlage, gut eingewachsen, Hotelzimmer auf verschiedene, z.T. nicht verbundene Gebäude verteilt, die architektonisch schön gestaltet sind (im spanischen Stil).
Es gibt 3 verschiedene Pools, somit verteilt sich das Publikum recht gut. Da es fast keine deutschen Gäste gab (hauptsächlich Italiener, Franzosen + Spanier), gab es sehr wenig "Liegen vor dem Frühstück reservieren". Man fand fast immer Liegen mit Schirm.
Die Pools waren allesamt sehr sauber - wir konnten jeden Morgen sehen, dass sie ziemlich gründlich mit dem Schlauch gereinigt wurden.
Anfahrt vom Flughafen mit dem normalen Zubringerbus ca. 1h, da es das letzte, angefahrene Hotel ist. Unser Busfahrer schien z.T. von allen Geistern verlassen mit seiner Fahrweise, so dass ich froh war dass es in den vorderen Reihen Sitzgurte gab.
Die Gäste kommen hauptsächlich aus Italien und Frankreich, mit einigen Spaniern und auch Niederländern. Die Deutschen sind in der Minderzahl, was aber nicht negativ zu werten ist.
Lediglich in der Animation / Programm sollte man zumindest der englischen Sprache mächtig sein, sonst hat man wenig Chancen.
Die Bucht ist wirklich sehr schön - der Strand hat feinen, eher dunklen Sand der zwischen 12:00 - 15:00h zu heiß ist um länger darauf zu laufen. Liegen / Schirme sind verfügbar, kosten aber Geld - und nicht wenig. Wir hatten glücklicherweise in Deutschland noch eine Standmuschel gekauft, die hat sich in 2 Tagen bezahlt gemacht!
Oberhalb der Anlage liegt der Club Cala Verde, der zur selben Hotelgruppe gehört. Am Stand gibt es eine Bar / Restaurant, allerdings läßt der Service zu wünschen übrig und leider gab es nur einen Teil der Speisekarte. Es gibt noch 1-2 bars in der näheren Umgebung, der nächste Ort (San Carles) liegt ca. 5km westlich vom Club.
Wichtig zu wissen: der Club ist in absoluter Hanglage, i.e. vom unteren Pool z.B. zur oberen Sportanlage oder zum Miniclub ist es ein ziemlich schweißtreibender Marsch.
Das Personal ist überwiegend sehr freundlich, mit Deutsch oder Englisch kommt man gut durch, ein wenig Spanisch dazu kann nicht schaden. Allerdings kommt man mit speziellen Fragen (z.B. Öl für die Buggy-Räder oder ein Windeleimer) sehr schnell an die sprachlichen Grenzen der Belegschaft.
Zimmerreinigung war in Ordnung, auch wenn das Bad eindeutig nicht jeden Tag geputzt wurde.
Es gibt einen Waschraum mit zwei Waschmaschinen und einen Trockner, allerdings ist die Nutzung der Waschmaschine eher teuer (5€ pro Waschgang + Waschmittel). Das verkaufte Waschmittel ist in Tab-Form und leider eher undefiniert (i.e. Color oder Helles), so dass es sicherlich sinnvoll ist, eigene Tabs mitzubringen, wenn man plant zu waschen. Außer Tabs geht nichts, da die Waschmittelschubladen der Maschinen zugeschraubt sind. Auch sind die Waschprogramme - trotz deutscher Beschreibung - gänzlich anders als bei Waschmaschinen in Deutschland - mit Programm "6" schien ich aber trotzdem gut zu fahren.
Wir hatten zuerst Halbpension+ gebucht, sind dann aber auf All-Inclusive umgestiegen - nicht "weil es sich rechnet", sondern weil die wenigen Restaurants in der näheren Umgebung wenig Auswahl haben und noch weniger Essen das für kleine Kinder geeignet ist, anbieten.
Da es keinen Discount gibt wenn man AI vorher bucht, kann man es sich auch erst mal überlegen.
Das Essen (Frühstück, Mittagessen und Abendessen) findet in der "Kantine" statt. Diese hat 3 Bereiche: einen Außenbereich (einen Tisch in der Saison zu finden ist nicht so einfach, außer man ist sehr früh da), einen Innenbereich an der Fensterfront und einen hinteren Innenbereich ohne Fenster.
Generell geht es beim Essenfassen furchtbar chaotisch zu - alles rennt wie wild durcheinander um von Station zu Station zu kommen - irgendwann ist bei mir die Sicherung durchgeknallt - ich hatte wirklich die Nase voll - glücklicherweise kann man alternativ (mit voriger Anmeldung!) im nahe gelegenen Schwesterclub Invisa Cala Verde essen gehen - dort ist es erheblich ruhiger, da anscheinend weniger Gäste vor Ort sind (das Restaurant ist auch viel kleiner).
Das Essen ist meistens sehr gut, eher Fischbetont (für mich als nicht-Fisch-Esser manchmal ein Problem). Es gibt eine Salatbar, die aber zu 80% identisches Angebot von Tag zu Tag hat, zwei Stationen mit "Tagesessen" sowie eine "Sonderessen"-Station, an der es z.B. auch mal Crepes zum Mittagessen gab, oder einen mexikanischen Abend.
Getränke "zapft" man selber, allerdings ist hier das chaotische Gerange z.T. am heftigsten, da alle durcheinanderlaufen.
Das Essen ist spanisch ausgelegt, i.e. z.T. muss man auch angemachte Salate mit Essig (auf dem Tisch) nachwürzen, etc. Dennoch sollte für jeden etwas dabei sein.
Mit zwei kleinen Kindern freut man sich über eine üppige Anzahl von Kinderstühlen, die allerdings oft gesucht werden wollen. Mit zwei kleinen Knirpsen (1 1/2 und 3 1/2) ist man als Elternpaar sehr viel im Chaos unterwegs - noch mal würde ich es nicht so buchen. Alleine, oder mit größeren Kindern die sich selber bedienen ist das sicherlich weniger ein Problem.
Wichtig für uns war die Kinderanimation für unsere "Große", die auch vorhanden war (Miniclub, Kinderdisco am Abend). 1x pro Woche geht der Miniclub bis 18h - die Kids werden mittags im Restaurant betreut.
Glücklicherweise war kein Problem, dass trotz klaren Infos, dass der Miniclub ab 3 Jahre war (Holidaycheck Website, Angaben der Veranstalter) dieser eigentlich erst ab 4 ist. Unsere Tochter wurde trotzdem genommen.
Das Programm war kindgerecht, wenn auch zu 80% in Französisch oder Italienisch abgehalten. Die wenigen deutschen Kids kamen unserer Auffassung nach etwas zu kurz. Deutschsprachige Lieder bei der Kinderdisco waren Fehlanzeige - das war nach einigen Tagen aber auch egal.
Die Animation ist nicht aufdringlich, aber die abendlichen Shows sind z.T. so laut, dass unser Babyfon anging, trotz geschlossener Fenster (siehe Zimmer). Leider ist die Anlage für diese Lautstärke nur bedingt ausgelegt, so dass einige Frequenzen ziemlich verzerren.
Die Shows sind z.T. Wandergruppen (Flamenco, Papageien, Chicago, etc.), aber sie wiederholen sich wöchentlich.
Es gibt 3 Pools, am Unteren spielt sich die Animation ab (keine Animation an den oberen 2 Pools).
Alle 3 Pools haben Baby-/Kleinkindbereiche, aber keine davon sind überdacht oder beschattet.
Die Gebäude sind, wie schon erwähnt, erfreulich schön gemacht. Leider ist es mediterraner Hotelbaustil im schlimmsten Sinn: man hört seine Zimmernachbarn zu allen Seiten, sowie unten und oben - und zwar alles! Die Zimmer sind wirklich ganz gräßlich hellhörig. Wir waren zuerst in einem Zimmer im Hauptgebäude, da unser bestelltes Zimmer (Familienzimmer B) nicht frei war. Dieses Zimmer (Familienzimmer Typ A, Zi. 305) hatte einen riesigen Balkon (Dachterasse), war aber eindeutig schon länger nicht mehr renoviert worden.
Als Tipp: man sollte sich Typ B als Minimum gönnen, wenn man mit kleinen Kindern reist!
Den Rest des Urlaubs verbrachten wir dann im Zimmer 1208. Der Typ B besteht aus einem Schlafzimmer mit zwei Einzelbetten (zusammengestellt aber auch trennbar) und einem "Wohn-/Schlafzimmer" mit Doppeltür zum öffnen. Das Zimmer hatte, wie bestellt, Meerblick (sehr schön) und schaute über den unteren Pool.
Abends (siehe Unterhaltung) wurde es deswegen ziemlich laut. Obwohl das Zimmer sicherlich vor nicht allzulanger Zeit renoviert worden ist, waren die Fenster eher Schallverstärker als dass sie die Lautstärke reduziert hätten (auch im Schlafzimmer - es schien wenig Unterschied zu machen ob das Fenster zum Treppenbereich offen oder zu war, man bekam alles mit).
Zwischen diesen Zimmern liegt das Bad - etwas größer als das des Typ A, aber bei weiterm nicht riesig.
Generell sei unsere Tochter zitiert "warum sind die Zimmer hier so klein?"
Nach einigen Tagen kann man schon mit Platzangst rechnen, alles ist eher bedrückend eng. Wahrscheinlich ist ein Appartement zu empfehlen, wenn man es sich leisten möchte.
Das Zimmer 1208 ist im 2. Stock - in diesem Gebäude gibt es keinen Aufzug, d.h. Kinder + Badetaschen hoch und runterschleppen. Durch die Nähe zum Dach (vermutlich) wurde es tagsüber ziemlich warm im Zimmer, was sich aber über die Klimaanlage gut ausgleichen läßt. Trotzdem habe ich geschwitzt wie ein Schwein, wahrscheinlich war unter dem Laken ein Kunststofftuch und das Kissen auch aus Plastik.
Die Klimaanlage hat netterweise eine "Low"-Position, mit der man eigentlich sogar gut schlafen kann, wenn man sich etwas zudeckt. Leider war der Thermostat im "Kinder-" Zimmer installiert...
Alles in allem war es nicht schön, in den Zimmern zu sein.
Webzugang per WLAN nur in der Rezeption - Qualität MISERABEL. Urlaubs-Arbeiter sollten sich eine spanische UMTS Karte besorgen, wenn viel per Internet gemacht werden muss - oder aber einen Mietwagen damit man zu den Bars im nächsten Ort fahren kann, die WLAN anbieten.
Einen Mietwagen sollte man für 2 Tage einplanen, es gibt durchaus einiges zu sehen, auch in der näheren Umgebung (Osthälfte der Insel).
Für Familien mit mehr als 2 kleinen Kindern pro Erwachsener wird der Club durch die Hanglage und ggf. Zimmer im oberen Stockwerk ohne Aufzug ggf. zur Plackerei.