Hotel Palma Bay

Review date: 26 October 2009 - A HotelStreet visitor from Tyne and Wear wrote:-

Review title: "Palma Bay Hotel. The Death Trap"
Travel date: October 2009
Booked with sun4u. Supposed to be in Alcudia but put here. Not even one star. Total disgrace. Hotel caught fire. No alarms or fire escapes, management didn't care and sun4u kept putting 'phones down when complaining. This hotel is a death trap and sun4u send Brits there. We could all have died but sun4u weren't interested. They should be closed down along with this hotel. I beg you not to travel with them or go to Palma Bay hotel.

Review date: 28 August 2009 - A HotelStreet visitor from North Wales wrote:-

Review title: "Absolutely Shocking"
Travel date: August 2009
Just returned from the worst holiday I have ever had. My sister and I arrived and they had overbooked the hotel so we were sent down the hill to Encant which is a one star hovel. When we returned the next day, we had to insist on a room as they were still insistent they had no room.

Stayed in the Sahara part of the complex which is in the middle of derelict buildings filled with squatters. No balcony but air conditioned which switched off when you hung your towel out to dry! Maid wanted us to pack up a day early and key system not always worked.

Drinks good if you knew to use smaller bars away from the Spanish speaking entertainment. Food was lovely if you really want to eat chips for dinner, snack and tea. It was a relief not to find them on the breakfast buffet! Not very friendly or helpful staff - they only spoke broken English.

El Arenal was beautiful but filled with drunken Germans. British bars were good. Very friendly and gorgeous Jerry from Kerry in the 'Queen Vic' made the holiday! Otherwise, it was pants!

Review date: 08 October 2007 - A HotelStreet visitor from England wrote:-

Review title: "Really Great Holiday!"
Travel date: October 2007
Only just got from the Palma Bay and had really good time. Rooms could do with bit of decorating. Food really good and met some wonderful people.

Review date: 07 August 2007 - A HotelStreet visitor from Essex wrote:-

Review title: "Worst Hotel ever!"
Travel date: July 2007
This hotel was the biggest disappointment ever for us. As a family of five, we can only afford one holiday a year and on this occasion I wish we hadn't bothered. My four year old son got ill on the food and was lying in bed one night and the bed collapsed, the second one to do so on the trip. The food was not, I repeat, not edible.

We had no rep to speak to at any time and only two people that worked on the resort spoke English! The only pool my children could all play in safely was taken over by the entertainment staff four times a day for adult based games even though there were three other pools on the resort that they could have used but the children could not.

The rooms were a disgrace and when I asked to be transferred, my pleas were ignored. Please if you booked the Palma Bay, then cancel and rebook somewhere else. It was the worst week's holiday ever.

Review date: 16 June 2007 - A HotelStreet visitor from Birmingham, England wrote:-

Review title: "Our Holiday"
Travel date: April 2007
Unfortunately the weather was not very kind and it rained for five days. During this time we mainly stayed at the hotel. The staff were very friendly and helpful but most of the Spanish pensioner holidaymakers were very rude and ignorant towards children from other nationalities, especially at the bar and in the restaurant.

Jennifer who ran the children's mini-club was excellent and did a wonderful job with the children and was very friendly and helpful.

The hotel was very clean and the maids attended the rooms everyday. We stayed all-inclusive and the food was very good, especially the snack bar by the pool. The only drawback was that there were a lot of steps which were uphill and not suitable for anyone with walking difficulties.

Review date: 24 September 2005 - A HotelStreet visitor from Chesterfield, England wrote:-

Review title: "Not For The English"
Travel date: September 2005
This area caters totally for the Germans. If they got a little loud, then it was accepted. If the English did the same, then security would be contacted.

We were in villa 11. The tiles on the floor were smashed, and the cockroaches were so big that they should have been paying rent. We had them every morning to wake up to and even when we came in at night. We asked for spray to deal with them but never received it (and were told it was the wrong season for them).

Either side of the complex are more buildings going up, so at the moment it is pretty noisy. The food was alright, the snack bar was the same all the time, but the restaurant varied. The only thing was that we could only use the bottom restaurant (the 'Acapulco') and we were right at the top end of the complex near the adults only pool, not what you want when it's raining.

Entertainment was not as good as we thought. A couple of good shows, but other than that one CD over and over again (If I ever hear 'head, shoulders, knees and toes' again, I'll kill myself).

There are a few English bars in the area. The Queen Vic was nice. I know you may think why go abroad to go to English places, but a lot of the local places didn't have time for the English, they are catering for the German.

The beach was nice. We made the most of a bad lot, Never again!!!!!

Review date: 14 June 2005 - A HotelStreet visitor from Essex, England, UK wrote:-

Review title: "Great Holiday"
Travel date: June 2005
I had read reviews about this hotel which to be honest were not sounding too good, but there was no need for us to worry. The hotel was clean. It was basic and quite standard but comfortable for the price paid. The food was a lot better than other places I have been. The staff are good, and it is a good place for children. The entertainment was good for kids but not so much for the adults so its best to just drink!!

Review date: 11 January 2005 - A HotelStreet visitor from Sheffield wrote:-

Review title: "Rep's Point Of Veiw"
Travel date: May 2004
From the opinion of the representative who has worked in the Palma Bay Hotel. Well, here is how it goes. I went over to Mallorca to work for the Airtours holiday company and what a time to arrive! There it was, the begining of May and the 'el mundo senor' which is the Spanish elderly time of year. Would never recommend anyone to go here at this time of year as the Spanish pensioners are very rude. Well at least 95 % of the time. I would say that the best time to go would be June onwards.

The hotel is an absolutely huge complex and is always cleaned to the highest of standards. There are grounds men going around all day cleaning up after you. The hotel staff are absolutley lovely and will try and do anything for you. One of the hotel managers is amazingly nice - she is called Marabel and wil try to help as much as she can.

The entertainment is not to the highest of standards but the hotel reps do try their best and it is acted and spoken in four languages.

The food in the hotel does vary from day to day but if you are there for two weeks then it can get tedious. There are four beautiful pools and life guards around all the time, so you know your kids are under supervision all the time.

Be aware that El Arenal is very multi-cultural and you will find that most of the hotel is full of Germans, but don't be put off.

The bar is open from 10:00 till 00:00 so you can get as wasted as you lke but as I told all my guests, 'stay out of the sun when drinking in large quantities'. Most of them did ignore me and then found themselves in hospital with sunstroke.

This may sound a little off putting to most but the hotel is lovely - basic rooms and food but its well worth a vist for the families. Young people go to Magaluf.

There are three bars that I used to live in, not because I was a drunk but because leaving the UK to live away for the first time is scary but they all made me feel like I was family. The bars all serve food and are open till 04.00 in the morning and from 08:00 in the morning. The bars are:

'The Hole In The Wall' run by dad Rob, son Rob and wife. They are from Ireland and they are very warm and welcoming. Go down from the hotel and take the third on the right.

'The Beachcomber' owned by Yarn and Clara - both lovely with a livley bar with sports and food - also open until 04.00 in the morning. Same again, down from hotel third on the right.

'The Sportsman Pub', El Arenal's famous pub run by a scouse family - Tina, Richie and Little Richie - big sports fans and karaoke stars. Serves foods and is open till you feel its time to close. Go down to the beach turn right and walk 500 metres to the left. You can't miss it.

Review date: 12 October 2004 - A HotelStreet visitor from Bury, England wrote:-

Review title: "Great Holiday"
Travel date: October 2003
The only problem with this hotel is that even when its cold or raining, the entertainment is held outside. Lovely food, pleasant staff, small but clean rooms.