Hi All. Just came back from here in April 2006. The setting is fantastic if you want the quiet life. The beach is 2 mins away but beware it's 9 Euro for a sun lounger with umbrella (and you need an umbrella or be burnt).

The sea is safe as there's a gentle slope and no rip. The room was cleaned daily, nice friendly staff. The Hotel is the oldest on the strip and it's beginning to show. I've heard it's about to be revamped. The meals were abit repetative, great breakfast but lunch & dinner abit same oh, same oh by the 7th day. Snacks up to 6pm. Drinks free all day up to 11pm.

Entertainment wise ok. Activities include Archery, table tennis, target shooting ( air rifle) & beach volley ball. They have an evening mini disco for the kids, the adult entertainment on the night time you wouldn't want to pay for it, amateurish! although it's funny to watch.

Locally The Zoo is worth a visit, 1 euro each on a coach (Bus stop 200 metres) or 6/7 euro in a taxi. There are 3 shopping centres within 1/2 a mile with gift shops, food shops and little resturants and tavernas plus banking atm machines.

There are 5 pools which are good each with a bar at the side(not enough sun loungers, which are free here) and there are tennis courts and a gym.

Would I go there again? Yes. Things I'd take though are a travel kettle with tea & coffee as there isn't any in the room. There's a fridge and hot plate but no cups or plates.Mosquito's weren't a problem but then again the second I arrived, the rellent burners were on.

Ok along with other reports you do need a German phrasebook as well as Spanish but only because some of the Germans don't speak as well as English as we should be able to speak German. (It's a really humbling experience when a 10 year old german girl can speak better English than you can German!).

If You are Going Here soon, Enjoy, It's great

Stayed all inclusive at this hotel I think I had a good deal for the price I paid,...We were given a apartment which was really big. It was cleaned on a regular basis,there was a fridge/oven/overhead fans/pots and pans/cups.etc.

The food was not too bad there was plenty of choice but repeated too many times. The breakfast was always decent the lunch indifferent and the dinner up and down some days very good other days very poor.

Without exception the staff, from all departments were great some of the best/friendliest I have been looked after by.

The entertainment staff worked very hard, but the adult entertainment was poor, however for the young children perhaps under twelve it was very good.

This hotel in my opinion is ideal for the older person who does not want too much night life or for the the younger children. It is not for the teenagers there is nothing there for them.....

I would not recommend this hotel to my worst enemy - this was my honeymoon and I am absolutely disgusted that this hotel can open its doors to the public.

My 5 page letter of complaint is in the post as we speak!

The room we were allocated was hot and sweaty making it impossible to sleep - plaster was coming off the walls - we had ants every day (which we had to kill ourselves because the management couldn't be bothered) and the shower curtain was covered in mould.

The food is "slop" - if you like to eat flies then go for it - there is no air conditioning and so doors and windows are left open for the flies to have a free for all - landing on everything on sight. The smell as you walk up to the restaurant is disgusting - whatever they cook it smells vile. We ate our nearly every night.

When checking out your luggage is left in reception for anybody to look in or take away should they so choose - they don't even lock it away for you like decent hotels do.

The only good thing about this hotel is the entertainment staff - one german in particular (not naming names) he keeps you entertained day and night.

Drink as much as you can because you won't be eating much - you need to make up for the money you have spent on the holiday somehow!

My honeymoon was crap - don't make the same mistake as us!!!

Avoid this hotel at all costs - the costa calma beach is much nicer - we had friends there!

We have just returned from this holiday and we really enjoyed it. We found the hotel very clean, our room was cleaned every day! We had a great view over the main pool and out to sea.

We thought that there was a good choice of food for breakfast, dinner & tea, snacks were available but finished at 6 O'Clock. Although there wasn't alot of choice for children some people might complain that it was catered to German taste but if you are willing to try the different pastas, rices salads & the main choices then great. There was always a meat choice or fish available oh & chips. The soft drinks were available at any time as they were self service! As was the lager, and the you could get tubs of ice-cream from 10 till 6.

The hotel was 2 mins from the beach.

The staff at the hotel accept 1 or 2 were friendly & helpful.

The entertainment around the pool during the day was very plentiful, waterpolo, aqua-gym, aerobics, boules, volleyball, shooting, darts & there was a mini- club for the kids in the morning & the afternoon. The evening entertainment most nights was a joke.

We loved monica beach hotel so much last year that we decided to give it another go this year (2005), and for the most part we enjoyed our stay again. Our apartment was kept in tip top nick with a cleaning on all days bar wednesdays and sundays.

Fresh bedding and towels were always on hand, even on cleaners' days off. The food was still up to scratch with plenty of choice, but chips dominated the menu for afternoon and evening meals every single day!

This was down to many more brits arriving this year in what is mainly a german based resort. The hotel staff look after you the best they can and most cant do enough to make sure your stay is a pleasant one.

Location was not a problem and we found enough facilities such as shops and market stalls to supply us with our everyday needs no more than a couple of hundred yards away.

The beach is within a stones throw of the complex and is well maintained, not a scrap of paper in sight and the sand is golden and clean. Parasols and loungers are 3 euros each from early morning through to 5pm in the evening.

Entertainment has improved in the surrounding area,a visit to oasis park,the local zoo, is well worth trying. It has to be said that inside the complex the entertainment is still poor,there is not a lot for the kids to do and the nightly shows are laughable at best.

Teenagers beware,this is not a place for you...ask my daughter, she is fourteen and although the island has a special place in her heart, the place does not cater for people of her generation.

My wife and I will visit again some day, but it won't be for some years yet.

Fuerteventura is still developing and that includes the entertainment at monica beach. This is definately a place to chill,nothing else.

Firstly, what is not mentioned in the brochures is t hat the hotel is situated on a hill. If you have walking difficulties pushchairs / wheelchairs you may have problems here. BE WARNED.

When we arrived, the 'hotel' looked really good. Please note that this is a hotel and out buildings. I would say you have a good chance of NOT being placed in the main building. The hotel is part of a complex, Taro Beach resort / Monica Beach and Costa Calma Palace.

I was placed in a 'sea view' room (outbuilding) well my sea view was about 25% of my view otherwise everything else I could see was other blocks of apartments and palm trees. Upon complaing, was told well you can see the sea from your balcony. Many other people complained of this also - so be aware before you book this room.

The rooms could do with a much needed modernisation. I had the following faults in my room:

1)Blanking plates missing on main fuse box / electric wall plug socket hanging off wall - both electric shock risk

2)Lounge light had a heavy glass lampshade which had come un-glued to its main bracket and was being held up with thin mains wire. Looked like it was to fall off at any moment.

3)The 2 lounge chairs had seen better days. On both, the armrests had both worn away and exposing the foam inside - which had been picked away many a time before we arrived.

IF YOU ARE IN AN OUTBUILDING you could be like us and only get hot water between 8am and 10am every day. Other than that luke warm if you are lucky. Great!!

The staff do not seem to keen to clean around the hotel grounds. A child was sick by the main reception area outside and after telling reception, it took 2 days for it to be cleaned up.

The worst part was unfortunatly there was a dead cat on the hotel grounds. The first day I noticed it (it was on the main walkway to the main road) I notified reception. Again the following day , not cleared, so notified reception again. ON THE 3RD DAY still not cleared up. Bear in mind the temperatures was around 28'c you could now smell this 20ft before seeing it. Most unpleasant. Not good especially as there were many children around. Upon another complaint from myself and many other guests this was cleared.

We also had 4 cockroaches.

Food - Ok really. nothing special. They only had 1 of the 2 salad bars open during the whole 2 week stay. Food at lunch time was never labelled, so it was guess the food. The onion rings are actually squid!

There is smoking in the main restaurant. Deserts are very repetitive and not much selection.

The pool bar shuts at 6pm!!! and the main evening bar is very poorly lit and gets very very smokey. They do not seem to use the ventilation here.

My opinion poor hotel for a 3 star accomodation. I will not be coming back here.

Entertainment. Daytime the usual darts etc but no swimming pool activities. Evening mostly outside company provides this. Some good some poor.

Well what can we say??

Walking into reception I knew we had made a mistake - it was stuck in the 1970's - pine cladding everywhere and orange/brown old sofa's!!

*Food - Hot but very much the same food everyday - very little choice - very poor for children. Our child eats lots of fruit and salad but there was little hot food - the 'kids buffet' tag was on the chips label everyday!!! Dessert choice was an apple or orange, cake and icecream!!
Evening Meals are on 2 sittings either 6-7.30pm or 8-9.30pm. Be Aware - NO snacks after 6pm so try and eat well!!

*Hotel - Having complained about the state of our room (in main hotel building) we were told by the Rep who viewed it that this hotel and the Taro Beach (nxt Door) should have been closed two years ago for refurbishment but the hotel management cancelled it.

The room furniture was old and worn out, we had cockroaches and beetles in the rooms, the curtains were hanging off the rails, the bathroom smelled like a sewer, tv didnt work and the walls were filthy etc..... Not even 2star!

We did get our room changed to outside the main buliding and it was better but not 3 star standard - maybe in 1975 but not now!!

*Entertainment - What entertainment?? Never saw any staff during the day, saw 2 staff at 8.45 at night doing the 20mins Mini Disco - Birdie Song/Music Man/Hokey Cokey - only suitable for under 8years. In the week we were there the seven shows were;

1- Parrot Show = 2/10 - 20 mins
2- Saxaphone group = 3/10 - 1hour
3- Bingo = 1/10 - 30mins
4- Dj Herbie - just played songs nothing else = 0/10 - too long - left for bed at 9.45!
5- Spanish Music Band = 4/10 - 45 mins
6- Magician = 5/10 - 45 mins
7- Bingo = 1/10 - 30mins

On this note as we left on 1st June we got talking to two new staff in blue uniforms - they had been drafted in as the hotel had been recieving bad feedback regarding entertainment - so things should be on the up from now on.

*Kids Club - Be warned the club house is an old wooden hut on the slope down to the beach - I wouldnt dream of putting my child in it and the hours of operation are poor anyway!!

*Staff - All the staff were very pleasant and helpful - the maids were always cheerful. The bars were manned by only one or two staff - they were always run off their feet but still managed a smile.

*Location - The beach is beautiful and well kept. Sunbeds and Umbrellas are 3E each. Beach Bar is a good hike up and down to where the sunbeds are.There are a few shops of the usual souvenior type about 5mins away - right turn out of hotel.

*Pools - these look brilliant and their are 2 slides (only one worked)next to the smaller pool BUT the water is freezing the kids were getting our shivering. Funny really as the weather was blistering hot but only the odd person braved either of the pools.

*Facilities - Tv Room is at the bottom of the reception steps but one TV had a out of order sticker on it the others picture was in blue only.

The games room is very poor - paper peeling from the walls and air hockey and teddy grabber machine broken - so old its a wonder they bother to plug them in!!

*Day Bars - Pool bars open 10/11am and close at 6pm - the snacks are terrible - cheese on toast/ham on toast/frankfurter on a cob.

*Night Bars - One 'The Underground'- no ventilation bit like a seedy nightclub - smokey and dark.
Other near small pool - nicer - few tables to sit outside but only ever one behind bar and one clearing tables - most people just walked out!

Would I go back...

Yes to Fuerteventura
No to this hotel!!

Sorry I went on a bit but wouldnt want you to spend

On our arrival at Monica Beach around 10pm we were met by a very pleasant receptionist who was very helpful and advised us that we could go over to the restaurant where food was waiting for us. This was a nice surprise as we were all feeling rather hungry.

On entering our rooms we found them very clean, spacious and airy.

Hotel is ideally situated for beach lovers and also if you just want to chill out as location is quite quiet and no noisy bars in the area. It was nice to have a choice of bars to visit throughout the holiday at the complex and really liked Africa Bar - stopping there for a drink on the way down to the beach and again walking back from the beach. Pool bar was nice as well and we all enjoyed pulling our own drinks especially the beer! Underground bar was quite dark but did not found it at all smokey (we are glad the entertainment was inside as it would have been far too windy to sit outside in the evening).

We found all the staff very friendly and whenever we asked for their assistance they were very helpful.

The entertainment could have been a bit better bud did enjoy all the acts that were being shown whilst we was there, such as River Dance,a Live Group, the Parrot Show and DJ Hebie. There was plenty of entertainment during the day if you wanted to join in but we was there for chilling out and the only energetic thing we wanted to do was to go a bar and get yet another drink!!

Really liked the hotel but would not go back there as would not want to return to the island again as only complaint is that it is far too windy.

On arrival, it seemed great. Then we got allocated our hotel room. That slope to the beach that everyone here mentions? Our room was right at the bottom of it - great for the beach, only 30 seconds away but a great big trek for breakfast, dinner, evening meal etc., in fact every time we left the room!

The room itself was very clean - we could not fault it in any way, the only grumble being the lack of storage - 1 double wardrobe, with a couple of shelves and one wide but narrow drawer. The safety deposit box was excellent. The room got the sun in the afternoon and was very hot at night, but the balcony door could be opened slightly and locked into position. This isn't indicative of every room - some people we met staying in the family rooms had to request extra blankets as their room was too cold. Oh, and if you've got kids that need entertaining then don't look to the TV which had 1 Spanish channel, Eurosport, CNN and various German channels.

The hotel itself on the whole was very clean. The exceptions to this were the public toilets around every bar/reception. Absolutely disgusting. We also found the downstairs reception area very poor - the sofa's stank to high heaven and really needed a good clean. The "games" room smelt even worse and we couldn't stay in it for more than a minute.

The pool bar with the waterslides is great for the kids, but at weekends is taken over by local teenagers who come down the slides in kamikaze fashion making it a danger to the younger kids.

The all inclusive was great - I expected the soft drinks to be cola cola or something but it was actually coke + diet coke, plus fanta orange + sprite. The wine was good and the sangria lovely. The food seemed great at first but after a week or so, it was very "samey". The last 3 nights of our stay, we ate out at a restaurant called Mama Mia's - the food was superb and very, very cheap.

Staff behind the bars are very hardworking - they have to be as all the bars seemed very short-staffed.

The saving grace for us at the hotel was the cats. They were a great source of entertainment, and we even "adopted" 2 adorable young tabby cats. Obviously siblings, they used to sit on our balcony waiting for us and we duly kept them fed on Go Cat. As we had to leave the balcony door open at night, they used to sneak in and curl up on the chairs and they kept us entertained with their play fights and grooming each other. Most of the cats are very timid though and will only let you stroke them if they know you've got some food for them.

The entertainment?? The kids disco was the most entertaining thing if only to watch all the German kids doing the dam busters bit in the "Music Man" song!

The kid

Well what can I say, after reading other reports I just had to write too.

This is by far the best location, friendliest hotel I have ever been to. We travelled twice to this hotel now, once in 2004 September and back again in May 2005. We are still in contact with members of staff who became friends.

The hotel is very clean, super entertainment, especially for Kids, I lost mine for 2 hours in a morning and 2 hours in an afternoon, then with the mini disco at night, I actually managed to relax.

The food was lovely, yes I may be a little strange but we are in a foreign country, what do you expect, egg and chips every night????? There was so much variety you had to like something they had on offer.

The African bar was lovely, sitting with drink in hand, with a view over the beach and sea, I still have dreams about it now.

Don't know what some people are expecting. We had clean sheets and towels every day, and I have nothing to say bad about the place.... Best ever... Go on try it.... you won't be dissapointed..... Going back this year, feels like our 2nd home now.