could any one tell me what the weather is like in santa ponsa at the moment, going on friday with a few mates and what the jairdin del mar apartments are like for example accomadation and the age group in the apartments,also is it easy to find your way into town from these apartments

Sunny and 92f , see

http://weather.yahoo.com/forecast/SPXX0061.html

We have reviews of the Jardin del Mar HERE

HTH

luci

Hi Fun Fun

We stayed at the Jardin del Mar and June and are going back again in October.

They are lovely apartments really clean and the pool area is really nice - stunning views across the bay. The apartments arent massive they have a small kitchen, a lounge/dining area, balcony, twin bedroom and a bathroom. There was 3 of us in our apartment and it was ideal for us - we only used it as a base as we went out every day and only used it for sleeping and showering - we never cooked any meals there. Kitchens have 2 hot rings, fridge, sink & loads of cupboard space. Plenty of room in the fridge for beers & bacardi!!

The age groups there were really mixed from early twenties to pensioners.

The entertainment near to the hotel in the Square was quite family orientated but we had a few good nights sitting outside the Brazil bar watching some of the tribute bands.

All the main nightlife is about 10 minutes walk downhill from the apartments - come out of reception walk in front of the supermarket up some steps and then down into the town. You pass numerous bars and restaurants on the way - really easy walk not a steep hill.

I'm sure you will have a great time and that the weather will be hot hot hot.

If you need any more info - bars & restaurants etc just send me a pm - although I think you will easily find places and there are so many there to suit every taste.

Have a great time.

Carmel

Hi,

Does anyone know of any tour op's in the UK that still use this hotel. It is in Santa Ponsa

I was there last year and it was great however the only companies I can find now are Irish ones that only fly from Ireland

Looking for Summer '06

Cheers,

G

Hi have seen this hotel in the skytours,got it down as one of my possibles for next year :)also looked it up on thomsons website

Great choice of hotel - we were there this June and it was excellent. We went with Skytours - have a look on Thomsons web site. Noticed there was also a company called Budget Holidays there.

We are going back for a week in October and have booked cheap flights through BMI Baby and have booked the hotel direct through an agency that does accommodation only. Have saved £300 doing it this way compared to Skytours price. The only thing we will have as an extra is the transfer from the airport and back.

Have already got flights booked for next June to Palma and will book accommodation later in the year. We keep thinking of going somewhere different but Santa Ponsa and the Jardin del Mar would take some beating.

If you want any info about booking accommodation direct or any info on the hotel or reset just send me a pm.

Hope this helps

Carmel

Have just compared prices again for the week we have booked in October - the brochure price for 2 people for 1 week with Skytours
is £885!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We have paid £460 for the same week booking it ourselves - massive saving.

We only have the transfer to pay for which I reckon will be about 30 euros each way.

I know booking through travel agencies & tour operators is more expensive but I dont know how they can charge these inflated prices. You do not even get the services of a rep - you are just given the Thomson resort phone number when you arrive for booking excursions or if you have a problem - there wasnt even a rep helping check in when we were coming home - I ended up directing people from check in to the departure gate (I used to be a rep and old habits die hard!!).

Hope everyone gets a bargain for their next hol

Carmel

hi carmel,that was a bargain would you say this hotel was suitable for
famlies?do they have a mini disco and entertainment

Jardin del Mar is a great choice for a family - we have a five year old and he loved going in the pool. There is also a small football pitch and a childrens play area - slides climbing frame, play house etc. There was also 2 outdoor pool tables.

My only concern was that although the childrens pool is fine the main pool was very deep - over 7' in the middle - but we just made sure we took it turns supervising swimming.

There was entertainment on in the hotel every night and a mini disco to start - although I am ashamed to say we never went to anything at the hotel - there was too much going on in the resort.

Right behind the hotel is The Square and that has entertainment on every night - central stage surrounded by bars - kids disco and games followed by tribute bands. Down in the town there are also a couple of child friendly bars - Electric Beach & Berlington Berties - they both have bouncy castles, playstations and loads for kids to do.

This is a link to the hotel - when it launches click on virtual tour and you can see round the hotel.

http://www.barcelo.com/Barcelo/EN/Producto/Europa/Espana/Mallorca/JardinDelMar/Situacion/Ubicacion.htm?cHotel=70

We were very impressed by the standard of facilities and the cleanliness. I dont think you will be disappointed.

Carmel

thanks for that,our youngest will be 5 next year and we had a great superfamliy holiday this year however cant afford a £2000 holidayevery year.But this hotel works out really affordable booking flights and that.Kids never want to go to the clubs just swimming and MINI DISCO and i love wondering around resorts and people watching

We're going there 23rd.

Anyone have a 1 bed room apartment when there?

Is there a bed(s) /sofa bed(s) in the living area? Should I book a sea view now or take my chance, see what I'm allocated/book then?

DT123

11 sleeps to go!

The one bedroomed apartments have a sofa bed in the lounge - it is a proper single bed - you just add some cushions at the back to convert it into a setee - it was very comfy!! There is also room for a camp bed if you need more beds. Although the sofa was plenty big enough to top & tail 2 little ones.

All rooms have a sea view - but some of the views are side on - the hotel is L shaped so 2 sides overlook the pool and sea and the other side have a view of the aparment block next door and side view of the sea.

Personally I would pay the extra for a frontal sea view (or email the hotel and request a room overlooking the pool - you may be allocated one at no extra charge!) - some people we met had a room at the side and they said they were disappointed with the view and it was noisy early in the morning with deliveries to the supermarket next door.

Have fun - only 7 weeks to go.

Carmel

Thanks Carmel!

Picture taken from our balcony - frontal sea view

This was taken at 8 in the morning - note all the reserved sunbeds

photo removed

Carmel

Beautiful!

Have to admit to being an early riser for that very reason for years!

Dick

Carmel, see your P.M.

Came back from Jardin Del Mar a few weeks ago.

To say some of the rooms have a side sea view is stretching the imagination somewhat. You would be looking at a big concrete wall that runs alongside the slip road/service road to the side of the hotel. Yes if you stand on your balcony and look right you can see the sea but dependent on where your room is you'll be looking across another 6 or so balconies! In my opinion you must have a sea view and it's well worth paying extra for!

If your very lucky there are a couple of rooms that have huge terraces and the apartments on one aspect have triple sized balconies. Great position but probably booked well in advance.

Entertainment. Hmmmm, we asked if there was regular evening entertainment and was dissapointed with Bingo one night, a quiz the next, then an act, Flamenco or similar, then Bingo, then a Quiz etc., Hardly what we would call a full programme! The square is the plece to go and it's literally 3 minutes walk so you'll not be dissapointed.

That's the negatives out of the way!

This hotel is extremely good. Unlike a traditional tiny hotel room the apartments are spacious and having a fridge, hob, dining table etc., makes all the difference. We made the 'mistake' of going half board but with hindsight would have gone bed and breakfast and eaten in most but not all nights choosing to book as we went as there were no savings to be made by booking HB beforehand. That's not because the food was bad, quite the opposite it was very good, lots of variety and with 2 finnicky teenagers trying stuff and leaving it the option was always there to get second helpings to make sure we ate well.

This is a good hotel ina great location and you'll thoroughly enjoy it i'm sure!

One last tip. We ate out on the last night and having met one of the locals, an agent for villas the other side of the bay we asked where the best value restaurant was. We didn't want anything fancy just good wholesome food and somewhere where we wouldn't get ripped off. We'd been keeping our eyes open but had missed this ladies reccomendation! As you come out of the front doors the tendency is to go right. Walk 20 yards to the left and the last restaurant, who's name escapes me, that sits on the other side of the road served up some good well priced meals. Not the Ritz but worth a try.

Myself, wife & little boy aged 8 stayed at the Jardin Del Mar at the end of June / start of July this year, we loved these apartments, we stayed self catering & we booked after reading the reviews on this site. We always look for only 10 or 11 nights as in our view a week is too short & 2 weeks too long, they also had air conditioning in the apartments which we feel is a must. The rooms are basic, but are kept spotlessly clean & the staff are very friendly & helpful. The views from the apartments are fantastic (but youve already seen this from the photo posted above) we paid £2 per night extra for a sea view & we werent disapointed, I loved sitting on the balcony with a beer at the end of the night listening to the sea wash over the rocks - fantastic!! The location was great too, the bus service on this part of the island was terrible, so it was fortunate that a taxi rank was just the other side of the road, the prices were reasonable & the drivers all seemed very friendly & imformative, we had to queue on a couple of occasions during the day but the one evening we went to Palma Nova for Crazy Golf we didnt have to wait at all. We loved Santa Ponsa & agree with the family bars mentioned above, I must add to them Scotch Corner which is right the other side of the bay by Crocodilos & near our favourite eatery called "Oeste" it was delicious in that place. We only had one gripe about our stay at the Jardin Del Mar - Sun Beds, our 1st few days there was no problem getting 3 sun beds together, but the last week
This was the worst place I have been to for people reserving sun beds with towels. We've stayed all over Majorca & never come across anywhere like this, usually by 8.30 every sun bed was reserved, sometimes even chairs were taken from the pool cafe & a towel draped over them. I felt sorry for Spanish guests who would bring their family out in the morning & have to sit on the floor despite alot of beds being unoccupied. The most annoying thing was that some people who had reserved beds wouldnt turn up till late afternoon & some never turned up at all. Who were these people? Germans probably! No, they were Irish
Due to this we ended up going to the beach most days as we couldnt be bothered queing bleary eyed with towels under our arms each morning at 8.00 to try & reserve beds.
I'd reccomend these Apartments to anyone, but I,d make them aware of the antics of the Irish & their towels