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Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Playa Mar, Puerto Pollensa

13 replies

BB01 · 04/11/2013 07:38

Am considering booking this for next May or June and have read some reviews saying it's cheaper to upgrade to all inclusive when you get there. Has anybody been and done this? Is it cheaper than booking all inclusive with the tour operator, if you upgrade for the whole holiday?

OP posts:
Anotherdayanotherdestiny123 · 04/11/2013 07:55

I wouldn't bother with AI, it would be a real shame as it's an easy and beautiful walk into puerto pollensa and the restaurants there are very good.

QueenofClean · 04/11/2013 08:15

we loved that hotel when we stayed but it's about a 5 min walk to the pine walk and all the restaurants on the shore, which are lovely. so not worth all inclusive.

Original poster
BB01 · 04/11/2013 12:28

Thanks for the comments! I've been to PP before and LOVED it and we ate out most nights. Have never been one to do AI til last year but think it has its benefits as we're going as a big and v indecisive family group and it's first hol with our young baby and feel a buffet will be easier somehow. I know where you're coming from though.

OP posts:
Milliways · 04/11/2013 21:10

We stayed this summer and it was cheaper for us to upgrade before we went. You can upgrade for just a few days or longer, but we booked early and for 3 adults was definitely cheaper than upgrading - but friends we met there paid more than we for AI did to self cater - all booked through Thomson. They were from Scotland and it was Scottish holidays but before English ho maybe it was the flight cost that made the difference?

Buffet was great - and you get to try all the cocktails :)

Original poster
BB01 · 05/11/2013 13:11

Thanks Milliways, that's so helpful :-)
Did you go with Thomson?

OP posts:
Milliways · 05/11/2013 13:23

Yes, no other option as they have exclusive use of the whole hotel from April to October. If you try and book via the hotel website you are redirected to Thomson! Very nice hotel though.

Original poster
BB01 · 05/11/2013 17:12

Cheers!

OP posts:
makemineapinot · 26/12/2013 23:57

We stayed there last year and it was nice but wouldn't go back! It's VERY Butlinsy with very loud daytime and washy washy evening entertainment and no room between sun beds, all beds are jammed up next to each other and the behaviour of other people's children was shocking - bullying going on which was filmed and out on internet Sad - that is obviously not the hotels fault but the culprits were 'regulars' so nothing was done! We ate AI a couple if days and were bored with the food and found the prices in resort very expensive compared to other nicer places in Majorca. Staff in the hotel were lovely and great service (except fir dealing with above incidents) but apartment was tiny and you would be hard pushed to cook a meal in the kitchen - about 30cm solace between wall and unfurls, so tiny and cramped. We did have a good holiday but hotel promised far more than it delivered and we wouldn't go back. There are far better options in Majorca!

makemineapinot · 27/12/2013 00:00

Sorry, IPad balanced precariously to get to charger - lots of typos Sad solace - space between wall and units!

captainpig · 27/12/2013 23:07

Makepineapinot was also considering Puerto Pollensa, but would be interested to know the other places you could recommend in Majorca. Thanks.

BrokenFairylights · 27/12/2013 23:13

I've stayed at the Playa Mar a few times, we did half board which was ok, I didn't know you could do ai. We liked it, and used it as a base to explore and found it to be lovely. The dc loved it. We are doing Majorca again this year but are going to Insotel Cala Mandia, near Porto Cristo which looks fab, and is about the same price as Playa Mar.

makemineapinot · 27/12/2013 23:55

We stayed at Club Martha in Cala Egos, near Cala D'Or which was perfect! Had the right balance between entertaining kids and teenagers but not getting on your nerves - they came round the 4 (separate) pools to tell people what was going on but no loud pop music blaring all day or Reos doing keep fit and dancing to rave music by the pool! The beaches there were small coves, busy but very pretty. The beach at pollensa is manmade! playa Mar is a nice hotel just too loud, cliquey and Butlinsy for yes, plus it us a good 15-20 mins walk into resort. Some spectacular restaurants, but we paid about 3-5euro for kids meals in Cala egos and 8-10 euros for chicken nuggets and chips in puerto pollensa! Staff at both wee exceptional! Other Majorcan hols were pre dc and can't remember names of individual hotels but felt disappointed by playa mar, was more the 'British lager louty but aren't we posh' clientele to be very honest! Go on holiday but don't pretend to be 'more' than you are!!! If you are a hairdresser say you are a hairdresser if you know what I mean, not make up an elaborate title for yourself when everyone knows it's a liar of nonsense!!! And there seemed to be a hierarchy based on how many years you'd been going - can't be arsed with all that and prefer a mix of people and nationalities! Playa mar does gave a lively indoor sofa pool tho but we would yo back to club Martha first!

BellaI · 02/01/2014 00:05

I found the all inclusive very repetitive and didn't like that you couldn't have snack bar lunch at the pool as part of the deal. This is different to other all inclusives we've done. The resort is lovely though. Agree with the comments above about the entertainment and crowded deck chairs. Also the kids club was often unavailable due to not enough staff. The crèche was good though.

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