Babalu Apartments

1 reader found this review helpful

A nice, clean albeit basic hotel. Beds were very uncomfortable and one friend had to sleep on the sofa (I wouldn't have been too happy if i'd spent a lot of money and was told to sleep on a sofa for a week)
Staff were friendly and was close by to The Europa Centre (which seemed very quiet) I'd recommend a nice walk down to Amadores Beach.

2 readers found this review helpful

Okay, my opinions. Both positives (p) and negatives (n). This may be a great place if you are female... (n)- A few male receptionists acted as if you were a pain in their bum, even when all you were doing was asking for the time or something. Neither my freinds nor I are rowdy and annoying, so what their problem was is a mystery. Young female guests however seem to be met with smiles and laughter... Cleavage a must it seems. (p/n) Rooms basic, small but clean. Our maid was nice and friendly, on floor 1, but didnt turn up for three days at the end of the week. Why????? Who knows?... (p)- Food at poolside bar was well priced, quickly cooked and tasted good. Cannot fault this, and would recommend eating here as much as you can... (n)- It's probably wrong of me to fault the price, because beer was cheap. But spirits with mixtures were dear. Mind you, I remember the good old days of pesetas so I blame the cost of the Euro for this... (p) Entertainment was okay. Family orientated, and Dave the entertainer (there in July 09) was friendly and funny enough. Really wanted to get people involved, and helped out behind the bar if they were short staffed. (p) Swimming pool was good. Three seperate wee pools, shallow, medium, deep. Plenty of chairs and sun loungers. Get down early to beat the Spanish guests / live in residents. They seem to go to bed at 9pm and get up at 7am... (p/n)- Distance... Okay, this is a tough one. You are at the top of a hill which is difficult in the heat to walk up. Don't try and prove your fitness, or even masculinity, by saying you can jog up it everyday. Taxis are cheap enough. Forty minutes walk from both beaches, with one beach being ten minutes from Puerto Ricos main shopping / entertainment centre. Back up beside Babalu was the smaller Europa centre with pubs and restaurant. Really reminded me of that whole Butlins entertainment venue you used to love as a kid. It's great for families... (( Miscellaneous )) Babalu is one minute from a chemist, three from the taxi rank. That's good. The lift sometimes stops and breaks down for no reason. Rowdy, loud obnoxious guests were complained about by other guests, but nothing was done.These are my opinions only, so you may not agree. P.S PARENTS BE WARNED!! There is hardcore pornography on their equivalent of terrestrial television.

1 reader found this review helpful

well what can i say this has to be one of the best holidays me and my artner have been on!and im a fussy 1 as well!!
went in june with my boyfriend stayed at babalu for a week,rooms were basic but clean, all you could really need.pool area was fantastic perfect for chilling out.the barbacoa bar/resturant across the road is good for food and the shows are very good too,but would strongly recommend going down into the center of puerto rico every night cabbi only cost 3 euros there is such a big variety of food places and bars and lots of shops it took us all week to finally looking in all the shops,i recommend the all you can buffet on the top floor ate there twice very nice!! watch out for the drag queens that walk around !!
all in all had a great time and would 100% go back tomoz if i had the chance!!!!

1 reader found this review helpful

Stayed here with my boyfriend in June and had a great time! The apartments are pretty basic, but do their job! The pool area is really nice (although the sunloungers are pretty uncomfy so buy yourself a lilo on your fist day a use that to put on top of the lounger it's much better!)The daytime and night time entertainment was supplied by Dave. Dave was the life and soul of this place. He got everyone in the pool playing water polo and for those who didn't want to play it was the best entertainment you could ask for! He even got all us young ones together and took us down to the main centre for a night out! Couldn't ask for more!
Dave definitely made up for the lack of a kettle and toaster in the room!
The only reason the apartments got a 9 and not a 10 was the fact I struggled to get a nice daytime nap because the pool music was on constantly from about 11 in the morning till midnight, and you couldn‘t not hear it from the apartment!

1 reader found this review helpful

Enjoyed 2 weeks at these apartments with my husband in June 2009. Basic but clean,(cleaned 5 times a week) friendly reception, bar staff and cleaners. If you need a kettle or toaster they are not included in room so you have to hire them. I took a travel kettle but hired a toaster for the 2 weeks - 10 euros plus 10 euros deposit. Balcony was huge with patio table and chairs. You can hire a sunbed for balcony if you want. Sun is on balconies all day. entertainer - Dave - very friendly Organises football and waterpolo during day and bingo and different entertainment 5 nights a week. Beer 1.50 euro all day at pool bar. Also 2 happy hours, one day and one night at bar 2 for 1. Food at pool bar very good and a fair price. 3 pools - one for kids, one you can walk into and a deeper pool cleaned daily. Plenty of sunbeds. Europa centre directly behind apartments. Plenty of bars - Biblos Bar very nice music bar wher wou can chill out - eating places a few shops and a Netto supermarket - not cheap! There is a small supermarket right by reception but this is more expensive than Netto. Have been to Puerto rice twice before and was sorry to see that some bars and shops in centre have closed. Place was very quiet. Amadores beach is about 15 min. walk away and is a lovely beach. Take taxis back from beach and centre of Puerto rico as it is uphill all way back. Taxis about 3 euros.

1 reader found this review helpful

Just back from a week in Gran Canaria with two of my friends. Stayed at the Babalu Apartments.
The apartment was fine for what we needed...
Twin room and sofa bed in the Living Room area. The beds were not too comfortable, but not unbearable to sleep on. We thought it was very strange that the mirror was right behind the door, was a complete pain in the bum with 3 girls trying to get ready and coming in and out of the room every 5 minutes, but we coped!:)
Kitchen facilities were a twin ring, fridge, microwave.. Had lots of cooking equipment compared to some hotels I have stayed in.. Pans, plates, bowls, glasses, cutlery, chopping boards, juicer etc..
Bathroom was a good size with a proper showerhead.. Only thing was quite a few night we didn’t get very hot water but it was so warm weather we didn’t really worry!
The Balcony was absolutely huge.. had a table with 4 chairs and a clothes dryer.. You could also hire sun loungers for I think 6 euros a week to have on your balcony but we didn’t bother as the pool area was so quite..
The pool area was great.. It has a walk in pool so it was great just for dripping your feet if you are feeling the heat! It also has a baby pool and a deeper pool. We ate at the pool bar quite a few lunchtimes and the food was pretty standard, roughly 4-5 euros for a meal. We found juice and ice lolly's quite expensive but were willing to pay as it was so hot some days!
The week we were there the hotel was very quite only a few couples and 2 or 3 families so the pool area was great for relaxing in the sun..
The lift was broken while we were there.. But there seemed to be people there straight away to fix it and it was soon up and running again..
The Europa Centre in a 2 minute walk away, we went to Barbacoa a few days for breakfast which was really nice.. The cocktail bar next door also does lovely cocktails in the evening. We ate at The Chinese Restaurant in the Europa Centre on the first night and 2 out of the 3 of us had slight upset stomachs the next day so would not recommend eating there.. We shopped in the Netto supermarket a few times also which we found quite expensive..
The Puerto Rico Shopping Centre is a 3-4 euro taxi ride away.. We found this a lot better for restaurants, shops etc, especially the Mexican restaurant upstairs.. We ate there twice as it was so good! The PR people at the restaurants were quite annoying as they constantly try to collar you into their restaurants.. Some were quite rude in fact..
We got the boat to Mogan Market on the Friday which was 10 euros return from the harbour. I would recommend you get there early as they start packing up around 12-1pm..
All in all the hotel was basic but perfect if you just want a cheap relaxing holiday.. The resort was ok, was very family orientated.. Not to lively not too quiet!
:)

1 reader found this review helpful

Just got back from holiday this morning & thought id leave my views so here goes...
Location is excellent, right next to the europa center which is handy for staggering back to the apt's, I would not reccomend attempting to walk up/down the hill unless you're EXTREMELY fit - Even people who have lived there for years have told me they never have & never would attempt it, The bottom center is only 3/4 euro in a taxi which is really worth it and taxi's are readily avaliable, the apt's we're better than i expected though the hot water heating system always seemed to not work properly and had to have it seen to, also there was nowhere to bath the baby so he had to bath in the sink which wasn't very practical. The travel cot we were initially supplied with was broken and was immediately replaced after reporting it. self catering facilities were a 2 ring stove & a microwave, no toaster or kettle. maid service wasnt very good to be honest and they only left a few towels which were expected to last a few days, the room always smelled of soiled nappies due to the infrequent maid service & bins not being emptied. beds were a little uncomfy but the room was a fair size with a huge balcony. Most annoying thing about the resort itself is being pestered all the time, you couldn't walk past a bar or restaurant without being hounded, beware of african people selling you goods that can be found in the shops pretty much next to where they stand for a lot cheaper, i even had one of them offer me "gear" ! , also the "gran canaria tourist information desk" people are not tourist information but time share reps trying to tout business, they try and tell you its not time share and dress it up as something else but thats all it is basically & they try every trick in the book to try and get you to agree to go and have a meeting with someone, bribery / guilt... In regards to the bars & restaurants the barbacoa in the europa was very popular (maybe had something to do with it being the first one you hit) but it was a little expensive, some of the food was nice though (steak & ale pie & the jacket potatoes...yummy) the best bar we found was definately without a doubt the turbo bar in the europa, bev was fantastic with our little boy & we were made to feel really welcome, chris the dj (smithy) was great fun too. All in all we would return to the resort in the future but not at the babalu as it didnt suit our needs.

Rooms were basic but clean,balcony huge. Never saw the legendary DAVE in fact no entertainment for the two weeks we were there. Europa centre 2mins away,recommend El Brasero (great steaks.The first day we were there we had no hot water,went to reception,and we had a new boiler fitted in 10 mins,very impressed.We ate out every night,and sometimes went out for breakfast,Flick's is good for breakfast,barbacoe good for entertainment.Take a trip to Arguineguin market (tuesday 9am-2.00pm)6 euros in taxi.or Mogan market (friday 9am-2.00pm)15 euros in taxi,more expensive but better than hanging around for buses.Food in the supermarket is expensive 3 euros for a loaf of bread,booze & cigarettes are really cheap.Take a taxi down to puerto rico,more bars & restaurants.

My husband and I went to Babalu 2003 and found staff very helpful. Yes the appartments basic but comfortable. But while on holiday we have always said you do not live in your appartment you go there to rest and sleep, Maspolomas oct 2008 had a great time but went upto puerto rico wish we had gone back there and stayed at babalu. We're looking forward to going back to Babalu in Puerto Rico in April 2010 and tsking the family so they can enjoy themselves.
From Mr+Mrs Keany
West Sussex.

1 reader found this review helpful

We have stayed at the Babalu ten years ago so knew roughly what we were getting before we arrived.
Appartment havnt really change in ten years. The appartments are basic ,but good value for the money. All the staff are very friendly specially the cleaning staff.
The Thomas Cook staff were all very good. On site mosts day & very happy to help.
The weather was lovely & warm so spent most of the week by the pools.
Food wasnt bad at the pool bar, bar staff were all very nice.
Overall it was a very nice break and feel it was very good value for money. We have already booked another week next March!!