Flamboyant Hotel

2 readers found this review helpful

We have just come back from Margarita Island - It was a really amazing holiday. There is so much to see and do.
The Hotel Flamboyant is a nice, clean and friendly hotel. It was nice in March as there were only about 2 kids at the poolside and most of the time it was easy to get a sun bed - (except for 2 German guys who had a sun bed each in the shade, in the sun and a table by the bar !!)
Everyone is happy to help - although their English isn't fantastic - brush up on your Spanish before you go.
The rooms are nice and kept clean - the pics in the brochure don't look half as good.
The food is pretty good although it does get a bit repetitive on the buffet. Snacks are only for about an hour a day at about 5pm and you get either pizza or hotdogs and biscuits or cakes - watch out for the stampede!!
You do have a problem getting a drink after 11pm at night as you can't even buy them so make sure if you want to stay up to stock up by quarter to 11.
Failing that the entertainment staff organise for you to go to nightclubs with them, they are a good laugh and they make sure you are safe.
We found a few nice places to eat - The Golden Fish was lovely it's right at the end of the strip and only open day time - they do lovely sea food and the service is great - Angelo is the cutest little waiter ever!
We were told that El Pacifico was the best restaurant in the resort - it looked nice but the food and service were probably the worst we had the whole holiday. There isn’t really anything to do at night apart from the odd bar/club that opens late so not a place for party animals!! The hotel entertainment is ok but not out of this world.
Manzanilla is a must - ask your first choice rep to call Roberto to book a table on the beach to watch the sun set and then go inside for fresh fish - it's not a posh place more of a wooden shack with plastic chairs but it is really nice.
Take in as many trips as possible - go to Angel Falls, Orinoco Delta, Jeep Safari, Coche Island, Swim with Dolphins and take yourself off to Porlamar shopping and to the water park - they all speak Spanish and all signs are Spanish but it's a nice day out for all ages (all 4 of our party are in our 20's).
Everything is so cheap it's worth doing for the experiences - I would say £500 (change to dollars) is suffice for 2 weeks per person to do everything and eat out most days - treat yourself to a lobster – they’re lovely there.
Taxi’s are pretty ‘unique’ in Margarita – try to get a white cab with yellow signs or Daniel Rodriguez – he parks up just outside the Flamboyant at the taxi rank and has a 4x4 – it’s a bit more expensive than the average taxi but it’s comfy and he is really good – we went from the hotel to Porlamar flea market, then to 5th Avenue then onto the Sambil, from 10am till 5.30pm and Daniel waited everywhere for us it cost us about $50 with tips!!
The beaches are lovely to walk along, not too keen on swimming though as there are loads of jelly fish. You will get people trying to sell you things but if you just say no thank you they leave you alone with no hassle – if you are buying something do haggle the price a bit though. Massages on the beach are a must about 40,000 bolivas for 40 mins and they are really good.
When you arrive in Margarita you will be told the exchange rate is 2100 bolivas to the dollar – they explain the black market to you are you are told to be wary. You will be offered exchange on the streets and on the markets but don’t go here as you will be tricked.
A great place to go is Happy Hills or the place next door (can’t remember the name) just out of the Flamboyant and turn right – they do a good exchange rate – we got 3400 bolivas to the $ - use bigger notes as you get less for $1 & $5. These places are very safe and so is the little shop on the corner of the market with the motorbikes in.
If you don’t feel safe ask at reception and they will exchange for you at a reasonable rate – normally higher than 2100 for the $1.
All in all Margarita is a wonderful place, the people are very friendly and it’s very relaxing. I wouldn’t recommend taking kids but definitely a place to go.