Spain - Costa Del Sol/Gibraltar Discussion Forum

Discussions regarding holidays in the Costa Del Sol.
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Lovely photos Shirley thanks 👍 You missed your vocation


Thanks Glynis x
I don't mind taking a few photos, we don't go out of our way to take them, if I'm (we) are passing or exploring somewhere new and my tablet is in my bag, it doesn't take more than a few seconds to quickly aim and press a button.
Some are lob sided, some could have been taken from a better angle or in better light, but these are quickly taken snaps for this topic, so I'm not bothered if they're not perfect.

Sanji x
  • Edited by Sanji 2017-05-02 08:34:46
    Typo errors
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Thanks for the reply sanji. Have you read the reviews? I am so worried about staying and really not looking forward to it!
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I've been & read them Loo & yes, I too would be concerned. However I'd be reassured by Sanji's report as I know she will speak as she finds & wouldn't be happy with low standards.

I did notice that some of the reviews were first posts & seemed to be there around the same time & they've posted at a similar time. It could be, that some of the reports are from the same group....... If it was me, I'd be reassured by Sanji's opinion.
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I've read some of the reviews on TA and whilst everyone is entitled to their opinion, I can only give my opinion based on my experience, and therefore you must make a decision on what is best for you and your family.
To address some of the points raised by others....
There are 596 rooms in this complex, so when the hotel is full and there's two people per room....that's 1, 200 people here, plus any 'extra' children. I've read 3 or maybe 4 reviews where people have mentioned having stomach problems.

Some people have stayed in other Rui hotels and they are comparing this hotel to them. I have never stayed in a Rui hotel before, so I can only compare this hotel to another famous 4 star hotel further down the resort, where we usually stay.
I have Crohn's disease, diagnosed 3 years ago and it's completely changed my life with regards to what I can now eat, and I've had no problems here with the food.
There were a lot of Spanish families here when we arrived, with children of all age groups, including babies requiring bottles to be made up.

Regarding the noise......Not all the rooms are the same, we are staying in the nine floor main building that was the hotel Belplaya. This front line hotel was built in 1972 and the walls are thick, therefore unless someone was being exceptionally noisy, we have heard nothing and we've had one lovely maid who is working on this floor all by herself.
We've got to know a couple here who are staying in the low-rise rooms, and after peeking at my photos, she said that they don't have two sinks or a sofa in their room, and you can hear next door occupants. This is because we have brick internal walls and they have breeze blocks between them.

I can't comment on the alcoholic drinks because I don't touch alcohol, however I will agree that the fruit juices, although I only tried the orange juice, it was very sweet and full of sugar, so I never had any more. My hubby has been worse for wear some nights, so the brandy has been strong enough for him.

Last Friday and Saturday the weather was foul, it was cold and the wind was driving the rain in all directions, so people were getting wet under the walk-ways to the restaurant, and umbrellas would have been wrecked within a few minutes. You shouldn't have that problem in the summer.

The restaurant couldn't cope when it was bad weather because it was the only place to eat and stay dry. Since then the pressure in the restaurant has eased off because people are eating outside on the terrace.

The weather must have been hot before we arrived and there's comments about having no air conditioning. No hotel that I've stayed in, in Spain, will switch on the air con until the 1st May at the earliest.
We've found this hotel to be cold and draughty up and down the corridors, the warmest place has been either sat in the reception or in our room during the evenings.

I don't like the restaurant, it's too big for me, the tables are too close together and I like a nice white tablecloth on the table, even at breakfast. It reminds me of a cafe in our high street stores, and I like less people walking about to get their food and a more relaxed atmosphere at meal times.
This is just my personal preference.

We tried the Italian restaurant last night, it was very nice and very civilised.
I'd have to think long and hard about ever coming back and unless I could be guarenteed a room in the same building, the answer would be a definite No!.
Having tried AI quite a few years ago, we decided to give it another go........ All Inclusive is not our cup of tea.

Hope this has helped. It's just my honest opinion...... I've written this from a sunbed looking at the beach/sea and having a sombrero up to stop my tablet from frying, 😁


Sanji x
  • Edited by Sanji 2017-05-03 17:42:27
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Thanks Sanji for such a detailed, helpful reply. Glad the sun's out 🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞
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Thank you so much for a very detailed reply. I have decided I will just have to decide for myself although I was very worried about the sickness bug I'm hoping it will of cleared by June!!

Regarding the room I looked at your pictures and it looked lovely I really hope we have one like yours. Did you upgrade or is that standard?

once again thank you for the detailed review.
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Loo
Sickness bug????
Not while I've been here. I've not heard anyone even mention anything about people being ill.
And I've not seen one person, not one use the hand sanitiser gel, which is positioned at the restaurant door before entering the restaurant.

Sanji x
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First a big thanks from us – we have been going to the CostaLago for years so obviously interested in reading what they have done with this
revamp. The location is ideal for us with the bus stopping outside and the
train station just 10 minutes away. We always sent an email asking for a room
in what was called the extension overlooking the Bowling Green and got it.Food was one of the attractions for us and yes I agree –ideal if you want to pile on the pounds. Never ever had any tummy troubles so
the TA reviews are puzzling. One point about reviews on TA against HT – here on HT we canbe sure real people are writing them.
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"Never ever had any tummy troubles so the TA reviews are puzzling."

I'm back home now and I'm finding it very puzzling because usually when there's a bug going around, you hear people saying things in the lift or a passing conversation, such as ...I've had nowt to eat because I've been bad with V&D or I've been in bed all day etc.
The restaurant has been full every night and this morning we went down to the restaurant early and we were surprised how many people were already in it.

We've had no problems at all, I've not even felt like being sick whilst there and it doesn't take much for me to be throwing up, even at home.

There's people complaining about arriving and their room not being ready until 2 pm. I noticed in the reception a notice saying check-in time was 2 pm and check out time 11am.
Our room was ready when we arrived, after a 6-10 am flight from Donny.

Sanji x
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PS:
Maybe Thomson need to get their flight times a bit more coordinated with this hotel's check-in times or get the hotel's check-in times changed, and at the same time still giving the maids time to clean the rooms.
Just a thought. :wink
I'm beginning to feel very lucky because we've had no problems, I got the room I requested, my room was ready when we arrived, they remembered it was Dave's birthday and sent up a bottle of plonk to the room.......and for all the faults I've found with this hotel, such a the size of the restaurant and the trekking up and down to get food, which by the end of the holiday I was totally fed up with it.... neither of us have been ill.

Sanji x
  • Edited by Sanji 2017-05-04 19:46:48
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Good to hear you weren't ill. I've worried myself so much religiously checking TA! About the check in it did actually state when we booked that you can't check in until 2pm so people can't really
xomplain or knock it down on that.
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A few more photos.
These are the walk-ways connecting areas around the complex. This one connects the restaurant to the reception.

http://i66.tinypic.com/2je5ksx.jpg

These room are opposite the above walk way.

http://i65.tinypic.com/9vazip.jpg

Part of the Andalusian restaurant.

http://i63.tinypic.com/28a69uu.jpg

http://i65.tinypic.com/2r2vwh5.jpg

Part of the Italian restaurant

http://i68.tinypic.com/m21br.jpg

Entertainment area.

http://i65.tinypic.com/2cprwjk.jpg
  • Edited by Sanji 2017-05-05 13:36:51
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👍👍👍👍 Thanks
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It is nice to see a positive review of this hotel as we have been on trip advisor and hearing terrible things that food and drink are rubbish and there is a big going around and lots of people have been struck down with this o am at my wits end worrying about what we are going to people saying its standards and food drink are not of a 4 * any information on this would be grateful xx
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It was too big to fit in my scanner, so I've scanned two parts and pasted them together...... although not quite lined up.

Map of complex .

http://imageshack.com/a/img923/1166/Ppwfqe.jpg

Sanji x
  • Edited by Sanji 2017-05-12 22:56:20
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Post removed due to breaching Forum rules.
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Viktor.
Your post is giving links to restaurants, which has nothing to do with the RIU Costa del Sol, all inclusive complex in Torremolinos.

Sanji
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