THB Tropical Island

I’m still currently on holiday at the THB tropical with my mother and grandmother. This hotel is spectacular for families with children! We stayed at this hotel as a last resort (self catering) and we do not regret it one bit! The hotels complex Is absolutely ginormous with endless amounts of pools so that the hotel doesn’t feel over crowded! Which the pools are continuously guarded with a lifeguard which makes you feel safe! The hotel is situated just a few seconds (in a taxi) from the local town where you will find pubs/restaurants/shops. The cleanliness throughout the hotel is immaculate including the room. The maid arrived at our room every morning with a happy smile and cleaned the room thoroughly! The only down fall of this hotel was how cold the room was. As we are here in January which is one of the coldest months, and although the weather is comfortably warm in the day (not boiling) we are very cold in bed. We asked if there was heating in the room which unfortunately, there wasn’t. Therefore we asked for more blankets which they were more than happy to give us! Another point which I may add, was that the complex is so big that it took us at least 4 days to full get our bearings around the hotel, whereas if things were sign posted around the complex this wouldn’t be an issue! But I will be returning to this hotel 100% but in the summer months! If you book this hotel you will not be disappointed! Great holiday!

We have just returned from a weeks all inclusive holiday over New Year. This place is massive. It has streets and streets of blocks of apartments. It was like being on a housing estate and actually looked just like the blocks of flats in neighbouring plots of land. What we did not know when we arrived is that it is numbered the same in two identical parts. This means that there is another room with the same number as yours in either Tropical or Island. The split is not well signed and we, along with other guests, ended up at the wrong rooms as they all looked identical. The actual blocks are all built round a little pool which is nice and results in the large pools not being mobbed. Rooms are good apart from having no drawer space. All clothes have to go into the wardrobe. Tops , underwear etc have to be piled up on the little shelves. Bedroom, lounge/dining room with kitchen area. TV with some English channels,Fridge, microwave, toaster, hair dryer etc. Safe in bedroom which you can purchase a key to use. Downside was no heating and it was cold in the evening. The "restaurant' was in the basement of one of the blocks. It was a long room with no windows except for a small area at one end. Breakfast and lunch ambience was fine but it was horrendous at night. The lights were so bright it was unbelievable and made the place look like a canteen. The end with the windows had slightly dimmer lighting but was always full as it looked more like a restaurant. There is no dress code at dinner consequently there were joggies, shorts and flip flops in the canteen at night. Even on New Years eve! The food was ok. Breakfast had a good choice of cold food but the fruit juices 'all types' were very watery. The plates and bowls were always wet for some reason. Tea/coffee out of a machine as was the wine. White wine was chilled as was the red wine. The whisky was 'Spanish Whisky'. We discovered that you can buy branded drinks at half price. The tea/coffee machines were switched off at lunchtimes and at dinner. We asked to have a coffee after dinner and were told that we were only 'allowed' coffee at breakfast despite this being 'all-inclusive'. We were 'not allowed' coffee on New Years Eve either. There is no salt/pepper on the tables. They were provided on the buffet in two bowls usually without spoons. We saw lots of people put their hands into these bowls and sprinkle the salt/pepper onto their meals!!! I mentioned this to the rep as a hygiene issue. Couldn't actually believe what we were seeing. A really quick and easy way to spread germs round a lot of people. Once the restaurant closes at 3pm there is nowhere to have a drink until 7.30pm except for the pool bars. It was quite cold and windy in the evenings so it was very disappointing that there was no inside bar/lounge to have a drink. There is also not enough staff in the canteen to clear the tables. Lots of people were sitting eating dessert with their dirty main course dishes piled up beside them! There also does not appear to be a restaurant manager. Maybe that is part of the problem. The two à la carte restaurants are definitely not à la carte. The Canary one opens only on a Monday and has limited availability. We saw why when we went. It is like a meeting room in a hotel rather than a restaurant. The Italian one is a joke, very small and only opens twice a week. We were looking forward to getting away from the canteen but it is just a pizza type place serving the same pizzas that are available each night in the canteen along with two pastas. One bolognese and one carbonara. That is it. No starters, no minestrone soup, garlic bread etc No vegetarian. As I am vegetarian and had eaten pizza most nights in the canteen I asked for spaghetti with a tomato sauce. I was told no vegetarian and was incredibly given half a bowl of plain spaghetti ! Photographs taken and shown to the Jet2 rep. We were also told that we could not have a dessert as it was finished ! This was not the cake or ice cream as we could see it. Presumably the waiter finished at a certain time and that was it whether or not you had finished your meal. The sports bar is nearest to the main reception. The only other bar,apart from the pool bars, is The Dome which is a ten minute walk away. We went for a drink in the Sports Bar with my 83 yr old father. The Indian barman , with spectacles, was not very friendly. We along with the other guests in the bar were sitting chatting when all of a sudden the lights went out completely. At first we thought it was a power cut then we realised that we could see lights in the corridor. It had become closing time and instead of telling the guests or turning up the lights he plunged us in to complete darkness! Unbelievable. We had to hold onto the tops of chairs in order to find our way out and I was petrified that my dad would have a fall. I went to reception the next morning to advise about this dangerous practise and showed them the video of us trying to find our way out. The receptionist was appalled by the barman's rudeness and treatment of the guests so hopefully she did advise the management. The toilets on the complex do not have door closers and some do not have locks on the cubicles. Unfortunately from several seats in the Sports Bar you are looking directly at the gents toilet's open door and men urinating in the urinals, disgusting. This is next to the little Supermarket, ( which is good and well stocked) but which also had kids running about outside right next to the urinals. I think Jet 2 Holidays should seriously consider how this can possibly be classed as a 4 star. I also think they should send in some mystery shoppers to see for themselves. It is a pity as I think small things would make a big difference. First Dim the lights at dinner and make it look like a restaurant instead of a canteen Second Employ enough staff to clear the tables and keep the buffet clean Third Switch on the tea/coffee machines and lunch and dinner and provide salt/pepper on the tables. Fourth Consider making the signage of the blocks clearer ie a colour or tile depicting which part of this complex it is. Five Door closers on the public toilets The main positive about this hotel for me was the staff (except the rude barman in the Sports Bar). They have some very, very nice staff. Also the main pools are lovely and the rooms are nice and spacious. Ground-floor ones have a little patio and the upper ones have a balcony. Probably better not to go all-inclusive. We ended up buying our own wine from the supermarket and also went out to local restaurants for dinner on some of the nights.

My huband & I stayed here for a week in early December. Having read the last few reviews I'm very surprised at the criticisms! However, we went self-catering & maybe this is the key?! We usually stay in small & friendly places so were apprehensive about the size of the complex (we booked it mainly because it was a great offer!!). The layout of the apartments is brilliant - you're in your own area with your own pool (sometimes just a jacuzzi but it's great!) so it feels cosy & not overwhelming. The apartments are clean & spacious, & the beds & pillows really comfortable. The environment is beautiful - lots of palm trees, shrubs & grassed areas - & of course the bigger pools (adults & childrens). All really well-kept. The bar area isn't too welcoming - clinical with odd acoustics! We didn't eat at the apartments so can't comment on the food. The little supermarket on site was more than adequate (though not easy to find!) & reasonable on price. Good sports facilities, We intend to return with our grandchildren.