Insotel Punta Prima Resort & Spa

"Do not book this hotel expecting a 5 star experience as advertised and rated. Having paid nearly £5000 for 9 nights for 3 people in June I was expecting much better. We booked a 2 bedroom superior apartment having looked at the pictures I knew the rooms were old fashioned but was shocked and upset to arrive and to be given a room half in the basement, dark, dinghy, with a strong damp smell. Furniture was chipped and ants all over the floor and bathroom sink area, air conditioning was terrible and ceiling fans were very noisy. I have no idea why these rooms are classed as superior as there is nothing superior about them and do not reflect the pictures at all. After waiting for over an hour and speaking to very unhelpful/ rude reception staff who did not seem to have any idea how to deal with such problems. We were put in touch with Sidney the guest relations manager. We expressed our dissatisfaction and disappointment with the room and asked if any upgrades were available to be told we would be able to move to a suite the following day when one became available. In the meantime we were offered an alternative room for the night at the same grade we already had which was slightly better if you are happy to hear your neighbours shower running and toilet flushing like it is the same room so had the night from hell and could not wait to move. After lots of chasing the next day we were finally able to move room and was told the upgrade charge would be 120 euros a night. This was a considerable amount of extra money but felt we had no alternative to try and enjoy our holiday. Moving to our new room we got chatting to the people next door who had encountered the same problems as us to be given the room for 30 euros a night less then us! Which made me really annoyed.when I spoke to Sidney the guest relations manager as to why this had happened and asked for justification he would not discuss the matter and seemed very dismissive as he was not happy that he had been called out for ripping us off! Which this hotel Is very good at. They are only interested in making extra money when you feel you have no choice and take advantage. The room we upgraded to was lovely which it should be for the price but still had its problems the rooftop gazebo canvas and pole were loose and banging in the wind so very noisy and could not be used, this had been happening for days and the people next door had complained twice without resolution, after complaining this was finally fixed after 2 days, air conditioning was poor. I do not understand how this hotel has a 5 star rating there is one bar which is like a caravan park clubhouse with very loud/tacky entertainment you can use in the evening that you have to get in a queue for and wait 10 minutes for a drink. There are no other bars to get a drink and no areas to sit quietly. Food is very repetitive, overcooked and Luke warm. No separate umbrellas around the pool so everyone is squashed together under shaded shelters. This hotel is in a beautiful setting and has the making to be beautiful but really needs the rooms updating and better customer service, management. I will not be returning."

"Hotel in prime location near a blue flag beach (short walk). The atmosphere is nice and relaxed. Hotel about 20 mins drive from Mahon airport. Prior to arrival I had emailed some room requirements which were sorted by Pablo Guillen in reception, even prior to our arrival. On arrival, Francisc in Reception checked us in, even politely asked if we needed assistance with baggage (which I politely declined as we could manage ourselves), and over the following days Francisc helped us many a time. Amazing man. I had prepaid extra for a sea-view room and in this hotel it is a proper sea view - right at the bottom of the hotel nearest to the seaside. The hotel has beautiful, well maintained grounds, and it is on a hill where the rooms nearest to the seaside are lowest, and the rooms further back are up the hill. The reception area is somewhere in the middle of the hotel, with many eating areas and multiple pools from the very top to the bottom of the hotel. I noted Genesis at one of the pool bars to be extremely hard working, and she eventually managed to teach me how to draw a proper pint (turned out I was not initially as good at this as I had initially thought I was) so I could then more easily refill myself rather than have to wait in queue at the bar every time. I liked the food - and enjoyed eating a variety of fish, which is something I normally do not do in the UK. The rooms and grounds are clean and the rooms are cleaned every day (including on Sunday as well) and with the beds made and towels changed daily. I also liked the fact that the bathroom window can be opened either with just the top open, or alternatively with the lever in a particular place the whole window swings completely open and the shower moisture can be easily aired after use, or for when the wife wished more fresh air when using the supplied hair dryer. On the subject of airing, a clothes airer was also present in the balcony and this was large enough for our needs. The cupboards have plenty of hangers. For the reserved one special meal, we went for Mediterranean, which is shared tapas, and for this we asked the staff to choose for us and the entire family enjoyed their choice very much. As a special mention, I must praise Ms. Maribel Ribas who seems everywhere and all the time. She oversees the running of certain areas of the hotel. She is always there before us first in the breakfast hall, then even if in a distant pool bar I've seen her there talking to staff, and she continues working even till after the dinner hall closes. She is super friendly, highly approachable for guests to ask anything and she will go out of her way to address any queries. Just between the hotel and the beach are two supermarkets - not very large but they seem well stocked. Same with the hotel shop as well and it looks larger on the inside than from the outside. Tobacco is available at the supermarkets, but there is a dedicated Tabac shop on one of the main roads leading up from the beach (walk up the road after the public children's playground). The beach is lovely, we've been there previously in 2019 as well (but then at a different hotel) and the water is clear and one can also see small to medium small fishes. There are lifeguards at one end as well. If the weather is windy, there will be some medium waves, but on a more still day, the sea transforms into a glorious large clear natural swimming pool. We loved the sea so much that we did not use the many hotel pools, preferring to directly enjoy swimming in the sea instead. It is shallow for some considerable distance, so one can go in quite a bit and still keep feet on the ground. We ate and drank a lot, and have had zero illness of any kind. Even 4 days after returning home, after a weeks holiday there, not one of us had a tummy upset of any kind. The negatives - and I am struggling to find negatives because I just love this place too much - is the room air con, or rather one of the two room air cons. Because we had an apartment, one air con was in the lounge and that seemed more powerful, but the bedroom one seemed to struggle to keep up with the lounge one. We did have this looked into by the hotel staff, but they after inspecting, could do no further than what the air con was capable of doing. My wife loved the weak bedroom air con because she does not like it very cold, but I really wished the bedroom air con was a bit stronger. However all rooms also have ceiling fans, and the right combination of air con and ceiling fan eventually did the trick. Apartments also have a small kitchen area with a hob, plates and cups, and a kettle. There are two walks to reach the main road - one is the lit area via reception out to a lit main road. The other is a path between the hotel and the sea which thankfully is not lit because eyes adapt very fast and I saw more stars in the sky while walking here than ever before. It is just a shame that some hotel guests use the unlit path and rather than letting their eyes adapt, some then put on the torch of their so called smart phones and ruin the night vision of everyone around - for them I have one request, please walk up the main road and go in via reception as natural scenery seems lost to you. Would I return here again - a big YES."

"I was scared as I read many negative reviews before hand, however my family and I had a great holiday. The staff were so lovely and helpful. The entire resort is very relaxed and they don’t have random rules that make the ‘all inclusive’ experience annoying. They are friendly towards children which really matters. The sun-beds are booked up at the break of dawn saying more about the people rather than the hotel. The food in the restaurant is not great but also not terrible. It was fine, we did not go hungry at all. Our room was nice, we got one close to the pool which really helped the experience. The beach is a 5min walk from the pool area and lovely. We would come back!"