Reviews of El Arenal Hotel, San Antonio Bay, Ibiza

came back on sunday its the 3rd...

Overall Rating:

2/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2008

Tour Operator:

First Choice

Submitted By:

Mr M Coles

Comments:

came back on sunday its the 3rd year on the trot at this hotel im sorry to say it will be the last the hotel needs up dateing also the food is not very good its even worse in the snack bar the wife ate a prawn sandwich from there and had a really bad stomach the entertainment was exactly the same as last year which was crap we went on a trip to ibiza town by night which was a laugh but the tour guide got on the coach at midnight when we was due to leave done the head count and got off we was on our own with the spanish driver we had a sea view room which had great views but very noisy at night we was not prepared to pay 6 euros for the air con the whole place was very expensive so take loads with you

Best hotel ive ever been in...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomas Cook

Submitted By:

Mrs J.Teece Teece

Comments:

Best hotel ive ever been in ibiza, and ive been to over 5. The rooms were spotlessy clean and quite spacious compared to other hotels i've stayed in. Very big pool area outside, although the pool was quite deep, there was also a little one and another one inside, to cool off in as that one was cold. The hotel arenal is situated right on the beach very near the nightlife. But not too close to hear the music, every night you would get at 6am the clubbers heading home, but you got use to it. If youve got a sea view you may not get to sleep, as it is very very loud, and some people had to be moved because they could not stand the noise. I was a bit worried after reading some of the reviews, but the food was very nice, they even got a french chef in one night to do crepes. The pool is not in the shade till about 4 or 5 oclock when the sun starts to move over the hotel. The staff were very nice, especially the young man on recpetion, the deutsh lady on reception, and lucho the entertainer. My daughter stepped on a piece of glass around the pool, and the cleaners cleaned that away in a matter of seconds, and the young man at reception treated my daughter, as he was qualified in first aid. I would only not give this hotel a 10 because, there is no music round the pool, and the hotel is not air conditioned through out the hotel. The hotel itself is really friendly, and has all sorts of diffrent people in there, for example you got some young clubbers in there but they were out all the time so you couldnt hear them. There was some old couples and lots of famlys with teenagers. Overall i dont know how anybody can give this hotel less then 9, its the most friendliest,cleanest,nicest hotel i'ver ever been in. And to anybody whoose going there, you will have an amazing time. It was so good, im going to book again next year. Happy Hols!

dated...horrible place...got...

Overall Rating:

1/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomas Cook

Submitted By:

Miss E Donald

Comments:

dated...horrible place...got blue moulded bread first morning then ate a peach and it was full of fly larve ( small maggots).... hence never ate all week there.. my son was sick and i asked the cleaner could i have another bed sheet...and was told no as they were to last 3 days!!!!

air conditioning had to pay 6 euros per day to get this extra....pool very dirty as pine needles fall in pool all day.....only about 15 loungers as well....very dated place would not advise anyone to stay here

If you want to stay at this...

Overall Rating:

2/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Jul 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomas Cook

Submitted By:

Miss K Anon

Comments:

If you want to stay at this holtel DO NOT BOOK THROUGH THOMAS COOK!!! They double booked our party at another hotel and put us in the Arenel as a replacement but it was a desaster! The rep was arrogant and couldn't care less, and we heard a number of other guests also complaining about the lovely Darren!!! We were half board and the evening food had to be forced down as it was so disgusting although once or twice it was bareable! The breakfast was even worse and I would just give it a miss! During our second week of the holiday my friend was mugged by a man and a woman right outside the front entrance of the Arenel and as they have no cctv there she was left unoticed and in a bad state! The hotel staff were really friendly and could not fault them and we were right next to the beach but this did not make up any of our problems we had with this hotel and Thomas Cook! Stay at the Hotel Pacific if you are a group of young people as it's sooooo much better!!

Overall this was a nice clean...

Overall Rating:

5/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Sep 2007

Tour Operator:

First Choice

Submitted By:

Miss Ms Smith

Comments:

Overall this was a nice clean hotel, however is not suitable for young people after a laugh in ibiza. We went for 2 weeks for the closing down partys but found that the location of the hotel was really quiet. the hotel facilities were ok, bedroom ok size, although at the pool area it was completely shaded and pool too deep to even stand in. front of hotel has grass area which is ok. bar staff really nice and maid service good. the only thing is that the member of staff who was on at reception was asleep most of the time when we came in so remember to get your passports back from reception when they ask for them initially on arrival. the amazing clubs made me and my partners holiday and i would recomend el divino, they had hed kandi night which was best nite ive had. bar M good to get you in the mood, wouldnt recomend west end tho, far too tacky. amnesia brill too and cannot beat bora bora beach, had a great time there. judgement sunday at eden good too where judge jules playing. few great restaurants too, the curry club tasty. avoid the chinese in san antonio, horrible, went there our last night which ruined it. had great holiday, going back august to younger hotel in san antonio for the radio 1 weekend, cant wait. anyone going remember and take plenty cash as me and my partner spent 2 grand in too weeks, well worth it tho.

me and my partner have bin to...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomas Cook

Submitted By:

Mr Rob Livingston

Comments:

me and my partner have bin to ibiza the last 5 years,and we carnt get enuf ov the place.we have stayed in the hotel el arenal on several occasions and we have only had cause to complain once,but all in all i think it is a wonderfull hotel so how any body can give it a rating ov 2 out ov 10 i will never know.we have stayed in others round the bay and they were shocking.we are even going back in august this year so staff beware.see ya all soon staff at arenal.

Very nice resort, right in the...

Overall Rating:

8/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Jul 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomas Cook

Submitted By:

Mr J Goacher

Comments:

Very nice resort, right in the heart of the bis but no louts or drunks on streets, stunning views of bay and weather fantastic, hotel was very nice and second floor views of bay fantastic. Nice beach however some areas quite stony and seaweedy but otherwise cant complain. Short taxi ride from airport and would definitely recommend this resort to others

The rooms were lovely and...

Overall Rating:

3/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Jul 2007

Tour Operator:

MyTravel

Submitted By:

Miss Jadey Baby

Comments:

The rooms were lovely and spacious, however our view was rubbish. We overlooked burger king etc and the supermarket across the road even though we paid for a sea view room. The maids put all of our things in the bed! The staff were not exactly friendly but we did reek havoc upon such a quiet place!



The worst thing about the place was the food. Disgusting. We ate out a lot as we couldn’t stand the food.



While we were there we visited the Mar Y Vent apartments as we met people that were staying there and I loved the place. It was always buzzing, loads of young people (hardly any young people in Arenal) and a nicer view than ours! So close to Cafe Del Mar and Cafe Mambo and loved being near to the music! The rooms there were big and cosy.



I won’t go back to Arenal again and would definitely recommend Mar Y Vent!



Have a great time in Ibiza everyone!

The room was as you would expect...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

Select

Date of Holiday:

Jul 2007

Tour Operator:

Select

Submitted By:

Miss L Mckinnon

Comments:

The room was as you would expect for a three star hotel, the entrance was very grand and looked the part. The food in the hotel was all right, magic puddings!!! But what more do you expect when you are right next door to a burger king, pizza hut and a KFC!!!



Most of the staff are very friendly, but watch out for the maids they are easily upset!! Nightlife is great but can be expensive!!! If you go you have to check out the Okcoral bar 10 euro's for all you can drink for an hour!!!

This is a great hotel, it's just...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Jun 2006

Tour Operator:

Airtours

Submitted By:

robbieuk21

Comments:

This is a great hotel, it's just close enough to the action but not close enough to be disturbed by it.



I would highly recommend paying that little bit extra for a sea view room, it's only a small fee but the hotel faces the sunset and the bay which is excellent at night.



The food is a little bit hit and miss but its half board and the selection is pretty varied each morning and evening and to their credit, they try very hard to please everyone.



There is hot and cold choices including salad, plus a soup starter and a wide range of deserts. There is bound to be something you would like.



The only real criticism is sometimes it's not as warm as you would have normally expected so get there early.



The staff are very friendly and the accommodate any request you have.



Overall very good.

The hotel was not very good at...

Overall Rating:

2/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2006

Tour Operator:

Airtours

Submitted By:

Mrs L Lyth

Comments:

The hotel was not very good at all. Rooms were spacious but that is the only good thing I can say about hotel.



The restaurant was extremely cramped, the food was appalling and always cold, served on very small plates, we did have to eat out most of the time. The staff were not very friendly or polite, quite rude actually. Drinks prices went up in the evenings and the entertainment was terrible.



The hotel is in a good position but the beach is very dirty. We will most definitely not be returning to the Hotel Arenal ever again.

The hotel is right on the beach...

Overall Rating:

5/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Sep 2005

Tour Operator:

Airtours

Submitted By:

Miss Rachel Fiddy

Comments:

The hotel is right on the beach in San Antonio, not far from the clubs - Es Paradis, Manumission and Eden, the harbour is also nearby offering lots of diving trips as well as boat trips - both day and night. The road train is a good trip to go on which goes from San Antonio itself 3 times a day and costs 11 euros, but is well worth it as the driver is bonkers. The hotel does also do diving trips and on the beach pedaloes can be hired. Next to the hotel is also a Burger King, Pizza Hut and KFC.



The Zinema Bar is a good place to get a drink and to chill out, it is right next to the Arenal and is cheap, cost of a pint of lager is 2 euros and a cocktail is 5 euros. The staff there are so friendly and nice, especially Diane and Sue. The Zinema Bar who do great food. If you like Karaoke, the Zinema Bar is also the place to go, as everyone who sings gets a free drink. The main sporting events are also shown at the Zinema, but as when I was there, 2 England matches were shown, so at them times, the bar did get rather busy, but some of the other sporting events shown was the cricket, motor sports and tennis.



The food in the hotel is quite good, but it depends on what your tastes are. Before I went, I read a lot of reviews saying the food wasn't good, but when I got there, I found it depends on what you like and don't like. I did notice that they don't really cater for vegetarians, most of the food they served was meat or did include meat in it. Breakfast wasn't particularly that good, but again it does depend on likes and dislikes, if you like cereal and fruit for breakfast, there is a lot of that, but not much of a cooked breakfast. The restaurant is quite relaxed, you can take food out of the restaurant for the day, on the last day of my holiday, I made sandwiches for the afternoon, so I had some food for when I checked out, and no one made a fuss. I saw some guests taking glasses of juice upstairs and no one minded.



There is a very relaxed dress code in the evenings, as long as you don't go in without a top on or without wearing swimwear, you can wear what you want, I wore shorts, t-shirts and trainers and no one bothered. What does happen is that you are given a table that corresponds to your room number for the duration of your stay in the hotel, but that is not normally mentioned until you are sat at someone else’s table and the manager approaching you saying that you are sat at someone else’s table.



The meal times are between 8 and 10 for breakfast and between 7:30 and 9:30 in the evening, but if you do get hungry, there is a snack bar in the hotel offering hot food for decent prices, and if you do like ice cream, there is an ice cream parlour underneath the hotel selling ice creams as well as meal deals including pizza, coffee with milk and an ice cream for about 7 - 8 euros, if my memory is right, but it is something around that price.



The hotel also let you bring food and drink in from outside the hotel to consume in your room, but if you want to consume anything downstairs by the pool or in the bar, it has to be bought in the hotel. The staff are friendly at the hotel and are quick to sort out any problems with the rooms, I had one problem, I reported it in the morning, 30 mins later, a member of the maintenance staff came to see what the problem was, as he could not repair it, a carpenter was called, and the problem was sorted out in the early afternoon.



Air Conditioning is not included in your room cost, it does cost extra, but there is a ceiling fan in each room, which does a good enough job of keeping the room cool, but as I found out, the cleaner always seemed to switch it off when I was out of the room. There is a safe available to every room, it costs 2 euros per night plus a returnable deposit of 3 euros, but if you lose the key, you will be charged 12 euros.



If you are on a late night flight and want to keep your room for the day, which is subject to availability and 26 euros, you need to see the reception 24 hours before your flight to see if your room is available for that. The one person rooms are not as small as I was lead to believe by some reviews, they do not have a balcony, but you do get a good view of the harbour and the Zinema Bar, the noise of people coming back from the clubs isn't too bad, but you can hear the karaoke from the Zinema next door.



The entertainment provided by the hotel management is shared between the Arenal and the Ses Savines which is the sister hotel and is less than 10 mins walk from the Arenal and is a variety in entertainment, as well as that, there is a mini disco for the kids held every night in the Arenal.



There is an internet access point just behind reception but is quite expensive, about 1 euro for 3 mins, there is however a clubbing shop next door that offers internet access but not sure on their tariffs as I went to one right round the end of the bay on the street next to the pharmacy, past the cafes, restaurants and perfumeries, which costs 90 cents for 15 mins, 1 euro and 80 cents for 30 mins and 2 euros and 70 cents for 1 hour.



I definitely recommend this hotel to anyone who wants to go to San Antonio.

Area: we travelled the last week...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Oct 2004

Tour Operator:

Airtours

Submitted By:

Ms Rosie Cole

Comments:

Area: we travelled the last week in October and everything was closing or already closed. This had the effect of making it a very quiet relaxing holiday. The hotel is situated a stroll from the main town and in the other direction a pleasant walk takes you further into San Antonia Bay. The beauty of the position of this hotel is walking in either direction is made along the beach front. I should imagine in high season it would be a very different story judging by the number of hotels in the vicinity



Hotel Arenal: classed as a three star hotel and well deserved. The rooms are spacious with plenty of storage. There are no tea making facilities in the room and no fridge to store milk. So take a kettle, stock up on the little long life milks from cafes before you go and "borrow" a cup from the restaurant I washed mine up and hid it as the cleaners are quite thorough and removed my first cup. The sea view rooms are wonderful. You can sit and watch the little boats and also the ferries chugging into the harbour nearby. At night you can hear the waves crashing on the shore as you are so close.



Meals: if you are not a fussy eater the food is more than adequate. The breakfast selection includes: croissants, brioche, rolls, toast, dried fruit, cereal, yoghurt, and doughnuts, something cooked like bacon or sausages. Cold meat and cheese and teas coffees and fruit juice. Not many cooked vegetables to be seen in the evenings but a very good choice of salads and desserts. The dining room is quite cramped and again I should imagine that in the height of the season it would get extremely busy with long queues. One word of warning, if you have young children or like to eat early you may be disappointed to know that evening meals are served from 7.30pm



There are two swimming pools and two sunbathing areas. One pool is indoors and heated in October and May. It was like getting into a very warm bath! Only one brave soul attempted the outdoor pool in October. The sun loungers all have cushions. The back of the hotel faces the sea and has just a paved promenade separating the beach from the sunbathing lawns.



The staff are variable as you would expect anywhere but I could not fault anyone when it came to an emergency. They were second to none. Even the restaurant manager who rarely smiled was very accommodating



Airtours: we flew out on an airbus with all mod cons and flew back with a Mickey Mouse Spanish plane with the offer of a sandwich and glass of water for our pre paid meal. We had no seats together even though we had prebooked. On arriving back to the UK, airtours did not quibble and immediately refunded us our meal money and seat bookings, so no complaints there



Weather in October: Variable. Sunny cloudy windy rainy. A bit like here but warmer and with better views