Hotel Don Pancho
, Benidorm
Hotel Don Pancho Reviews
- Advice: Dont go there, go to the Presidente.....cheaper and much better food.
- Good For: Beach
- Board Basis:Half Board
- Tour Operator:Thomas Cook
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Well what can I say about the Don Pancho, if you look at all the reviews on here and other sites, most of them will be very positive about every aspect about the Don Pancho, so on that basis we booked our family holiday here.
This hotel is claimed to be a 4 start hotel, god only knows who gives hotels there ratings, but in the case of the Don Pancho, it certainly does not warrant this rating. There were 3 of us booked into a room on the 16th floor, we were totally shocked to find that the 3rd bed was actually a camp bed! What kind of 4 star hotel gives their guests a camp bed. To be fair here, I have re-read the blurb and this is mentioned in it, I just never noticed..but find it odd that 3 star hotels can manage proper beds.
The food in the hotel was in the main very well cooked , but and this is a very big but, the choice is extremely limited, there are at best 5 choices on offer each night for main meals, and even less for breakfast. In most 3 star hotels I have stayed in before, there is the usual cooked breakfast, and contintental choice too, however at the pancho you get egg, bacon, and suasage, and 2 dfferent kind of continental options. Dinner as said before was extremenly poor, there is a carvery for 1 kind of meat, usually beef or lamb, and the rest has been deep fried and covered in batter. The desert is a disgrace, there are only 3 types of desert on offer, which were generally of poor quality, and a choice of 3 flavors of ice cream. On one evening we got a digestive biscuit coverted in custard!!! hows that for a four star hotel? that alone should work as an example of the quality of food. They do not do Black Pudding or Mushrooms on a regular basis, I had black pudding once, and mushrooms twice. The black pudding was fluffy, and the mushrooms were boiled not fried.
Somes guest are treated more favourably that others, we noticed while there that one guest was ordering steak every night when everyone else had to just accept what was on offer on the hot plate or carvery. I challenged this one night and was told that we could order what we want, but I doubt that very much. I was disgusted that some guest who pay the same money as everyone else are being treated differently and unfavourably.
The pool is very small, but to be honest if your aware of it then its not really a big deal unless your training for the 2012 games. The big pool is only about 5 feet deep and about 4 meters wide by 9 in length, but if you just want a quick dip then its fine. The sunbeds is another matter entirely. there is not enough sun beds for all of the guests, and if you want one you have to be up really early. Some people here were getting up a couple of hours before the pool opens just to make sure they got a bed, really pathetic.
The hotel is full of ill mannered old age pensioners who do not take kindly to anyone under the age of 60 and think that gives them the right to do as they like, so definately not a hotel for families or the young. The entertainment is usually spanish dancing, and occasionally the odd act or two, but there is plenty of things to do just outside the hotel that this is not an issue.
I do not believe that the Don Pancho deserves its 4 stars, in fact I have reservations about it even having 3. Last year I stayed at the Presidente just behind the pancho and this hotel is much much better that the Don Pancho, although the Don Pancho does have a much bettr view of the levante beach. I would love to find out who gives the star ratings to hotels, because they really need to urgently re-evaluate the don pancho.
We stayed on the 16th floor and the view was fantastic. The decor was quite dated, but unlike Winkie, our floor was laminate and the bathroom was a walk in shower. The shower itself was amazing, always hot water, and very powerful. The maid service was great, fresh towels every day, but the room itself was not in the best of order. The decor is chip wood, and for some reason, they eitheh ran out of paper around the bed or this was done for decorative purposed, but this was a different colour. One of the light switches was just glued on, and fell apart when used, and the handle to the patio doors was very week and looked like it could fall apart easily, but didn't.
I think the only four star aspect of the Don Pancho is the price.
- Advice: Dont book it if you like food, have children, or want a sun lounger
- Good For: Beach
- Board Basis:Half Board
- Tour Operator:Thomas Cook
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1 reader found this review helpful
I can't rate this as a 4* ... food was poor and the staff unfriendly. Pool area more like a holiday camp and not very relaxing... we won't be staying here again
- Advice: Go to the New Town for the nice shops
- Good For: Beach
- Board Basis:H/B
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
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8 readers found this review helpful
This was our first stay at the Don Pancho,but not in Benidorm.The Don Pancho is the BEST HOTEL yet.Pleasant and professional staff.Clean & large rooms ,cleaned daily,Sea+pool views from ALL rooms,Excellent food,nightly entertainment,close to all night-life ,but a quiet in the rooms.Would I stay at The Don Pancho again? EVERYTIME I CAN.
- Good For: Beach
- Board Basis:half-board
- Tour Operator:Thomas Cook
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7 readers found this review helpful
The Don Pancho is one of the beat hotels in Benidorm. The hotel is in a great location one street back from the beach.and close to all Beni has to offer.The bus stops outside the front to take you further afield if you wish. The service in the hotel is first class,along with the food.I have been visiting Benidorm for over 30 years and stayed in most of the hotel but have yet to find on to compare to the Don Pancho.
- Good For: Beach
- Board Basis:Half Board
- Tour Operator:Thomson
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14 readers found this review helpful
Spent 2 weeks at this hotel in May and everything about it was just perfect.
Quick check in at reception and up to our room on the 12th floor with wonderful views.
The rooms are what you expect including a fridge but no tea making facilities.
The meals were just delicious, we were full board and I think we have all put on a stone.
All the staff were pleasant especially in the bar.
It is just a short walk down to the beach which was cleaned daily.
We didn't have any noise from the night life, that all went on behind the hotel, we just had a bit of road noise and that was only if you had your balcony door open, and to be honest it wasn't that noticeable.
I can't say Benidorm is the place for us but the hotel couldn't have been nicer and if we got another special deal we would definitely go again.
- Good For: Beach
- Board Basis:Full Board
- Tour Operator:Thomson
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6 readers found this review helpful
All i have to say about this hotel is that it should be a 5*! The best food i have ever had on holiday!
- Advice: Fantastic night life, wonderful people, great shops, would definately go again.
- Activities: Exciting place, just go there!
- Good For: Beach
- Board Basis:Half Board
- Tour Operator:First Choice
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8 readers found this review helpful
We went to Benidorm for a short break 16th-20 February - we stayed at the Don Pancho - can't fault the hotel - food was quite good, hotel was of the standard expected of a 4* hotel - we have been going to Benidorm for over 10 years - but definitely noticed the lack of English people this year - at the beginning of our stay the hotel seemed less than half full although more people came towards the end of the week. Most of the guests were in the older age range(as we ourselves are!) This year the weather was excellent 19 deg most days with a 26 deg on the Wednesday. However the only blot on our stay was that I had booked the taxi to take us from Alicante airport to Benidorm and back from the Don Pancho to the airpost on the Friday morning. This was with alicanteairporttransfer.com - What can I say - on arrival the driver was late - he said he went to the wrong terminal! We booked the return to be picked up at 07.00 am - by 07.35 am no taxi had arrived - we asked reception to ring the emergency number given - it was disconnected - no taxi arrived and we had to order another to take us to the airport in time for our flight, at a cost of an extra 67 euros - I would advise against using this company - they are unreliable - it spoilt what had been a lovely short break
- Good For: Beach
- Board Basis:Half Board
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
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12 readers found this review helpful
The wow factor at the don panchostarts when you arrive and walk thru the Mayan themed gardens with waterfalls and streams.
The check in at reception is very friendly and your luggage is even taken to your room by a porter (unheard of in Benidorm).
The location of the hotel cannot be faulted and is 150yards from the beach,15minutes walk to the old town, and 5 minutes to the entertainment street.
the rooms arelarge with television,fridge,aircon,and room safe.
The dinning room is large with first class food and service
What makes this hotel special is it's old world charm,great staff,and catring for the needs of the guests.All of which are sadly lacking at some hotels in the resort.
- Board Basis:Half Board
- Tour Operator:Thomson
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6 readers found this review helpful
All as expected, nice accom, clean, rooms cleaned daily.
2 minutes from Levante beach, staff extremely helpful and nice. I had misfortune of baggage delay, on telling reception on arrival they bent over backwards to assure me of their help for tracing the case, they did just that, thro phone calls to Alicante airport.
Meals buffet was very acceptable and a varied choice. Reasonable entertainment nightly in hotel, with no rip off prices. WILL BOOK AGAIN.
- Board Basis:Half Board
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
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5 readers found this review helpful
Having been to Benidorm in various hotels over the past 10 years and have been generally unimpressed with most of them. I’ve just returned from a short stay at the Don Pancho with 12 of my male friends to celebrate a birthday who’s ages ranged from 20 to 63 and not one of us had a bad word to say about this hotel, the accommodation was in a lovely clean condition, I liked the use of the wet bar in the room and used it to chill our own drinks.
The selection and quality of the restaurant food was superb and generally had a chef carving what ever meats were on offer and a full English breakfast was always available, the staff were friendly and helpful. the public bars and entertainment rooms were comfy had nightly live music and were well used. The hotel is in the perfect location for all the nightlife without being to intrusive, my room 708 had a magnificent view of the sea which was about 150 mts away. everything about this hotel had a good feel about it. I would like to take my wife back to this hotel and I’m sure she would like it.
We booked our own flights from Bristol and contacted the hotel direct to book the rooms, you get a better deal and you get to choose the room and view that you want, and in our case it worked out very well.
- Board Basis:Half Board
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
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We stayed in the Don Pancho in mid july and I have to say I was really shocked at how run down this hotel is. The decor in the bedrooms looks like it came right out of the 1960's and hasn't been done up much since. Light switches were falling apart when you turn on the lights, door handles to balconies would break and you would have trouble getting onto the balconly. TV would periodicly swithc itself off and was an old style TV probably from the 1960's as well.
The pool is extremely small and the pool area has definately seen better days. It is definately in need of a major upgrade, all the tiles were black and faded, and there is extremely sharp edges on the steps into the pool so watch you dont catch yourself on them as they haven't been cleaned since the 1960's either. As if thats not bad enough, there is not enough sun beds for all guest, so if you dont queue in early in the morning you wont get one until mid afternoon if your lucky. The staff dont police the pool area so although there is no reservations allowed, this simply isn't the case, and the staff dont really care. They are meant to free sun bed with no guest on at 10:30 but never bother to do this, probably to much trouble for them. Whatch out for the sun beds with wheels on, they have a habbit of falling down, and if you have your hands under the back, then it might get chopped off.
Now onto the food, the breakfast has to be the smallest continental breakfast I have ever seen in a hotel, there were only two choices, dont get me wrong, there were fruit and cerial, but normally you have a much larger choice of continental. there was not one chocolate croisant to be seen the whole fortnight. The cooked breakfast consisted of bacon, eggs, scrambled eggs and a sausage. There was fried bread, but it was so hard you could use it as bricks. Mushrooms were only offered once, and this was boiled mushrooms. All food was left under the hot plate until it went cold, no fresh food was cooked.
Dinner was shocking to say the least. You have the usual soups, which to be fair were okay, and the salad selection was okay as well, but if you went for a cooked dinner the choice was awful. On an evening you would have 4 choices of food on the hot plate, one choice of meet on the carvery. The meats on the carvery were quite good, but very very fatty! the hot plate choices were pretty dismal, most of it was pork, chicked or fish all covered in a batter. If you were lucky and Piella or Pizza was on offer, if you didnt get in fast enough then you could wait 15-20 minutes before they would repace the food, it was awful. To be fair you could just about alwasy find something to eat, but this is a four star hotel, so the food should be amazing, I have seen better serverd at John and Josephs.
The deserets were even worse than the main course. It was the smallest selection I have seen in any hotel, there were 3 choices of main desert, 3 choices of ice cream and 1 choice of a hot desert on offer each night. The main deserts were not your usual gateux, triffles of other fancy deserts, they were in house made rubbish. One example was a bannana slice on a custard base, very similar to a pizza, then you would have jelly, or cream caramel... utter rubbish. I normally pig out on desert when on holiday, this year I actually lost weight!
I have stayed at far better hotels in Benidorm in the past, one example is the Palm Beach, now that is definately a four star hotel, its only let down is the location. The Palm Beach is in no way a four star hotel, it would be lucky to get a 3 star in my book and even then, only if it was going extremely cheaply.
Beware this hotel is not child friendly, in fact if your under 65 everything about this hotel is unfriendly. If you want to have a good time in Benidorm, find somewhere else, the Don Panch might have been good in the past, but it certainly isn't now. I had heard that it used to be a five start, but now is only a four, well I think its high time it lost another star.