Please help salvage our holiday - Mallorca…

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I know IABU. I didn’t research properly (I thought I had, but clearly didn’t…)

We’re staying in Alcudia. I have name changed because outing. I have two children who are 7 and 11.

Our hotel is fine but I hadn’t realised how big it was, so it’s loud and although there are 846 pools (slight exaggeration) there are only two that are fun to play in

We walked to the beach today (5 min walk) and it was a bit grim. Lots of shops selling fake sunglasses etc, not very clean beach, just a bit… hmm…

I need to make a plan for the next 4 days. PLEASE HELP AND TELL ME WHERE TO GO AND WHAT TO DO?!

1. I thought we could go into the old town of Alcudia - would love any recommendations
2. Is the Hidropark worth it?
3. Where can we find a beach that is clean and calm??
4. Anything else?

Before anyone tells me I’m a snob, yes probably I am a bit. We normally stay in much smaller and calmer hotels or rent a villa/house. We rarely come abroad so this is meant to be a real treat.

I will be so grateful for any good ideas so I can make a plan. Please don’t tell me to embrace the hotel aqua aerobics/disco/etc. It’s really, really not my thing (although v happy for my children to take part in anything they’d like to, but the childrens club seems aimed at younger ones really).

THANK YOU! And yes, I’m grateful to be on holiday but want to make it really great for my children and at the moment we’re all a bit underwhelmed.

Oh, I feel for you OP.
My sister also booked the wrong hotel this year. She booked a family holiday in their favourite country, at a lovely hotel.
They rock up and her husband says 'err, you do realise we've been here before?'
She'd booked the exact same hotel they'd stayed at a few years before, and absolutely didn't recognise it online.
What a dope!

We did a fabulous boat trip from Pollenca loads of snorkelling and a swim to the blue cave. Pollenca old town is lovely as well can go by bus.

I'll post some pics of Alcanada. The small beach is Alcanada. Then I've included Alcudia Old Town (pueblo) and pollenca

It won't let me upload any more 🤷‍♂️

Go to soler - beautiful beach - classy resorts feel

old town

caves trip

go see deia

@Northernsoullover beautiful!!

100% this is a stunning beach and water is devine,

That’s the one. I went to alcudia years ago and felt it was a bit of a dive (sorry) but we went on a fab boat day out and stopped at formentor beach. Lovely.

Go to San Elmo and get the little boat to Dragonera - a nature reserve island where lizards live. Take food with you as I don’t think there are cates. The lizards are not scared of humans and will run up your legs, or come to nibble your sandwich. The children will love it. The boat trip is charming and not long.

I think there may be a bus from Alcudia to San Elmo.

I know Mallorca really well, have stayed in different parts and honestly I think it’s not a great holiday destination if you have kids but also hate the tat shop vibe (that’s me too so not a criticism of you OP). Areas tend to be either lovely for couples but very boring/inaccessible for kids, or fun for the kids and tacky as anything. I’ve been to the nature reserve mentioned above and the Caves of Drach and hated both - actually I sort of enjoyed the latter because me and DH couldn’t stop laughing at how awful a day out it was. Palma is great and I personally love the waterpark at El Arenal (NOT the Hidropark) but both are a pain to get to from Alcudia. I stayed in Alcanada quite recently and it was nice but we struggled to get tables for dinner in that area and had to go to Alcudia most nights. I personally decided to embrace the tacky vibe and managed to enjoy it but I’d never go back.

Puerto Pollença. This isn’t a brochure photo, just one I took on my phone.

Definitely do the caves.

I'm from Mallorca. You're not far from one of the best beaches, Playa Muro. Get a taxi there and ask to be dropped off at 'Capellanes'. One of the best beaches on the island, lovely sea, beautiful views.

If you don't have a car that's a bit of an issue as getting around with the buses is doable but a hassle.

Other good beaches are Es Trenc (bring all the stuff you need for the day), Cala D'or is ok.

@MiddleParking So agree..we loved Caves of Drach for all the wrong reasons too. It was supremely cheesy. The sheer number and variety of "rocks in the shape of.." was funny..and the grand finale had us in hysterics.

I also agree Palma is a great day out. Beautiful cathedral. Lovely shops. Authentic tapas.

Puerto Pollensa is lovely there is lots of nice restaurants and it is very pleasant x

Go to puerto pollensa. You can catch a boat to Formentor I think which is also lovely.

Oh Christ we've booked to stay at Viva Sunrise in Alcudia next week with our toddler. I've been to Puerto Pollensa before and thought the North of the island was supposed to be nice. Argh.

If you're at Club Mac please don't write off package holidays based on that!

If you are at all into nature, Alcudia has some fabulous wetlands behind the awful rows of tacky hotels. I saw squacco heron and purple gallinuale there. The bird life is just amazing. Look up to see eagles and vultures.
Catch it now before it becomes a theme park. 😥

Should also say my cousin just returned from mini-moon in Soller, and said it was lovely.

If you go anywhere near those wetlands use lots of mosquito repellent

@JubileeTissues not club Mac…

The boat to Formentor sounds awesome but isn’t running with no frills until we leave. I think we might try to bus up to Formentor one day…

We were in Mallorca a couple of weeks ago. If you go to Roig car hire you can hire a car for the day for around 50-60 euros for 4 ppl. It’s much cheaper to hire out there than you think