Review date: 28 December 2005 - A HotelStreet visitor from Peacehaven, East Sussex, UK. wrote:-

Review title: "Great Grub And Very Comfy !"
Travel date: November 2005
I attempted my first DIY holiday in November 2005, and I booked my hotel and flight separately. My flight was with Easyjet and I was delighted to find that a very low fare of £44.98 applied to my return booking from Gatwick to Palma, Majorca which was fantastic value for money, and no 'extras' whatsoever were levied. Also the flights both ways were daytime flights which I appreciated greatly - I would most certainly fly with Easyjet again, I can assure you.

My hotel was booked through Winter Sunshine Holidays who were very helpful and who came up with a really competitive price for a fortnight's half board stay at the hotel of my choice which turned out to be the Hotel Linda at Ca'n Pastilla which I selected after having viewed numerous other alternatives on the web. I opted for the resort of Ca'n Pastilla due to the fact that it was near to the airport firstly and I could thus therefore avoid lengthy transfers, and secondly it was only around five miles away from Palma which I had promised myself that I would explore more fully one day, as I think it's a lovely city and I really wanted to see much more of it.

Quite frankly I opted for the Hotel Linda as (a) the price was right and I was also able to secure a half board package which meant that I did not have to scratch around daily to find somewhere to eat, and (b) it was a three star hotel, so it was reasonable to assume that it would be not too bad a place to stay for a fortnight and (c) I had previously established over the internet that it was close to the town and transport links, as it was not my intention to hire a car being unused as I am to driving on the right hand side of the road.

I was not to be disappointed at all; although the hotel is not new, the facilities provided were ample enough to put a smile on my face. My wife was unable to come due to work commitments; hence I made the supreme sacrifice and decided to take a fortnight's holiday in Majorca on my own!! (I needed a break badly; I hadn't been away for two years due to a back problem which had put me on the sick list for twelve months just over a year ago). Although I had only booked a single room, I was however extremely pleased to find that I had been allocated a double room to myself although I was a solo traveller. My room (number 201) had a balcony overlooking the swimming pool area and the room itself, although basic, was quite comfortable and had it's own bathroom, television and safety deposit box (although you were charged €22 per week to use the safety deposit facility).

Where Hotel Linda really scored points was in the dining room - being on a half board package I took breakfast and dinner each day. It was buffet style - help yourself and there was a good selection of German and English dishes on offer every day. More importantly the dishes were changed daily which meant that you never tired of eating the same things each day and the dining room was really clean and bright. The tablecloths were always clean and freshly laundered and it really was a great place in which to eat your food. The fried eggs and bacon at breakfast were the best that I have ever encountered from a buffet selection and the chicken pieces at dinner time were really delicious. In addition to the excellent sweets and ice creams on offer, there was always a fine selection of fruit which one could select also and which would really had put many a greengrocer's shop to shame.

The hotel bar always seemed to be open and the hotel lounge which opened out onto the swimming pool area had comfortable seating and large screen televisions which one could watch. The hotel was kept very clean indeed and I encountered no problems with the staff, all of whom appeared to carry out their duties efficiently.

Room service was satisfactory, although one day the maids left fresh bed sheets in my room but failed to make the bed - oh well, we can all make mistakes, I suppose!
I did feel however that the bathroom in my room could had been kept a bit fresher smelling, more so bearing in mind that this is a hot country and that there was only one person (me) occupying the room - but then I could had always bought some disinfectant from the local 'Spar' shop myself, I suppose !

There was an internet station which the hotel guests could use situated in the hotel lobby, although to be truthful, I used the internet cafe in Ca'n Pastilla's main street not two minutes walk away from the hotel as it was cheaper.

Entertainment was provided for guests. There was daytime entertainment for the kids, but as I stayed there during term time this seemed to be a non starter. However, evening entertainment was provided for the adult guests which ranged from bingo to talent shows and this all seemed to be very popular, but I must admit that I preferred to enjoy a quiet drink in the evenings and consequently I did not join in.

The hotel was very convenient for the town (and about a quarter of a mile away from the sea front) and a lovely sandy beach stretches all the way from Ca'n Pastilla to Arenal which is about two and a half miles away (and yes, I did walk there AND BACK one lovely day). Arenal is very nice although there are great numbers of Germans there, but as I kept myself to myself this presented me with no problems whatsoever, and funnily enough the only problem I encountered was with the English as I did try to have a drink at the 'Sportsman' bar which I had previously gathered from its web site was British owned, but I was rudely turned away at lunchtime on a weekday and I was told that the place was closed (despite their web site advertising that they are open daily). In view of the abrasive reception which I received, I would most certainly not recommend the 'Sportsman' bar to my worst enemy which is a pity really as it rather spoilt Arenal for me. Anyway not to worry, I soon found a decent bar prepared to serve me a cold beer to revive me after my long walk from Ca'n Pastilla !

Ca'n Pastilla has the usual mix of souvenir shops, bars and the like and there are also two 'Spar' convenience stores in the town, but the one in the town centre is noticeably cheaper than the one on the seafront near the Anfora Hotel. Here you can buy a litre of wine for 59 cents (less than 70p), although if you wanted whisky it was cheaper to get it in the back streets of Palma for €4.50 (yes £3.15 a bottle!). There is also a good little market in the town centre held on Thursdays. There is an independent burger bar in the main street near to the 'Spar' store which serves great burgers and iced coke !

Transport links from Ca'n Pastilla are either taxi or bus -there is no railway. A taxi from the airport to Ca'n Pastilla costs €12, yet going back to the airport from the taxi rank in Ca'n Pastilla town centre it is only €10. I never did manage to work that one out! There are bus stops right outside Hotel Linda's front door from where the buses will take you to Palma (which costs €1.10), Arenal, Manacor, Caves of Drach and Valdermosa. The bus fares are very cheap and represent extremely good value for money.
The buses to Palma and Arenal are very frequent,(about every 10 minutes)but they are absolutely horrid to use as they are grossly overloaded and they have very few seats. If you do manage to get a seat, your troubles aren't over as the seats are hard plastic which are extremely uncomfortable and don't do a lot for your bum, to put it mildly. To be truthful, next time I go to Majorca I will seriously consider staying in Arenal (from where the number 15 bus starts) if only to get a seat on those wretched buses to Palma, as they all seem to be full up by the time that they get to Ca'n Pastilla.

The other buses to Valdermosa, Manacor and the Caves of Drach which pick up outside Hotel Linda are very comfortable and efficient, but be warned the service is very sparse. However, I used them for day trips and they were excellent - but folks, please make sure that you have the timetable details beforehand, which all being well should be posted on the bus stop, although the rain washed the Manacor and Caves of Drach timetable away whilst I was there in November, 2005.

What else can I add ? - Not a lot I feel as I think that I have covered most points, but I will conclude by saying that if I was offered the chance of staying again at the Hotel Linda in Ca'n Pastilla, my answer would be YES PLEASE. I think that you would enjoy this hotel too - give it a try - I really don't think that you will be disappointed!