Sol Balmoral

First time on an all inclusive holiday so I was a bit apprehensive. However the holiday surpassed my expectations.
Hotel: Clean with friendly staff who work very hard. Good choice of food at the self service resturant. The hotel is big and gets busy but there are quite places if you dont want to join in the pool games for example. Entertainment was a bit hit & miss. After a few nights we ventured out into the town for something different. You can also use the pools at the adjacent hotel.
Resort: The resort is purpose built on a cliff face so if you want a true feel for Spain you won't get it here. Beaches are clean but not very big so no miles of beach to explore. The resort is small but family orientated. We visited in August but it did not appear that busy.
Hotel Transfer:
We used Travel Hopper. No matter which bus the staff put you on at the airport to go to your accomadation check with the driver. One family on our coach ended up on the other side of the island because staff put them on the wrong coach. If you book on line make sure you have the corrrect reference number as you have to make contact 24 hours before with Travel Hopper to ensure you get picked up. I confirmed by the internet as I could not get through by phone.
This holiday was excellent value for money going all inclusive.
However going self catering or room only on the complex could work out very expensive. Prices about the same as the UK.

Me and my boyfriend booked this holiday last minute - a week before we went to stay for 1 week we were looking for something all inclusive so when we saw this holiday we thought it was ideal and also due to the fact it was a Sol holiday.
We didn't realise how far Calles De Majorca was away from Palma airport 45 minutes but we were the only couple from our whole flight going there which worried us at first but our transfer was quicker than most peoples.
When we arrived first impressions was not what I was expecting but I noticed that there was a couple of shops right next to the hotel which I prsonally think i good to have. We arrived at the hotel about 9 o'clock in the evening and the reception staff were very nice and checking in was as quick as possible and all neccessary information was given.
Our room was on the 5th floor looking right on to the lovely view of the sea and the cliffs at the front of the hotel. The room was clean and tidy - we never had any issues with the hygiene of the hotel what so ever. The maid came in every day to change sheets, towels, bins and put in more toilet roll.
What we were not aware of is that this hotel is very much family orientated. So I would advise if you have kids this is the hotel for you. As we are a young couple we would have probably prefered a quiter hotel but we still had a fantastic time anyway. There was a kids club most most of the time the kids played in the pool together .
The only negative I have to stay is that the food was basically the same every breakfast, lunch and dinner. I am a fussy eater when I go on holiday so I usually stick to the same foods anyway but we both got a wee bit sick of the same food but the food that was cooked was lovely and again we had no issues with the food. It was just not what we wanted.
The entertainment was great for the kids as they do a mini disco and entertainment after that for the adults which is still suitable for the kids but the adults can participate in it if you like that sort of thing. The reps performed the entertainment but there was a couple of nights professionals came in an we really enjoyed the entertaiment. Also during the day there is activities for the adults to do such a water polo, riffle shooting, football etc which kept my boyfriend amused. All bar staff and reps were great.
The hotel is probably a 5 minute walk from the "town" where there is other pubs, clubs and there is also a Burger King. What we tended to do was when the entertainment finished in the hotel and when you had to pay for your drinks we would go to the pubs just round the corner for a couple and they were very nice and staff were very pleasant.
What we didn't realise is there is a wee beach near the hotel. There is a couple of houses across from the hotel and there is a passage to get down between the cliffs - I would really recommend visting the water a views are stunning but you do need to pay for a lounger and parasol. The main beach is about 10-15 minute walk away from the hotel again you do need to pay we went down one afternoon but it was really busy.
In conclusion we had such a good holiday and we would go back to Balmoral but probably wouldn't be our first choice of holiday.

Just average. Some surly staff in restaurant/snack bar who clearly didn't want anyone to be there! The tables were so tightly packed in the restaurant that meant moving other people to get in/out most of the time. Rooms had no air con only noisy fans. No view from room to speak of just over the pool. Drinks in plastic half pint glasses which meant more time than necessary at the bar queueing. Food was ok but again have had better on the island. On the plus side we did get to meet some great fellow travellers and the local town was small but nice with some decent bars/restaurants and a play area for kids, my son enjoyed with go karts. I wouldn't go there again, there were better hotels i think, certainly with better views at least.

Just return from 10 nights in the Sol Balmoral and had the most fantastic holiday. We read some of the reviews before we went and nearly had second thoughts about going to this hotel, we're glad we didn't listen to the negative reviews.
We were a family of 2 adults and 3 kids (14, 9 and 9) so had to have 2 seperate rooms but they made sure they were near each other. The rooms were cleaned and towels changed everyday. The rooms may not have air conditioning but the fans were still ok the keep you cool on a night (maybe abit noisy but you could still sleep). Our rooms were over looking the pool and entertainment area of the hotel so we did think on a night time it would be noisy but it was ok.
Some reviews have said there wasn't enough sun loungers, there was loads spare when we were there. Yes if you want to be near the pool side you would have to put your towel on your lounger before 9.30am but if your not bothered about being around the pool there was plenty of room just away from the poolside. Yes the pools did get busy with all the kids and the lilo's etc but that didn't bother us. You have the choice to go and use the other pools nearby if you wanted something a bit more quite.
The entertainment throughout the day was fantastic varying from archery, rifle shooting, pistol shooting, volleyball, darts, aerobics, water polo and more. The entertainment staff worked very hard to get everyone involved. The team even get you involved in the night time shows which is a really good laugh, I was on the stage most nights. The kids loved the kids disco and the shows, the kiddy club was great lots of varied activites throughout the day.
We had no problems at all with the food apart from the snacks which was mostly the leftovers but you had no reason to want snacks as there was plenty to eat at meal times. Different meat and fish cooked fresh every meal time, plenty for the kids to eat. We had no problems every getting a table, didn't have to wait and there was always plenty if they every ran out of something it was replenished all most immediately. The fresh croissants and pancakes were the things you had to wait for normally but only a minute or so. Plenty of drinks and yes you did get them in plastic cups but it was no problem to us, at least there was no problem with glass if you dropped a drink. The staff were friendly and all the entertainment team were great.
We would definiately return to the hotel in the future, we met some great people which made the holiday even better for us. Everybody we spoke to were having a great time and again had read the reviews and didn't know why it gets low scores.
Review by the 9 year olds - The kids club was great and we really enjoyed ourselves. The activity people who ran the kids club was great (Juicy and Rita) they were really kind and the entertainment was excellent.
Every night at half past eight there was a mini disco for the kids, and at ten o'clock there was a show on.
Somtimes if you went to the kids club you could be in the show. The entertainment crew was the best (Juciy, Rita, Carla, sandro, Lars,Tibo Michelle and frog).
ps Martin and Mark I got enough medals for the bandana and some to spare( hahah)

Having just returned from a brill holiday at the Balmoral, I thought I needed to leave a review (never usually bother), as I don’t feel it deserves the bad reviews it has received.
Ok, there maybe some things people do not find appropriate, but we can honestly say there is nothing that bad that spoilt our holiday.
The fan in the room was adequate to keep the rooms cool during the night, although it got very hot in the bathroom when getting ready to go out, the only mirror to use was in there, but I just made do with a small mirror I had taken with me.
The rooms, which were spacious, were cleaned daily, with clean towels and sheets (we had two rooms as there were 4 adults; my husband, myself and our two lads aged 20 and 16). Our rooms were around the back of the hotel and very quiet.
All the drinks were in plastic glasses, but this was ok for us as we have been to other hotels where there has been broken glass everywhere. The bar staff were friendly and never questioned the amount of times we went to the bar! The food was nice too, we always found something to eat and during our week we only had to wait once for a table and the staff did everything they could to find us one quickly. There was also a choice of drinks, including three wines, beer, water and soft drinks. The restaurant was clean and kept cool with the air-con.
We never had a problem getting a sun bed, there were lots of places to put them to relax, and we never felt the need to rush out first thing in the morning.
My biggest praise goes to the entertainment team who worked so hard. There was riffle and pistol shooting, archery, tennis football, football, water polo, volley ball, darts, French boules, with competitions against the other hotel often arranged. There were also table tennis and pool tables too.
We even got involved with the nighttime entertainment and took part in the musical Grease!
We would all return to this hotel. Everyone we got talking to agreed that the hotel doesn’t deserve the bad reviews, we had a great holiday with a great atmosphere our only problem was that we hadn’t booked two weeks

I agree with some of the reviews that the hotel is not great but this is mainly down to the lack of air conditioning and the plain rooms, although we had sea views with a balcony, which more than made up for the rooms.
I would also add that the hotel does need an update but this did not make any difference to our holiday as we spent most of the time exploring the island which has some exceptional sights. I would recommend the Palma to Soller train ride (17 euros return), breathtaking views and for an extra 4 euros (each way) a tram will take you to the Port (worth a visit, just beautiful!)
Back to the hotel, we found the food to be very good with lots of choice you can eat Spanish, Continental or English (although it is much the same each day, which was fine with us, chips particularly good).

The staff are generally helpful and although the pool was busy there was a lovely atmosphere and plenty of sun loungers to go around.
Sometimes queue's for drinks, but on our visit they went down really quickly!
Entertainment was basic but fun!
Some reviews have been critical about the plastic cups they use, but this makes good sense, especially around the pool where broken glass wound be a serious risk of injury, especially to those with small children!
Beach is a stunning double cove, with beautiful crystal clear blue water and sandy beach! A bit of a walk from hotel (about 10/15 mins), but well worth a visit!
For an all inclusive I was more than happy with this hotel (you can't expect 4 or 5* quality when you have paid for 3*, I think it was good value for money). I would agree with other reviews that anyone who has booked this hotel should not worry as the hotel is pleasant and we had a great time!

where do i begin!! firstly me and my girlfriend are 22 and 20 and have experienced 4 really good holidays, two of which were 3star and both were fantastic! however the sol balmoral should not be a 3star and know where near. To begin with, entering the reception is like entering del boys living room out of only fools and horses, the decor through out the hotel is severly out dated and needs a make over. if you manage to see beyond the decor which most people did, then there is the food to worry about! if you have been once you have been every time nothing changes and every body was complaining of the same thing. the restaurant is poorly arranged and 9/10 you are queuing to be seated! the hotel is very compact and unspacious!
if you are not up at the crack of dawn you wont get a sunbed and if you do, you wont have space to move because the sunbeds have about a foot gap between eachone.
swimming in the pool is a no go because it is packed with screaming kids! the snack bar is leftovers from the previous meal and the glasses are plastic kids party cups all the time. the entertainment looked ok however we could never get a seat as they are packed back to back in a tiny space.the table and chairs are also white plastic garden furniture.
the staff are miserable,the lifts are never free,there is no air con in the rooms,the pool side smells of wee, the cleaners use pool water to mop the reception floor they also clean around your feet when eating in the restaurant, the list is endless i could go on all day! the only thing that made this holiday ok for us was getting away from the hotel and doing other things. Which is why ive rated it 4/10.

I had red a mixture of reviews on this hotel and so was unsure what to expect. This holiday however suited my partner and I (both in our twenties) down to the ground. The rooms were very basic and would have been better if we'd had a fridge in our room and if there was air con rather than a very dodgy looking ceiling fan. However as a place to rest our head it was fine. The food was excellent, so much choice and as we were only half board we were surprised to find we could help ourselves to beer and wine at dinner with no cost. There were two lovely big pools, one slightly quieter than the other. I cannot comment on the entertainment in the evenings as we never stayed to watch but it appeared to be your typical cheesy hotel entertainment. There were also plenty of activities arranged during the day such as football and table tennis.
There was a beautiful cove by the hotel, which you got too by going down a number of steps. It looks worse to get down to than it actually is. Watch out for jelly fish if it's windy. I highly recommend going down to there.
The resort had plenty of bars and restaurants. There were also lots of activities for families such as crazy golf and a play area for kids. There were plenty of shops but they appeared to just sell your typical Spanish tourist gifts.
Overall I cannot see how this hotel has got bad reviews in the past, the small things they could improve on do not affect your holiday experience. Enjoy your holiday.

We have just come back from a week at the Sol Balmoral. To begin with I had mixed feelings - our transfer was a nightmare (don't book beforehand as you can get a taxi to the hotel for 65 EUR) - the temp was 42C and when we arrived at 9.15pm our room was stifling (no air con) - the 'large family room' that we had been sold was a standard double with added bunk beds! However after the first night's disasters and a night with the fan on, I awoke the next day feeling much happier.
I agree with some of the reviews that the hotel is not a 3* but this is mainly down to the lack of air con and the basic rooms. However we found the food to be much more than 3*. The quality of meat and fish was exceptional.
The entertainment staff go out of their way to be helpful and although the pool was busy there was a lovely atmosphere and plenty of sun loungers to go around.
All in all we had a lovely time. Wish we were there now and not here in the rain!!!

We have just returned from a week staying at the hotel Sol Balmoral as a last minute all inclusive deal. After reading the negative reviews my boyfriend and I (both 24) were dreading what we would find. However, we were pleasently surprised with this hotel. The room was basic but nice (the only downside being no air con but it did have a powerful fan) and was cleaned every day.
There was a wide variety of food on offer and there was certainly something for everyone. I can imagine the food getting quite repetitive if you stayed longer than a week although there was always a different meat being cooked and fresh bread baked. The dining room admittedly was like a school canteen in atmosphere but we usually found a table straight away. The snack bar is just left overs from previous meals but this is useful if you get up late for breakfast for example.
There were several swimming pools to choose from - one at the Sol Balmoral and you also have access to two other Sol hotels within a 2 minute walk. We preferred the pool at Hotel Sol Chihuahas (?) as this was bigger, not so busy and overlooked the sea. The beach is a ten minute walk or so and you have to climb down some steep steps which can be slippery when covered in sand (I have the cuts to prove it!) but the beach was nice and not too packed.
The entertainment was aimed at Kids but the entertainment team worked hard. The bar did have queues (as does any bar!) but I never waited longer than 5 minutes even at peak time and the bar staff were very quick. There are also two or three sides to the bar and everyone queues in an orderly fashion. I do not understand the problem with plastic cups as this is much safer by the pool than glass. The area of Callas De Mallorca is quite quiet but you can find some decent bars and somewhere to play mini golf!
For a three star all inclusive hotel I was more than happy with this hotel (you can't expect 4 or 5* quality when you have booked 3*!) Anyone who has booked this hotel do not worry like we did as the hotel is nice and we had a great time!