Reviews of El Greco Hotel, Portinatx, Ibiza

not as good as it looked

Overall Rating:

7/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Oct 2008

Tour Operator:

Booked Independently

Submitted By:

licky_leanne

Comments:

Booked for a family holiday to this hotel as the waterpark did look great for 2 little 8 and 9 year old terrors who love to be in the water when i got there the hotel was clean and the staff were helpfull when we got to our rooms it was dull and were or rooms were did not get the sun at all but who minds ! after exploring the area which i would say is quite and small we decided to go to the waterpark.
when we got in there the pool side bar was full and was a massive line of people wanting drinks so we just decided to wait. we walked around the front were the sun seems to get the area better and the pool side was dirty broken glass was all over next to our sun bed so i asked the member of staff to clean this up do not know how glass was here as cups or plastic ! really disliked the waterpark which was nothing what i thought this would but over all was a good holiday

Lovely hotel

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Oct 2008

Tour Operator:

Booked Independently

Submitted By:

Mandm

Comments:

We have just come back from the El Greco. The hotel is absolutely lovely. The rooms are clean, bright and spacious.

The beach is clean, warm and you get to see lots of fish swimming around you. Definitely invest in a snorkle set. You'll get plenty of use out of it here. We rented a pedallo one of the days, for 15 euro. I would highly recommend that. It was a good laugh and they're really easy to operate.

The pool is cold but the kids still loved it. The waterpark was cold too, but I assume that's just the time of year. The water park was great apart from the cold.

The food was great. There was a good selection of food to suit everyone. It was funnny to see chicken and veal move around the different sections each day (veal casserole one day, veal curry the next, then veal bolognaise ! but it was all good). Luckily I took a liking to the veal - so I just hunted it down each day to see what it had turned into !

The entertainment was so so. We had some really great, fun nights there, but it's not really directed at kids. It doesn't keep their attention and yes there were some inappropriate things said, and some innappropriate acts ie. knife throwing, and walking on glass. I thoroughly enjoyed it, but a lot of people complained and I could see their point. It wasn't the cleverest thing to show kids.

All in all, a great holiday. I would love to go back and probably will. But I'll have a look around first to see if there's something of the same quality but more for kids.

WHAT A GREAT HOLIDAY, FOOD...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Sep 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mrs V BURKE

Comments:

WHAT A GREAT HOLIDAY, FOOD GREAT, STAFF FRIENDLY, ENTERTAINMENT STAFF MADE OUR HOLIDAY, OUR 11 YEAR OLD IS QUITE SHY AND HE REALLY CAME OUT OF HIS SHELL , 1 YEAR OLD LOVED IT TOO. THER ARE ALOT OF STEPS BUT HEY IT KEEPS YOU FIT. TRY AND GET A ROOM WITH A SEA VIEW. WILL DEFO BE GOING BACK

Myself and family just returned...

Overall Rating:

8/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Sep 2008

Tour Operator:

Booked Independently

Submitted By:

Miss J Pusey

Comments:

Myself and family just returned from the El Greco, we had a really good holiday and apart from a couple of things I would of rated this holiday a 10/10.



Pro's



The hotel was really clean and well layed out.



The food was varied and really nice, we were there a week and had something different every day, even my 5 and 6 year old enjoyed the food.



Waterpark attached to the hotel was fab for kids and adults.



Really close to the beach.



Con's



A kids club is advertised, which my kids were really looking forward to but when we got there we were told they could only join if we had booked through thomson, which we didn't, so they missed out.



A kids mini disco was also advertised but it was only on once during the week.



The pool was small and only got the sun in the morning.



Area



Portinax itself was small and there was not alot to do there, we found mini golf, and there are some boat trips to go on, my kids liked the glass bottom boat. There some watersports on the beach and pedloes to hire.



If you want to explore the island I'd recomend car hire, as the bus routes only go to two places.



All in all I enjoyed our holiday but would not want to spend more than a week here, I would recomend this holiday to anyone who wants a week of relaxation, if you want more things to do I would recomend a busier resort.

the hotel was excellent i cant...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Miss K Pipex

Comments:

the hotel was excellent i cant fault it once. the kids club was brilliant my two children loved it and i saw a huge change in thier personalilites from quiet children to very confident in only a week. the food was lovely and the drinks ok.

if you do go thier makes sure you say hello to mario thre bar man(you cant miss him) and carlos( the grunpy man in charge of the rest)

the entertainment is greay patti and barry wrok well togther. barry needs to smile more and let patti get on with her job, he isnt gods gift to women and needs to realise this

the hotel is clean and very close to the beach

loved it and will be back next year

We went with 2 little girls...

Overall Rating:

8/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Oct 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr R M Massey

Comments:

We went with 2 little girls (aged 1/2 and 2 1/2), they had a ball and so did we. Our oldest loved the evening entertainment and she still remembers the songs now.

The entertainment staff were fantastic, the bar staff very friendly and always smiling and the drinks were generous measures.

We heard there was a smell of sewage but over the 2 weeks we stayed we must have smelt it only once or twice and this was only for a second or two.

The pool was very cold but only because it was shaded for most of the day but the beautiful beach more than made up for it. The sand was ace and the water was warm and you could see fish swimming around your feet daily.

The only down side was the accommodation - it wasnt bad, dont get me wrong, but it was very small and basic. We were situated at the end of a row of rooms and the air conditioning was on the outside of the wall and when it rained each drop could be heard throughout the night - Just pick of the rooms i suppose.

There was a market outside the hotel weekly and it was also ace! My oldest had her hair braded and it was excellent for the money. I would definately recommend this, very colourful, plenty of cheap buys and good for a wonder round.

One of the great things about this hotel was the food - lots of variation, fantastic pizzas made in front of your eyes, pastas, salads, meat dishes, cakes, stuff for the children aswell as local food.

If you like your burgers etc then this is also catered for.

There are a few local bars if you need to get ou for a few nights and they are great - karaoke, pool, kids games etc and all at quite decent prices.

We only went to the water park once due to our girls ages but it seemed enjoyable, different size slides for all ages and the hotel put on games competitions daily at the park whcih went down well with all ages - especially the adults!!!



The nightly shows at the hotel were fantastic - performing parrots, Mr El Greco, Bingo, Hypnotist (this was soooo funny), childrens games, live singing etc - various act which were all superb.



We would definately go back, definately worth every penny and the guys that work there work so hard to make your holiday a good one - it worked.

Just returned from a week at El...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Dr S Boyd

Comments:

Just returned from a week at El Greco with my husband and stepson. I must admit truly impressed, and will be going back without a doubt. The staff are friendly, have excellent English fluency and are extremely helpful. Yes the pool may be a tad small and busy but the beach is within easy reach and really makes up for it. Plenty to do for the kids , Patricia is fantastic, I don't think she realises what an asset she is to the team at the hotel , tri - lingual at least, patient with children and always smiling!!!!!! Food - an excellent selection but could be better if the chefs could learn how to cook the pizza properly in the pizza ovens - nice and crispy base with cheese melted on top - not soggy with cheese barely warm!! And the pasta could be slightly better than luke warm!!!!!! Rooms very clean and maids are thorough and excellent!!!! And smiling!!! Entertainment just ok - I am no prude but thought the Miss El Greco competition inappropriate when small kids and impressionable young adults running about - feeling a ping pong ball in a strangers underpants I ask you!!!! - need I say more - at least slap it with a health warning lol. In addition, the drinking races, in a culture of binge Britain - whilst funny I am sure, to young teenagers surely not endorsing a healhy lifestlye - again sorry if this sounds prudish but..... I don't think so. And please remember Northern Ireland exists in addition to England Wales and Scotland. (Geordie Best, Danny Blanchflower and the Titanic ) ...... we are not form an alien nation lol!!!!! Barry is excellent a real gem and one man show... keep blowing up the balloons and drinking tequila ... NOT!!! All in all a great great holiday in a beautiful location... Ibiza old town well well worth a visit and the guide a true true gent very friendly, knowledgeable and patient.. tink Jose was his name.... Brill hols.. hats off to the El Greco

We just returned from our...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mrs L Smith

Comments:

We just returned from our holiday at the El Greco a couple of days ago I went with my husband and four kids ages 9,13,14,and 17 as well as my sisters family 10 of us in all. The hotel was clean and modern with really friendly staff who could not do enough for you although the staff on the outside bar were sometimes a bit impatient with the kids. The pool is a bit on the small side but that did not seem to bother the kids and you have to get your towels out early to get a bed round the pool although the doors are locked to that area until around 7am to stop people doing this in the middle of the night.

The food was great there was something for everyone my kids really enjoyed the fresh pizza and pasta that was on offer everyday. My husband is a ceoliac but this was not problem as there was meat and fish cooked in front of you every meal time and omelettes in the morning I could not fault them on food.

The kids had a great time in the water park the life guard was a bit hard to take but i think there was a sense of humour there too and they were very quick to help someone who had hurt themselves.

The beach was very safe for the kids and they had a great time on an inflatable boat in the sea my only critisism of the beach would be the huge prices of the sun beds which took up the best spots on the beach at 4 euros 50 per bed plus 4 euros 50 for a parasol i think it was expensive.

There are some nice little shops a couple of minutes walk from the hotel if you want to buy snacks i would recomend doing this as crisps and snacks are very expensive at the hotel.

If you are there for more than a week you might want to get out of the resort on some of the trips we did the glass bottomed boat in San Antonio a nice trip and also too the road train which got us off sight for a morning.

All in all it was a great holiday and as for the smell yes it was there from time to time but it did not spoil the holiday and by the end we did not notice it. Well worth a visit.

just returned from two weeks at...

Overall Rating:

8/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr Sp Evans

Comments:

just returned from two weeks at the el greco hotel in portinax. 8 of us in total with 3 children(4,11+13) first impressions were very good. good friendly atmosphere, very clean and well run hotel. there are more + than - the maids came round too early for my liking in our room, at around 9.15am and they enter the room at the same time they are knocking so beware! our biggest problem was only being given 1 room key between two adults. i cant believe no-one else mentions this because it is a total pain if you want to split up as adults(air conditioning has got to be the reason but it is still wrong. you dont have only one key for your house do you!) this control of energy defines the hotel. at night they turn the balcony lights off at 1 in the morning just as your having a nice chat about the day. this also happens in the main bar were the presence of small children who should be in bed still rule the roost late at night. however the food is superb. great variety at every meal time. kids club was very well run, and the beach and sea are also superb relaxation and fun. the kids loved it, and it is definitely worth a return visit. a late night quiet kid free bar would make it perfect!

Fantastic holiday ! We took our...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr JOHN TRAVELL

Comments:

Fantastic holiday ! We took our 2 children aged 9 & 5 for their first holiday abroad and we all thoroughly enjoyed it. The Hotel is kept very clean by the dedicated staff who work extemely hard . The food was Excellent, with plenty of choices lined up around the "food island" in the restaurant. ALL the staff are freindly and helpful. Yes , there are a lot of steps there which might be a bit of a challenge for some elderly or for those with pushchairs , but my kids managed them with ease.

Although the drinks etc. are all free Bottled water is cheaper to buy in the souvineer shop leading down to the beach (hope this helps).

The water slides were excellent . . the kids loved it there, as did we, with drinks and ice creams on tap.

The beach was lovely and clean and we even took some biscuits from the hotel to feed the fish , which swam around your legs , they even take food from your hand .We took a glass bottom catamaran ride around the coast down past San Antonio (organised by Thomson) it cost 144 euros for the 4 of us , there was a very knowledgeable guide on board called Allison , we then had a stop off for a lovely meal at a restaurant in a remote location before our return. . .it was beautiful.

I must give FULL MARKS for this holiday , it ticked more boxes for us than we expected and hope to return next year (so long as the Gas & Electric supplier doesn`t take all our money).



Thanks again to "El Greco" and your wonderful staff.

Myself and my partner had a...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Jun 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomas Cook

Submitted By:

Mrs M Robertson

Comments:

Myself and my partner had a fabulous holiday in the Hotel El Greco in Portinatx, Ibiza. We paid extra for a room with a sea view and it was worth every penny. The sunsets were gorgeous, the hotel staff were friendly and the food was "fantastic". Plenty fresh food and more than enough choice. The beach was spotless and it kept us in trim up and down the steps twice or three times a day! The sea was crystal clear and the locals were very friendly.

Myself, my partner and our 2...

Overall Rating:

8/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2008

Tour Operator:

Sunshine.co.uk

Submitted By:

Miss V Smith

Comments:

Myself, my partner and our 2 children aged 11 and 9 have just arrived back this morning and really wish we were still there!!!!!!!! Pros and cons to this holiday but def still deserves the 8 out of 10 given.



Hotel itself is exceptionally clean and of a high standard. Rooms are reasonably big with a larger than average size balcony and are tastefully decorated. Food was unbelievable!!! So many diff choices I could easily compare it favourably with the all inclusive service you receive from long haul destinations.



Downside of hotel:- pool is very small and crowded and half shaded throughout full day therefore making it very cold too. We spent 1 morning there and apart from complaint just mentioned the music they had blasting out was awful - over 1 and a half hours of Smokey's greatest hits!!!! (I didnt know who they were either but its the group that did 'Alice who the **** is Alice' then subsequently formed Black Lace so I think that says it all!!!) Suffice to say we never went around the pool again but it does make me giggle now looking back...!!!! Secondly they have a water park - this is fantastic for kids and parents alike except there is nowhere there to actually swim so unless you're either queing for the slides or going down them you are shuffled out of the water by extremely arrogant staff therefore it just gets very hot and repetitive. I truly believe this hotel would be more than 3 stars if they could do something about the pools!!!



However the entertainment cannot be described as anything other that completely dire!!!!! It was that bad you actually found yourself enjoying it out of delirium!!!! Mini disco for kids - please never again, chinese torture Bingo which took so long people just screwed up their tickets and gave up many times, and lets not forget worst of all the outside entertainment brought in on various nights!!!! It was like out of an episode of Bendiorm... just 1 example random guy promoted as singing northern soul etc, he spent the night making up words about the resort as he clearly didnt know half the lyrics and ended up sharing his stage with all the 3 and 4 year olds dancing as all the adults looked on bemused!!!! Again very funny though now I suppose looking back but I doubt it was meant to be viewed like that.



However the main reason I have given this holiday 8 out of 10 is because of the beach and sea. Extremely child friendly, clear turquoise sea with swarms of beautiful fish that come to greet you as you wade through. We spend every day there and would def go back to Portinatx again and again now due to this...



All in all fantastic holiday - pool big let down but with a sea like that who would want to go in pool????!!!!

When me and my family travelled...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomas Cook

Submitted By:

Mr J Haskey

Comments:

When me and my family travelled to the El Greco i was 13 years old and my sister was 11. It was the first abroad holiday we had had since 2001 and we didnt know what to expect.

However, from my point of veiw it exceeded all expectations. The Hotel was modern, clean and spacious. The bedrooms were cosey, but there was enough space to store all our clothes and other necessities. In my mind, if your going on holiday abroad why would you want to spend time in your room other than to sleep and to shower? Therefore the rooms provided were fine.



The pool was small but big enough, and i rarely ever smelt the sewage that everyone seems to be complaining about. The water park is great for kids my age and up to around 16, and it also has a bar where you can get ice cream and drink for free with the all inclusive package!



The beach was all great, where you could play football with the locals!

The sea was perfect each day and the pedilos that can be rented out were well worth it if you have friends that you can use them with!



This is another plus point, you will definately make friends!

In the evenings i didnt really see the entertainment as we were all on the beach till around 12 and there was never any trouble, its perfectly safe all day.



The entertainment provided such as table tennis, pool, water polo, football kept me entertained throughout the day and the reps were easy to get along with and alot of fun.



The food was brilliant, with alot of choice with around 10 different choices of pudding each night!



Overall, this holiday was the best i have ever been on and a holiday i could never hope to repeat.

We have just returned from our...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Jul 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mrs Michelle Somerfield

Comments:

We have just returned from our second visit to the hotel which was better than the first(this time we took my parents who are hard to please and they said its the best place they've been!). The rooms have recently been upgraded which made our stay even better. The food was as good as the first time with lots of choice for out fussy 3 and 6 yer olds! The waiters are fantasitic with the kids. My 6 year okld liked the fact that he could go to the bar and get his own drinks and ice creams. The Thompson kids reps, (Katy, Jenna and Amy) were fantastic and provided lots of activities to keep the children entertained for the majority of the day. The hotel also provided regular activities fronted by Barry and Patricia, who make a fantastic team and keep everyone entertained well into the small hours. The resort of Portinatx itself is fantastic. Its a quiet bay with a fantastic beach and calm shallow sea. The resort also provides water sports and two english bars that offer alternative entertainments, but we did not visit because the hotel El Greco gave us all we need!

Overall we had a GREAt holiday and will struggle to find another resort that beats this one!

We have just returned back from...

Overall Rating:

8/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Jul 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mrs D Harding

Comments:

We have just returned back from the El Greco, we are a family of 4, Our 2 children are aged 13 and 10, we had a fab time, food fantastic actually the best food we have ever had, the rooms were a reasonable size, and nicely furnished. we were a bit worried about the reviews beforehand especially about the smell, but honestly i dont know what all the fuss is about, yes there was abit of a wiff at times, but you did get use to it! the waterpark was fab my children really enjoyed it there, the beach was nice, with lots of watersports (banana boat ride was fantastic!) the only bad comments i have is that the entertainment during the day wasnt that good for my 10 year old daughter, she did get abit fed up at times! as each activity i.e: darts, pool, french bowls etc... was for all ages, rather than splitting it up into different catorgries i.e. kids, teens and adults, we have been doing all inclusive holidays for 9 years and we have never been to a hotel before, (that was until we went to this one) that doesnt catorgorise the activities, as you can imagine the kids are pushed aside, as its based around the adults and not the kids, the entertainers Barry and Patricia were very good, but would of been better if they split themselves up, rather than doing all activities together as it doesnt take 2 entertainers to do 1 activity! and the entertainment at night was a bit hit and miss aswell! this is a real shame because everything else was fantastic! would go back if the entertainment was to change, to suit all, as it is a family holiday!