Fiesta Castell Playa Hotel

My wife and I enjoyed our week at the Castell Playa but it wasn't a hotel we would go back to. This is mainly because we usually go self-catering and we missed the experience of trying different restaurants during the holiday, and having more flexibility on when to eat. The hotel staff were excellent and the superior room was worth the extra money, especially for the sea view (the matching bath robes, i'm afraid, were worn once for comedy value!). The inclusive drinks option was well worth the money . We thought that the entertainment at the hotel was generally good especially the tribute bands - Bee Gees, Four Tops, Blues Brothers. The downsides were the price of the trips, the Arctic pool and the towels on the sunbeds scenario- sometimes from the previous night! I did post a review on the Thomsons website but because i commented on the cost of the excursions it hasn't been displayed. Honestly get a bus (or buses) instead! Of course it's a bit more hassle but not nearly as much as the Reps will tell you! And you'll save a small fortune!

My wife and I visited this hotel for the third year in a row.It just gets better,the hotel and location are superb.The food was excellent this year and they seem to have got their act together regarding the friut juices at breakfast time.There was also champagne and vodka available at breakfast time if you wanted it. We were in a fairly big group from Scotland and really enjoyed our week at the Castell Playa.We chose the all inclusive drinks option as always which worked out at 180 Euros per couple,good value indeed! The evening entertainment wasn't too bad,we had ABBA,ROD STEWART and the THREE DEGREES! There was also a good comedian by the name of Tim Pope! The Reps Sian and David were quite good and kept all the activities flowing along.It is always easy to criticise holiday entertainment but all things considered they were quite good. The weather for late August and early September was excellent,with temperatures aroun 30c every day for the week.

We stayed for two weeks at The Castell Playa at the start of the school holidays. We had a late deal with Thomson and were delighted when told on landing in Mahon that we were in a Gold hotel in Arenal. At first glance the hotel sticks out like a sore thumb. Built on a hill overlooking the stunning coastline, the rectangular concrete design is hardly inspiring but once inside the décor is quite acceptable and the air conditioning is very welcoming. The three lifts are a bit of a let down. They carry four people at a time in cramped conditions and are quite slow. They broke down several times during our fortnight but being forced to climb the stairs to the fourth floor was good exercise. The service is amongst the best we have ever received. The staff are extremely helpful and welcoming and always had a smile in our dealings with them. The headwaiter can seem a little stand-offish but he’s a big softie really. In the restaurant one night I ordered 419 (our room number) bottles of red wine in my broken Spanish and he found this highly amusing and was our friend for the rest of the holiday. We found the food to be of a very high standard, especially in the evening when the choices were many. In particular the weekly Gala Dinner was a real treat with lots of dishes from which to select. The restaurant staff were numerous and even at peak periods we never waited more than a couple of minutes to be seated. Our only complaint would be that sometimes the air con didn’t seem to be coping. Our room, overlooking the pool area, was nicely furnished if somewhat dated and was kept spotlessly clean by the daily visit of our maid. The beds and pillows were comfortable, there was plenty of storage space, the TV provided ITV and BBC1 and the air conditioning was excellent. Being in a “Gold” hotel is really appreciated when lounging by the pool. No kids!! The peace and quiet is most agreeable. The area has a nice ambience and the continuous presence of the bar waiters can ensure a good flow of refreshments. The pool itself is very useful for cooling off and never seemed to get too busy. It isn’t the biggest or deepest but provides enough space to enjoy a dip. The entertainment was amongst the best we have ever had on any holiday. There are at least two Rep’s on duty at almost all times. One of these would be around the pool during the day organising the activities such as water workout, darts, table tennis, water polo etc. The two main entertainments Rep’s, Dave Beattie and Sian (pronounced See-Ann) Saunders were both excellent on these occasions. In fact we would love to see them again as they gave us much laughter during the fortnight. Sian is also a very good singer (she does a mean Black Velvet) whilst Dave (from Burnley he is keen to point out) is just a nutter. The bought-in evening entertainment was also of a high standard. Abba, The BeeGees, Rod Stewart and the rest all gave good shows whilst the resident duo Reaction provided a relaxing warm up to the shows as the sun sank into the sea. These two really could sing and at the end of the shows would do a little disco spot to take the dancers in the audience up to midnight. A free courtesy bus runs regularly during the day from the hotel to the beach which is very useful to those who can’t negotiate the hill down to the road and then the 100+ steps to the sand. Arenal is a small sleepy resort where not much happens outside of the two main hotels. Murphy’s Bar is however definitely worth a visit and stays open until 4am every night. During the day a young lady will suddenly burst into an Irish jig a la Riverdance and in the night George from Dublin will entertain with his guitar and he is very good. Parents beware, he is not afraid to utter several swear words during his performance. All in all, a very relaxing holiday in a hotel that we would definitely go back to and an entertainment team that we would very much like to see again.

Everything about this hotel was perfect, the rooms, the location, the food, the staff and especially the reps. They make your holiday what it is and the entertainment they provided was plentiful without the pressure to join in, however you will want to win the thomson towel!!! The water polo in particular was a favourite! I will be returning to this hotel in the future and am sure that everything will be the same high standard.

Clean, Friendly hotel high on the hill Pool is very busy and you need to get up early to secure a sunbed (7.30 a.m. !!!) is a good time otherwise you are stuck in the shade until 3 p.m. Restaurant during the first week is terrific the 2nd week you get a bit bored with the food so would definately recommend eating out at he Rapi Bar down the steps food is fantastic - and to mention those steps 211 or 225 to the beach worth it though and their is a mini bus from the hotel. Can't fault the hotel and would definately recommend you take the drinks package well worth it if you intend to stay around the pool all day Entertainment was good on an evening various tribute bands, or if you want to go out there are various bars/restaurants around Very small island lots of coves and hills so definately only for the fittest

Our overall experience at this hotel and resort was very enjoyable. If you are after good weather, relaxation and a lovely beach, this is the experience for you. However, if it is a taste of the local Menorcan culture then I would suggest you look elsewhere. You will need to travel to nearby Mahon and then other surrounding towns and villages to experience this, though transport around the Island is easy. Imagine taking Blackpool beach and placing it on this island and this will give you an idea of the resort. The hotel rooms were clean and spacious; we had a balcony overlooking scrubland towards the back. Apparently if you pay extra, you can have a view overlooking the bay and resort. The food was also great and the staff were very friendly, but as mentioned the resort is geared up for British tourists. Even when you speak to the staff in Spanish, they answer in English (but that could be my bad pronunciation). As for the entertainment the reps tried very hard and were funny at times, the variety of entertainment was also acceptable but not to our taste. I would suggest you book your own excursions and do not accept those offered by the travel company. For example, Thompson offers a day trip to the markets in Mahon for 29.00 euros per person. We caught the bus and even booked a boat trip around the bay and paid only 11.00 euros each in total. If you want a very enjoyable week, relaxing on the beach and if you do not mind being surrounded by Brits then this is a great way to spend a recharging week.

A week at this hotel is plenty! The resort of Arenal de Castell is purely built for tourists (mostly Brits), so don't expect any real Menorca! The beach is huge, clean and lovely however, and not over-crowded (buy a beach umbrella for £5, better than renting one). The hotel is......fine! The rooms are decent in size and clean, with nice bathrooms. Have a sea view, it's worth the little extra, and you don't really want to overlook the pool and the Bingo games! Breakfast is plentiful, and there is a good choice. You won't get a good cup of tea or a decent orange juice though! Evening meal is fine, again plenty of choice, but after a few days you do think, "Not again....". And the puddings look different but all taste exactly the same. Drinks are reasonably priced. Don't bother with booking things through the reps when you get there. They are expensive. 'Miramar' car hire (just down the road) are a good buy! Driving couldn't be easier and there are some wonderful beaches and towns to visit! Pool area is clean, but crowded in the day. Good to go after 4pm when it's quieter. And be prepared for entusiastic rep-team games...bingo, water polo, name that tune, etc....you do sort of expect Lionel Blair to pop up! Best avoided! As I say, a week is plenty. We were glad to get out, and wished we had researched the place a bit better before booking the deal on the internet! But, on the other hand, it wasn't awful either!

First time at this resort , very tranquil if you like it like that. Stayed there for 2 weeks from 1st July 06 and the hotel was very good. Great choice of food and the staff were excellent, nothing was too much trouble for them. The evening entertainment was of a high standard most nights and daytime activities were good depending which rep was involved. Our favourite was a lad called Dave Beattie from Burnley who was the sort of guy that you would like to meet on holiday. He was quite a character . The hotel itself is situated up a couple of small but steepish roads and the beach is down a long flight of steps that seem longer on the way back!.watch out for a rep called Sue, she does a couple of interesting walks in the area and reminded me of Victoria Wood. Very relaxing break but a bit too quiet.

I stayed at this hotel during May 2006 with my mother - it was her first ever trip abroad! It was ideal. The food was excellent (something to suit everyone) and, although we had a few problems when we first arrived, our room was good with a nice balcony to sit out on. The hotel is in a quiet location but the surrounding area is very hilly and would not be suitable for the less mobile. Even the entertainment was OK (not really my type of thing) but my mum enjoyed it.

just returned from the castell playa hotel. Fantastic holiday for the time of year, the drinks package for the duration of your stay is a must!!. Yes building works are currently in operation but we were unaffected by them, to busy enjoying ourselves with ali an ian the poolside activity reps, no pressure to join in but the stylish one size fits all thomsons shirt or thomsons travel wallet was an added incentive!! A definate return for us a great holiday for the late time of year!!.