Holiday 2005 (Colina Mar)

Member Name: Janmat

Product:	Colina Mar
Date:	21/05/06 (155 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Very peaceful and fantastic views

Disadvantages: Too far from the beach and amenities

The Colina Mar was a lovely hotel in beautiful surroundings and with fantastic views. The rooms were clean and adequate with a balcony, food served was hot or cold on a buffet basis and was excellent with plenty of choice and no queuing. Had read previous reviews about too many cats especially around the restaurant area if you chose to sit outside but they only pose a problem if you offer them food as some children were doing when we were there. Also the Hotel offers Self Catering facilities and we noticed on occasional evenings that some people who were Half Board like ourselves were helping to sneak friends they'd met at the hotel who were Self Catering into the restaurant to eat for free when none of the staff were looking. As always does happen on a holiday abroad, sunbeds were taken up by towels and weren't used all day even though notices are around the pool saying "towels will be removed" but they never were. One holidaymaker used to go round taking all the towels off himself and dumping them in a pile in a corner. There are three very clean pools, a large one incorporating a railed off childrens pool and a smaller pool away from the noise which is a lot quieter and usually where couples etc with no children tend to hang out, no bar or cafe facilities there though. The entertainment wasn't bad, very repetetive, some nights I think it was a bit mixed up, for instance Kareoke was on last sometimes, something almost everyone likes to join in on, but when it's last thing at night it's not very entertaining listening to someone who think they can sing if you're trying to sleep. We went on the Water Park Excursion, it was ok, if you like that sort of thing! My partner and my nine year old son enjoyed it, but it's not my cup of tea. Gets very busy when you arrive with coach loads of school children. Day was spoiled though by the bus leaving ten minutes earlier than the time we were told and leaving us behind. Consequently we missed out on the meal and the return bus journey which we had paid for, meaning we had to get a bus and a taxi back to the hotel too late for our evening meal aswell. We did complain to the on site Rep, and said we should at least get some of our fee back but he was a total waste of time. Wouldn't let us talk to him privately so we had to tell him in front of three scantily clad girls who were sat chatting him up. They all, including the Rep, just laughed at our misfortune. Didn't bother with any other excursions, apart from being quite expensive they weren't up to much, so we though anyway. We had to get a taxi to and from the beach because of the Hotel being situated at the top of a very steep hill. The beach is very clean and sandy with a few rock pools, but you need footwear on the sand as it's far too hot to walk on in barefoot. At the entrance to the hotel is a timeshare rep who sets up every day and of course you get caught by them every day. The first day you listen and it's up to you whether you take up their offer, you learn as the holiday goes on and just ignore them, they'll be used to it. All in all it was a good holiday, plenty of sun, sand and sea which is what we wanted, excellent food, friendly staff and clean acommodation. Won't say we'd go back because we never return to the same place, always go somewhere different every year.

Summary: Beach not close enough, food was excellent,