Hi Alan, we'll be there in a couple of weeks - staying in a private apartment again, rather than the Moreyo. We got such a good deal when we went in 2008 there's no way they could have made a profit on our stay. It cost £454 for 2 bedrooms for 2 weeks with 5 of us on B&B basis We contacted the hotel and asked for rooms on 1st floor overlooking pool and we got lucky I guess as we had rooms exactly where we wanted so I could throw our beach towels onto the sunbeds below just standing on the balcony. Wouldn't have fancied a room overlooking Pago Pago Beach Bar mind, the noise was dreadful...tho' I think they closed it down last year so things may be quieter.

I know what you mean about the decor and rooms....they are VERY dated but for what we paid, I honestly couldn't complain....I've stayed in a lot worse and they were, if nothing else kept nice and clean. We didn't drink in the bar but yes, the waiter did like to keep a close eye on proceedings...perhaps he was making sure no one nicked the breadbuns

We've stayed in privately owned apartments (Jimmy's) which are opposite the Don Jaime, not been inside but it looks nice from outside and nice large pool area ...we did enjoy their entertainment too.....Kraut Karaoke both years we stayed at Jimmy's was hilarious especially when someone was singing the German favourite 'The Lemon Tree'....actually singing is a bad description, crucifying it would be more apt. Gave us many laughs!

Glad to hear you'll give Eileen & Pedro's a visit while you are there.They are a lovely couple, our kids love them both to bits, actually we all do.

I've got suitcases packed barring a few last minute things and we are now offically on countdown....I can't wait!!!!!

Tis

Hi Tis,
Whilst I was at work yesterday, my lovely wife decided to book the hotel, as she thinks I was taking to long to decide she tried booking the Don Jaime with Travel Republic, but when she came to the payment page the price had gone up by £85 each, after a few tries she gave up and tried the Moreyo, again she had problem with the booking system so she called them direct, she was told by what she describes as a grumpy old man that it would cost €215 for 2 adults bed and breakfast (which is about £40 more than booking with an online holiday company) and she cannot request a room with either a sea or pool view and who does she think she is to ask for this, so she told him where to stick his hotel and put the phone down :D. So she decided to book the Arcos Playa apartments in S'illot, but as we will have a hire car we will still be visiting Cala Bona and Cala Millor regularly as I love both places, so we will definitely be trying Eileen and Pedro's and of course my favorite the London Inn.

Alan and Dara

Hi Alan, sorry to hear your wife's problems with booking yesterday...TR must have had a glitch on their system but the same obviously can't be said of the grumpy old man at the Moreyo! What a cheek!!!! Sad thing is, the 2 sisters who seem to run the hotel are lovely and so accomodating...the hotel, from what I've been told, was on the brink of closure back in 2007 and I think that's why we got such a good deal thru' TR in 2008. Whoever the grumpy man is, he wants to stay off the phone otherwise they won't have any guests!

Let us know how you get on with the Arcos Playa apts in S'illot....looked at them last year before we booked direct with owner of our apartment, liked the look of them so I'd be more than interested to read your review upon your return...who knows we may decide to go away next year!

Tis

No problem Tis I will give you my honest opinion when we come back, but we dont leave for 10 weeks, wish it was tomorrow when we go. As for the Moreyo, I have called them this lunch time and talked with one of the sisters, I told her all about my wife's terrible call to them yesterday and she was really upset and apologetic, I told her they will be losing business if they do not get it sorted soon. She said that she was very sorry and that if we still wanted to book she would give us a discount, I told her it is too late as we have booked elsewhere. She has my email now and said will contact me if they are still open next year, she said that this years trade has been well down on previous years and that they have to decide what to do during the winter break when the hotel is closed.
It will be sad if they do close down.

Alan

Al

I'm so glad you reported this to one of the sisters as they can't sort the problem if they don't know one exists. If you hadn't I was going to PM you to ask if I could inform them as I know they will be genuinely upset. I think because it is such a family run affair, they all have to be 'jack of all trades' and any of the staff near the reception when the phone goes has to answer it if the sisters are elsewhere. It seems your wife spoke to someone who needs to be kept well away from the phones. Regarding the prices, I think a lot of people are surprised that it is more expensive to book direct but the tour operators pre-book a certain number of rooms at discounted prices and can offer cheaper rates.

Tis - how's the holiday countdown going? - not long to go now!

I'm glad you've made the sister's at the Moreyo aware of the situation, I just know from personal experience that they couldn't have been nicer or more accomodating and the reception your wife got was not what I would call the norm. Hopefully the man has been put well and truly in his place and told to stay away from the phones.

I would be genuinely saddened to see the Moreyo go, hope they can sort something out and stay running....

Tippi - 11 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi Tis
Hope you have a fab time , although you know I don't really need to tell you that !!
Have lots of fun and relax .... enjoy a glass or 2 for me

Don't forget to say hi to Eileen & Pedro from me !!
Love Lou xx

Hya Lou

I will try my very best to have a fab time.....I can't quite believe we're only 10 days away from going!!!! Will deffo say Hi to Eileen & Pedro for you and I might, just might have a glass or 2 for you

xx

Hey Tis,
you give mine and Bevs love, to Dave and Doreen, let them know I will be out there, 25th, 26th, 27th, of October for their "end of an era party!", big hugs to Joyce, Jeanette, and Lesley. God I'm just so sad the place is going, bet you are too? How long before Smithy's, Janet and John's, The Rope and Anchor, The Smugglers, to name but a few, sad days really. We have Santa Ponsa booked for next year, I know, the other end of the island, but better for Bev, and dialysis, she can get a cab, to the centre, so no need to hire a car. Hey, who would have ever guessed, it would come to this, anyway Tis you have a great time, you your other half, and the kids, enjoy yourself, you deserve it.

Garry and Bev x

Hi Garry & Bev - will pass on your love to Dave & Doreen for deffo! Was looking at businesses for sale in Cala Bona and Cala Millor and got quite a shock let me tell you....Beachboys up for sale, what appears to be Smugglers up for sale, also Snoddy's, Donkey's Rest and what appears to be Champions & Waterfront Bars plus a canny few others and that was just on 2 websites

Just about done with the packing....hate this bit....I am SOOOOOOOOO stressed! Will only relax once I've beaten the scrum onto the plane and got our seats! Just keeping everything crossed that this planned ATC strike doesn't happen as I'm not relishing the idea of living out of a suitcase in PMI.

Adios Amigos!

TIS
Have a FANTASTIC holiday !!
Can't wait to hear all about it !
Hope you have no problems with the strike .

Enjoy and have fun
Lou xx

Hey Tis, I am so sorry, your favourite bars, and cafe's are going, here are just a few, Mojo (Snoddy's), Donkeys rest, Sonny's, Sweety Man, Champions, El Pescador, Rope and Anchor, and the Smugglers bar, are just a few, I have noticed from the internet. I have no doubt there a lot more, will await your reply
Garry and Bev XXX

Hello All

We are back! Landed into Newcastle early hours of yesterday...survived both going and coming on Easyjet tho' not sure I'd be keen to do a night flight to PMI with them again, handing out drinks to already well oiled passengers resulted in a near punch up as we were getting off.....could and should have been avoided! Pleased I paid for SB as we got the seats we wanted tho' the amount of ignorant peeps trying to push in when you were clearly in a queue seriously got my back up!

Found my beloved resort pretty much as it's always been - a few minor changes, a few shops closed down, a few new ones opened but on the whole it was pretty much as it was when we were last there in 2008. Weird seeing Shaun's Crazy Corner closed down and all shut up but great to see Julie's (Sweet Shop) doing a roaring trade.....her caramello icecream is still lush! We found Peter's Corner Shop (up road from Sol Y Mar) which sold mostly English stuff and did most of our food shopping in either Eroski, Bip or Lidl.

It was wonderful to see Eileen & Pedro again. Pedro's sarnies at €1.60 are fantastic value and freshly prepared in front of you! Spirit prices are very good too! Lou I said 'Hi' from you - Eileen's hoping to have a computer by Christmas and I've said we'll have on here and Facebook in no time at all. Saying goodbye on Friday was just awful, they're both so lovely they mean the world to us all and I got very teary!

Garry, I passed on your and Bev's love, they said you'd been in touch and they were looking forward to seeing you both in October!

We ate out at CHEERS (as usual), Argos Bar, Winstans, Donkey's Rest & London Inn and didn't have a bad meal anywhere. While most said business had picked up, general opinion seemed to be that the all inclusive hotels had pretty much killed business for most bars!

We stayed in a private apartment on the promenade sandwiched between the Bonamar and Marins Playa Suites (formerly Hotel Temi) the latter is absolutely FAB, it's pools were something else! We spent most of our time at beach and nipped into the Atolon on an afternoon for a couple of hours and kids used the pool and we ordered a couple of drinks.

A friend suggested a day our at La Reserva in Sa Coma and if anyone is going to Cala Bona, Cala Millor or Sa Coma I would SERIOUSLY recommend it. It's a small aqua park of sorts surrounded by sunbeds and once inside it's all inclusive - drinks, ice creams, breakfast, lunch and tea. Open from 10.30am till 5.30am it's open to Protur hotel/apt guests and 'outsiders'. As outsiders we paid €27 per adult and €13.50 per child but if you are Protur hotel/apt guests this is considerably cheaper! Really was a great day out, kids loved the pools, loads to do and all ages accomodated.

Took my mobile (Vodafone) and after 5 short phonecalls home and about 30 texts we hadn't even spent a tenner so in all honesty I didn't miss the telephone kiosk as much as I thought I would.

Beach in Cala Bona wasn't as clean as usual and both boys were stung with what we think was jellyfish - both had quite severe weels on their skin which stung like mad. That said we only saw one so I can't be 100% that that's what it was.

Hey Tis,
it's not what it was though, thanks by the way, for remembering us to the London Inn, glad you, and yours, had a good holiday.
Re the email, you sent me, about the places that were up for sale, my god I was flabbergasted. How long have you got, going from the harbour, The Smugglers, The Rope and Anchor, The London Inn, The Moreyo, Champions, the Waterfront. Sonny's, and the sweet shop next to him,Donkeys rest, Mojo but guess, you will have figured that out for yourself. Hey we had some really good meals there, they did a couple of mean pasta dishes, spag bol, and carbonara, they were really great. We also believe Yates's, are having a bad time too.

Hey we have booked for Santa Ponsa next year, we let you know the out come,

Garry and Bev x

No Garry, it's not what it was but on the surface changes weren't as dramatic as I'd been expecting. With the exception of Mojo's there were no signs showing that businesses were up for sale.

Smugglers was deathly quiet most of the time from what we could see, their son was working at Janet & Johns we noticed. The Rope & Anchor seemed a busier place all together but we didn't eat there as the tables outside were a bit too close together for my liking and I'd have felt a bit claustraphobic.

The main problem with Yates so far as I can see is that a few of their tables are VERY close to the cycle track which would put me off to be honest and unfortunately the sewage coming up thru' the drains from in front of the Bonamar is STILL happening (happened first few days of us being there) and despite it being cleared up relatively quickly there is a slight 'odour' lingering (perhaps our imagination) and that in itself was enough to keep us away.

On the subject of the cycle track....found it to be a complete pain especially by those tables at Yates and Brother Bear - it was so close you had to swap sides or run the risk of being side swiped and therre was still eejits who completely ignored the thing!

I think everyone is just praying for signs of improvement...I spoke with the lady in Pireo on Friday as I changed our last TC and she said they pray things will get better. For years she's always given the best rate in resort by either 1 or 2 cents but this year she was on par with the others and on one or 2 occasions was a cent under (this year we found HOLA SHIRTS under the Alicia giving the best rate generally) but as she has the shop I guess she'll be seeing a big difference there. People are shopping around to get the best deals and prices do vary considerably between shops for the exact same items - we saw identical flamenco dresses for €8.50 and €18.00 to prove a point.

They seriously need to look at the walkway from what was Burger King (now a Spar) under Gran Sol Apts thru' to the Levante.....the path is seriously bad and whilst I know it will cost a lot of money to put it right, it would improve things considerably and make the place look tidier. I haven't been put off going back, don't think it'll be next year tho'.

One thing we noticed in Cala Ratjada was doggy poop bag dispensers - FAB idea, think they should have them everywhere including here at home!

Tis x

Hi Everyone!

reading all the comments I cannot wait till this Sat when we will be arriving in Cala Millor!! Have previously stayed at The alicia and also the Talayot which is the one we are staying at this time, really like both hotels, especially the view of the Med - Bliss!!

Sad to hear of all the places up for sale, in our time we have visited them all, Donkeys Rest/Champions are 2 faves, champions going back to when the lovely Donna and the late Danny (also lovely guy) ran it. So not all good news.

We love Cala Millor/Bona and so look forward to going back, each time we choose somewhere else we nearly always end up going to Cala Millor the following year!

The race track is the only thing that bugs us to be honest!!

Keep the comments coming - Roll on Sat Yippee!!!

Tony

Hey Tis,
as I recall, they have had doggy poop bags in Cala Rajada, for a long time, they had them the first time me and my missus went there, about 5 years ago, on a scooter from Cala Bona. Aahh the market in Cala Rajada, great market, Saturday morning I remember it so well, we went to that restaurant on the right of it for tortilla, sat here with all the locals.
Tis, sadly Cala Bona is going the way of all the resorts on the island, I too will be sad to see it go, there are just not enough Brits out there to support it, they are all going AI, which doesn't help the local bars. You must have seen around the harbour, at the end of the night, Germans, Norwegians, Swedish, not many Spanish or English people.
We are off to Santa Ponsa next year, as I've told you Dave and Doreen from the London Inn are throwing in the beer mats, can't wait for the square, never been there before though. It will probably be really strange, but hey I do know a few people from around there. Glad you enjoyed your time there, you and CBG wouldn't even know the place now, it is changing, do you know they have to dig up the Hotel Cala Bona's foundations, hey the first hotel in Cala Bona. They have discovered it is sinking, the Cala Bona now has to spend about 3 million on renovations, this winter.
Garry and Bev x

Hya Garry

Yeah, I'd heard about the Cala Bona Hotel and was really shocked....just can't imagine the harbour without it as it is and as I think I've said on another thread, if it took them the best part of 3 years to gut and refurb the Gran Sol how long is it going to take for them to gut, demolish and rebuild the Hotel Cala Bona? About 10 years I reckon! The frontage just won't be the same tho' I noticed several other buildings along that stretch had Hotel Cala Bona signage so perhaps they'll keep them open????? I'm guessing that's what they'll do as Thomson are still selling holidays there next summer!

We weren't out late at night, I liked to be back in the apartment around 9.30pm, 10pm at latest so can't comment on which nationalities were about but certainly earlier on in an evening the British eateries (with exception of Smugglers) were pretty full as was bar of Cala Bona hotel. The Chinese restaurants (Cala Bona & Cala Millor) seemed very quiet but perhaps busied up later at night?

Whilst I'd agree the resort is changing, I don't see it changing that rapidly and I wouldn't say it was changing for the worse necessarily. I'd personally hate to see it go the way of Cala Ratjada with a non-existant British feel and I wouldn't want to see it go the way the bottom end of Cala Millor is, full of Germans but a little bit of all nationalities I don't see a problem with.

We can only hope that the British Bars that will be left will be stronger albeit on the back of someone else's failure to make it work in their own bars. I honestly can't see Brits stopping going there unless our main tour operators pull out and I can't see that happening in the forseeable future and certainly from what we saw over the last couple of weeks certainly wouldn't put me off going back at all. Have spoken with 2 lots of friends over there and nothing they have said has given any great cause for concern about the resort......things do change over a period of time and not all change has to be bad so all we can do is see how it goes.

We probably won't be going back next year as we've got stuff to do in the house which is going to cost us but I've got details for different apartments and God willing we'll be back again in 2012....that's certainly my intention cos' if it's not Cala Bona/Cala Millor it'll be nowhere, just can't imagine going anywhere else! Hopefully the economy will have improved sufficiently for both the UK and Spain in that time and any problems that are visable now will sort themselves out. I certainly hope so.

Tis x

I presume its the older block on the harbour of the Cala Bona hotel? If thats the case what will happen about the entertainment? I cannot imagine what it would be like and as Tis said for how long? I am looking to book my hotel or apartment for next year soon definately Cala Bona, I've been going for 40years or so,so I'm not gonna change now.CBG