"I have just returned from a 10 day visit at Aqua Mirage with my extended family group of 13. 7 rooms between us. I have given some thought to this review after reading a lot of different comments prior to our trip.
ARRIVAL & RECEPTION - arrived at 1300hrs and were temp checked in whilst allocation of rooms where sorted. We had our wrist bands and had not been charged for anything to use facilities and had no tourist tax which was great. We were informed to wait till 3pm and return for our room keys. Luggage was left in the main waiting room so we stayed close, at 3pm we returned and there was an issue with 2 rooms not being up to standard. Rather than providing keys to the other 5 we where waiting for another 45 mins in the very hot reception. Staff where helpful and provided water. Once we received our room keys, we where loaded up and taken to our apartments.
ROOMS & CLEANLINESS - lovely and clean, I was aware it was a 3 star so was not expecting perfection, dated bathroom a few cracks in tiles and grout ensure I wore flipflops in toilet area. Cleaners came everyday and where polite and everything was in its place when we came back, no personal belongings where removed room felt very safe.
POOLS - As a range of age groups in our party time our time was spilt between the main pool and the quiet adult pool. The adult pool was blissful, a nice escape from the noise and crowded main pool. Main pool we enjoyed the pool games and entertainment staff who kept everyone busy and took time to meet and greet new visitors and touch base with everyone throughout the week. Aqua park is a great feature to have on your doorstep but as the holiday season ramped up with more visitors towards the end of our stay we noted that the queues became long and main pool became very very full.
FOOD & SNACKS - Biggest issue with food is too many people and not enough space, having to find space to sit, find cutlery, plates and cups. Too many machines not working, juice ran out of gas a few nights which resorted in one staff member pouring a very long queue of guests juice out of a bottle. Food selection remained the same most nights, a bit tedious however always something to eat. Not the greatest layout as queues formed either side with people and small children trying to pass. I have read many comments about illness and sickness and blaming food. We had two people in our party ill with tummy bugs - one confirmed by on site doctor a gastro bug and provide 3 lots of medicine from the pharmacy. Other party member was bedded for three days. In our stay I witnessed ALL staff member wash hands, wear gloves and have very good food prep and hygiene standards. HOWEVER the guests are a different story. Children under the age of 10 should not be running around a food hall unaccompanied grabbing food from trays tasting and then when they didn't like it putting it back into trays, I saw this happen with rice, chips and puddings. I watched grown women enter the toilets use facilities and not wash their hands same as children and enter the food hall approach the food with their hands. Other guests couldn't wait for the servers in the dessert hall to serve them so stretching across with bare hands and taking chunks of cheesecake from a full pie. Absolutely disgusting - I think the hotel gets a bad rep but this is not down to staff. Maybe in these situations preventative screens should be in place and people handed the food.
IN HOUSE RESTAURANTS - our party visited the Italian on site. It was not the greatest experience. Food well and truly over seasoned with a simple soup having half a ton of pepper in it and a steak so overdone and all that could be tasted was salt. Pudding was a let down as well.
STAFF - there seemed to be understaffed in food areas, snack bars one person serving at pool side and aqua parks covering drink station, ice creams for hundreds of people. Firm but fair and helpful when you spoke politely to them which for many guests seemed to have lost the ability to say please and thank you on holiday. I was quite embarrassed on our last day to see a new visitor berate the shop staff for a deflated dud football like it was his fault and rightly so told her not to return. People on holiday really need to take a look at themselves and their behaviour and manners.
ENTERTAINMENT - great large stage a bit repetitive with quizzes at night shouting on microphone needs to find another way to have guests answer. Joss a young 20 year old entertainer was an absolute pleasure. We met him on our first day and spoke about where we came from and was full of knowledge of our home but left us feeling short when we couldn't provide info on were we where visiting. Michael Jackson tribute show he performed I felt almost like I was watching the real thing (please give the man a proper wig :) - fantastic performance). We where lucky to be watch the fan zone football quarter/semi and final of world cup. Banter was great
DRINKS - Selection is not the greatest, beer, mocktails and a set list of cocktails which are far to sweet. I expected to have mock brands like Irish cream etc but nothing. Had I known this I would have bought in some drinks for the odd night from airport. Not the end of the world though. Drinks are repetitive, coffee, water and for something different we just popped to the local on site store. Again store employee lovely, friendly and so helpful.
OVERALL an amazing time for most of our party but I would not return. Provided a fab holiday but the volume of hotel rooms limit the ability to provide a better experience."
