Puerto pollensa

[SoOverItNow]

Having read threads on here we are looking at booking a holiday here next spring.

Has anyone stayed at Villa concha? Or playa mar?

Which end of beach is best to base ourselves at? Our kids are under 8.

We would like to use apartment based kids club for a few hours over the fortnight and there no comments on tripadvisor about this that I can see. Would you recommend?

Ive stayed at Villa Concha twice - we've just returned. We love it there - my boys are 5 and 10. There is a mini playground, mini football nets, great pools for kids and adults and good slides. Its not too big and its friendly and clean. Its a quick walk to the beach and 10 minutes to the main harbour area, town square etc. Its a great location. The kids activities weren't in an actual kids club. The kids entertainer was fabulous but he justs rounds the kids up and does a half hour activity every so often. Its not organised where you sign them in and can leave them so you would have to watch them. It may not be what you are looking for. I definitely recommend the resort though and either end of the beach is a good location though I would opt for the Villa Concha end with children(there are a couple of play areas this side - one is shaded under pine trees which is great during the day).

We stayed at the puerto azul...short walk to the beach and the pine walk, pool and playground in the centre of all the apartments, cinema club aalong with kids club and activites by the pool. Loved it

Thanks both.

I've looked at puerto azul but it seems that you can't book independently. We have flights booked but are sorting our own accommodation. Problem seems to be finding a place with a kids club that's not through a tour operator.

I really like the sound of villa concha. It's just dh and I have no family help, no time just for just the two of us and the idea of kids club was to give us an hour or two " off duty"! Sounds like the entertainment is fun there though.

We were at the Puerto Azul at the end of May, and also went there at the same time of year 2 years ago (2013).

In 2013 our children were 7, 4 and 1, so we booked the holiday as a package with Thomson. But for this year we've had to do it all separately because no UK tour operator will allow three children (as opposed to 2 children and an infant) in one room there. I contacted the Puerto Azul via the email address on their website to ask if they'd allow 3 children in one room and they were happy to oblige by putting an extra bed in the bedroom for us! So they gave us the choice of either booking direct for all 5 of us with them, or booking for 2 adults and 2 children with a third party and just paying for the third child on arrival at the hotel. It was cheaper by about 1/3 to book with www.alpharooms.com, so we did that (£916 for 10 nights 2 adults and 2 children) and paid £300 Euros for DD2 direct to the hotel when we arrived.

The Puerto Azul is really good, my review has just been published today on Trip Advisor (it's the one that will take up a whole page on your screen, I like to be thorough!). There is a kids club each afternoon, but like someone said about the Villa Concha it's quite informal and although you can leave your children unsupervised (it's from age 4) you have to stay in the hotel grounds as your children are free to leave the club whenever they want. The staff are around all day doing little games on the pool etc for children to join if they want to.

I've never stayed at the Playa Mar, I think the location puts me off. I have stayed at the Villa Concha, but that was in 1993 as a 16 year old. Interestingly, on thay holiday my sister was 13 and my brother turned 9 while we were there and so we were a family of 5 in a 1-bed apartment. I emailed them last year about us staying in one apartment with our 9, 6 and 3 year olds but they said they were not willing to allow that. I guess they have updated their health and safety approach in the last 22 years!

Forgot to add, the prices above are for half board, and that was the second time we've used Alpharooms with no problems whatsoever. The first time was 10 years ago for a trip to Valencia, so they've been around a long time, and DH walks past their offices on his way to work each day (they are just outside Sheffield city centre) so I know they are a real company!

We stayed at Playa Mar last year and will be booking our August holiday there this week (if there is availability).

It is a lovely resort. It is spacious, clean and comfortable, there is loads to do with the children - lots of entertainment and water slides etc. The food is excellent and lots of choice for everyone. I managed to squeeze in a couple of massages while the children were in the kids club

This will sound snobby (and I really am not) but it was all nice families - no Brits abroad.

The nearby Pine Walk (along the beach) is lovely, we walked it most evenings and stopped at the odd bar for a drink along the way while the children played on the beach. You are not far from the town and we had some lovely meals in the square.

Definitely recommend, we loved it and can't wait to go back.

Can anyone please advise whether there are 1 bedroom suites at the Playa Mar, or Puerto Azul or Villa Concha which have a door between bedroom and sitting area? DC are pre-teens and I draw the line at sharing a bedroom with them on holiday.

I'm veering towards the villa concha. The beach there sounds perfect and I like the sound of the shady park. Also seems smaller than the others.

MaryR. Did you have to stay to watch the kids while they do the kids club activities then? What sort of stuff do they do?

What are the rooms like? As our dc go to sleep before us we will probably be on the sofa bed!

Never stayed at the Playa Mar, but Puerto Azul and Villa Concha definitely have separate bedrooms with doors.
At the Puerto Azul the bedroom door opens straight into the living room where the sofa beds are. I'm not 100% sure about the layout of the Villa Concha 'one level' 1-bed apartments, that's what we stayed in and I think there was an entrance hall with 4 doors leading off (kitchen, bathroom, living room, bedroom). But some of the 1-bed apartments there (the ones on the second floor) are split level and there is definitely a separate bedroom upstairs.

Tanks Alice that's v helpful

SoOverItNow - This is how it worked on our holiday this year. My 10 and 5 year old boys used the kids entertainment at their own choice. It would always be once we had left the apartment and were settled outside around the pool. The kids entertainer was around from 9am and would wander around the families asking if anyone wants to join in. He did this throughout the day and was still there at 6pm. It could be colouring and arty stuff just inside the bar area (the door were folded back so you could see the children from many locations outside) or any sort of outdoor activity - treasure hunts (half an hour), pool activities like water polo for older ones, random games with hula hoops, balls etc. He always had a line of children between aged 2 (or less) to adults following him around and he got to know them and used their names. Some parents would follow their children with him. My boys look out for each other so we found that this year we could relax with a book (yes, I managed 2 books :-) and just keep an eye on them between us. We tends to sit near the smaller pools where he did a lot of activities. The itinerary on a notice board was more formal than I describe mentioning a 10-11am kids club. I can't be sure what this is but may included the indoor activities as they were often in the morning, and they may well take responsibility for the children for an hour.
The apartments are basic but clean. I email the Villa Concha direct and ask for a ground floor apartment near the splash pools with slides. They've granted my request both times (rooms 7 and 9). It's quieter there and the kids have great access to that pool and it's easy to come and go if you need anything (we hope over the terrace wall). It's also better with children as I don't worry about them on a high balcony. They have a bath and shower and 1 bedroom with twin beds. My husband and I let the boys have the bedroom, and we sleep in the lounge. It's 2 separate sofa beds in there, (with proper mattresses) which can be pushed together if you like. There is a separate kitchen.
They are very helpful when you email so it may be worth emailing direct to ask about the kids club arrangements. I've been twice during the May half term so there are plenty of children and my boys made loads of friends and were busy with them lots of the day so I could just sit and watch them but relax. I can see that it would be nice to have a little time to yourselves - I can't say whether that would happen - but my husband and I take an afternoon off each and go and do our own thing. I went to the old town to the markets on my own - I loved it!
I should also say it's very quiet, residential and near the police station so feels safe. I always have the children in sight but feel fairly secure there.
obviously holiday budgets do come into this too and we choose self catering to enjoy our evenings out - but for my family Villa Concha is a fabulous choice and we had an amazing time this year - all happy, relaxed and laughing. The closeness to the beach also makes it great. I'll be hard pushed to find anything similar.
Sorry for the long answer - I'm new to this :-)

That's brilliant MaryR. It sounds just what we are after. Thanks for your detailed response!

I dream of reading on a sunlounger. 2 books! I'm so looking forward to this holiday