"Last year, I stayed at MarSenses Puerto Pollensa Hotel & Spa and couldn’t fault my experience, so I was really looking forward to staying at MarSenses Natura Olea in Cala Ferrera this year. Unfortunately, while there were many positive aspects to the hotel, there were also some significant disappointments that would prevent me from returning.
The welcome from the staff was outstanding. Everyone we encountered was friendly, helpful, and professional. Our room was clean and adequately equipped, and we had paid extra for an exclusive room with access to the private pool. The private pool area was fantastic, with plenty of sunbeds and a really relaxing atmosphere. The main pool area was also lovely, and there was never any problem finding a sunbed.
The bar and restaurant staff were consistently friendly, and this was one of the strongest points of the hotel. The location is also excellent, with the hotel close to the beach and within easy walking distance of supermarkets, restaurants, and other amenities.
However, there were several issues during our stay. The air conditioning in our room broke multiple times, causing water to leak onto the floor. It was apparently repaired, but the issue happened again. On the second occasion, we were told it was condensation and were essentially left to deal with the problem ourselves, which was disappointing.
We also became locked inside the bathroom when the door jammed shut. This was apparently caused by the heat rather than a fault with the hotel, but it was still an unpleasant experience. Thankfully, staff responded quickly and fixed the problem.
Around the private pool area, the QR code service advertised for ordering drinks directly to your sunbed did not work throughout our stay. There was also an unpleasant smell around the private pool area and in the bathroom, although the cause was unclear.
The biggest disappointment overall was the food. We chose this hotel partly because it offered half board, and having previously stayed at a sister MarSenses property where the food was excellent, we had high expectations. Unfortunately, the dining experience fell well below what we expected.
At breakfast, hot food was often not replenished, and staff frequently forgot to provide the menu or take coffee orders. When coffee was eventually ordered, it often arrived after we had already finished eating.
Evening meals were particularly disappointing. As a pescatarian, I found the options very limited. While there were some fish dishes available, the choices were restricted and not always well prepared. On one occasion, when tuna steaks were being served, I was extremely concerned by the handling process. The chef was preparing raw chicken on the grill and then used the same utensils to pick up my tuna steak for me, meaning my food had potentially come into contact with raw chicken.
The desserts also seemed to have storage issues, with some being served warm rather than cool, some melted while others were still frozen. It appeared that the same desserts were repeated regularly, salads were often wilted, and overall the food quality did not match the standard we expected. For vegetarians especially, there seemed to be very limited choice beyond salads and chips.
The restaurant itself was also uncomfortably warm, with either no air conditioning or ineffective air conditioning, making evening meals less enjoyable. I was literally sat with sweat pouring off me.
Despite these issues, there are many things this hotel does well. The staff were wonderful, the pools and facilities were excellent, and the location is ideal. However, the problems with maintenance, the lack of pool service, and particularly the food quality had a major impact on our overall experience.
Sadly, I would not return to MarSenses Natura Olea. Next year, I will be returning to MarSenses Puerto Pollensa, where my previous stay was genuinely faultless."
