"Overall a good holiday, with a few areas for improvement
We had a really enjoyable holiday and there were plenty of things we liked about the hotel. However, there were a few areas where we felt some improvements would make a big difference.
First impressions: The reception area was spotless, and the lady who checked us in (with black curly hair) was really friendly and welcoming. One negative was that a male member of the reception team could be quite rude on occasions, which was disappointing as most of the staff we encountered were friendly.
Unfortunately, we were told as soon as we arrived that the air conditioning wasn't working, which was a bit of an instant downer, especially as the weather was very warm. Fans were offered for the rooms, which was appreciated. However it made the holiday a luttle hard work, the children especially struggled. I believe the air conditioning has now been fixed, so hopefully this won't be an issue for future guests.
Our room was lovely and spacious and was cleaned every day. Our towels were also changed regularly — a little tip, leave them in the bath if you'd like them changed.
There are also a few areas of the hotel that could do with some updating and maintenance. For example, the poolside toilet block and downstairs ladies' toilets had a few issues. One toilet was out of order for our entire stay and another had a faulty lock. Nothing major, but these little things would make a difference if addressed.
Food: In general, the restaurant food was tasty and we enjoyed our meals. The restaurant was also fairly quiet during our stay, which meant there was no rushing or fighting for food, which was a definite positive. We did feel there could have been more variety, particularly for children. There didn't appear to be specific children's options, so our children ended up eating mainly chips, pasta and watermelon throughout the week.
The snack bar food was lovely, but it would be helpful to have a menu displayed so guests know what is available without having to ask. The options seemed to alternate between things such as burgers, hot dogs and pizza, as well as some lovely toasties and onion rings.
Pool area: The pool area itself was lovely and we had no problems getting sunbeds, although the hotel was unusually quiet during our stay. The pool was quite warm for the first few days, which wasn't ideal when we were trying to cool down, particularly with the air conditioning not working. It did seem to get cooler as the week went on.
The bar drinks were fine and we had no issue with the token system or plastic cups. We've experienced this in the hotels we've stayed in over the last few years, so completely understand why it's used.
Entertainment: A special mention has to go to Nuno, the entertainment guy. He was on his own for the whole week but worked incredibly hard, putting on lots of poolside activities as well as the evening entertainment. Unfortunately, the evening entertainment had to be indoors and because the air conditioning wasn't working this meant we struggled to stay for very long as we needed to get somewhere cooler. We really did try to stay as much as we could because you could see how much effort Nuno was putting in, and it was a shame to see his hard work with such a limited audience. He really was fantastic and deserves a mention.
Overall, we enjoyed our holiday and had a good time. There are definitely a few areas that could be improved and updated, but with a little investment and attention to some of the smaller details, I think this hotel could be great."
