Hotel Arena

13 readers found this review helpful

I have just come back from a weeks stay at the Hotel Arena and I found it to be a really nice place despite reading some not so brilliant reviews before going on holiday.
The place was spotless, the rooms (216 + 217 have a brilliant pool view) were a decent size and were kept clean and tidy by the maids who did a brilliant job and towels were supplied daily.
There were plenty of sun loungers and although you aren't supposed to reserve them even getting up a bit later, about 9.30ish to go to breakfast the poolside area was quiet and getting a lounger wasn't difficult.
All the staff, with the exception of one guy who seemed a little slow and unhelpful (although this might have been a language barrier thing as his English wasn't brilliant), were friendly and happy to help and couldn't do enough to make your stay a good one. The reception staff were really helpful too and gave us lots of information on the surrounding area when me and my friends were trying to decide what to do during the day.
Good location for both the beach and the town which are only short walks away.
Entertainment was a little iffy but there was a brilliant acrobatics show one night.
The only downpoints that I can think of was the food - do not go to the Hotel Arena with high expectations - the restuarant is decorated with fish and this gives a little indication of the food they serve (fish in abdunance!) - if you like fish you will be in heaven! Choice is very limited (if you are a veggie you are in troule!)often being pretty much the same things for dinner and tea - spag bol, veal stew, chips and various other fish dishes making near daily appearances. Plates, cutlery and glasses also seemed to be in low supply. On the plus point - there's lots to drink and no measures!
Overall I would recommend this hotel and I'd definately stay there again.

8 readers found this review helpful

Initial impression was good. The bedroom area, bathroom and balcony are fabulous large spaces with a drying frame in one corner of the balcony - no towels hanging over from balconies - I thought - but wrong although Information leaflet stated this was not acceptable.
Bedrooms have a safe (payable locally), a kettle and a fridge which is great.

First night arrived at 9.30 pm and although dinner had been held for us and another couple it was cold and choice was sparse. This continued throughout our whole week and it was impossible to get plates, cutlery, glasses or coffee cups without asking and even then only one or two were produced at a time. Food was almost the same every night. We ate out for dinner four out of our seven nights. Breakfast was a little better but still lack of crockery etc. Staff cooking at the grill were sullen and rude.
The head of the restaurant was extremely pleasant and did try his best under difficult circumstances - dishwasher, glasswasher and coffee machine broke down one night and threw the whole restaurant into even more turmoil.
First night reported air conditioning not working and we were given a fan and told spare parts had been ordered for the air conditioning unit and would be with us in two days - never happened. I also overheard another couple being palmed off with the same excuse!
Pool area - difficult to get a lounger unless you were out by 7.30 am to claim one with your towel.
Information leaflet advised we could pay 30 euros for a late check-out but when I tried to organise this on our second day was told I had to wait till the morning of the day we were leaving. Was told on our second last day that no rooms were available and we could have a 60 minute slot in the Courtesy Room. What we got was 30 minutes to use the showers in the sauna which had literally no ventilation. I ended up finishing dressing and drying my hair in the ladies room just off the Pool Area. Reception staff seemed to find this funny. I feel I was palmed off all week and told what I wanted to hear and not what was obviously the norm!
On a positive note the cleanliness of the hotel overall and our bedroom was excellent and towels/shampoo/bath gel were supplied in abundance. The corridors are airy and bright.
Situation of hotel is okay but best beach is a taxi ride away - 4 euros each way.
In conclusion the hotel accommodation and cleanliness is excellent but the restaurant and the attitude of Reception Staff - who are extremely pleasant all week but very unhelpful when you are departing - leaves much to be desired.

7 readers found this review helpful

I have just returned from hotel arena with my partner. Our stay was from 15th-22nd april which was a very quiet period at the hotel. First impressions of the hotel were great. beautiful and very clean. Our room was lovely by the poolside and i was quite happy.
However a short while into our stay, we began to realise the hotel was not up to its '4star' standards, Firstly was the t.v, the hotel is advertised as satellite t.v but u get no such thing just a fuzzy picture and local channels in Spanish.
Second of all was an advertised 'kids programme'. Now we never went away with our children but there was a few people in our hotel who had come away with there kids assuming there was a programme there for them as it is listed as one of the hotels features, but there was nothing for the children which i thought was appaLling and the hotel did not seem to care.
Third of all was ENTERTAINMENT...yes there is a bar with a lovely barman serving cocktails but as it goes for entertainment there is NONE, BUT YET THE HOTEL LISTS THIS AS A FEATURE.
Last of all was the FOOD....all i can say is if u dont mind your mince being recycled four nights over...from One dish to the next till it was all used up.. then u'll be ok. but if u like to eat something fresh everyday and not go to lunch and see what u had for dinner last night mixed up into a salad then this hotel is definately not the place to eat all inclusive...lol
So to conclude if the hotel didnt recycle there food for 4 nights in a row, provided entertainment and actually provided the features which they list then ud have have agreat time at the Hotel Arena!!!
Michelle

5 readers found this review helpful

Just returned form Arena on half board basis. Nice clean large rooms and pool area was also nice. Fresh towels daily. Quite and relaxing in the day time. Great breakfast but evening meals not great quality. Good selection of fresh salad and cold buffet but hot prepared food was poor to average served only warm a bit canteen style. Deserts were angel delight type or sponge with different toppings on different nights although fresh fruit was available.
If you are looking for good quality evening meals Arena is not your choice of hotel. We ate out 5 nights Entertainment was non existent a large screen with a recorded tina turner concert was an example in a large echoing room where a vodka and coke ( tasted of watery coke and no alcohol despite the barman filling glass one third with vodka) and a half pint of cheap draught beer cost nearly 8 euros. No shop near hotel for water or newspaper.
location suited us as it was our 9th visit to Fuerteventura and we knew it was a minimum of 20 minute walk into town however many guests were dissappointed although taxi is only 3 euros to town.

7 readers found this review helpful

Just returned from Hotel Arena (March 2009) had a quiet 7 days, just what I wanted. The hotel is spotless, maid service everyday without fail, good size comfortable rooms. Pool side excellent, no need to book sunbeds, pools clean & smaller one heated in cold weather.
We were half board, breakfasts so much selection catering for all in good quantity& well cooked. Dinner always a wide variety on the menu, buffet style. Lots of local & fish dishes, excellent salads, to die for desserts every night, of course if you english & want english food then that is there also. I spend most of my working life in hotels & I rate this hotel extremely highly, rarely do you get this service at home or the quality of the food, staff couldnt be more friendly & helpful. Hotel is in a very quiet part away from the sprawl of Corralejo (Eastenders bars, Watneys red barrel, sun burnt tourists & all that rubbish) It is ideal for the beach, a 12 minute walk.
We spent a 6 hour tour with Cool Runnings tour trikes (Billy Conelly style) driving & touring a large portion of the Island www.fuertetrikes.com best thing I have done on any holiday, absolutely superb, good fun & thrilling, highly recommended. (very safe as well)!!
Avoid the Local fishing party boats, "fuertecharter" in particular, downright b******y dangerous, boat too small despite being advertised as much larger, ZERO safety equipment, nil speaking english, took the money & nearly killed us (3 Metre swell 50 metres of the lee shore of Los Lobos island, one wave 7 we would have been dashed to shreds on the rocks. Caught nothing either, crap gear, four rods 8 anglers enough room for 3 in reality.

8 readers found this review helpful

From the minute we arrived at this hotel my friend and I were highly impressed with the service. We were given a very warm welcome at reception and shown to our two rooms (one each). The rooms were enormous, wonderfully clean, with a lounge area, a free fridge, free TV, a free kettle with coffee and tea provided all day, masses of wardrobe space, beautiful bathroom with a full bath and shower and the patio doors led onto good sized ry private balconies overlooking the pool. Being December there wasn't a huge amount of sun coming into the rooms and I heard a couple of guests complaining about this, but there was plenty of light and I couldn't really see their problem. A few rooms are ground floor rooms and I wouldn't recommend them, however being winter and the hotel being half empty it appeared those rooms weren't in use during our stay. Considering the small number of guests an exceptionally large variety of food was on offer for the breakfasts and we were more than happy with them. The staff were all very helpful, very friendly, and some of the nicest hotel staff I've come across. There was internet available for a small charge, bikes for hire, a gym and sauna, three outdoor pools (one heated), a large pool area and sunbeds - and best of all three lovely resident cats. The hotel is on the outskirts of the town and it's a fair walk into the centre, but the sea is very near and you can walk along the beach to town - alternatively you can do what we did and hire bikes and get there in a few minutes. In the other direction it's a mere five minute cycle into the miles and miles of beautiful sand dunes. You can of course get the bus to the centre of town or the dunes if you prefer. A great place for a break and I'd go back there happily.

5 readers found this review helpful

When we first went to the hotel we were oveer the moon at how posh it looked. when we entered out appartment we were happy at how well preseted it was and the towels were shaped into swans - very lush. Then we found the air con didnt work and reported it. They advised they would move our rooms the next morning because it was an electrical Fault - also we were on ground floor next door to the bar where we got no sleep till gone 1am. After the 2nd complaint they said we are fully booked but will deffinaley move you tomorrow. It went on an on until i gave up trying to ask for a new room. Instread i asked for a fan in the room, they gave us a grotty old fan with dust hanging out of it. The pool area was ok but they never had sunbeds free - they also have a hotel across the road which was an absoulte filth. The food was awful everyday they had fish on the menu and lunch was always the previous nights evening meals leftovers. The food we found out was brought across from the hotel across the road which was 3* and you could see the staff smoking bringing all the food over uncoverd in a trolly. The maid also stole 20 euros from our friends appartment and the hotel did nothing about it. Then when we left they tried to charge us 30 euros for the fan being broke because it was old and knackard,
the woman behind the snack bar has a face on her all the time and in the evening bar staff dont even want to make you cocktails when you ask for one and even say no sorry i dont like making cocktails!!
overall this hotel is not as it may seem,. the staff are ignorant except maria on reception is lovley always polite and helpful! the bar closes at 11 pm and the entertainment sucks!!!! deffinatlley wont be returning to this hotel!

5 readers found this review helpful

such a lush hotel. when we walked into reception we were greeted in english and he was very helpful and friendly. we walked up to our room and wow! it was so so nice, nice big balcony massive bathroom and it was cleaned every single day by a very nice maid who always said olah!!
the pool was nice nice with hardly any kids there so myself and partner just chilled by the nice clean pool area with a really convenient snack bar. we ate from there the days we were there as we wern't very impressed with the food. very fishy or meaty which im not a veggie but it didn't look very appetising. however nice(ish) bacon and eggs,rubbish marg tho, but hey the spanish cant make butter!! fresh baguettes every day which was very nice.
the town corralejo what an amazing little town with everything there and only 10 mins walk from the hotel. i recommend imagine bar which is at the end of town and round the corner.very nice bar where eric will play anything you request on the guitar and other instruments.
what an absolute amazing holiday.lush hotel,great reception and only 4 hours away.
would defo go again and have already recommended to a friend

4 readers found this review helpful

A lovely peacefull hotel with friendly welcoming staff! I do not agree with previous reviews, and after spending our second holiday at the arene hotel we agree that it is even better than our last trip. I would recomend the hotel for couples who want to relax and enjoy beautiful weather. Its not for party, so if its a party your looking for, go to ibiza. Overall fantastic holiday! A++++++

3 readers found this review helpful

just returned from a 2 week stay at the arena, it was great. peaceful. clean pool area good food was good but a bit the same .every day. our rooms were large and kept well cleaned.the entertainment was not very good. it started at 9pm and was finished by 10 at the latest.
we will return to this hotel as we do enjoy the peacefulness of it, we do spent most of out time at the beaches which are wonderful......