IBEROSTAR Cristina

As a young family staying for 6 nights bed and breakfast, let me highlight the few positive aspects at the end pay attention to the negatives first before booking.

Negatives sadly;

POOL SAFETY: My wife was smacked by a ball in the head in the children’s area of the pool, the entertainment staff insist on setting up the daily, excessively LONG volleyball game in the shallow end where kids paddle and this has been noted in reviews before. Nothing in the way of an apology from the entertainment staff. There are YOUNG babies floating around here. Go and set the net up in the deep end so that people don’t have to be forced to sit on the edges and spectate an amateur game for ages.

SUNBEDS: Sunbed reservations are not expected at a 4/5 star establishment and towels are placed at 7am, even though this hotel highlights that this is NOT permitted and that the pool opens at 10! An off putting experience is having to set an alarm so that your family has somewhere to sit during the day.

STAFF ATTENTIVENESS: Where I was waiting for barista service at the Star Cafe after a long day out and was ignored to prioritise a guest who queue jumped. I made a point of letting the staff know I had been waiting and walked to another bar for a drink instead. I complained and this was dealt with very minimally and felt like a chatbot response.

HIGH FLOOR REQUEST: Having read reviews I had requested a high floor to protect my babies’ sleep from the noise a few weeks prior via email. Reception said they would accommodate then put me on the 2nd floor near the elevator. YES the noise is bad and there is little to no soundproofing. Other childless guests are very inconsiderate at 10/11pm at night. Avoid if you have a sleep sensitive child. For a hotel that boasts as child friendly. Not the case.

JUST A STATISTIC: You don’t feel valued, waiting staff don’t speak to you in the morning, or offer a drink that in some 4/5 star establishment is the done thing - just check your badge and shuffle you along into the buffet which is itself a queue cutting experience.

CONCLUSION: I have holidayed in budget hotels and expensive ones. This sits somewhere towards the former, don’t let the refurbished interior charm you, this is one of many hotels owned by a sole company and you are a statistic at the end of the day.

It doesn’t hurt to pay more and enjoy the class and welcome of a paying customer that you get in the Middle East or Turkey for instance.

Few positives;

Clean rooms with fresh interior. Attentive cleaning/domestic staff. Good location close to the beach and a short bus ride from Palma. Breakfast good selection, what you would expect. Great use of water dispensers for guests.

We chose this hotel mainly because of its excellent food, and it exceeded our expectations. The variety, quality, and healthy meal options were outstanding, especially for families with children.

What impressed us the most was the hotel’s attention to detail for young guests. The play area in the reception lobby was a wonderful addition, and our child loved the daily entertainment and activities organized by the animation team. We also appreciated the children’s beach towels and the healthy, child-friendly meals available in the restaurant.

Another thoughtful feature was the filtered water fountains located throughout the hotel, as well as the wristband that also served as the room key, which was very convenient. We also noticed the care taken with the food—for example, the bacon was prepared both crispy and less crispy, giving guests a choice according to their preferences.

The staff were exceptionally friendly, professional, and always willing to help. We would especially like to thank the reception team for their outstanding assistance. After we accidentally left an item in our room at check-out, they helped us recover it quickly. We are also very grateful that they provided one of our two rooms earlier than the official check-in time, which made a huge difference since we were traveling with a small child who needed to rest.

Free parking in front of the hotel was another great advantage.

As for improvements, we believe the rooms would benefit from mosquito screens on the balcony doors. We also noticed ants, both inside the room and around the juice dispensers in the restaurant, and we hope this issue will be addressed.

Overall, we had a wonderful stay and would happily recommend this hotel to families with children.

Our second visit to this hotel and we weren't disappointed. The breakfast and evening buffets are sumptuous, fresh and varied and you don't feel rushed. The whole hotel is beautifully kept and the staff are attentive, although not particularly engaging. The ease of getting to and from Palma is a plus, although the bus drivers could do with some customer service training. The rooms are adequate but sparse, not quite 4*, but they are planning upgrades. There is a lovely pool area with two bars, always clean. The usual problem of people reserving sunbeds and not using them, despite notices. Evening entertainment was good with some excellent acts. The noise from doors slamming shut at night was the only thing that kept us from sleeping well, perhaps loosen the spring closers! Highly recommend.