Cali Resort & Spa by Louis Hotels

"Just back from a gorgeous week at this hotel. The pool is a great size if you just want to cool off and relax or swim lengths. Very nicely decorated communal areas and the whole place is spotlessly clean. We really enjoyed the food, stayed on an all inclusive week and noted some reviews mentioned lack of variety, but I didnt eat the same thing twice (except breakfast) so unless you are picky you’ll have a good choice every evening. The salads in particular are beautiful and varied and the food quality is high. Service at the pool was great and cocktails lovely. Lots of branded drinks included which isn’t the case everywhere. I did think about deducting a star for the rooms, for a 5 star resort they are relatively small and there isn’t a huge amount of storage space if like most you travel as a couple. Our room had paint chips on the built in wardrobe and I could see where the bathroom door had been patched in, again a bit scruffy for 5 star. But the decor is tasteful and the bed large and comfortable. What set it apart for us was the staff. Everyone smiling courteous and full of chat, we felt really spoiled. Everyone was brilliant and sorry to not remember everyone’s name but Adam, Kamal and Zachariah in the restaurant made us very welcome. Overall the perfect place to spend some time relaxing as a couple (30s) and although a couple of aspects of the accommodation in particular I feel dropped below 5 star, the staff and quality of food and service bring it back up. Value for money and recommended."

"We absolutely loved our stay here and would happily come back. It was superb. The staff were incredible from start to finish, so welcoming, hardworking and genuinely efficient. One of my favourite touches was being able to order drinks while relaxing on the sunbeds, without having to get up and go to the bar. Even the plastic glasses were really good quality and actually resembled proper cocktail glasses, rather than the tiny plastic cups you sometimes get at all-inclusive hotels. The pool area was fantastic. The sunbeds were large, extremely comfortable and well spaced out, with plenty available for everyone. We stayed in September and the hotel had a lovely boutique feel because it never felt overcrowded. The pool bar menu was also far better than we expected, with beautifully made cocktails including Hugo Spritz, Aperol Spritz, Pornstar Martinis, Champagne Colader and Espresso Martinis. There was also a good selection of smoothies and iced coffees included in the all-inclusive drinks menu. The pool bar also served food during the day, including fresh salads, burgers and homemade chips. The food deserves a special mention because it was genuinely one of the highlights of our stay. Everything tasted incredibly fresh and, from what we could see, a huge amount was prepared in-house. The hotel manager was regularly seen around the hotel, as was the head chef, which gave us the impression that there was real pride and attention to detail behind the food being served. The pizzas were handmade and absolutely delicious, and the pasta was made in-house too. The desserts were particularly impressive, beautifully presented, fresh and with a huge variety to choose from. There was fresh fruit available at the dessert station every evening, a selection of local desserts and plenty of different options rather than the usual repetitive all-inclusive buffet choices. There was also a fantastic selection of fresh hummus, olives, local specialities and different cheeses. The halloumi was especially delicious and seemed to be available every day, alongside a lovely selection of cheeses from around the world. The food changed regularly throughout the week, so dinner never felt repetitive. There were pizza stations on most days and themed evenings featuring different cuisines, including Italian, Greek, Eastern and world cuisine, as well as carvery and gourmet evenings. We also tried the Asian à la carte restaurant, which was delicious and definitely worth booking. The chefs are working hard and are visible by the cooking stations and were super friendly and happy to chat to guests. What really stood out was the quality of the dining experience itself. The restaurant has beautiful, high-quality furniture and décor, so it felt much more like dining in a lovely restaurant than sitting in a typical hotel buffet or canteen. We actually looked forward to eating there every evening. The wine was also very good, with blush rosé and white wine available, and we were even welcomed with a bottle of red wine in our room. The staff in the dining areas are all incredible, friendly and so hard working. The hotel itself is beautifully designed, with gorgeous décor and artwork throughout. There were so many thoughtful little touches that made it feel more luxurious, including a beach bag and beach towels in the room, evening turndown service with chocolates, and a pillow menu. The bed was huge and incredibly comfortable too. A particularly lovely touch for us was the little feeding station for the hotel cats, where guests can leave food for them. We loved seeing the cats around the hotel and thought it was lovely that the hotel had made a designated space for them. We didn’t manage to catch everyone’s names, but Sushil deserves a special mention. He was incredibly friendly, hardworking and excellent at his job. Another lovely example of the staff going above and beyond was the gentleman from the concierge team who kindly repaired our broken suitcase wheels at the end of our holiday. He didn’t have to do that at all, but was so kind and helpful and saved us a lot of hassle. We also booked a fun excursion through GetYourGuide rather than TUI and found it considerably better value, so that’s worth looking into if you’re planning any trips while staying here. We visited in September and the weather was gorgeous around 30°C or more every day so it was a fantastic time to visit. Also worth noting, no mosquitoes bites for us at all, no wasps etc. just beautiful dragonflies around the pool. Overall, we had such a wonderful holiday. The combination of beautiful surroundings, fantastic food, comfortable facilities and, above all, genuinely lovely staff made this somewhere we would absolutely return to. It felt like a hotel that really cared about the experience it was giving its guests, and the little details throughout our stay made a big difference. Thank you"

"We were really looking forward to our stay and it surpassed expectations. As so many others have written, it is the staff that make this hotel great. It’s also lovely that it is quite small and quiet. The food is outstanding, even for coeliacs (special mention for chef Kris for his help with this). Fiki restaurant is a must and again was able to accommodate gluten free requirements. The lifeguards are so helpful, constantly looking out for people who need help with putting up umbrellas or repositioning them as the shade moves. The waiter service by the pool is excellent and there were plenty of beds though the ones on the pool are snapped up early. We actually found the others more convenient to get in and out of without dropping things in the water! Everything is kept spotless and on a particularly hot day the cool indoor pool was a welcome refresher. Our sightseeing plans were set aside because it was so much hotter than we’d expected but that just means we might have to go back at a cooler time of year!"