Royal Palm Resort & Spa

We’ve just finished a week long stay at this hotel and it was our fourth year in a row at staying at this hotel during December. I can also safely say we’ll be back next year that’s for sure so that should tell you lots on how we feel. We are from the UK and in our early 40’s, were also a very active couple so you get a feel of our review. This hotel is a really hard one when rating and I’ve chose a rating of 5 but it could have been 4 I suppose as it’s that type of establishment. Let me break down all the PRO’S & CONS PRO’S: 1. Its a beautiful modern contemporary hotel with the most idyllic beach location. I think the beach in front of the hotel is the best in the whole region. When you come out of the hotel down onto the beach you can walk for hours either way alone some stunning coastline, Especially to the left as you look at the ocean. It’s a ramblers/ hikers paradise which we are. 2. The rooms are modern, clean and spacious. We upgraded to a double sea view and we asked for a similar spot to last year which the hotel were able to do. We were ocean facing over the bottom pool and could here the sea while in bed. 3. Beautiful Big pool areas with lots of beds so no need to get up and put towels on beds. 4. The breakfast buffet was great with lots of options and a very scenic outside area looking towards the ocean while eating. 5. The staff were very good, cheerful and very helpful with any problems we had. 6. There’s lots of little bar areas scattered through the hotel and some shops etc. 7. Your a very short walk (20/25 mins) along the beach from a town with lots of shops, bars, restaurants etc. And a further 30 minutes to a quaint old town. 8. The most amazing sunrise I’ve seen, we’d get up 6.30 everyday and either watch it from our room or go down onto the beach. It’s a very inspirational experience and you can get free coffee and nibbles at reception to have before hitting the beach to watch. THIS IS A MUST. 9. Also the sunsets from the beach looking to the right are mega watching with a few beers. 10. The views from the bottom pool area up and down the coast are breathtaking. CON’S: 1. The evening entertainment is poor and over complicated I feel. A piano bar, guitar player or just some good music will be much better. It’s very quiet in all the night time areas and I feel they need to work better at this. There is a large German influence here so perhaps it’s more catered for them but having seen how quiet it is I don’t think anyone is going. Lots of evening space wasted I feel. 2. Evening buffet is average at best, more restaurant options very much needed. Everyone loves a good Italian restaurant. 3. The Cabana beds around the pools are always empty I don’t know why they don’t just drop the price or even gone them out free to different rooms every day rather than leave them empty. In 4 visits I can count the amount of people who’ve used them on one hand. They take prone spots by pools and are vacant all the time. 4. No music around the pool by the beach, sone light chilled beach music would be nice. Them areas lack atmosphere. 5. Lots of wasted unused space around the hotel that maybe be used to bump the atmosphere up a little. Bowling alley, cinema room, burger bar etc etc. The big question is ‘WILL WE RETURN’? And our answer is 100% yes we will be back next December as it’s a beautiful VERY GOOD hotel. I feel it’s one or two steps away from being WORLD CLASS but also one or two steps away from being just AVERAGE / GOOD. I hope this hotels keeps strong and makes a few improvements as it’sbeautiful and one I would love to come back to every year. It’s probably in the best location on the island and it’s makes it feel very tropical and unique. We’ll see you next year Royal palm resort & spa thanks. Andrew & Phyllis Tyrrell.

The GOOD- Extremely Clean Hotel, friendly reception, awesome pools. The BAD- Advertised as having A/C but its switched off October to March, rooms at night a unbearably hot even in November and cant open windows and doors due to mosquitoes. Paid nearly 300 euro a night for our room so was surprised no A/C. The UGLY- made a mistake and used a sun bed that was supposed to be pre-booked, got shouted at by a staff member in public and in front of other guests and told to get off, very embarrassing.

Good points: - Clean, tidy, modern - Lots of facilities (beach access was very easy) - Very quiet and peaceful during the day, easy to relax in - Staff friendly especially the La Pizzetta restaurant Worse points: - The resort is in the stranded in the middle of nowhere (check Google Maps) and a taxi to Jandia/Morro Jable was 2x the price unless you walked up an unfinished road - The buffet restaurant’s evening meal was €30 if you weren’t half board- this is very expensive for a buffet meal. Drinks are not included either. Your choice of where to eat without expense or hassle now starts to become a problem. - It is recommended that you a) keep hydrated in the hot sun and b) don’t drink the desalinated tap water, however, you have to buy all your drinking water (including the ones with your meal) which feels slightly nickel-and-dimey. It would have been nice to have had access to a water drinking fountain. - The only places to get food at lunch time is one of the pool side bar (baguettes) or the La Pizetta where it’s a full meal, and nothing much in between.