Hotel Orquidea Bahia Feliz

17-24 June.

Had a great time @ the Orquidea - would definitely look at going back.

Be warned that if your flight is delayed & you arrive after midnight you won't get any form of refreshment - something that the rather useless Thomson reps are "allegedly" taking up with hotel management, but don't hold your breath.

Apart from this, we had an excellent time. The rooms are spotless, perfectly adequate for a family of four (one large double & a sofa/pull out bed). If you've got toddlers, there are a couple of steps down into the seating area which could become an issue...

Food/Drinks were excellent - others have commented on the chaos at breakfast etc but lets be honest, it's marketed as a family hotel, so is it any great surprise that there are hundreds of small kids running around filling their bowls & plates? I would suggest to those people who had an issue with this that perhaps they'd be better placed looking for a less "family friendly" hotel. This is apparently the first year that they've run all inclusive and we did have one or two issues at the start of the holiday which the highly ineffective Thomson rep (Kevin) had trouble grasping but these were quickly ironed out. Snacks & drinks are available by the pools from 10am to 5pm, you get 3 buffet meals per day and then there are 3 bars open during the evenings until 1145pm...

Entertainment was fantastic - all co-ordinated by Glyn (Big Daddy) - the kids loved it and now recreate the dances in our kitchen! The entertainment for us older folks was of a decent standard but still managed to keep the kids entertained as well. There was a fair bit of activity by the pools during the day but nothing that was too intrusive.

There is a small beach by the hotel - nothing to write home about but it was nice to be able to have a dip in the sea away from the crowds by the pool. On windier days there was a strong under-tow, so I'd be very careful with small kids going in on their own and certainly wouldn't recommend using ANY form of inflatable...

If you're looking for a buzzing resort, this won't be the place for you - there are a couple of bars, a couple of mini-markets & tat shops and about 3 restaurants. If you're after a buzzing night-life, then Playa Del Ingles is probably better for you. However if you've got a 5yr old & a 7yr old who are completely cream crackered by the end of the evening's entertainments then this is ideal for you!!!

One of the great things about this hotel is that we felt completely at ease letting our little ones roam around the grounds and the pool, we didn't feel that we had to monitor their whereabouts every 2 minutes - it is a very child friendly hotel. Our thanks to all the kids club reps & the entertainments crew, it's a shame that the hotel reps were not as switched on as they were!

Just come back from two weeks at the Hotel Orquidea, and feel totally relaxed after having had such a brilliant, easy holiday. It is definitely a holiday focused on the children, which is what we wanted. For the children it was paradise;, all kids club activities are included in the price, so there is something for them at all times during the day. The pools were great (make sure you get up early to reserve your sunbed!). Aqua aerobics with Big Daddy dressed as a chicken was 'something else' and no other aqua aerobics will ever be the same again for me. The standard has been set!! My daughter thoroughly enjoyed her swimming lessons with Paul at the swim academy (highly recommended) and I had a private lesson too, which has certainly helped my front crawl...

Food was plentiful, I always found it hot, great variety. I think the buffet represented excellent value for money at all meal times. We did All Inclusive. They could maybe offer more snacks in the afternoon - instead of just ice-cream, but its their first year doing all inclusive, so this may change.

The new spa facilities are absolutely fantastic - never been in a hydrotherapy pool so sophisticated and lovely. Definitely do the 35 Euros deal which includes a 2.5 hours in the spa, plus a 20 minute massage. There is a huge lap pool, with sauna, hammam and a saunariaum. Excellent value for such top class facilities.

At night, it was great to have a choice of either Thomson entertainment or the Scandinavian side (who were excellent singers). We have all come back humming Thomson the Dog, Witch Doctor and all the rest... The kids loved the family zone entertainment at night with the chuckle chair etc. I thought Baby Freya was a great entertainer, with a genuine love for her job, all of them kept in check by Big Daddy, who was simply fab!

A brilliant holiday was had by all and wouldn't hesitate to return.

Most of the other reviews have already pointed out the highs and lows of the Orquidea.

Room was very good, comfortable beds, nice size, good view (Room 305), air con, tv, etc.

Cleaned daily and towels replenished daily, (Towels were a bit on the small size). Bed lined changed twice in the week long stay. Make sure you bring all your own toileteries, soap, shampoo, etc.

The food was very good, but, spoiled a bit by being cool on nearly every sitting. Great selection from hot dogs, burgers etc at lunch to fish, meats with different sauces at dinner. Wine and beer etc, served with meals as part of AI. The best selection of soups at both lunch and dinner I've seen, and really great quality.

The dining room could be a bit of a mad house with so many kids, but really didn't create much of a problem for us.

Overall. the only improvement on the food side I could suggest is to ensure that the food is kept hot as it does tend to spoil it when served luke warm.

The AI is definitely a good deal, better booked before you go as it was €100 each adult to upgrade at the hotel, even on the second day of the holiday. The spirits etc were good quality. I reckon if you are going to dring 3 or 4 drinks per day, and have lunch/snacks, then you will definitely save at least 50%.

Didn't go on trips, so can't comment.

Entertainment was very much family oriented. Kids going mental at night kicking football on the grass close to the bar terrace, but again that's the type of deal it is.

Overall, we had a really great week of relaxing in fantastic weather (high 20's low 30's) and if the sun didn't get you the winds definitely would. It is extremely windy, but in the heat of the sun winds kept you cool. Lots of scandanavians and Brits - possibly slightly more scandanavians??? so a nice mixture of cultures.

For a family break, this is an ideal location with plenty of organised activities for the kids. Hope I never hear Thompson the Dog song again LOL..

WE have just returned from 2 weeks at the hotel orquieda and had a fabulous time there.We travelled with our 12 year old daughter.We found the entertainment team and kids club excellent and the evening shows were on the whole very good.The hotel is lovely and everything you need is there.the food was very good also plenty of choice.I would recommend this hotel to a family with children if you dont like kids then this hotel is not for you go elsewhere?All in all we had a great time and found the all all inclusive very good value.We will be going back next year.

This is the hotel we stayed at on our honeymoon along with our six month old baby.Staff were very helpful in regards to cots and bottle warmers etc. The room was nice airy and spacious and food was also of a good standard. high chairs ...werent that many about but if you were up early which we always were there was no problem. really nice clean place, loved it. Entertainment in the evening was amazing...had the weird song thing with funky dance moves that you learn on every holiday, entertainers were outstanding. we all loved it and we're definitely going back there!

We had a lovely time,Weather was great all week,a bit windy at times but overall lovely.

The hotel was just as we had remembered it from 1998,even better in fact as it has been refurbished recently.

We were on the 4th floor of 11 and had a great view of the sea and of the swimming pools.

We were half board to start with but upgraded to all inclusive on the 1st day,we decided that for e300 2 adults & 2 kids it would be worth it to save paying out for drinks/ice creams etc every time we wanted something.

There are 2 large swimming pools which were great for adults & kids over 1m tall & 2 kiddies pools for the toddlers/babies.

Plenty of sunbeds available at any time,but we did put our towels on 2 beds some mornings so we could keep an eye on the kids in the pool.

Food-was excellent.breakfast 7.30 till 10 all you can eat help yourself cold meats,fruit,cereal,eggs,bacon,sausages etc lovely!

The fruit juice drinks were actually free not chargeable as we had been led to believe before we went(on a previous trip advisor review).

Lunch-again a big choice from 12 till 3 hot meats,salad,chips,pizza,burgers etc again excellent.

From 10 till 12 in the 'coco loco'bar near the pools you could get rolls,sandwiches,chips,melon as part of your all inclusive deal & from 3.30 in the afternoons they put out trays of biscuits again at the coco loco bar.

Dinner-6pm till 9pm Yes a big choice again,hot meats cold meats,fish,veggie choices,mouth watering desserts,it did get busy in the restaraunt around 7ish there was a bit of a queue to get in but only a couple of minutes at the most i would say.

Entertainment-What a great job the reps do-Big Daddy,Princess Kerry,Baby Freya,Becky Boo & the rest are brilliant,from fun & games round the pool every day to the evening shows the kids loved them to bits!

They even waved us off when we left for home at midnight on our last day(my daughter 10 was very tearful!).

All in all a great time was had by all,we will return again hopefully next year!

Location- In a small 'village' with a lovely small shopping centre,right next to the sea,the beach is not very family friendly but i think that if this hotel was in a more lively location it would cost a lot more to stay there being a thomson family xtra hotel.

There is a lovely footpath which you can use to walk right along the sea front to San Agustin the next resort up.

I hope this review persuades you to go for your next holiday to the Hotel Orquidea-See you there!!

I and my partner, a couple of 40 something's, stayed at the Orquidea in feb '08 which was a 3T (not 4T) hotel. The Orquidea is run almost exclusively for Scandinavians in the middle of a desolate resort (Bahia Feliz). Although the Scandinavians were more friendly and polite than the Germans, we felt like strangers in a strange land. I was told by an English mum (one of only two other English people I met at the hotel) that her son was excluded from the kids club because her child couldn't speak Nordic. The rooms were nice with fine balcony scenes but at 02.30 every night the air conditioning appeared to be switched off creating mini ovens. The hotel was very clean and spacious and the Spanish staff were very friendly and helpful. Amongst the culinary delights created by the Muppet show's Swedish Chef, were brussel sprouts and cabbage for breakfast (with cooked meats) and in the evenings fish and salads (with cooked meats). There was, to be fair, an attempt made at an English breakfast in the guise of rare sausages, fatty streaky bacon and crispy fried eggs, but I personally preferred the cooked meats. After two days, despite being half board, we couldn't stomach any more so we ate at one of the local restaurants. There was no sandy beach, just pebbles and rocks and a makeshift sandpit. The Thomson excursions were our only release, but they cost a fortune and sooner or later we'd always end up back in mini-me Norway at desolation point. On the plane back to England people were raving about Peuerto Rico, so go there instead. if not, like me you'll be screaming "I'm English.. get me out of here."

Spent a week at the Hotel Orquidea - 11th-18th March. I knew before booking that this hotel was largely for families but as it was outside the school holidays I thought it would be relatively quiet but was unaware that it was a holiday for the Scandinavians therefore the hotel was full. Although they were well behaved the buffet restaurant was chaotic and noisy - there was a small area for 'adults only' and we found it better to eat later. There was quite a good choice of food but the quality was average so would rate this hotel as a 3 star rather than a 4 star.

After speaking to a couple of British families apparently the children were excluded from the daytime activities as they couldn't speak Scandinavian! This probably wouldn't happen in the summer months as it would be mostly British then.

The rooms were large, clean and comfortable but the resort itself is small and the beach very pebbly with black sand and unsafe bathing for children. If you are happy with just using the pool area then it's fine but if your children like the beach you would be better staying in Playa del Ingles or use the good bus service which takes about 15 minutes. You can then walk along to the sand dunes of Maspalomas which are lovely and fun to walk on - just be aware that they are next to a nudist beach!

The bus service is excellent and it seems you can get anywhere you want. We did hire a car to see more of the island but it probably wasn't really worth it. Puerto Mogan is worth a visit - known as 'Little Venice' which has a beautiful harbour and also a manmade beach. You can also get to Las Palmas in about an hour (about 5 euros) which is interesting and also has a very large sandy beach.

All in all a pleasant stay with lovely weather to escape the British winter.