On arrival I was impressed with the cleanliness of the grounds and the rooms. The room was never really cleaned the whole week I was there; the maid just emptied the bins and left clean towels, bedsheets were never changed.

The restaurant staff were very good, as soon as you were finished a course your plate was taken away. The food was not very good and you had to guess sometimes what you were eating. On some occasions the lunch was the evening meal from the previous night!

Entertainment was what you would expect at a holiday village - all for kids under ten.

There is a sports bar but that didn't open till 8pm, so no afternoon footie!

The kids entertainment team worked really hard - kids were well looked after.

The pools were nice and clean but on a few occasions I noticed the female lifeguard was reading a book and not paying attention! Also keep an eye on any bags you have with you as I left my camera and glasses in a bag for a few moments at the poolside bar only to find it gone when I returned.

There was one 12 year old in our party,she just seemed to be too old for some activities and too young for others!

We are a family of 4 with 2 children aged 8 and 4 and having visited the Benalmadena Holiday Village 4 or 5 times in the past we decided to try the Holiday Village Majorca where we had a really great time. It differed in many ways to the Benalmadena one and had its good and bad points.

The beach is only about a 15 minute walk away where there are lots of shops and bars and restaurants. The beach is lovely and the sea is very safe for young children and the Oasis Bar is definitely worth a visit as there is a live tribute band on nearly every night and gets really busy.

The Holiday Village itself is very clean and the grounds are very well looked after. The rooms are very spacious though could probably do with an update. The staff are extremely friendly as are the First Choice Team (esp Ben and his team who work non-stop) and the Kids Clubs too are great. The food is of good quality with lots of choice and both of the restaurants are good too, though the Italian didnt have garlic bread which the kids were disappointed about. We never had to queue long for drinks and there were plenty of sunbeds though finding a place to put them could be a problem at times.

The entertainment team were great and there was always something going on from quizzes for the adults to treasure hunts for the kids. The evening entertainment after 10pm was pretty poor though and even the outside acts werent very good though the team worked very hard and put a lot of effort in with the kids entertainment and bingo which couldnt be faulted.

The only faults we could find which we found a pain with having a 4 year old are that there are no toilets in the main restaurant and you have to use the ones in the main bar which is a bit of a walk away and there are only 3 or 4. This is a pain at meal times when you are about to eat and your child needs a toilet visit. Also the three main pools are too deep for little ones. My youngest had his armbands on at all times as we were too frightened in case he fell in as he wanted to play with his sister in the big pools. However the splash pool is fantastic but too shallow and too busy for youngsters to practice swimming in and it was also extremely difficult to get sunbeds round the splash pool as it was very popular with families who had babies and toddlers with it being so shallow.

Another thing we found disappointing was that the majority of the tables and chairs at the pool bar were set up about 4.30pm for the Caribbean Grill Restaurant. If you wanted to sit and have a drink away from the pool but close enough to see the children you were stuck after 4.30pm as the waiters only left about 3 or 4 tables out and everyone wanted them and the other bar wasnt close enough to watch the children from. The restaurant when we were there never looked like all the tables were being used so maybe it could have been partitioned off a bit better. Also the pool bar shut at 6pm however the main bar was open if you needed refreshments.

We went to the Welcome Meeting on arrival where we were informed of all the activities going on and around the hotel and the trips available.

We had a very enjoyable morning at Marineland where we watched the Dolphin Show which was brilliants and saw lots of other sea creatures. This really was a good place to visit and the kids loved it. In the afternoon we were took to the Aqua Park which again was fantastic and the kids and ourselves loved it. There were lots of rides that even our 4 year old could go on which we were pleased about.

The only downside to the holiday overall is that when we booked our trip we were charged twice by the holiday rep in reception and I am still trying to recover the money back from First Choice. The rep used a hand held machine in the foyer and struggled getting a signal. He then told me the first transaction hadnt gone through and that he would have to do it again. This was on the second day of our holiday which was nearly 20 days ago and we have still not been reimbursed. So really the aftercare you receive from Thomson/First Choice really is very disappointing having sent our receipts in and bank statements.

Apart from the above we really did have a good holiday and would recommend this Village to others. We have booked for the new one in Tenerife next year and hopefully the evening entertainment will be better as with both of the Holiday Villages we have been to this really lets First Choice down and more money should be spent on evening entertainment.

Just returned from holiday here and was very surprised how clean everywhere was. The staff always seemed to be cleaning or maintaining the gardens, so every morning we got up everywhere was spotless even the rooms where cleaned daily to a very high standard.

We had a few concerns on what buffet food was going to be like but me and the wife and kids were taken aback by the food there was loads to pick from and it was beautifully cooked and presented there was something different every day.

The waiters could not do enough for you, as do the bar staff. The entertainment on general was good, First Choice staff did a brilliant job throughout day and night but some of the outside acts where a let-down. We couldn't ask for more from Ben and Laura and rest of the team, they had their hands full especially when some parents where just letting kids run riot, they acted like true professionals, well done first choice reps.

We would love to return one day and will recommend to anybody.

Lovely hotel - spacious and clean apartments - idea for our family of 4 with large balcony. The whole hotel is immaculate - how anyone can say it is dirty is beyond me. Rooms cleaned 5 days out of 7 [well, maids deserve time off too!]. TV with CBBC and CBeebies which kids enjoyed after a long day at the pool.

Food was great - good choice and always plentiful. Yes, it is repetititve after a while but that is the same with any hotel food. The restaurant is large and we never had to wait for a table. We didn't try the Carribean Grill and Italian as the reviews were not so good and we had everything we required at the buffet. As for sickness bugs, we never heard of anyone with this complaint.

There were no "chavs" as someone had previously stated. Everyone we met was very nice and there was no rowdy, loutish behaviour at all. Even though the place was full, the pools were never overcrowded and the service at the snack bar and pool bar was very speedy all thanks to the friendly waiters. Have to say that all of the staff were really nice.

The pool is lovely with lots of sunbeds. Yes, to bag a brolly you have to be poolside for about 7.45 but if you don't get one there are lots of shady spots on the grass. The fact that there is a splash pool for the little ones leaves space in the larger pool for older children.

The village is very well laid out and I felt safe allowing my 9 year old to go off with his friends. Kids clubs are amazing, just as described in the brochure. Everything from fencing to canoeing to high ropes etc and stuff in the evening too. My kids only went a couple of times but there were lots of kids who went to everything - if yours join in they will have a ball. Kids club staff are great with them and have lots of patience!

Only a 10 minute walk to the resort which is very nice.

Now the downside! We booked this based on reviews from last year stating that the entertainment was great. Yes, it is during the day, but not so in the evenings. We met several people who had been previously and they couldn't believe that the format had been changed resulting in a big deterioration. To say they were disappointed would be an understatement! They even commented on the enthusiasm of the entertainment staff compared to last years too.

The team tried hard but each night the kids stuff consisted of 2 of the staff on the stage doing audience participation stuff with the kids. No kids disco which most kids expect on holiday. They do have the Widgets but it only seemed to engage some of the kids. As for the adult stuff - have to agree with previous reviews - it was very poor. The so called circus show didn't consist of any circus acts at all - just singing and with a black background at every show! Other nights it was audience participation stuff again which is only interesting if you know the people who are on the stage. The two outside acts weren't much better and for us, this did put a bit of a damper on proceedings. First Choice really have to address this as they charge enough money for this holiday which definitely isn't reflected in the evening entertainment. Highlight of the night was the bingo! Last year we were at a 3 star who brought in outside acts 4 nights out of 7 including a birds of prey show for the kids and the other nights the in house staff put on shows which were 10 times better than this years. I know that some people may like it but it just didn't do anything for us. The best show was when Spain won the World Cup.

On the whole, we loved this holiday and would definitely consider returning if they changed the entertainment programme back to what it used to be and I am sure that there are many others who feel the same.

Okay...this is the best family holiday I have ever had and the only thing I can fault is that I've put on 7lbs!!!
Cleanliness: Immaculate. It's amazing that with kids around the place is so clean. No litter, no soggy nappies, no sticky spillages, poolside was always immaculate and the restaurant is the most amazing cleaning machine I've seen. My toddler was always throwing food on the floor and someone was always there to clean up, I soon realised that he liked the cleaners saying hello to him not just being wild!

Hotel Food: I have a picky 6 year old and a husband that can eat for scotland and both ate really well. Great kids buffet and large variety of different meats, dishes, salads every afternoon and evening. Even have toddler friendly plates, cutlery and cups. You have to see the cake buffet to believe it! Chocoltae fountains, cakes, pies, tarts, sweets, gateaus, ice creams . . . not good for my diet!

Location: It is in a great location, just across a play park from the main streets of can picafort so not stepping out onto busy roads and lots of hotels. Only a 10 min walk to beach front, were the high standard of cleanliness and family friendly approach is present.

Staff: The waiters/waitresses/cleaners are all so friendly and approacable. My little one has came home speaking spanish and has had such a confidence boost by the patience of the staff teaching her spanish. These people must work a huge number of hours and despite this are all so pleasent. My little boy fell in love with everyone and the all took time to say hello to my kids.

Travel Staff: Well, were do I begin....firstly we were met by James who had such a great attitude to the resort and the facilities that we were all eager to get there. He was relaxed and had a great personal approach which we greatly appreciated as we were anxious going on our first holiday with our toddler and 6 year old.
Daniel - was really helpful when we needed advice on where to shop for essentials like nappies and told us were was best to go, also good at dancing with kids at night time!
Megan - She is fab. She came on the Marineland trip and helped us when our little one was sick. Always smiling and making sure that we were having a great time. Even when we bumped into her on her day off she took the time to chat and make sure everything was okay.
Helen - My little boy loved her! He chased her around and she was always so welcoming to the kids and the all adored her.

Entertainment - This has to be the best entertainment I have ever seen. Full cabaret acts are put on every evening by 5 members and a technician. Great voices, great dancers, great hair and strange leggings! My kids have loved every minute of this holiday and I have loved watching the dance about and sing. Loads for the kids to do during the day and all free! My little girl has tried archery, water walking, high ropes and loads more.

I am just about to search online for a deal for next year. This is the complete and ultimate family package holiday.....

The hotel was kept nice and clean at all times considering a lot of parents just let their kids leave rubbish all over the place. The choice of food was excellent, there was always something for everyone's taste...even my daughter enjoyed it and she's a fussy eater, the only down side was it could have been a bit hotter but that's one of the problems of having buffet style food. the restaurant staff were excellent, very attentive and quick at clearing away all the used plates. All in all, the staff in general were great, no faults what so ever! Entertainment wise, we couldn't really fault it. There was always something going on in the daytime and the evening entertainment was very enjoyable both for kids and adults. For those who moaned about the quality of the evenig entertainment, if you want Broadway style shows...go to Broadway, its a hotel, not a theatre! We'd like to know where the entertainers get all their energy from...Cheeky Charlie and Dan the Man were fantastic, even if Dan can't grow a real beard yet! they all make the kids feel like individuals rather than just another holiday maker, a great team! We can't wait to go back again.

you could'nt fought the cleanliness all the cleaners worked really hard.

you would never go hungry at this hotel, there was somthing for everybody.

the location of the hotel was ok just a little walk to the beach & shops.

the staff there were excellent.

the entertainment was ok. but best of all was the entertainers cheeky charlie and dan the man were top class. they all worked really hard every day. we had a great time will go back for sure. we met some lovley people and there children . will miss it alot. there is something for every body to do there and it goes on all day.

Hotel was fantastic, travelled with 2 children aged 6 and 3 and they had a ball! Always something going on, the entertainment team worked really hard all day and night. Kids loved dan the man, cheeky charlie and jazzy john. Mad entertainer called just jason - kids loved chasing him round the pool and jumping all over him ! In 2 Action team were great and kept the older kids entertained all day and night!
Rooms were spotless and the grounds are kept very well. All staff are friendly and go out of their way to help if needed.
Food is great - always something nice to eat, although sometimes combinations were a bit weird.
The only thing wrong with this hotel is the reserving of hotel umbrellas from 7 in the morning!!! but i think you'll get this wherever you go!!!
Would def go back to this hotel!

This was a second visit to the Holiday Village Viva, and it was every bit as good as the first.
The hotel is spotlessly clean, the cleaners and the waiters and waitresses seem to be on the go 24/7!
The rooms are a fantastic size, the room we had this year (block 2) was quite a bit bigger than last year (block 1), the bedroom was so large we managed to comfortably fit one of the sofa beds in next to our bed for our little girl. It was lovely and comfy and had everything in the room that you could possibly need. I think it is brilliant that in an all incusive hotel, you still get a lounge and a kitchenette-its the little touches like this that really make it such a great hotel for families with young children.
The food was brilliant, so much choice-I really cant understand anyone that says they couldnt find anything they liked-every night there was a huge choice of different dishes, we particularly enjoyed the paella, and all the different desserts especially on the wednesday when they set up a huge table in the centre of the restaurant with every dessert you could possibly imagine!!!
We were suprised to find that we didnt recognise any of the entertainment staff from just last september, but in my opinion the entertainment has greatly improved this year, especially the new additions of Paul (the new David Brent) and Scratch who really does grow on you! These 2 had us laughing out loud most nights!!
It was getting quite hard to find a place for your sunbed towards the end of the holiday, there were plenty of beds but the problem was caused by one of 2 things: 1)the people that felt the need to have 5 or 6 beds for 2 people and 2)the people that put their towels on sunbeds at 7am and didnt use them until about 2 in the afternoon!! It says in the reception area that it is a strict policy that there is to be no reserving of sunbeds with towels but everybody does it, might be an idea if they had someone to keep a check on this.
We went on an excursion to Marineland and we found the price to be very reasonable-it was actually cheaper going with first choice than to go with an independant tour operater in c'an picafort. Marineland was great, the dolphin and sea lion shows were amazing, the animals were fantastic and their trainers were so so funny. Our biggest recommendation is for everyone to go and watch The Jackson 5 tribute band that perform every friday night at the Oasis bar on the seafront in c'an picafort-its about a 5-10 min walk from the hotel. They were great, so funny and really good music, we went twice to watch them, they were so good. The drinks at the oasis were quite expensive but I have never seen such large measures in my life-you definately get your money's worth!!
All in all we had a fantastic holiday at the holiday village and we are already counting the days until we can return!!

We have just returned from a 2 week AI stay in this hotel.
Please read about the good before the bad.

The Good
Staff - Both In2Active and First Choice staff were fantastic throughout our stay. All made a total fuss of our children and we were never without someone to ask if the need arose.
The waiting and bar staff were also first class, very polite and willing to go the extra mile.

Rooms - Again, first class. Big, air conditioned, well situated and quiet

Pools & Grounds - All immaculately kept and a pleasure to be around. The grounds staff work tirelessly from dawn til dusk.

Kids Clubs - They are very professionally run with many activities so the children could not possibly be bored.

THE BAD
Some adults have no idea how to care for their children. As soon as the AI drinks start flowing many of the adults didn't care a less what happened to their kids. Not all the childrens fault though as some of the adults though were FAR worse.
Whilst there i witnessed arguments over washing machines, drunk adults invading the stage whilst acts were performing, and even some idiot getting on stage and swearing. Pathetic behaviour from the so called 'grown ups'and this is just the reason why i didn't go to Blackpool or Magaluf.

This hotel (i went there 2 years ago), was fantastic, and still is. As soon as they weed out the 'idiots' and plump the price a bit higher to discourage these horrible people from going, the Village will be a better place to go.

If not, i would NOT return.

Food and Drink - Restaurant was excellent with a great choice of