SBH Monica Beach Resort

"The Monica was by all accounts a gem when it opened in the early 80s but it certainly isn’t now - looks more like a hotel dying a slow, painful death. There is so much wrong with this hotel it is scarcely believable that it was renovated in 2015. The best thing the owners can do is to forget renovations and instead carry out a major overhaul of the guest rooms and all of the main buildings. In particular the guest rooms need to be totally gutted and refurbished with high spec fixtures and fittings. To be fair the Monica has a fantastic location - it is set right next to an amazing beach. And many of the guest rooms have glorious views of the beach and sea. My wife and I had paid for a sea view room. We were lucky to be given a front-line ground floor sea view room which had views too die for. We have been taking package holidays for over 45 years and this room, with such sublime views, is one of the very best guest rooms, with regard to the view, we’ve ever stayed in. Also, the layout and architecture of the hotel grounds is very pleasing and everywhere is immaculately clean. The gardens around the guest rooms and pathways are also in immaculate condition with lots of exceptionally well maintained shrubs and cacti. But it is the interiors of the hotel where the major problems lie. It says it all when the first thing you notice when you first walk into reception are buckets catching rainfall water from the ceiling. You immediately realise you’ve booked into a bad place - a hotel which obviously has major maintenance problems both inside and outside. Our room, furniture and fittings, were very dated and there was a big crack on the ceiling and peeling paint had been very poorly painted over. The bathroom was also very dated. Our neighbours and other guests said their rooms were the same. One even had water leaking from the ceiling. The food was very poor, nowhere near 4 star standard. Apart from a lot of dishes being poorly cooked and presented there were not enough choices and the menu was repetitive. Thank goodness there was a microwave available because most of the food was, for later diners, warm or cold. The security at the hotel is practically nonexistent. Anyone can walk in off the ‘street’ and go anywhere on the complex, undetected, at any time of day or night. But for me one of the biggest problems facing the hotel management is the very poor attitude a lot of the staff have towards the guests. The worst of the ill mannered staff were the Pool Bar employees. Most were surly, insolent, rude, impudent,and disrespectful. One of the management team admitted to me that they were aware of staff attitude problems mainly pertaining to bar and restaurant staff and more particularly to the Pool Bar staff. These matters were being seriously looked into. I’d complained about one of the bar staff being intentionally contemptuous towards me. I’m a thick skinned, retired journalist, who usually couldn’t care less about what people say to me or how they behave towards me but the barman was such an obnoxious creep that I thought he should be taught a lesson. The member of the management team told me she would deal with the matter. She obviously did because I didn’t see this loser at any time, day or night, at the Pool Bar, or anywhere else in the hotel, for the remainder of my stay. Finally my tip to anyone looking to book this hotel - don’t."

"We travelled here for an impromptu break from the end of February to the beginning of March and considering we haven't been away for a couple of years, we were just glad to be away and get some sun. We hadn't been away due to surgery and I probably should have stated this when booking as the room we were originally given was literally the furthest away in the resort. We stayed the night and I requested a change, seeing on the list we were placed on that we were fourth in line, and for a short break, really didn't think we would be moved. I was also informed there would be a charge, which I accepted. We also spoke to another member of staff shortly afterwards, as my husband lost his walking stick at the airport, and we had no luck finding another in the shops. He saw the surgical scar and immediately found us a crutch. An hour or so later we went back to our room to find a neatly printed letter stating we could have our room change and there would be no charge. We were swiftly moved to a much more suitable room near the main reception. In terms of the reception staff, I would say they were exceptionally helpful at all times. The area does have a few buckets about the place catching water from a leaky roof but it wasn't really a big issue, just felt it was a little bit unprofessional without those warning things that normally go up to stop people tripping. The resort itself is quite nice, a little dated on the older rooms, and the first room we had did lack hot water a little, but it was overall clean and serviceable. The food was a bit samey at times but was nice enough. Drink selection limited but I am a bit fussy by my own admittal. The pool was always clean, the Africa Bar is definitely the place to grab for catching rays without being in the line of the wind, and the communal areas general kept clean. I never saw any abandoned bottles, cups, crisps packets etc. The resort is a little bit tired, but I felt that clean was more imperative in the scheme of things. One only complaint I had really is that the toilet systems cannot handle the toilet tissue so you have to put the used tissue in bins. This isn't an issue, and bins were usually changed regularly enough, but the bins had no lids like in other places who have the same problem, and the continual smell of used loo roll tended to fill the entire reception area and the little seating area inside before you went to the pool. With sanitary products also going into these open bins, no matter how clean somewhere is, you don't really want to see or smell these. One bonus is the beach is beautiful and the resort itself is situated in a place that isn't really busy, but easily within walk of the amenities locally. There's a steak bar which everyone was saying was very nice, and you can find most things you need at a reasonable price within a short walk. The market on a Sunday and Wednesday is dead opposite, and much the same as what you would see on any holiday, local trinkets, mixed with replica designer goods and a scattering of other bits and pieces. We didn't spend a fortune on this holiday and feel for what we had in comparison to the cost, we had a decent time. To be listened to when you have a genuine problem, and for it to be dealt with swiftly and compassionately definitely outweighed any minor gripes; if a bin without a lid is our biggest problem, I think we did ok."

"⭐⭐⭐⭐ Amazing stay in Costa Calma! One of the best hotels in Costa Calma without a doubt. The location is absolutely perfect — right on the beach, which makes it a 10/10 experience from the moment you arrive. Waking up with the ocean so close is something special. The food deserves a big shoutout. I honestly had the best seafood and cheese pasta of my life here — compliments to the chef! Every meal felt fresh and high quality. The hotel itself is very large and well organized. If you’re planning to relax and enjoy the hotel facilities, I highly recommend booking an ocean-view room — the view is worth it. If you’re planning to explore the island during the day, the room view matters less, but the comfort is still great. What really made the stay stand out was the staff. The manager and reception team are true professionals and know exactly how to help guests if any problem comes up. The animation team is also fantastic — full of energy and always creating a fun and positive atmosphere. And a special mention to the housekeepers and guest room attendants. They work incredibly hard every day, pushing heavy carts and keeping everything spotless. It’s not an easy job, and their effort definitely deserves appreciation. Overall: great location, excellent food, professional staff, and a fantastic atmosphere. I would definitely come back and highly recommend it to anyone visiting Costa Calma! 🌊☀️"