Reviews of Magic Monika Holidays Aparthotel, Benidorm, Spain

arrived here on the 29th sept...

Overall Rating:

4/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Sep 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomas Cook

Submitted By:

Miss M Reay

Comments:

arrived here on the 29th sept 08, first impression was it was good, rooms are very spacious, plenty of wardrobe space, maid service every day, food was of good selection and im a very fussy eater, this hotel was good for the first coupile standing in of days till the spanish arrived and then it all changed, these people are very rude,iggnorant, while standing in queue these people duke you and the staff allow this as they serve these ignorant people, while staff are clearing up they tell non spanish people area is closed but its opened to the spnaish, no entertaiment unless you can sing and dance in spanish or are under the age of 8, the area itself is very pretty hotel is only 5 mins walk to very small lovely beach, its states it has a gym sauna, jacuzzi but all were out of order, 24hr bar was ok if you drink spirits or lager and it also has stale sandwichs but when your drunk anything will do,hotel is fine during the day but if you dont want to leave hotel at night take a good book, would recommend is you dont like nightlife or go to bed eartly. but overall had a good week in the sun.

Well where do i start........ We...

Overall Rating:

1/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2008

Tour Operator:

Med Hotels

Submitted By:

Mrs A Richardson

Comments:

Well where do i start........ We had a 15 hour delay, something wrong with the plane, we tried phoning the Hotel but couldnt get through, anyway we arrived the next day after having a restless night on the airport floor in glasgow, we stood in the que for an hour at the reception only to be told that we didnt have a room anymore as the thought we where a no show, did they check with our tour operator when we didnt show NO ! i could not believe it, we asked how they could possible re sell our holiday as we had paid for it but we were told that they dont recicve any money until the end of the month!! after 4 hours we were given a card so we could get a drink, what rude staff, the spanish just push passed,after 5 hours we were offered the Excalibur, OH MY GOD dont go there either i was only there for 20 minutes and had to phone home to get us moved it was like a flat pack shed, all i wanted to do is go home, i would not book with the Magic group again ! other holiday makers they were having problems (doubled booked). The worst hoilday EVER !!

a discrase
4 of us went to...

Overall Rating:

2/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2008

Tour Operator:

Booked Independently

Submitted By:

Mr AGT Thirlwell

Comments:

a discrase

4 of us went to magic monika holidays from the 25th of august to the 1st of september.It took us 1 and a half hours to check in beacause spanish insisted they were before us.Once we did check in we were told we didnt have a room in this hotel and got told we had to move to a campsite!we wanted a refund for the inconvenience and magicaly they had a room for us although it was on the 21st floor at least we had a room.We went downstairs to go in the pool and we were told you arent aloud floats!its a holiday not a prison camp!we went to the snack bar for something to eat but most of the food was raw!then we went to the restraunt it was exactly the same all raw!we ended up eating biscuits for the week the hole hotel is rubbish would deffonately not reccomend to anybody value for money 1 star

Nine of us stayed at the magic...

Overall Rating:

3/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomas Cook

Submitted By:

Miss ? ?

Comments:

Nine of us stayed at the magic monia hotel for 1 week. Im glad we never booked for 2 weeks. Hotel catered for Spanish in everyway, nobody could speak english which becme frustrating. ( In my opinion i think they could understand english but pretended not to). I find this Ignorant. The food was revolting and once again was catered for the Spanish. Soup was cold-tasteless. Food was re-used for the next day to make other things. 6 out for the 9 of us that ate at this hotel came home with stomach pains and diahorrea due to under cooked meat and re-used food. The kids entertainment was repetitive and every afternoon the same kids music blared around the hotel by the pool side. Im glad to be home and not have to listen to the Magic song which is overly played after every night entertainment had ended. Night time entertainment was tacky, and again was aimed at the spanish. Due to being all inclusive we where issued with a card which you handed over to the bar workers who swiped it after buying a drink, thoses spanish that had a Gold card skiped large que's, which they should not have been doing. Staff and other spanish people at the hotel looked down at english and scottish people. They where very ill mannered. Spanish people really do have to look up the meaning Que! Also the kids entertainers where very anoying especially the girl one, who would not stop shouting down the microphone and screaming.



the only good thing that came out the holiday was the free drink and the pool.



I would not recomend this hotel unless your looking to be very ill and frustrated.

We arrived for a family holiday...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Jun 2008

Tour Operator:

travel republic

Submitted By:

Mrs J WILLANS

Comments:

We arrived for a family holiday on the 10th June 08 for 1 week. The Hotel is the best we have ever stayed in. The food is great and the entertainment for the kids is excellent, all outside on a terrace. You get a seperate bedroom which I rather liked, and a small kitchen. This hotel is huge and the pool is amazing, Its massive and the kids can just walk into it as it slopes. (was not worried about them falling in). The only problem is that it is a bus ride to all the main shops and bars in benidorm, which you get free. but there is a lovely beach 2 mins walk away from the hotel. I would highly recommend this hotel for families, its also extremley quiet after 12pm which I liked.

We came over from newcastle on...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Jun 2008

Tour Operator:

Sunshine.co.uk

Submitted By:

marccarden

Comments:

We came over from newcastle on june 8th for 1 week. The monika is a superb hotel for an all inc;usive holiday. The food has something there for everybody and the swimming pool is lovely. The staff in the hotel are very friendly and are willing to help you. I found in the restaurant that they are great on specially if you have kids under 3. Plus they are helpful to everyone else. The room can be hign as far as 22. We were on 17 and even I was scared of heights. I came of this holiday of not being scared of heights. There is a tv with only 2 english channels of BBC World news and Sky News. Plus there is a fridge and a cooker. I found the entertainment was fine. But I was mostly interested of watching Euro 2008. You can get the Amoigos coach that will take you to different hotels. We visited Hotel Villa Den Benidorm and Hotel Fenica. Benidorm has alot of shops and not a cheap market which is on a Wednesday and Sunday. The beaches in Benidorm are superb. Beside hotel Monika there is a lovely quiet beach and there are a few shops there and pubs. I would be going back to Monika. Superb holiday.

very good hoilday lovely...

Overall Rating:

8/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Jan 2007

Tour Operator:

Lastminute

Submitted By:

Mrs Kay Harris

Comments:

very good hoilday lovely food lovely hoilday would go back rooms so big .entertament not much to.talk about. had a lovely time.

We have just returned from Magic...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Feb 2008

Tour Operator:

Fleetway Travel

Submitted By:

Mrs M Leigh

Comments:

We have just returned from Magic Monika Holidays and had a great time. The weather was poor but it did not spoil our holiday.



The rooms were large and clean and were cleaned daily and towels changed daily.



The food was good and the staff were all exceptionally friendly.



I noticed on other reviews not only on this hotel but on others that people complain about spanish pensioners although they are in Spain. However, the hotel split the restaurant in 2 to cater for the spanish pensioners and the other nationalities. They also split the entertainment between spanish dancing and other entertainment which was great as we stayed in a hotel in Fuengerola in October and had to put up with ballroom dancing every night.



I think the 24 hour all inclusive is an excellent idea as I have stayed in many all-inclusive hotels in the past and seen people order a table full of drinks before midnight and most have them have been left and wasted.



The only thing I would suggest is that a surveillance camera is put in the 24 hour bar as we were told that someone wedged the lager tap so it stayed open and emptied the barrell all over the floor. No doubt that will have been someone English not a spanish pensioner who everyone likes to complain about.



The pool was fantastic although it was too cold to go in.



We have 2 children who are 10 and 12 and although they couldn't go in the pool they had a great time.



Although it was out of season there was a kids club.



I would definately recomend this hotel to families and will definately return in summer when we can make use of the lovely pool.



I read the reviews after booking the holiday and wondered what we were letting ourselves in for but we had a great time and it makes me wonder what some people expect, they have booked a 3* not a 5*. I have stayed in a lot of all-inclusive hotels as it is better for out children, but this is definately the best we have stayed in.

We went to Monika Holidays...

Overall Rating:

6/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Oct 2007

Tour Operator:

Sunshine.co.uk

Submitted By:

Mrs T Sumnall

Comments:

We went to Monika Holidays Aparthotel Half Term week in October 2007.



First impressions we were very pleased with the accommodation and resort. Hotel was very clean. Rooms were cleaned daily and were very spacious. Hotel staff were very pleasant and very helpful. Location of Hotel was quite a way from Levante centre, about 20 min on the bus.



Food was ok, could have done with being a bit warmer, but there was a microwave.



We were however very disappointed in the entertainment, there wasn’t any! Considering the beginning of the week, there was a fair amount of children with it being half term week, you would have assumed that they could have catered for children a bit better, No activities for them in the day either.



The very last night, they had a magic show, (which the children had looked forward to all day). Every magic trick was done in about 5 different languages, so kids were fed up after 10 minutes and then to cap it all children were physically pushed out of the way by a group of Spanish pensioners which resulted in a very heated argument between a member of our party and a Spanish lady.



We also had a bad sickness bug which spread from each and every one of the 12 people in our party, but I don’t think this was anything to do with the hotel.



All in all a nice hotel and Benidorm is lovely, but I don’t think I would have chosen to stay here if we had known there wasn’t any entertainment for kids.

We arrived and were greeted by a...

Overall Rating:

5/10

Board Basis:

Self Catering

Date of Holiday:

Oct 2007

Tour Operator:

Sunseeker

Submitted By:

Mrs L Stephenson

Comments:

We arrived and were greeted by a very rude and unhelpful member of the reception staff (she was not the only member of that team to be surly and rude although one of the young girls was friendly). My husband and I booked late and we always do our own thing on holiday, we walk and like to see other areas - Benidorm itself is not for us.



The rooms were large and clean and maids very friendly - maybe they could take over the reception area. Our shower was broken and remained so all week (had to hold the shower as the fitting was wrong one), two young lads tried to fix it - but could not and never came back.



If the reception staff could not understand they just walked away and you were left feeling foolish - not good. My husband called them to say we had no cups or glasses and eventually he went down to an unattended bar and took some for our use.



Overall we felt the hotel had seen better days and needs an upgrade if they want folk to return - we will not be. Monika has lost her magic.

Well where do I start? We booked...

Overall Rating:

1/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Mar 2007

Tour Operator:

Airtours

Submitted By:

Mrs K Roberts

Comments:

Well where do I start? We booked this holiday some time ago at the travel agents, saying that I wanted to go somewhere sunny, with a kids club, a pool and entertainment.



The travel agent said that this hotel had all of the above and would also be able to cater for my 6 year old daughter, who had food allergies, and that we would also be able to go to the other hotels in the chain to use there facilities and that there was a free bus



FOOD: cold slop dried up left out all day aimed at Spanish pensioners and I would not of fed it to my worst enemy. We was all sick and had diahorrea, not just us others to!



As for my daughters special diet she has a bad allergy to soya which I explained and was told they had fetched food from another hotel. I fed her this and the next day my usually lively daughter was confined to bed and was gravely ill.



When I checked the ingredients it had soya and all the manager could say was sorry.



There was dirty cats in the snack bar and the food was left out all day uncovered!!! No wonder we were all ill.



KIDS CLUB did not exist till the second week and then it was colouring and painting in a dirty scruffy room not really suitable for any older than 8 of which two of my children are.



POOL: nice pool but it was absolutely freezing cold and well I jumped in without realising this and got straight back out the sea was warmer!



ENTERTAINMENT: bad Spanish singer singing English songs really badly and the Spanish pension’s ballroom dancing to it than any other entertainment was at 11pm or later and rubbish! There was nothing for kids at all.



RECEPTION: all the staff could speak very little English and every time we had a problem, and we had lots, they could not understand us. I asked for clothes airier 3 times and never got one. We had to pay €50 for a safety deposit box.



Room ok maids every day, bar staff friendly one and only rating point.



We stayed for two weeks and had no end of problems, firstly with the reception and then the hundreds of rude nasty Spanish pensioners who do not queue and walk into you all the time.



I asked to move on the second day and was told I would have to pay.



Secondly, we had a problem with a resident who was hanging around the young children. I complained and nothing was done about it.



In short do not go to this hotel. I would never ever go ever again!

This hotel is appalling. I came...

Overall Rating:

2/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Feb 2007

Tour Operator:

Superbreak

Submitted By:

Ms F Smith

Comments:

This hotel is appalling. I came here in 2000 with some friends and I couldn't fault it. I decided to return with my partner and it was like another hotel! It was full of Spanish OAPs who don't know the meaning of the word queue. About 5 days into the holiday, one pushed in front of me. I was so fed up with it by this point; I decided to be assertive and said that actually, I was next. This pensioner looked at me as if I was dirt.



The food was almost inedible. Some of it looked uncooked and the vast majority of it was recycled from a previous meal to make a new one. There were no labels on the salads, meats and cheeses or the tapas. The fruit was almost always bruised and wasn't appealing.



We virtually lived on the cooked breakfast, which was hit and miss, or chips. The soft drinks machines weren't always working, and the coffee was so strong it was undrinkable - there was no option to have it weaker. The sliced meat was dry and curled up. The presence of staff was hit and miss.



We had to clear our own tables more than once before we could eat. The dining room had no air conditioning; it was unbearably warm - this can't have helped the food which was out for hours at a time. 4 days into the holiday, we were so hungry and fed up, we went out to a local restaurant and spent a small fortune on a meal - we hadn't budgeted for that as it was all-inclusive. The snack bar food was absolutely inedible - I went in once!



The pool was the nicest part. I liked that there were sun loungers and chairs available. It was also clean. I didn't understand though why I couldn't buy a lilo to float in the pool out of season? There was hardly anyone out there, so it wasn't because of overcrowding. Even in February, there were a few days it was warm enough to sunbathe.



The staff didn't have a clue; it was really hard to speak to anyone on reception. We had to ask them to send the handyman up to fix many things in the room, including the lock on the door as it wouldn't lock!



I certainly would not recommend this hotel, nor will ever go again.

Booked a late deal with First...

Overall Rating:

5/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Oct 2006

Tour Operator:

First Choice

Submitted By:

Mrs M Walsh

Comments:

Booked a late deal with First Choice to Benidorm ended up staying at this hotel. mmm

The Rooms were cleaned everyday, maids very friendly



The food was not very good the menu advertised daily but not always that stuff served, no children’s menu, and food was often cold or not cooked properly, lots of Spanish cuisine.



Snack bar - food put out at 11.00am and refilled at regular interval s through the day, but some times food could sit there for a while so not always looking appetising. Would most often be cold unless you were lucky and they were putting fresh out. No one stopping people using this snack bar so Half Board customers could use even though you was not suppose to.



The entertainment in the evening consisted of Karaoke bar, a bar with Spanish radio on, and the entertainment bar had lots of Spanish people waltzing from 8 - 10.30 and then maybe an act or bingo. (Could not get a seat as full of Spanish people). Most bars had large queues as this is an all inclusive hotel so only one bar person serving



The pool area, very good for children most sides had a shelving slope into the pool; a good section for children under 8 and a good slide with water fall on it.



My opinion too many Spanish people, not enough bar staff, food could be hotter and more English dishes provided, should have a kids menu



Would not go back in a hurry

After reading the negative...

Overall Rating:

8/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Sep 2006

Tour Operator:

Med Hotels

Submitted By:

Mrs D Pitt

Comments:

After reading the negative reviews on this site, we were dreading our holiday at this hotel. I am pleased to say we were pleasantly surprised. The staff, on our arrival were friendly and informative, the rooms spotlessly clean.



The food catered for all nationalities and ages and was plentiful. The swimming pool was excellent and we viewed it being cleaned every day and saw no sign of slime.



I would recommend they have more toasters in the dining room and perhaps increase bar staff at busiest times. All in all we had a great holiday and would return to this hotel.

Had a great holiday, pool...

Overall Rating:

8/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

May 2006

Tour Operator:

Not Specified

Submitted By:

Mrs B J Boden

Comments:

Had a great holiday, pool fantastic although sun beds a bit uncomfortable, room very good so was the food, went with a teenager who said would want to go their again (a first).



Staff very friendly, plenty of things to do near by, and the free bus to other Monica hotels meant that we didn't have to spend too much when we went into Benidorm itself, as we could use the facilities of the other hotels (which we did) great.



Went on the free excursion to the Medieval Night and had a great time, would definitely go their again (thinking off booking for next year with more of the family) really had a great time and would recommend for other families with small children as well as teenagers. Thanks for a great holiday.