Insotel Cala Mandia Resort & Spa

Upon arrival at the airport it was easy to find our TUI stand & they pointed us in the direction of our transfer bus. We had a mini bus & went directly to the hotel from the airport, this took us about 50 minutes, so not bad at all. Check in was pretty easy, the room wasn't ready, but you can store your luggage & go use the bar, pool etc so wasn't a problem. The food & drink was really good. Plenty of choice & everything I ate was really tasty. Although there was one evening where my Husband was given a pork chop that wasn't cooked (from the man who was cooking them in front of you at the counter), needless to say he didn't eat it. But apart from that, all was good. The cocktails in the main bar & the adults bar are VERY different. I ordered the same cocktails at both bars & they looked & tasted different. Bit odd. But the drinks were great, lots of choice & great you can help yourself to the soft drinks, slush drinks & larger. All the pools were good fun & I was pleased that they have the pools split so inflatable toys etc are only allowed in the kids pools. even though we were there on a family holiday (5 adults & 2 children) my husband & I (we have no kids) booked a room in the adults section of the hotel. Comparing the "Adults only" aspect of the hotel to other hotels we've been to with Adults only, we were a little disappointed. The adults only section of the restaurant was just a corner that had been sectioned off by a clear screen & some panels. The Adults pool & bar was always peaceful so that is nice. But you don't need to book an adults room to be able to use it, so don't waste your money on upgrading. One evening a woman was sat around the Adult pool/bar area with her child, a very talkative child at that! Not what you expect to see/hear round the peaceful adults only area. The beach is really close & has gorgeous bright blue water! There are also plenty of little shops (including 2 Spars) very close to the hotel. The only thing I would highly recommend, is to take plenty of bug repellent!! I don't usually get bitten & I am absolutely covered in bites. We didn't see any mosquitoes around, but we all have so many bites. I would even wake up in the morning with fresh bites. Not nice at all!! But all in all a great hotel for families I would say.

Having had 2 amazing holidays, last year and the year before, we did not want to risk choosing an alternative. This year, we booked for a whole fortnight, once again, in The Adults' Only part of the hotel. We were not disappointed!!! The hotel is beautiful, spotlessly clean in every area, and clearly popular with returning guests, as we met 3 other families who we had spent time with on our previous visit. There were also many other people for whom this was there 2nd, 3rd or 4th visit. It is a testament to the hotel also, that we meet the same staff members, every time we return. The food is always fresh, very hygienically prepared, and with so much choice, you cannot fail to find something delicious and different to eat, every day. The drinks are of a high quality, again with lots of choice, and decent measures. No scrimping at The South Bar!!! There is entertainment 3 nights a week in this quieter area, and the shows alternate on a weekly basis. We were lucky enough to be there when Duo Hot Romanza played. They are amazing!! What I love most is that Francesco is just the best rock guitarist, and he does requests!! (Santana, Dire Straits, Pink Floyd, Thin Lizzy and so on). There really is nothing that he can't play. There was also a singing duo, though I can't remember their stage name. They were 2 male singers, one Italian, the other Bulgarian, doing all sorts of music. So talented, and a real joy to listen to. What really makes this place special though, are the people that work in this hotel. Always a friendly smile, warm welcome, and nothing is too much trouble. The team really is like one big family, and we feel like part of that family. As usual though, the absolute highlight for us, is The Adults' Only Area, and the wonderful team. Ange, Braulio, Sebastian, Andrea and Fernando, made our holiday. (We dearly missed lovely Jorge, though!!) They are all just so much fun, hard working, really take an interest in getting to know you (or in most cases, re-acquainting themselves), and always provide the absolute best in terms of service. It was also a pleasure to meet J.J., albeit accidentally, in a local bar after lunch. What a scream he is, and a very warm person. We are home now, terribly missing our 'friends' and really hope to return next year. Best wishes and a huge thanks to you all x