As already stated about this complex its built a the bottom of chipmunk mountain, so you do find yourself having a nice 15 minute downward stroll on your way down to the main resort, but its is a bit of a climb on your way back to your apartments.

Now for the complex itself, We stayed in B section right on the edge of the complex and found our room was very nice and on arrival was spotlessly clean. We did have a large fan already in the bedroom that just about made the night heat bearable.


Now we were worried about security and as stated by previous guest and yes the windows and doors didn't look the most secure either but we did have the pleasure of meeting Sam the security guard who certainly made us feel more secure as he made his regular patrols.

Food. We found the breakfasts were very good and certainly had no problems with cold or reheated food, the evening meals were also good and the choice did change every day, so you did have a bit of variety all be it limited so overall we were happy with the main buffet restaurant.

We also tried the two other food outlets on the complex and did had mixed reviews. The Chinese was the by far the worst on the complex so I would avoid at all cost. As for the med restaurants what can I say except the food was very nice and the experience was only spoilt by the waiters who did practically throw the food at your table and then just as we finished our main course and as were awaiting our deserts we found the doors slam shut and the staff disappear with ourselves and a few other diners left without finishing our meals.

Staff

Well what I was happy about was most of the local staff(except the staff at the med) on the complex were superb and very hard working but always took time to made our kids feel very welcome'

Although we never went to any of the entertainment we we found the reps were nice and helpful.

Overall.

I suppose I was expecting the worst from this complex after reading a lot of the reviews on this site before leaving, but I was happy with my stay in Dorada and along as your not expecting 4 star quality you should not be disappointed with this complex.

Holiday from Hell do not go to this resort. Started off with sharing our room with hundreds of ants. Then the kids started to get rashes all over body from Pool C. I developed an ear infections in both ears wife started to get Diarrhoea.

Kids started to be sick and was informed after the event that a doctor had been to hotel to see 27 children.

Swimming instructor went down ill and so did some of the entertainment staff. Kids and adults were being sick during the evening entertainment people were fainting. Reports of burglaries, sexual assaults and pepping toms were made. 50 - 60 families were moved from this hotel because of the problem. Pool tested and found to have no chlorine in it.

Food was not cooked properly and left uncovered between 1 and 3pm. DO NOT GO HERE WORST HOLIDAY EVER!!!!!!

Looking at the reviews of this hotel/complex I cannot believe it is the same one I just spent two weeks in.

We were self catering so did not get to eat the complex prepared food,which in fairness at lunchtimes was left out a bit long.

But the cleanleness was not a problem to us,and this is a family with 4 kids under 12.We spent everyday by pool C.And while the water did tend to sting a bit I found the pool to be clean,safe and well laid out.It always seemed crowded to me so I am suprised this was the case if it was as bad as seems to be being pictured here.

Our room was cleaned regularly,with new sheets at least every two days.Ant problem is easily sorted with a bit of ant powder,given to us by the cleaner on day one.Smell of sewage was evident on some days,mainly from the sprinkler systems but hey,thats tends to be the case on most of these package holidays does'nt it.

For someone very mindful of young childrens security we were comforable to let them wander about during the day,to a degree,and they all had a great time.

Complex is indeed a bit of a trek from the main resort if you struggle with walking the hills a bit,and could be better lit at night but found the selection of places to eat reasonable and varied.

Cannot comment generally on hotel staff,as we were self catering, except for Dave in the Lounge Bar(Know its not his real name,but he will always be Dave to me).He was a top host,kept the bar clean and in fairness gave me a three nights of full complementary treatment that I can still feel the headache of today if I think hard enough.(Whats a blue wristband.?)

As holidays go found this one to be not to bad at all.

I too had mixed feelings before our holiday after reading the previous reviews but went with an open mind deciding to make my own mind up.

I found the complex itself to be large and spacious and fairly well located, yes there is a small hill to climb up from the town but it's not mount everest and you can always get on the train which runs fairly frequently.

Our apartment was in C block and we did not experience any problems with the decor, insects or break-ins although we were aware of others who did experience these problems and so ensured that our doors were locked at all times. The apartment was cleaned 6 out of 7 days and linen and towels were frequently changed. It was hot in the apartment and with only one fan supplied at times it was quite stifling - this was partly our own fault as we never got round to hiring an extra fan. Overall the accomodation was spacious enough for the 4 of us and had a large patio area if you wished to sit outside your room, loads of people seemed to take advatage of this although I can't say we ever really found the time. If you are in one of the accomodations higher up the tiers in the complex then you may well have a lovely view over the bay and beach. We didn't have this as we were on the lower level but were near to the main c pool and entertainment area and fairly central to a and b blocks also so I haven't got any complaints in regard to this.

Generally the staff worked hard to keep the complex clean and the people in the bars/restaraunts were continually clearing away cups, plates etc. There were also cleaners seen working around the complex during the day. There were aspects of the complex which could have been improved eg one set of steps in the c pool were very loose with a wire protruding from them. One handrail surrounding the pool was supposedly mended while we were there although I'm not sure that in Britain this repair would have passed any safety inspection.

Yes my children also suffered with the blistering rash at the tops of their inner thighs, reportedly due to the lack of chlorine in the C Pool. They too stayed out of the water for a few days until this dried up. We then witnessed chlorine being added to the pool and after this let the children spend most of the last few days in the pool having fun with their friends and I'm happy say that the rash did not return. Hopefully this problem has therefore now been resolved. Just make sure you can smell the chlorine before letting your kids in there. We did not spend any time in either the a or b pools so I cannot really comment on these although they looked nice enough and I did not hear any negative reports about them.

Having been on all inclusive holidays for the last 4 or 5 years I am well versed in what to expect when it comes to food in these types of complex's. The food in this complex I found not to be the best I have experienced and for the size of the main restaraunt I was disappointed with the range of choice available. Saying that on the occasions I did eat in there we always found something - even if it was only salad and a bread roll. We also tried the Mediteranean restaraunt on one occasion and again although the choice was very limited what I ordered was ok. We also tried the oriental restaraunt once during our stay and although not up to the standard of your usual takeaway I found this quite edible and was satisfied with the choice available. The spring rolls were nice. There are snacks available at most times from the poolside bars in all 3 blocks, and in the Irish bar and the main bar these are avilable until late at night. I can't say I particularly liked the burgers but there seemed to be plenty of others who did. I did eat quite a few cheese and ham toasties and never had any complaints about these. My son also ate more than his fair share of chips. Although both my son and I experienced the symptoms of a stomach upset during our stay I cannot hand on heart say where this came from as we had eaten at various places both on and off the complex. There were several families who experienced far worse symptoms than ourselves and there were several doctors visits involved for these people who were convinced that this was from the restaurant food.

As a result of these problems there were quite a few groups who asked to be relocated and were accomodated elsewhere. We decided to not to pursue this due to our liking for the complex overall, particularly the entertainment and the friends that ourselves and the children made in the complex.

As already stated the complex is situated about 10 minutes walk uphill from costa caleta centre and it is about a 15/20 minute walk to the nearby atlantico centre where there are shops, bowling, cinema, burger king, mcdonalds etc. The main centre is fairly small although has a range of shops, chemist, doctors, and quite a few restaraunts/bars, some of which we sampled.

Unfortunately I had the need to visit the Doctor wshilst on holiday, be warned this is a private service and therefore does not accept e111 health cards - these are only valid at the hospital apparantly. My treatment set me back just over 400 euros - which I am hoping to recover from my insurance (this involved 6 treatment sessions and various tests). I cannot fault the treatment I received and found the service extrememly professional. Hopefully you won't have need for this information.

The staff within the complex I found on the whole to be friendly and efficient, yes there were sometimes fairly long queues at the main bar in the evening but the staff on duty worked quickly to clear this. They worked tirelessly from morning until late at night and most would find time to laugh with you. There is no receptionist late at night only a security guard.

As reported on other reviews there were no lifeguards in any of the pool areas which is an improvement that I would certainly recommend due to the depth of the water in C pool. Both my children can swim so they didn't experience any problems but several people slipped around the edge of the pool, resulting in injuries. The slides within c pool are fun and add an additional entertainment value to the pool as does the kiddies splash park, which I tried out on a couple of occasions. The kids loved these and spent hours in the water once recovered from their rashes.

The entertainment team also worked tirelessly from early until late to get people to join in the daytime activities and then provide nighly entertainment which in the main area consisted of the mini disco involving party dances and games for the children, this was followed by a game of bingo followed by a main show which was provided either by the first choice entertainers or several outside acts. These were all entertaining and what anyone lacked in talent they certainly made up for in effort and committment. There was also alternative entertainment in the so called Irish bar which was less busy. The hypnotist was a laugh to watch. Overall Kieron and his team were all really friendly and made everyone feel welcome and encouraged people of all ages to join in. We came away with several certificates between us for our efforts.

The kids club reps also appeared to be friendly and remembered the kids names each time they visited. There were several sessions each day usually lasting 2 hours and these provided a welcome break for both us and the kids.

Overall we managed to overlook the negative parts of the holiday eg the illnesses and made the best of our time there. I think the complex has great potential if the health, safety and hygiene issues are resolved.

I realise this report is quite long however I wanted to try and give a balanced view. If you are due to holiday here then I hope you have a great time, just join in and learn a few of the party dances - my kids are now performing these for all their friends.

Stayed here the first 2 weeks of August & must say that the reports had begun to worry us. However we had a fantastic holiday.

We were based on A side (like most I had heard that the best place to stay was C as this was more secure) so was a little disappointed to start with - however our room was clean & tidy & windows & doors locked - just like my ones at home do when I go out or to bed!!We never heard of ANY break-ins or assaults while we were there.

We made lots of friend while we were there & spent most of our time at C side pool as this is where most entertainment was. Both of our Girls will tell you that this was one of the best holidays they have had & are still in touch with the friends that they made. The entertainment team worked hard all day every day to try & keep as many people happy as possible - as we all know i'ts not possible to keep everyone happy ALL the time. I enjoyed the Quizes myself & as the "Good Guessers" have several certificates in my file. Thought that the Grease show on our last night was fantastic. As was Cinderella

As regard to the food - we have been AI for the past 8 years & have been to better - but also worse - so I would have said that it was average & there wasalways something that you could eat. Going against what most have said I enjoyed the Chinese most. Nothing wrong with the drink - we all had enough of it.

Pete did suffer with sickness 1 day - however I honestly do believe that this was a Bug as we always eat at the same places & the rest of us were fine.

The room was cleaned about 5 times a week, & it was done well. Yes you heard the planes (& saw them) however this is documented in the description of the hotel & resort - again its only a few minutes transfer so we were prepared.

I thought that the pool was a little cold so only went in to cool off but my youngest daughter was in there all day every day with no problems.The pool area did get a bit messy but as stated by others if people cleaned up after themselves there would be no problem - thats what we did & were alays sat in a tidy area. We got Sunbeds every day (usually aroubd 8.30am as we were not woken by the 7.30am planes - maybe I am a heavy sleeper).

Also we got good seats every night at the entertainment bar - usually arriving about 7.45pm

The bar staff & restaurant staff worked hard - yes there were queues at the bar at night but as we usually sat with friends you just took turns to go & queue along with the glass that you kept from the start of the night.

Would I go back again? No - not because of any other reason that I have been there & have yet to go back to the same hotel again. What I would do is recommend it to families with young children (I think that there were times that my girls were bored as they are 12 & 16.

We feel that we got value for money for what we paid - I booked it in May 05 - So if you are going - have an open mind - most of us only have 1 holiday a year & so want to make the most of it.

I

I'm sorry that i did not read reviews before we booked this holiday. On arrival we were allocated to the C side accommodation. When we finally found our apartment we were greeted by smells of sewage and drains. There was already a colony of ants that had taken up residence in our apartment. The apartment was spacious but the beds were very uncomfortable, the television had appalling reception and the fridge did not work properly which we reported but was never actually fixed, so we gave up buying milk as it went off within one day. The cleanliness took a lot to be desired and although the cleaners 'visited' every day they never actually moped any floors, so after my son developed the 'vomiting bug' we resorted to buying our own bleach and floor clothes and my husband got down on his hands and knees and scrubbed the floor. When the towels were changed the new ones that were left stunk we only had our sheets changed once in the 2 weeks we were there.

My husband made the mistake of leaving a packet of digestive biscuits on the work surface so the ant colony thought all their Christmas' had come at once!

The First Choice holiday reps seemed unconcerned about the amount of people (especially children) that were becoming unwell and when I challenged one about this and expressed my concern about my son being unwell and questioned her as to why so many families were asking to be moved she informed me that people were just getting hysterical and the bug was all over the island. If this was the case I am not sure why this was not mentioned at the welcome meeting instead of silly dances being performed by the reps. There was no effort made to eliminate the bug. Soap was often not available in the public toilets and when the cleaners were spotted mopping public areas they were using water that was filthy. Public health is obviously not a priority for First Choice or the hotel staff.

We had booked our son for swimming lessons with the First Choice swimming instructor however she failed to turn up for the first lesson when we reported this to the reps on resort that said she was ill and they had not had time to come and tell us - great customer service!

We did not eat at the hotel at all and only on a couple of occasions did we purchase tickets for drinks at the bar - call us snobs but we did not enjoy drinking out of paper cups and this was one of the reasons we never went to the bars in the evening. The other reason is that we are not in the bingo set. If I wanted this type of holiday I would have gone to a caravan park in the UK which would have cost me a lot less money.

Despite there being a rule not to reserve sun beds or remove umbrellas this was not policed and it was near on impossible to locate a sun bed during the day as people had them piled up on top of each other and were actually bragging about getting up at 6AM to reserve them

We had a great holiday but that was mainly because we hired a car went to different beaches everyday, ate out every night and spent as little time as possible at our accommodation.

This complex is to big and is trying to be something that it isn't. The holidays here are not cheap unless you get a last minute deal and I personally feel like I have been ripped off. My advice would be do not consider this accommodation unless you are getting a bargain, don't mind aeroplane noise for the majority of the day and night and plan to just sleep on the complex and travel around the island independently, you don't mind sharing your accommodation with God's creatures and are prepared to get 'the bug'.

This was a nightmare poorly planned out we were B side. Arrived 23 Aug, fist immpression great having great time till we got the bug as First Choice called it. Starts with rash then sicness and dioherra, we asked to be moved they said we would have to wait so we left it as that.

The night time came my 5year old was bad took him to room at 8.00 at night thats when we had been broken in to. My son was with me he had fright off life he still talks about it now won't go to bed on own he is scared same might happen here.

If anyone is going here you are mad FC should not let people stay here it is not like in brochure.

The food is awful, you drink out of paper cups not very clean at all.

One good point, we met some lovely people who helped us all deal with what went on will not be going here again!

Please read this before you go.

I was warned about the kids rashes, sickness and burglary before I went. Thought I'd make my own mind up.
2 days into our holiday, my son had spotted bleeding from his testicles, my daughter had bleeding nipples and my husband sickness. Wherever you looked people were vomiting -in the restaurants, poolside, flowerpots, bins.

Flies were everywhere - more so than whats considered normal abroad. Maybe due to man hole covers being left off, next to the international restaurant.

We were visited on our first day by maintenance, as my 3 yr old was locked in the bathroom, he decided to scare the living hell out of her, by trying to kick the door down- where she hid in the bath and soiled herself in fright. My husband decided to take the door apart to get her out.

I met so many people with the rashes and sickness, we all were asking to leave - which we had to pay for.

After looking at some of the reviews we were quiet worried before we went, the complex wasn't as bad as we feared but.......

Positives