Cordial Mogan Valle Hotel

Just got back from Cordial Mogan Valle Apartments. I must say it is not the kind of holiday we usually go for however, we were pleasantly surprised. The apartments are brand new 1 or 2 bedrooms. We arrived at about 4.00am and were given a map of how to get to our apartment! For those who have read the apartments description in the brochure, where it says there are 22 lifts, it's not a typo there are that many lifts! We were on the 9th floor a long walk with 3 different lifts and a walk up the last flight. We definitely needed the map! BUT it was worth it we were not overlooked and there was nobody either side of us for most of the 2 weeks we were there. It was like a Penthouse! The apartment is slightly bigger than the usual 1 bedroom. It has a sofa bed in the living room which pulls out into 2 single beds (very comfortable) and two large single beds in the bedroom. The ceiling fans are metal and large but if you are there mid summer and can't take the stifling heat you can hire an air conditioner (90 euros 2 weeks). There are the usual things in the kitchen, however bring your own tin opener the one they have is difficult to use and beware of the fridge ours didn’t close very well and we ended up with water which had come from the ice box all over the food in the fridge. Also the knives are extremely sharp for those with small kids to think of. Because the restaurant wasn’t ready and we had paid for breakfasts we were upgraded to the sister hotel next door the Cordial Mogan Playa and were given free access whenever we wanted to Salinas (spa centre). Both of these offers were well worth it. The hotel next door was very posh and the breaksfasts were good and varied. The spa had a Jacuzzi, sauna, Turkish sauna, helarium (ice sauna), and 2 different kinds of showers (very relaxing & well worth a visit or 2). There were 2 pools with a 3rd to open fairly soon and there is a pool bar and a snack bar with chill out area along with poolside vending machines for ice creams, cold drinks and water. Overall the staff at the Cordial Mogan Apartments were very polite and attentive. The only drawbacks I would say are there is no air conditioning, the safe, which is high tech didn’t work properly (we got a refund with no questions asked) and the door keys don’t always work (a big problem on our first night – we nearly had to go back down 9 flights to the reception!!!) but don’t worry they’ve got plenty of spares. Finally, although the room service staff were very polite ‘hola’ be aware that you must ask for towels, bedding etc to be changed if you need it. I would recommend these apartments to all types of holidaymakers even ones with disabilities as they have disabled facilities everywhere and the resort is not hilly like Puerto Rico it is mostly pedestrianised and flat with direct access to the seafront with its beach and beachfront shops. Puerto Mogan is also very beautiful ‘Canaries Venice’. A tip for holiday activities. If you're brave enough to drive in Gran Canaria, drive to the Presa de Las Ninas up in the hills. It has a BBQ area and a large blue green lake.

We booked this apartment about a month or so before departure and managed to get an excellent half-board rate. We did our research online first and discovered that the apartments were only just opened, but from reading a few forums realised that this was not an issue, and that all was well. We had a very early morning flight, and one thing worth remembering is that Mogan is often the last of the airport drop-offs, so please remember this when considering your flight times, as you will be facing an airport transfer of over an hour. We arrived into the complex about 3am fairly tired and weary, to be greeted by a very friendly member of reception staff who dealt with us swiftly and efficiently. He did say that this was only his second night in the job, but this didnt show, and he even chased after us to announce that because we were on half-board rate that he had some food for us to take up to the room. It was a lovely salad and meat selection, and exactly what we needed after a long transfer. Top marks for this care alone! One thing worth knowing is that after midnight the llighting around the complex goes to a minimum amount, so finding your way around the complex can be an issue in the early hours on arrival, being so unfamiliar with the surroundings. The complex is vast, and the numbering system a little intricate, but after 10mins or so we found our room. This development is brand new, so the room was spotless and very well equipped. You have a kitchen area with microwave and grill, hob, fridge with freezer compartment and ample dishes and cutlery. The seating area has a fold out bed, and the bathroom has a bath and excellent water pressure in the shower. The balcony has modern loungers and seats with a table. You can also hire a parasol for the duration of your stay for a few Euros, but you can manage to stay in the shade with a careful placement of your lounger. One thing missing from the room was air conditioning, but this can be hired for around 40 Euros per week. For a modern development this is annoying, as most people find this a standard requirement. There are three pools in the development, all of ample size, and with the current under-occupancy of the apartments there are plenty of sun loungers to go around. This naturally doesnt stop the idiots that still think they can reserve their own sunlounger by the towel method... One bonus of our early visit was that the restaurant in the development was not ready yet, so we were sent for meals to the adjoining sister hotel the Mogan Playa, which has a far higher room rate. The food there was fabulous, with a wide and varied selection across the week. The half-board rate also allows you to swap dinner for lunch, which we chose to do one day in the Mogan Valle snack bar. The waitress informed us we could choose a starter, a main and a sweet for lunch which was a vast amount of food for us, so we ended up sharing a dish each. Again the quality of food was superb. The development is brand new, and because of this there are a few minor teething issues- 1. staff really dont know the place too well- we were almost sent to the wrong town (good job I know the area and ignored the advice) 2. minor ongoing works- some of the rooms arent finished yet (I heard one horror story of a couple encountering a cat in their room on arrival that had clearly marked out its territory), so there is the odd workman during the day, but not making a lot of noise. 3. the entertainment was poor- its clearly still being tested, but the entertainment in the Mogan Valle was dreadful. Go to the Mogan Playa for entertainment there, as its a bit better. The Four Tops tribute was the best act (although amusingly there are only three of them in the band...) The location of the development really is excellent, with a nice stroll to the harbour and a supermarket and shops located yards away. Take the ferry around to Peurto Rico (I recommend Mama Pinos for food in the Commercial Centre, but eat inside to avoid the Sunglasses salesmen) if you want a noisier scene. On the whole, a great bargain at the moment, even better if you're on half-board rate.