Arrived Christmas Eve, mid afternoon and the Hotel was the first drop off from the Aiport which is always a good start. I was worried that the Xmas Decs would be over the top for the festive time (after all I was getting away from all that), but need not have been concerned, there was a tasteful tree in the reception and a few lights around the marble pillars so nothing over the top. The check in was quick and they photocopied your passport so they have it back to you straight away, and room safe costs was 15 Euro and you got 5 back.

It was an AI hotel but quite a lot better than the average AI hotel, and dealt with quality on the food/drink side rather than mass produced chips etc. Christmas Day held a Gala Dinner which the waiting staff put on a 'show' walking through the restaurant whilst the guest clapped and the meals were served promptly. For this and New Year Eve it was a set menu but the rest of the time it was Buffet, which as I said was better than average quality.

The rooms - I had twin beds with large bathroom, and the first time in some time, I LOVED the bed it was soft and I slept well. I had a balcony and my room did not overlook the pool, which is as requested as they tend to be a bit noisy and I was also near the lift so suited me perfectly.

I was quite poorly before I went, and also whilst away and had to go to hospital, and the Hotel staff were excellent, arranged taxi's and also for a couple of days spent in bed they arranged drinks and food for me at no extra charge, which was pretty good, and was the Hotel that did this, without me contacting the TO, so pretty impressed.


I would definitely go back to this Hotel.

Me and my wife just returned after 1 week at this hotel we found it great food, staff, hotel in general was very good.

Only a few problems, beds very hard and the lifts were playing up .good selection of food at all meals and very good selection of drinks all in all.

We had a fantastic week.

We stayed here for Christmas 2010.

We had a good stay here. Rooms very tidy but could do with a little updating. Air con good, the food was excellent - no complaints, entertainment was alright.

Fridge in room was chargeable. We were on the second floor room 260.

My biggest complaint, and others also agreed, was how hard the beds were. I have never slept on a bed as hard but it was clean. We would stop here again but would insist on trying the bed first.

Food was excellent. There was plenty of choice, the only problem was trying to decide what to have. The restaurant staff were all really friendly too.
Breakfast - choices of cereal, fruit, yoghurt, cooked breakfast and an omelette station.
Lunch and dinner - there were salads, soup of the day, and various meat and fish dishes to choose from along with veg. The only slight gripe was that the food could have been kept hotter.

The hotel throughout was kept really clean. The maids were in everyday, and towels could be changed when you wanted. There is a charge to change the pool towels of 1.20 per towel, this is an environmental charge, otherwise some would take clean towels everyday.

Entertainment every night started with a mini-disco for the kids, followed by live music, before the main act which could be acrobats, 'a tribute to four tops', carnival dancers, parrot show and more. These were on a fortnightly rotation, so if there for two weeks you wouldn't see the same act twice. We went out some nights, but the entertainers we did see were very good.

Plenty of sunloungers round the pool, always some people reserving early, but we didn't and never had a problem getting any.
Minigolf on site is 3euros per person for 1 round, and it is just one round as the last hole swallows your ball so you can't go round again. Theres tennis courts but not sure how much this is. Football pitch is free to use. A sauna at the back of the pool area which is free to use, and not many people using it.

Location - about 15 mins walk to beach. Bus stop and taxi rank outside hotel. Didn't use either as walked and hired a car, but believe they are very reasonable. 5min walk to Kasbah centre, 10 minute walk to Yumbo and Irish centres.

Had a fantastic time, the only problem we had was no fault of the hotel, just before I went I found I have Celiacs, so not allowed gluten, the food was nice especilly the sweets, but I couldn't have them, they did not understand the problem, my husband enjoyed the food that I was no allowed to eat. The room was spacious and clean, we did not have a pool view but still had nice view, we eat out a couple of times and found it to be very expensive, we never drank in the hotel, there are plenty of places nearby to drink, there is now all inclusive which was not on offer when I booked. I would go back.

Lovely clean and tidy hotel. Staff all helpful and friendly.

We went half board, there was plenty of choice for breakfast - sausage, scrambled egg, fried egg or omlette made fresh at a grill station, hash browns, mushrooms, toast, cereal, yoghurt, fruit, croissants, fruit juice, tea and coffee...or you could go up and pour yourself some cava! At dinner there was always a choice of a chicken dish, a seafood dish, a lamb or beef dish, pasta dish, a rice dish, vegetables, and several puddings to pick from. There was also some fish or chicken done on the grill station. Never had any problems finding something we liked, though I'd say the breakfasts were much nicer than dinner.

A couple of people have mentioned queues for the restaurant. This could be avoided by choosing your time to head down for your meal carefully. We noticed that if you avoided 8.45-9.45 for breakfast and went after 8 for dinner it was okay.

There were a couple of bars within the hotel, the entertainment was a bit naff though. On the first night we went for a wander to bars in the town but very quickly got sick of "English? English? Where are you going tonight mate? Where are you from?" and being harassed by bar touts who were desperate to get people into bars. The town was very quiet in February. After the first night we just stopped in the hotel - the drinks were slightly more in the hotel but worth it for not being hassled! We found it best sticking to beer or wine though, spirits were expensive (6E for a big measure of spirit + 2E mixer) but in the bars in town it wasn't much less. Beer or a glass of wine or cava was around 3.50, a cocktail 5-7.

The location of the hotel was pretty spot on. There is a bus stop right outside the hotel which is handy for if you get out and about while you're away, although on the return journey be warned you will be dropped off round the corner.

Turn left out of the hotel and the beach is about 5 mins walk at the most.

Far as I know only Thomson offer this hotel in the UK. We noticed that the German guests were all All Inclusive (spot the blue wristbands!!) and could go up and help themselves to drinks with dinner and just order whatever and however much they wanted from the bar. Thomson didn't offer AI to the Brits in their brochure. At the airport coming home, using what was left of my A level German, I noticed that passengers checking in for the German TUI (same company as Thomson) flights going back home were offered extra legroom seats for 25E each whereas the Brits would have to pay 37.50E...also at the welcome meeting our Thomsons reps tried to market a quick tour of the island followed by a few hours of being sat listening to a sales pitch (similar to one of those dodgy timesahre/holiday club things you hear about) as a day trip. This was called a "blanket trip", we knew to avoid it, and we were quite disappointed that Thomson would market something like that as a day trip. The rep even admitted they used to work with timeshare touts until about 6mths ago because of the amount of complaints...we mentioned this on our feedback form, don't think we will be winning the free holiday haha! Think we will avoid booking with Thomson again, I felt quite disappointed that such an established company would do that.

My wife, 2 year old daughter and I stayed at this hotel. Although the hotel was clean, there is no way it is a 4 star hotel on an international level. More like a 2 star.

The breakfast and evening dinner was of average quality. My daughter even got food poisoning on the fourth day of our holiday. And on the forth day we saw a cockroach running around the dinning room.

We had to pay

After reading some of the reports about this hotel we were very apprehensive about this years holiday, but i can truthfully say it is one of the best hotels we have been in. All in all it is very clean, the food selection was excellent and plenty too, The location is a 10 to 15 minute walk from the shopping centers, if you don't want to walk, there is a taxi rank outside the Hotel, The entertainment in the Hotel was average, some good and some naff. The pool was always clean with plenty of sun beds available. I would cetainly recommend this Hotel.

We arrived on the Monday about midday and to be fair the hotel and reception at first glance looked promising, then after booking in two coach loads of tourists had to fight over the lifts. There are 434 rooms in the hotel and 3 lifts which manage at best, 12 people. If you stay here then do not book above the 1st floor trust me you will be using the stairs a lot.

In the evening we went to the buffet restaurant and we had to queue, the restaurant is in the basement and as such has no doors or windows for ventilation and was stifling, as for the food, breakfast think little chef and evening meal think little chef with a poor attempt to copy a pizza hut salad bar, the lack of smiles in that room says it all.

The evening entertainment in general compromises of a man and a woman with the man pretending to play music on a pre-loaded electronic organ and the woman singing from a song sheet, butlins 20 years ago maybe but not a 4 star hotel in this day and age.

Peace and quiet? Your view from either side of the building will be...other multilevel hotels and the pool? well the boundary wall has the pool on one side and the Spanish equivalent of the dual carriageway A14 on the other with a main high street to the front. if your idea of relaxation is listening to the dawn chorus of artics, coaches and motorcycles from 06:30am then this is the place for you.

We have used Thompson gold before and the gran canaria princess is a platinum hotel we thought platinum was better but in fact it was 2 steps worse, very misleading.

The area..imagine southend with its chips and burger bars ..but in german. The hotel is 50 German 30 Spanish, 15 British and the rest others this is shown in the entertainment,menu,t.v. and generally all over playa ingles it is the German Southend on Sea,football shirts optional. When booking no charge was shown on the brochure for the fridge or safe, you guessed it..oops printing error, you will pay. If you must go to this area go along further up the coast to the Playa Taurito which at least is all inclusive because the gran canaria princess does not offer all inclusive to the british, germans yes.

Good bits? the Aphridite cutter boat trip, the cleanliness of the hotel(except the mould around the bath and sink) and the reps.

For a 4 star hotel I would say on it's best day a 3 star with food entertaiment being 2 star,go to the costa's it's cheaper and nearer.Dissapointing

We had a fantastic time at th Gran Canaria Princess.

The reception staff were very welcoming & helful the food was very good (had a lot worse)& plentiful I particulary liked the cheese & biscuits!

The only fault I had was one night the drinks waiter came to ask if we wanted drinks when we had almost finished our meal that only happened the once though.

The rooms were very clean and the maid set our nightclothes into fancy shapes much to my sons amusement.

The entertainment was OK we didn't really see too much of it as we tended to have a drink & watch whatever was on then head out.

It is a lovely hotel & we would definately go back. I would recommend that you try Mackers Bar (turn right) Beer 1 euro shorts 2-50 they have quizes, bingo, kareoke & the DJ is brill will take the mick but all in good fun.