Zafiro Alzinar Mar

"Finally getting around to writing a review, so apologies in advance for all the names I know I'll get wrong, & those I've forgotten completely - lost track of time & my memory is awful as it is! I'd like to note that our holiday hit problems before we'd even left the UK & continued throughout, none of which had nothing to do with Zafiro Alzinar Mar & don't contribute to the overall rating; only included for context. This review is very long, but hopefully contains useful details & information, rather than just waffle! I really want to highlight the Reception & Customer Service staff & management team, who were exemplary. Contrary to what others have said & seem to have experienced, we found that they were responsive & helpful right the way through; from Daniela's quick & detailed responses to my emails, to prompt reassurances when our arrival was delayed, & Maria Jose working with us to resolve the issues we had with patience & understanding. Our time at Alzinar ended up starting a day later than planned as we were caught in the nationwide pandemonium when NATS went down on 08/09/26. We were stressed & sleep-deprived (my partner having survived the baggage reclaim carnage to get our suitcases back as well as managing my jittery panicked ass), luckily re-booked onto a morning flight but camped out in the airport instead of paying the extortionate rates asked (£640 for 10m2 with no windows, anyone?), & then did it all again a few hours later. When we eventually set foot on the Mallorcan tarmac, we also turned out to be one suitcase lighter, thanks to Iberia apparently leaving mine behind when we connected in Menorca. Hot tip: if you're unlucky enough to face a similar baggage delay, I strongly suggest thoroughly checking that the details on your PIR are correct *before* leaving the airport...turns out the guy got almost all of the most important ones just slightly wrong, which I didn't catch until much later, & I suspect is partly why I didn't get my suitcase back until a week after I returned home! I also highly recommend Mallorca North Travel for your airport transfers - they were the cheapest by far (I compared quotes from a hell of a lot of companies) as well as staying in constant contact throughout the whole debacle, & instantly transferring our booking to the following day for free without my even asking. They also take & track your flight number/s in real time, so you don't have to guesstimate arrival or update them when there are delays etc. When we finally checked in around mid-afternoon, we discovered our room had been overbooked, & that we would be "upgraded" but would need to "check out" of that room by 10am to let housekeeping in to clean. I put "upgraded" in inverted commas because, as we explained later, although the room was a higher/more expensive category than what we booked and we appreciated the gesture along with the prosecco in the room to celebrate our anniversary, it wasn't what we liked or wanted, which is why we hadn't booked it in the first place. I understand that overbooking is common practice in hotels, as it is in many hospitality & tourism industries, but it's one that I really don't agree with & never have in any circumstance. It's especially difficult at smaller hotels, where availability of room type/s & numbers may be limited, simply because the liklihood of a guest's holiday being disrupted/impacted is surely much greater than the relatively minor possibility of a booking being cancelled, with associated costs & dissatisfaction also increased. There are only two of the room type we booked, the Double Royal Terrace w/Plunge Pool, making it much harder to juggle bookings & preferences in these instances. I think it was also complicated by the fact that we had to leave the room in under 24hrs when, often, if a guest is upgraded for whatever reason it's for the full stay. Again, it wasn't our preference anyway & wouldn't have been cost effective for the hotel, the point being that the inability to unpack & relax made it a little bittersweet even in the highest luxury. The next morning, after being badgered by housekeeping to leave the room, we returned to reception to find out our room wasn't ready. Obviously it was occupied, but it was frustrating when we'd had to be out much earlier than the usual 12pm checkout time, & had no real space to relax in. Our bags were accessible whenever we wanted in the luggage room, & the reception team were as helpful as they could be, but it was uncomfortable to go digging through everything or get changed in a random room or the loo, so we sat outside in the (very comfortable!) seats reading & waiting. We were getting lunch just after 2pm when Reception phoned to say that our room was ready, & that my suitcase had been delivered. When we went to get our keys etc., I asked if we could talk a little further about our experience so far, as we wanted to be able to explain things from our point of view, give feedback to the hotel, & have a chat about everything, which Alvaro (Alvo?) immediately phoned to arrange. He also very kindly offered to call the airport/Iberia after finding that it wasn't actually my suitcase, to find out what happened & try to resolve it. When we met with the manager, Maria Jose, a couple of days later to explain our frustrations, she actively listened & took on board what we were saying with genuine empathy, & was keen to find the best outcome for us. While our/my problems on holiday unfortunately didn't end here, the problem/s we had at the hotel, specifically, do - staff were calm & professional; we never felt as though they thought that we were being unreasonable, nor that they were "pandering" to us or pressuring us. They simply met us with sincerity, & were willing to discuss things calmly, candidly, & constructively to find a satisfactory resolution. We're both very grateful to them for providing welcome relief from all the madness & aggravation, allowing us to relax and enjoy most of our time on holiday. With that out of the way, the room was absolutely wonderful once we got in and settled. Clean, quiet, and incredibly comfortable. The shower is amazing - a huge overhead rainfall shower with the option to switch to a handheld power shower, which is done by turning an easy & intuitive dial. We never had any issues with temperature or pressure, & standing under the jets to soothe tight shoulders or rinse off after a day in the sun was lush. We might have ended up with wardrobe wars or struggled for space a bit if I'd actually had my suitcase, because we're both chronic over-packers & hangers/shelves could be a little sparse for some, but as it was, I only needed one of each so my partner could spread out over the rest! The balcony was spacious & had everything we needed, & the plunge pool was just about the perfect size & depth for us two shorties to cool off in. The sides are wide enough to perch or rest a drink on, & one end has a raised section to sit or relax on. We're both around 5"3ish (~163cm), & the water came up to about our ribcage/bikini top for reference. Everything was cleaned daily to a high standard, & the "Do Not Disturb" sign was always respected. Our room was right next to the lift and stairs, but I never noticed any noise from either, whether from the lift itself, cleaning trolleys, or people. The mattress & pillows were also really comfortable so we both slept really well, with no issues with the mattresses coming apart (although I'd requested & confirmed a double mattress, it was two singles pushed together). My partner gets cold very easily, whereas I tend to overheat even with air conditioning, but there was already a duvet in the room, so we were both happy! The food & drinks are definitely a highlight & a strength of the hotel, actually one of the reasons we chose it; compliments to the chefs I saw every day at lunch service & the evening buffet, as well as the bar staff. I rarely saw any of them grumpy (I wouldn't blame them if they were; I know all too well how hot & hard hospitality work is, especially in the kitchens, having done over a decade myself!), & they were always happy to answer my questions & help me when I needed or wanted something, while also entertaining my very rusty Spanish. I'm utterly perplexed by the number of reviews mentioning cold and/or monotonous food in the buffet, as we experienced nothing of the sort (aside from the food that was supposed to be cold, obviously, eg salads & pre-prepared small plates). Re “boring”: A few stations had dishes re-appearing more frequently, like the pasta sauces & potato sides, but the mains, vegetable sides, and fresh grill stations were much more varied & appealing than I've had at some larger AI hotels, & I enjoyed the different "themes" on the nights we ate at the hotel. IIRC there were chicken, beef, pork, & fish options EVERY night. The various desserts are also delicious, plus they’re definitely home-made rather than the multi-coloured, mass-prepared slabs I've experienced in larger AI's that somehow all taste identical. It's the first hotel I've actually regularly eaten the buffet desserts. There’s also cheeses & fruits available, as well as ice creams with various toppings etc. Definitely one of the best AI buffets I've experienced, in terms of quality, variety, & taste, by far. If you are someone who prefers plain or more familiar foods, or you are otherwise a little "fussy", then it probably will get boring pretty quickly but then it would in a hotel of any size, I reckon. Push the boat out, even just a little; you might be surprised! Re “cold food”: Come on, folks, it’s a buffet…we all understand how heat lamps work - they don't keep food bubbling hot (even if they did, someone would complain that they burned themselves and/or the food was dry). The food is, indeed, not lava but it’s not cold, or even lukewarm. It’s fresh & hot, regularly replenished & turned over so it doesn't dry out, with fresh grill stations for most meat options each night, & a vast array of oils, sauces, salts, vinegars, dressings, & more. I think the much smaller buffet works in its favour, as it lets them focus on the quality of the food rather than churning out vast quantities of less appetising options seen elsewhere (hopefully reducing waste as a consequence as well), & considerably shortens the amount of time wandering around trying to decide what to actually eat! I agree that the labelling can sometimes be confusing; there were a few times when labels were missing next to a dish or sauce, or I wasn't sure which label corresponded to which one, especially where there was more than one row, so this is an area I think could be improved, especially if a guest has allergies or other dietary requirements. Obviously, you can always ask the ever-present chefs & kitchen staff, but clear labelling with allergen information would help both sides of the equation. I really enjoyed that lunch was à la carte rather than a buffet, because it gave us time to sit, relax, & enjoy it rather than the usual serve, snarf, split. The service was attentive & well paced without being intrusive with a comprehensive menu offering both light bites & more substantial meals. The dishes we tried were fresh & absolutely delicious, and the staff were always happy to make small alterations when we asked. My personal favourite was the panko calamari with mango aioli - cooked to perfection every time! The AI drinks were also fantastic, with a wider range of wines included than any hotel I've been to before, & the cocktails were fresh & really well made. I really enjoyed trying a few of the Mallorcan wines, & the staff were helpful explaining the different options & which I might like to try. Once again, the staff were happy to alter cocktail recipes as far as possible to suit individual tastes, indicating their knowledge, abilities, & the freshness of ingredients used. In my opinion, however, the service in the main bar in the evening needs a rethink. The current method makes things much more complicated for the staff than it needs to be, slows the whole process down, & underutilises the beautiful bar with its opportunities for interaction & connection between guests & the brilliant bar team. I also dread to think what the queue is like in high season; as it was, it sometimes snaked into the seating area at the back, which could be especially problematic when the singer was performing there. I appreciate that not all guests are on AI, hence the till & key card scanner, but perhaps more than one could be installed to balance the pressure along the bar and allow staff and guests to enjoy its full length, maybe including a few high stools at the end as well. I don't know if there's some kind of walkabout ePOS available as well or instead, so that orders/payments could also be taken by servers "on the move" (apologies if they are already & I didn't notice!). I think measures like these, along with using thermal printers rather than communicating orders verbally or on handwritten pads, would make for a smoother, more comfortable experience for both staff & guests. The pool is definitely larger than it looks in some of the photos, with several entry points into the water - it's one of the most accessible pools I've ever seen on holiday as all of them are actual steps, rather than ladders, with the widest/shallowest by the swim up bar at one end, as well as a ramp entry on one side. Like almost all hotels in Mallorca, it's unheated, which was absolutely lovely to cool off in as the temperature regularly hit 32+ while we were there but will probably be a bit nippy in winter! There's also two lanes set up at one end for anyone who wants to swim a few widths uninterrupted, which I thought was a great idea. The swim up bar is quite small, but has everything you need as well as 4 built in seats to sit and chat with other guests. It's only a small hotel, so it functions perfectly for the number of guests. Sunbeds are absolutely no issue & there's no need to get up at the arsecrack of dawn to get one, nor get your towel out before breakfast. We still saw people doing this, but it's not necessary & I suspect was more about getting the particular spot they preferred. [Side note: we watched a gentleman put the beds back in place with impressive, almost military, precision in the evening, adjusting them to the mm, but giggling & wondering if someone ever went round after him to nudge them just ever so slightly off, just to annoy him!] The wooden decking does get very hot in the sun, even my asbestos feet needed a dip in the water to walk on it comfortably without shoes, & perhaps could do with a little maintenance in places. It's quiet & calm, no loud music pumping through speakers, & even the aqua aerobics etc. isn't particularly intrusive. This definitely isn't a party hotel, or one for those who want/need boisterous activity & a full daily animation schedule. It’s very laid back & chilled; there's things to join in, but no constant badgering or interruption. It doesn't really bother me whether there's background music or not, but I can understand other comments suggesting some chilled out sounds at low volume - there was music/spotify playing at the swim up bar & they switched the playlist to some 80s when we asked which was fun. Evenings had singers, who we thought were pretty good (although I think the lack of volume & bass in the backing track did a disservice to the wonderfully talented female singer), & quizzes (we didn't properly participate, but listened whilst chatting & had fun answering). We got to know a few other guests & really enjoyed the atmosphere & having a drink together. Now, I love me a bit of karaoke, and maybe it's something the hotel could do once a week, but I'd otherwise suggest limiting guest access to the microphone/entertainment...took us a day or two to realise that the guy "performing" wasn't actually one of the entertainment team, & hearing "Sweet Caroline" every day (occasionally treated to it twice, or "He's Got The Whole World" & “What a Wonderful World” to mix it up) got old fast! Despite promising that he was "supposed to be going home tomorrow" for about four days (even longer for other guests!), & seemingly unaware of the "da-da-da"s ever dwindling in enthusiasm, his daily hijacks continued until he finally did, actually, leave. Boy, did we all breathe a sigh of relief after that! We didn't use the indoor pool, but we each had 20min massages in the spa courtesy of the hotel, which we both appreciated & found relaxing, & the masseuse was clearly qualified & knowledgable. There was a form asking for any medical or physical conditions, as well as a conversation before the massage to find out if there were any specific areas you wanted to work on, recent injuries or tender areas, or any other details the masseuse needed to know. I found this very reassuring as to their professionalism, especially as I have an uncommon physical condition affecting my joints amongst other things, so being able to explain this & trust it was understood/considered really put me at ease. Other points of interest: - The hotel looks as though it's quite far from the beach & main strip on the map but it's honestly about 5 minutes at a reasonable pace. Obviously if you prefer to take your time, or are less mobile, then it will take a little longer. The route is straightforward & accessible, cross the main road & continue all the way down, although pavements can be narrow. NOTE: ALL beaches in Mallorca are public (even if a booking/hotel website says "private", it's not) & owned by the municipality - they set the charges for loungers/umbrellas/services etc, not the hotel/s. Not relevant to Alzinar, but the number of reviews I saw blaming a hotel for expensive loungers or too many people/locals etc is ridiculous & unfair. Do your research, folks, Google is free! - The large Mercadona right next to the hotel has everything & more, as well as an Aldi a couple of minutes down the road & god knows how many Spars, HiperDinos, Supermercados etc along the front & surrounding streets. The ones along the front all have different prices for much the same stuff, even under the same chain, so I'd recommend checking a couple before buying anything. - There's several bus stops within a few minutes walk of the hotel going to various places, & the buses are generally on time - you can check various routes on the websites of the two bus companies (my partner was much better than me at this). Tips: DO tap in *and* out (although it's only a 30c fine if you forget) & DO load everyone (up to 5 people) on one payment card for discounted prices; DON'T get tricked into thinking you can hop on at the closer bus stop, follow what your map/route tells you to do! Turns out buses with the same number going in the same direction can have very different routes, leaving you in the wrong place & very confused! I think it would be disingenuous to say that our stay was a "perfect" 5* because we did, unfortunately, have some problems, hence one star off. The way that everything was handled & the fact that we still had a lovely holiday overall (Iberia/BA notwithstanding) is down to the fantastic team, who all work incredibly hard. I hope the staff & management feel that this is a fair & honest appraisal, as well as passing on our thanks again to all the staff, inc. chefs & housekeeping, who were so friendly & accommodating, & are a credit to the hotel. Hopefully next time Mallorca will be the truly relaxing break planned!"

"We enjoyed a relaxing break at this beautiful hotel. Everything about this hotel is wonderful and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to others. The staff here are lovely and we felt like we were very valued customers. Nothing was too much trouble especially when it came to the food as I have a restricted diet, the staff were very accommodating. We did eat out on a few occasions as there was nothing on the hotplate that we fancied, although there were plenty of options. The food in the main restaurant generally could have been a bit hotter but this is often the case in all inclusive hotels. If we were to go back to Can Picafort then this hotel would be our first choice."

"This is really the best all inclusive hotel we have stayed in in Spain. We went on a 4 week cycling holiday. The bike facilities are really good, we took our own bikes. Location was good, quiet but handy for shops. Food was really good, lots of choice. Lovely outdoor pool & an indoor pool too. Plenty of sunbeds & easy free pool towel change. Rooms were clean & spacious. The only issue we had (balcony airer coming off the wall) was fixed immediately. The hotel had a lovely relaxed atmosphere, being adult only. Staff were brilliant helpful & friendly. Very good value for what was included, no additional charge for the safe. I really could not fault this hotel & would definitely stay again."