Ocean Palace Apartments

Just came back from Ocean Resort and as many others have stated this hotel is 3 star at best, certainly not 4 as advertised.
Ocean Resort incorporates two hotels, the Ocean Palace, and Nogal Beach. Make sure you book a room in the Ocean Palace side, it costs slightly more but is well worth it. The room at least will be 4 star. Bad luck to those who end up in the Nogal Beach side.
I’m sorry to say little else reaches 4 star standards. The first choice kids club is worthy of praise and my children enjoyed the trips to the bowling alley they run twice a week.
The Italian restaurant opens twice a week but is constantly fully booked. You will need to book very early in get a reservation. Having used the restaurant I can confirm the seating is cramped and food limited and best described as average. The bistro is poor, the only carvery I know that does not serve Yorkshire puddings, mash or roast potatoes.
Breakfast in the main restaurant is good, plenty of variety. This does not apply in the evening when food choice is limited. I have stayed at enough 4 and 3 star hotels to know the food here is certainly 3 star.
The poolside is desperately in need of attention. The tiles are dirty and many on the staircase are cracked. The place is showing its age and the toilet facilities are very poor. On a night time expect queues as there is one male toilet and one female.
The shower room for guests leaving is terrible. Slippy tiled floor with very little space for a family of 4. In your room you will find fixture problems at every turn as well as poor water pressure in the shower and a broken hair dryer.
In conclusion, 3 star at best certainly not 4.

I don't see what all the moaning about this hotel is for!! Yes there were some problems like the food being a bit rubbish now and again but there was always something everyone could eat. At lunch from 12-3 here were salads, and main dishes such as pastas, fish and chicken and children had the choice of burgers, chips and hot dogs all day!!
The rooms were great compared to some pictures I had seen there were 2 rooms (sort of) the living room transferred into a bed room but can be enclosed so no one can see. I thought the rooms were great.
The entertainment in the evening is great if you have young children to the age of about 14, but teenagers always found something to do!!
The pool area was a bit slippery at times but was enjoyable. The hotel has rules in which people are not allowed to reserve sun beds but everyone seemed to go down there at 6am to get one!!
The one thing I would complain about at this hotel is the courtesy shower room which you are given if you have a late evening flight. The floor was dirty and slippery the shower doors fell off and you have to hold the shower head yourself.
The hotel organised us a night out to a medieval banquet type thing it was brilliant and I would definitely recommend it, as well as the water park.
This hotel was brilliant. It just seems some people need a lot to please them.
I would go back!!

We had a top floor 1 bed Apartment in Nogal Beach (not main building), 2 adult & two children (10 & 13). Stayed for 7 nights, no problems, not 4 Star but...
Our negatives:
1. The Irish bar doesn't sell Guinness, not that we drink it but it did seem to be a bit stupid calling it an "Irish Bar".
2. As usual we Brits are taking over the world by reserving the sunbeds!
3. Certain (and I'm ashamed to say this) Brit's let us down! Does it really take a lot of effort to pick up your rubbish and place it in a bin? Fortunately the staff clear up after you!
4. Camera shops will sell you one even if you don't want it, (I bought one and wished I hadn't!) Beware the copies (all brands) they are quite good.
5. The walk up from the beach (Cardiac Hill) is tiring in the heat.
Our positives:
1. Excellent food & plenty of it, great value too.*
2. Supermarket opens next door (08:00-21:00).
3. Pools clean.
4. Entertainers from First Choice are excellent and work flat out with even a limited stage area!
5. Apartment was cleaned every day.
6. Bars in hotel stop serving at midnight.
7. Beds were comfy.
8. Shops just down the road.
9. Market twice a week (Don't be fooled by the scratch cards I guarantee you will not win!)
10. Evening entertainment varies, but we enjoyed the shows that were on during our stay and I believe they work on a two week rota.
11. Our air-con worked and we were pleased of it (I only mention this because I read a review that someone found theirs to be inefficient).
*We went self-catering but decided having seen the Breakfast spread to go all-inclusive (charged at 18euros per adult per day and 9 euros under 13) you can not fault! There was always plenty (despite the greedy ones) and the variety would suit most tastes, our daughter is a vegetarian diabetic (she does like fish) and she thought it was wonderful.
General:
We had a wonderful break for a week and could not fault the place, albeit it is definitely not 4 star, it was clean and friendly and gave us what we needed, a holiday!

Well where do I start? We first arrived to find we were in a 1 bedroom when we booked for 2.
My sister went into her room and went flying as the fridge had leaked all over the floor. The food was a load of rubbish, you had to watch what you ate, it turned my stomach and put me off the food for the rest of the holiday.
The toilets next to the entertainment room were disgusting, the hand dryers never worked and there were at lot of cockroaches around it.
The Kids Entertainment was fantastic they deserve a medal for the work they do.The only problem with the activities during the day was there was nothing for the ladies, it was for the kids, and the men.
We came to this hotel last year and there was nothing to fault, so I don’t no what has happened in a year they want to sort thing out or lose a lot of business.
I came in a party of 11 and we wanted to go back next year for my honeymoon but the way it was this year we will be going elsewhere.

Myself and partner stayed in the above resort on a self catering basis for two weeks.
Although I booked based on the photos in the brochure and its location. Upon arrival the staff gave use our Apartment which was located in an Annex called Nogal Beach, this was not mentioned in the brochure or by our travel agent. I was not to happy at first with this but the Apartment was basic with plenty of room.
Air conditioning was very poor and we had to rent a fan for the remainder of our stay this proved to be a good idea as we manage to get some sleep. Our maid service was good and the maid appeared just every day however, the maid that did the best work was the one who arrived before 10 am most mornings at our apartment, although there were 2-3 maids in the annex they all don’t work to the same standard.
The staff ware excellent in reception, as were the Maintenance staff as we had no hot water in the shower and reception assured us that if this could not be resolved we would have a new room.
Although Nogal Beach was not up to the same Standard as Ocean Place it was quieter, the view from Nogal Beach is the rear of Ocean Palace with a couple of pools a kids play area and a cafe in between.
As we were staying self catering we decided one day to check out the food at the pool cafe, we decided not to eat as the food was left out in the open and went elsewhere. We also ate at the Carvery and Italian, the same staff seem to operate both.
The Italian was very poor and cramped and it was not an environment you could relax in and enjoy your meal, we didn’t even stick around for coffee/ desert.
However the Carvery was well stocked and plenty of room to sit and relax. On self catering both cost 18 Euro and the Carvery was the best value for money, as it’s the same staff both Carvery and Italian open on alternate evenings.
Our in house rep was not friendly and would pass by you without saying anything unless you approached her.
There is not a whole lot to do or see around the area of this resort but if you like quiet it’s the place for you, there are limited restaurants outside the resort. The market we heard a lot about was hyped up.
Entertainment seemed ok although we choose to spend many evenings out away from the hotel. Entertainment finishes at Midnight and the evening we decided to stay a security guard approached the residents sitting at the tables outside, to ask us to move from our area as the entertainment was over!
I would not return to Ocean Palace / Nogal Beach.

I must admit I was worried after reading so many negative comments about the standard of rooms. I was very relieved to find us in the main building. The room was good.
Our two boys aged 11 and 7 had enough room to sleep on the sofas in the 'lounge/kitchen' area but it was just enough! General condition of the rooms was clean and tidy... with much needed aircon.
It was a shame the bathroom was spoiled with an 8inch gash in the bathtub! I was concerned at first with using it but having told the reception and the reps I was assured it would be OK. We still weren't happy to bath in it but managed a cautious shower.
I apologise now to any who got a leak below us!
Poolside was good, shame you had to get up so early to get sunbeds, would've been nice if each room was allocated 2 sunbeds, you could fight for the rest!
I will agree with other comments below regarding slippy surfaces, watch out especially when they're wet even if you're wearing flip-flops (as the wife found out); Crocks are the order of the day!
Food was good, nice choice nothing too fancy but all edible. Beer was cold, wet, and free... what more do you need!
Kids club were well run (if you can get your kids to go) and the night entertainment is great. The little one especially enjoyed the bingo!
We were lucky enough to meet a lovely family out there with kids a similar age which made the holiday even more enjoyable!
One word of warning....when you go to the local market don't fall for the scratch card game...you will waste the next 2-3hours going round a local resort as a few of us found out!! ... Be warned!
Other than that great holiday, would recommend ... but only in the main hotel!

I have just returned and have to say this was the best holiday I’ve had. My daughter loved the kids club all the reps were excellent. She would come out of kids club asking what time could she go back.
In between kids club there was also activities going on, which the entertainers did they were also excellent. They were always encouraging you and the kids to join in. There was always something to do or they would just come and have a chat to see if everything was ok.
Evening entertainment was excellent loved the quiz. There was also cash bingo, pre cabaret show then the main show, very good shows for kids and adults.
Food was very good, excellent choice for all meals. I found all the staff very friendly and polite.
I would definitely recommend you go; I am planning to go back already.

Just got back from our holiday at the ocean palace apartments. Before going away we read the reviews and wondered if we had made a mistake. However when we arrived we were shown to our apartments which were in the annexe building.
This was not quite what we expected the room was very basic but clean, beds were uncomfortable.
Breakfast was very good with plenty of variety for everyone. Lunch was excellent but you had to go to the main pool side bar. Evening meals were also excellent especially the carvery & Italian.
Activities were non-existent on the annexe side none of the first choice reps came over to see if you wanted to join in. The entertainment at night was not very good the kids mini disco was not on long enough and consisted of about 3 songs, but karaoke was good and some shows were ok.
Also the staff at this complex were very friendly and helpful. The hotel I would say is a 4 star hotel but the annexe 3 star maybe. I think if first choice took a good look at this complex with some new ideas it could be a very good hotel to go back to.

Looks really nice in the brochure, we arrived at this hotel late afternoon, on arrival we were welcomed by friendly reception staff who spoke fairly good English, the reception area was very clean.
We were placed over in the separate annex (Nogal Beach). This accommodation was very basic and disappointing to say the least. We had ants in the apartment, as well as cockroaches outside crawling around the pool, this accommodation is no way a 4* hotel.
We tried twice to make a reservation for the Italian, but couldn’t get in as this was always booked up. We did eventually get a reservation made bearing in mind my husband had to out of the accommodation to make a booking at 7.00am. Just ridiculous.
The food and drink were ok, but people coming straight out of the pool, the lunch time snack bar very slippy. 2 of my children were served alcohol at the snack bar in Nogal beach, with no problems, my children only looked their ages as well, so parents please be aware. My husband who is actually 30, was asked for id for alcohol, yet the kids were served.
The kid’s reps were good but wouldn’t allow my 3 year old daughter use the toilet. We also had to pay for some of the kids clubs, the main shows started far too late.
I wouldn’t recommend this hotel, and I wouldn’t go back.

Have just returned from Ocean Palace - August 2007. 4 Stars no way.
Room spacious although it would appear we had the cockroaches for the whole hotel residing in our room. Bed linen changed twice a week & towels every other day, so not too sure how some people say they are changed daily. We left towels in the bath the one day, hoping they would be changed yet they remained in the same place we had left them.
Balcony furniture was dreadful no way could you sit on the chairs, as they were dangerous
Travelled as two families with children aged 10, 13, & 15 fair play to the kids they made their own entertainment as nothing on offer for them at night they made some great friends.
Why the bar is an Irish bar heaven knows, although the cockney guy serving behind the bar was friendly enough along with reception staff & waiting staff, as for everyone else they were real grumpy!
Food on the whole was fine yes it was repetitive but always a choice of 3/4 main dishes to choose from. Get in quick at lunchtime because when it’s gone it’s gone! Good choice at breakfast probably the best selection I have ever known.
All First Choice staff worked hard well deserved 10/10 to them all.
Remember to take your alarm clock we had to get up every day at 7am to get a parasol & then wait around until the sunbeds were unchained at 8.30am. Spoke to the First Choice Rep & she told me that there was 140 rooms on the complex with this in mind surely the hotel should be providing sunbeds & parasols to accommodate all.
Don’t forget to use the roof top hot tub it is lovely.
Have done A.I's for 12 years the other family that travelled with us were first timers I hope they haven't been put off.
Will I go to The Ocean Palace again? No never...