AluaSoul Carolina

"We have just returned from the Alua Soul and had a fantastic holiday. We were half board with the addition of 'My Favourite Club'. I wanted to address some of the concerns raised on the previous review. The rooms are really well maintained and clean. As we paid for the 'My Favourite Club' we had an upgrade so were on the top floor. There were no issues with noise, other than the odd 'water' noise, I think when a toilet was flushed. There is some light from the door and the access at the end of the bed is a little narrow. TV channels were a bit hit and miss. Shower was excellent. Air conditioning was not on, we have experienced this every Easter holiday and while not great is very standard. This is not a 'foody' holiday. There was always something but you had to look for it. The chefs cooked a meat and a fish dish on the hot plates and there was a roast joint of meat every day. Along with the usual salad, pizza and pasta. We had access to 'My Favourite' tables which looked out across the bay, but there were always tables free and food was replenished regularly, you did occasionally have to wait. As we were half board we did not get a drink with the evening meal. Water was available from the drinks machines, wine and beer were self service for AI customers. The bonus for 'My Favourite' club was a seperate area where you could access sandwiches, wine and beer during the day. I understand that it may feel wrong having to pay extra but we were happy with what we paid and it was perfect for us as we don't need a full meal every lunch, the addition of being able to have a beer or glass of wine made this a real bonus that we hadn't anticipated. There were several small dogs in the hotel but they did not come into the dining area. The pool area is much larger than the pictures convey. While the hotel is still quiet there were no issues with choosing where you wanted to sit, we did not sit right by the pool and did not experience any loud noises from the beach or unpleasant smells. The beach volley ball courts were used every day. Gym was a bit limited and would have benefited from a fan while the air con is not on. Spa area was good but small, steam room was not working. There are a selection of resturants locally but limited choice, we did not try any. There are plenty of supermarkets to choose from. The walk to the next town Cala Ratjada takes about an hour and is easy walking once you are on the coastal path, it is well signposted. There is also a regular tourist train and buses. There are two other walks, they can be downloaded from the information board on the beach. We walked up to the look out point, this one is a little challenging. The area in the lounge is limited and while it is still cool in the evenings, it did get full. We did not watch the entertainment but once it can be held outside with the additional seating area I think this would be less of an issue. The sky bar was not open but the area, again for 'My favourite' club is beautiful. I think you need to look for the 'sweet spot'. We felt we got excellent value for money and loved the area, it suited what we were looking for."

"The rooms are visually pleasant. Clean & modern, although the air conditioning doesn’t work even when it’s very evident that the temperature warrants it! The hotel obviously insists on cheaping out on running costs. Walls are thin so noisy neighbours will make your stay unpleasant, that said even if you’ve considerate neighbours, you will be awoken by the very loud midnight & early morning garbage collections, as the doors to every room are fully exposed to the elements as the hallways for no logical reasoning are all outdoor (it’s basically a large connected open balcony to every room) The buffet food selection is very poor, dominated by fish with limited alternatives. Portions are small and during the evening dinner, food will disappear almost immediately in the overcrowded dining hall. The atmosphere there is chaotic. Some inconsiderate guests (particularly French diners) frequently barge past others to grab food, and finding a seat is often a struggle. When you do sit, the tables are packed so tightly that you end up dining practically on top of strangers. Breakfast I particularly poor, the meat supplied is 90% fat and gristle, even with the late breakfast option you couldn’t give this muck away! In all honesty, tinned dog food would be of a higher meat standard than what they’re serving. The hotel’s decision to allow dogs is baffling and deeply disappointing. This is marketed as a child-free paradise, yet they permit dogs throughout the property. The constant barking, whimpering, and obvious hygiene concerns (including the smell of dog urine & excrement, which you will often encounter when relaxing poolside) create an unpleasant environment especially in areas with food and drink. In an apparent luxury setting like this, allowing animals alongside food service feels like a serious misjudgement, it’s obviously a hygiene risk. They’ve successfully banned children, they really need to apply the same logic to pets. If you are planning to relax at the pool keep in mind, you do need to pay a €1 deposit for each plastic cup, reception failed to inform us (and multiple other couples) of this leading to a bit of unnecessary running back and forth to the rooms. A minor inconvenience but for Christ’s sake lads, just say so during check in! They advertise the beach as if it’s privately owed by the hotel (it isn’t!) it’s a public beach of which 60% is taken up by 4 different volleyball pitches, and funnily enough on this beach DOGS ARE BANNED, so you will get annoying kids squealing nearby despite the actual hotel being adults only! And trust me, you will hear them, because the hotel is lacking any atmosphere! there isn’t even poolside music. Between the kid friendly beach and the dog friendly hotel you really do get the worst of both worlds! The lobby bar has real potential with its attractive space, but the layout is poorly thought out. Most seating is designed for large groups of 6–8, leaving couples and small families of four with very few suitable options. You’re often forced to squeeze in next to other guests or go without a proper seat. You’ll find similar problems when seeing the evening entertainment as there’s very few tables and they’re all laid out for families of 4, even though it seems to be 90% of the people here are couples. Location wise, the hotel really is in the middle of nowhere, there’s nothing within walking distance so all inclusive is practically compulsory! Even with the all inclusive package this hotel loves a bit of segregation! You wanna pay more to have exclusive access to what should really be inclusive for all guests? “My Favourite Club” has got you covered! Trust me if you do fall for the sales pitch and upgrade, all the other hotel guests don’t think you’re better than them, they simply think you’re a gullible fool :-) All in all, whilst it may look the part of a 4 star, it most certainly is crap sprinkled with glitter! Maybe a complete takeover could drag this place out from the gutter, but in the meantime don’t waste your hard earned money on a place this poor. 1 out of 5. would NOT recommend."

"Beautiful location, limited amenities nearby but 10 minutes on bus or train takes you to nearest town Cala Rajada where there are a lot of restaurants, bars and shops. Hotel staff were fabulous, helpful and friendly. Rooms and hotel are very clean. The only problem for me as a Coeliac who needs a gluten free diet was the lack of choice and poor labelling."