Catalonia del Mar - Adults Only

“Food unacceptable, but hotel accommodation was very good”

The hotel is a bit of a Curate's Egg - good in parts. I will divide the review into 2 parts, the Negative, and the Positive. NEGATIVE The only disappointing aspect of this hotel was the food. We were on Half-Board terms, and sampled both Breakfast and Evening Meal (once). Food at Dinner was abs… Mais

The hotel is a bit of a Curate's Egg - good in parts. I will divide the review into 2 parts, the Negative, and the Positive. NEGATIVE The only disappointing aspect of this hotel was the food. We were on Half-Board terms, and sampled both Breakfast and Evening Meal (once). Food at Dinner was absolutely tasteless, and appeared to have been prepared many hours before, and kept warm (with the exception of the salad!). A prime example was a Beef Curry with a tasteless sauce, and some unidentifiable meat masqueradomg as 'Beef' When we entered the Dining Room we were accosted by the Restaurant Manager (40 ish, scruffy dress, blue shirt), who told us that we could sit anywhere we wished. The 2 of us then sat at a 4 person table, and were informed by the Manager that only 4 people could sit there. We noticed that hardly anyone in the Restaurant, and this continued to be so whenever we visited. There followed a full, frank, but polite, exchange of views, and he realised that it would be futile to sell us any overpriced wine. We noted that hot drinks were not included in the Evening Meal, such drinks as were to hand were for sale only. Regarding breakfast, cereal options, as well as fruit selections, and the Full English were available. Highly processed cheese was available. Poor quality Sausage, tough Bacon, sub-standard Scrambled Egg. All very greasy. There was a toaster, and the bulk of available bread was standard 'White Sliced'. They could do so much better than this, but some sad looking French Sticks and Rolls were available. After the Breakfast and Dinner sample, we resolved to eat elsewhere for the remainder of our stay. For us, as with many, the quality of food is a major factor and can spoil an otherwise excellent visit. We talked about this with other guests and wait staff in other Restaurants, and confirmed that the Catalonia had a bad reputation for food in the area. What a shame! POSITIVE Located on the main square of Cala Bona, close to restaurants and bars. Slightly lacking in character or atmosphere, and no-one was seen in the bar, this is probably because there is a lot of competition for custom. Large, comfortable room (almost an apartment, huge bed, with an arthritic coffee machine. A kettle would have been a better option as water heated through a coffee machine is tainted and no good for tea. Good value, but we did not contract directly with the hotel, being part of a Half-Board Package with EasyJet. Rooms and public areas spotlessly clean, with charming Domestic staff. Noise level generally reasonable, but at the rear of the hotel an external 'Sports Bar' was loud until 0230hrs on 2 nights. Service from Domestic and Reception staff was of a high standard, with some exceptions mentioned above. Amenities include an external unheated swimming pool, a well heated indoor pool, and sauna. These were very good. On checking out, we brought our misgivings to the attention of Reception staff. Although the staffer was too loyal to verbally confirm our issues, his expression reflected our thoughts, and he promised to bring the matter to the attention of Management. We will also be bringing this forward to EasyJet for their review.

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