"Our first all inclusive holiday and we really enjoyed ourselves. Not knowing what to expect we didn't really have any prior expectations and we're overall extremely impressed with all aspects of our stay. We stayed in the normal part of the hotel and not the adults only part.
LOCATION:
The hotel is in the middle of nowhere and there is nothing around it - perfect for a trip where you do not want to leave the hotel. Although if you do they offered plenty of trips to go on. We planned to not leave the hotel much though so the hotel being in the middle of nowhere was perfect for us. We did go on a walk one today to the recommend black sand beach - definitely worth the walk to see the scenery.
THE ROOM:
We got a double/twin with no see view - with a balcony/terrace.
Our room was quite old fashioned in terms of decor however I did look at the photos and knew that was to be expected. This wasn't an issue to me as we didn't plan to spend much time in the room anyway. The room was quite big in size and had everything you needed as well as a nice sized balcony. We were also very happy with a bath and a shower in the bathroom giving you the option - we also liked the large mirror/sink area which was really helping for storing all of your things. The air conditioner in the room was amazing and very much needed at night. The only negative I would have to say about the room is the walls are VERY thin. Unfortunately we did have some very noisy and unpleasant neighbours who decided every night around 12:30-1:00am to start shouting at each other. We also heard them throwing up every morning which was nice! - However I guess this was just luck, you can't choose who you have next to you! - Our neighbours on the other side we barely heard at all. I don't think it would have made a different staying in the adult part of the hotel as no children bothered us, just a couple of adults! The room was overall very clean, we asked for our sheets and towels to be changed once and everything was left nicely - I would say as a tip, bring some slippers for the room as the floor being tiles gathered a bit of dirt sometimes.
THE POOL AREA:
We loved the pool area - As it is separated into sections there is places you can sit if want peace and quiet, if you want music and activities and less deep pools for children. We often placed ourselves next to the more quiet, deeper pools and found most days we were some of the only people swimming! - The water was so nice and clear and very clean - They had pool robot cleaners out every night to clean each pool. We always were able to find a sun bed easily and often got a table as well with no issues - I would say if you want a spot under the shaded pergolas you would need to go earlier to get a spot, often people would go and put out the towels earlier then go for breakfast and then come back - We were not bothered about a shade spot so no problems. Two sets of toilets around the pool area, both very clean and tended to often. There was boxes around the pool area to put cups in which meant it was left clean and tidy - Staff members also regularly came and collected these. There was also a beach pool area at the top but we did not venture there so I cannot comment. Also next to that was the spa, we only went there to get towels though.
THE LOBBY:
Really nice area to sit in and they also showed the sports channel on TV. We got to watch the Formula 1 there and they were also showing the England-Ghana game so we watched that, great they were showing these. There is a bar within the lobby and an all inclusive refillable drinks section too. The lobby was very large and had the reception desk in as well as various help desks. Plenty of seating throughout and very clean. There was a grand piano in the lobby and a member of staff came and played there each night which was amazing - We loved watching him play, so so talented! Also worth nothing in the lobby there is also a luggage storage room so once we had checked out we had somewhere to put our cases for the day which was nice.
OUTSIDE THE LOBBY/GENERAL AREA:
Outside of the lobby there was a section of tables facing the main pool area, you got to see the sunset from there. We often sat there each evening and played games whilst having some drinks - Definitely bring a pack of cards with you! They also had a main downstairs area which had some pool tables in which we made good use of, they also had regular children's activities on in this area so really good for families. They also had a shop there which we bought some souvenirs in, all good priced. Upstairs was some more pool tables, a big open space and a games room. They did have a couple of bars/places to eat on the side at the top but we didn't venture into any of these.
DISCO:
We only went into the entertainment area a couple of times as it isn't really our thing, we don't tend to go to the entertainment on holiday. They put up each day in the lobby what was on that evening and there was lots of variety. In the disco there was another bar and a couple of pool tables which surrounded a large seating area, stage and dance floor. Everything was read out in Spanish and English.
FOOD:
This was the thing I was most worried about as I am a very picky eater! However I was very impressed. I had a food option for myself every time and my partner got to try all of the dishes we wouldn't usually have at home so a win win for both of us. We found the pool cafe area was the best for breakfast as it was very quiet and you got to eat with a view of the sea. There was definitely more options for food at the main buffet though. Everyday I was able to get a variety of things that made up a full english or they also had lots of fresh pastries. There was cereal options, fruit, cheeses, meats and cooked options for breakfast. For lunch and dinner we went to the main buffet restaurant - I'd say the food for both meals was relatively the same for both. Each night had a different theme for the food but also always had options for you if you didn't like what was on offer. They cooked loads of meats and fish fresh in front of you. They always had on offer: pizza, pasta/spaghetti, chips etc. The pizza was absolutely amazing and I found I got a slice most nights. The had a whole section for salad and there was everything you could ever pick from as well as most sauces. They had loads of cheeses and cold meats as well. They had a whole section for deserts - The watermelon was amazing! And the ice cream was amazing - They had a section where you could scoop your own and put your own toppings and sauce on. They had so many different deserts to choose from and my partner loved the bite sized pieces so he could try everything. You can go up as many times as you like and try as much as you want. The beach cafe at lunch offers very good options for kids such as chips, chicken nuggets, burgers and hot dogs. Overall we rated the food very highly and were always full after every meal.
DRINKS:
The range of different drinks included in the all inclusive is not high but we were happy. On tap was 4 different wines, beer, cocktails & slushies (by the pool), hot drinks, water and soft drinks. You could also ask for other drinks and spirits at the bar which was easy to do. Please not you will most likely have to ask for the drink in Spanish but it gets very easy to learn! At the pool bar you could get two drinks at a time and the plastic cups they provide are pretty good, if we went again though I would bring my own larger cups. They always had ice on hand which I loved. We only had one occasion where they were out of a drink I wanted but everything else was in stock all of the time. The house spirits were ok, I usually drink vodka but struggled with the taste, I would recommend going for the gin as it was a lot tastier. The house rum was also very good. Be aware you will have to pay extra if you want named brands. Also make sure you bring a water bottle to refill rather than getting water in cups.
THE STAFF:
The work ethic of all of the staff was absolutely spectacular, all seemed generally happy to work there and happy to help making sure you had a great stay. We did not come across one member of staff that was rude, all were extremely polite and welcoming. Most also spoke very good English so were able to communicate with us easily as we don't know much Spanish. I would say though when ordering drinks, especially in the main lobby you are better to ask in Spanish so they understand you - a simple 'Gin Limonada por favor'. I did witness a British Northern man try to ask for a shandy and they had no clue what that was! I always found they appreciated when you spoke a little Spanish. In the main buffet though the person on desk told the waiting staff what language you spoke though which was really nice! - They was one specific member of the waiting staff which spoke such good English, wish I had caught his name!
The entertainment staff were also really good, they always came round to ask if you wanted to do any activities which was nice they also put on great pool zumba and entertainment. The pianist was amazing as well! Its also worth mentioning the manager in the lobby area was great, so polite and welcoming.
Overall we were very happy with our stay and had a great holiday. We would definitely recommend this hotel to anyone wanting a trip to just forget about normal life and fully relax. We would stay with Princess hotels again and plan to look into their other destinations."
