Reviews of Africamar Apartments, Can Picafort, Mallorca

i went to the africamar...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

Room Only

Date of Holiday:

Sep 2008

Tour Operator:

onthebeach.com

Submitted By:

Miss Jodie Snaith

Comments:

i went to the africamar apartments in september 2008 and absoloutey loved it. the rooms were absoloutely fine,infact beter than we had expected and there was more than enough space to meet our needs. the bar staff were absoloutely amazing (nacho was very funny) and did everything in there power to make us feel welcome and have a good holiday, when me and my friend got stranded in alcudia one of the bar staff even went out of his way in his own time and came and picked us up! the only downpoint i saw was there was nothing to clean the room with, now i know that is the maids job but we took a pizza back one night and spilled it in the floor but there was no brush, mop or anything to use to clean it up but we went to reception the next morning and they had a cleaner at our room within minuits. over all the staff made our holiday a lot better that it would have been if it was a different set of employees, and i will be going back here next year.

I concur wholeheartedly with the...

Overall Rating:

6/10

Board Basis:

Room Only

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2008

Tour Operator:

Low Cost Holiday Group

Submitted By:

Miss J Gallagher

Comments:

I concur wholeheartedly with the previous review. The road noise at night being the main problem with this hotel. End of August the temperature is cooling down and night time it dropped to about mid twenties. This meant it was bearable to shut the patio doors at night as long as the fan was directly pointing at us. It would have been impossible to sleep with the doors open, lorries, coaches and two stroke motorbikes thunder through all night, even ear plugs are no use.



For the premium week of the year our last minute options for a holiday were limited and other guests I spoke to also booked a few days before and this was the only hotel locally with vacancies and now I can see why. That said, we were made to feel welcome and the hotel was spotlessly clean.



One thing to consider though, as a novice booker, on the Low Cost website it clearly implies that rooms have a kitchenette but we booked 'room only' not realising that meant even though we had to walk through the kitchenette, we had not paid to use it. The strange set up meant two rooms shared one kitchen which is odd. Luckily, the apartment next to us was unoccupied and the maid switched on the fridge for us so at least we could keep snacks cool.



Don't expect a lot of evening entertainment at the Africamar. Despite the lovely staff trying their best with bingo and karaoke, the bar was deserted most evenings. The nightlife happens along the side road and the sea front. You are spoilt for choice with types of restaurant, bars and gift shops - nothing too expensive (but hardly cordon bleu)!



The beach is great and the pool although small was warm and had enough sunbeds that were cleaned every evening.



All in all I don't think we will return to this hotel, in future I will find somewhere with air conditioning in a quiter location. Can Picafort is nice but can be explored in a few days and most excursions are a long drive to the south of the island - but you get what you pay for and despite these few complaints it was an enjoyable holiday.

The Africamar Apartments are...

Overall Rating:

7/10

Board Basis:

Room Only

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2008

Tour Operator:

LowCostBeds.com

Submitted By:

Mrs S R Kerber

Comments:

The Africamar Apartments are situated in an excellent location, 5 mins walk from the beach and right next to shops and restaurants. However the price paid for this is a little bit of noise. The apartments face a main road and rooms at the front suffer from traffic noise, whilst rooms at the back get noise from people using the pedestrianised road to the beach which runs past the apartments. If possible I would advise getting a room at the back as this gets the breezes from the sea, which is helpful during the hot summer months as there is NO air-conditioning in the rooms, something I think should be addressed as soon as possible. We were on the top (4th) floor and felt OK about leaving the balcony doors open, but wouldn't have felt so safe on lower floors. You can hire fans at Reception.



Our 1-bed apartment had a slightly strange layout. Clearly it started life as two separate rooms which had then had a wall knocked through to convert it into an apartment. One of the original bathrooms had then been made into a kitchen, while the other kept as a bathroom. Consequently if our kids who were sleeping in the lounge on the sofa beds had needed the loo in the night, they then had to come into our bedroom to get to the bathroom. Not a huge problem for us, but for couples sharing, this would constitute a serious lack of privacy.



The rooms are spacious but the layout off-putting. There was no dining table which meant that when it was too hot to have breakfast on the balcony, we had to balance our plates on our knees, sitting on the bed. Kitchen was small and oppressive, with facilities barely adequate. Kettle and toaster worked but I'd echo the previous lady's concerns about where the plug point is situated. Just about enough crockery and cutlery but not over generous.



Decor and furniture all looked a bit tired and I really don't think deserved the three star status. Some of the wardrobe doors were locked. Rooms were basic, with the bare minimum furniture you'd expect. Lots of darkish wood everywhere which felt a bit heavy. Bathroom OK but not much privacy afforded by the sliding door. Toilet seat had two nasty marks where the enamel had worn off. Bathroom fittings looked cheap and plastic. Most importantly, the shower was absolutely appalling. Barely a trickle and when you turned it colder it lost pressure completely. Tried to run a bath for my kids and after 10 minutes it had barely an inch of water in it as the pressure was so low. We complained twice and they said they'd sent a plumber but because we were on the top floor the water pressure couldn't be increased. They did offer us another apartment but we declined, as we liked the position of the apartment we had.



The towels were pretty ragged round the edges, which you really wouldn't expect in a three-star establishment.



However, the issues around cleanliness that the previous reviewer mentioned, have very obviously been dealt with as the place was kept spotless. The cleaners came every other day and changed the towells and bedlinen as well as cleaning. This was probably a bit excessive actually, and maybe the towells are getting threadbare as they are washed so much!



The management were on site pretty much all of the time. A couple of times there was no-one at reception but we just asked the bar staff and then they fetched someone to help us. Bar staff and management were helpful and very pleasant. They gave our kids free lollies and crisps on several occasions, and one of the owners went round on two evenings, giving tokens for free drinks and ice-creams.



Guests were a mix of families and young couples/groups of friends, mainly British with a smattering of Spanish and French. The young people were slightly noisy coming back late at night on occasions, which was made worse by the fact that the rooms were so hot that we had to sleep with all the balcony doors open, therefore you could hear into all the rooms on your side of the building.



Not much entertainment provided, but during our two-week stay there was Bingo twice, karaoke and a pool tournament. There are wide-screen TVs in the bar area but most people just sit outside with a drink in the evenings.



Overall, I have to say I wouldn't go back to these apartments. Although the downstairs areas are very pleasant, this isn't reflected in the standard of the rooms, which I believe are more of a two-star standard than a three. Clearly the management are working hard to provide a good service, and I couldn't fault them for cleanliness. But the conversion of the hotel rooms to apartment layout just doesn't work and the rooms need refurbishing and upgrading urgently.



Ca'n Picafort is OK as a resort for an easy holiday in the sun. Nice beach. Full of Germans but everyone speaks English and all restaurant menus are translated into English. Food generally is OK rather than great, but I'd advise avoiding the English bars and restaurants as they tended to use really low-quality food and the service was often slow and surly. Don't expect much genuine Spanish culture here!

My partner and I (aged 44 and...

Overall Rating:

1/10

Board Basis:

Self Catering

Date of Holiday:

Jun 2008

Tour Operator:

Travelrepublic.co.uk

Submitted By:

Ms H P Anderson

Comments:

My partner and I (aged 44 and 36) have just returned from the Africamar Aparthotel after an 11 day stay there.

I had booked these these apartments with self catering facilities as I need to have my own fridge to store essential medication in and because they are advertised as 3 star.



I cannot express how disappointed and upset I am at the standards at this so called 3 star establishment.



The "studio" apartment consisted of a room barely big enough to be classed as a twin room and the self catering facilities were an open fronted wardrobe type. This housed two electric rings and a sink with a fridge underneath. The electrical point for using the kettle and toaster were located almost directly above the taps....!!! I am sure this cannot possibly meet any kind of health and safety regulation.

As for the toaster and kettle....... the first kettle that was in the room didn't work, the second kettle (provided only after reporting the first one broken twice and a third party intervening) worked precisely three times before that too stopped working. The phone in the room also didn't work properly as the person ringing you couldn't hear you. This was also only replaced afer 2 reports and a third party intervening and the hotel manager checking it to see if I was lying about it..... why would I ??!!

The toaster that had to be plugged in above the taps (this was the only point available and was for both the kettle and toaster) was a complete fire hazard. The plastic around the top where you put the bread in was all melted. On attempting to use it I discovered why. It "toasted" one slice of bread to black/burnt and billowing out smoke in about 20 seconds whilst the other slice was only lightly toasted on one side.....!!! I gave up using it after this as our room was filled with smoke and the smell of burnt toast.

The fridge door was rusting; the two single beds (I had requested a double) were lumpy and uncomfortable; the towels (changed twice whilst we were there) were threadbare and the second set had holes in them; the sheets were only changed once during the whole stay(11 days); the "studio" was not cleaned once, I resorted to cleaning it with Dettol wipes; there was no table either in the "studio" or on the balcony; no proper door on bathroom just a sliding door type of thing;bath was rusting; nasty looking stain behind toilet the whole time we were there; gap between bath and sink unit dirty and full of other peoples hair; no hot water in "kitchenette" sink to wash up with; tiny skinny wardrobe not big enough for 2 people - rest of wardrobe housed the plumbing for the bathroom; portable tv filthy dirty and didn't work; bathroom and whole apartment very poorly ventilated; no cups or mugs provided;......

I cannot imagine how this aparthotel has got a 3 star rating as it is not really above the standards you would expect in a youth hostel - a poor one at that...!!!

The management were never at reception to report any of these problems - they advertise as 24 hour reception. I noted that one website advertises parking garage/spaces.... there is no garage or parking spaces, you have to take your chances on the road.

The reception area is peppered with home printed signs "advising" you that only hotel guests allowed in rooms, fans available for hire (it must be unbearable in height of summer), tv remote control available for hire (!!!), push button for lift once only, etc etc..... it was like being transported back 30 years to a time when the concept of customer care and standards did not exist. Well to be honest they don't at the Africamar.

I had read many reviews of the Africamar before booking it but felt that on balance it would be basic but ok. IT IS NOT......Do not be fooled into thinking that this place will be ok. It really needs looking at again as far as the star rating is concerned and for their cleanliness standards.On a more serious note the health and safety aspects at this place really need reviewing. If I had turned my back on the toaster the one time I used it, it would have gone up in smoke....!! I have reported all of this to the company I booked with and suggested they schedule an inspection.

Do yourself a favour stay elsewhere........ Can Picafort itself is fine. Clean beach that gently shelves into Bay of Alcudia with plentiful beds and parasols to hire at a reasonable price. Plenty of bars and restaurants (though don't expect gourmet food). I would highly recommend Barracuda Bar on Ave Josep Trias - very good bar run by a Spanish/German couple Toby & Isobel with great bar staff Max and Andreas. All speak German,Spanish and English and are helpful and friendly. They play great music there too. Also a pizza/pasta restaurant called Zodiac that is off of Ave Josep Trias down the bottom end. Good food and service and helpful, friendly waiter Lucas.

Tourists predominantly German though English well enough catered for.....

I would probably return to C'an Picafort but NEVER EVER to Africamar...... I am not exagerating. It is dirty, grubby, beyond tired and all of the companies that use it need to consider whether booking people in there is safe........

I cannot fault this...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

Self Catering

Date of Holiday:

Sep 2007

Tour Operator:

Booked Independently

Submitted By:

Mr S O''Neill

Comments:

I cannot fault this accommodation in any way! Very friendly staff. Owners always available and bar staff were very nice and always on hand to recommend an excursion or somewhere nice to eat. Nightly entertainment is modest but always created a bit of fun and a good laugh!



Pool area is clean and tidy and there was usually plenty of sunbeds available. Bar prices are very reasonable and in fact we did not find anywhere cheaper during our 2 week stay!



We had a two bedroom apartment and there was plenty of space for the 4 of us with the two bedrooms, two bathroom setup. Kitchen area was a little small but was perfectly adequate and the balcony was huge!



We were at the front, and although the road was a little noisy, it didn’t keep us awake. Fan hire is recommended.



C'an Picafort may be a little too quiet for some people but there were ample numbers of bars and restaurants to entertain us!



In fact everything was so good we have already booked for next year! See you in 2008.

We stopped at the Africamar...

Overall Rating:

8/10

Board Basis:

Self Catering

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2007

Tour Operator:

Geat Deals.com

Submitted By:

Mrs A M Heckley

Comments:

We stopped at the Africamar Hotel between 21st-28th Aug 2007.



The Hotel is right next to a main road and we were sometimes kept awake by noisy young drivers piping their horns and shouting in the early hours of the morning. The hotel is centrally placed with everything within easy walking distance i.e. lots of shops, restaurants, and supermarkets.



It was good to see the pool emptied and steam cleaned out, but my god the water was cold for the next few days. The pool is not for young children the shallowest point is 1.4 mtrs.



There was not a lot of entertainment at the hotel; it just seemed to be where guests stopped for a drink either at the start or end of their evening. I think the staff did try to entertain guests but were up against too much competition from other bars and restaurants. We were quite surprised how many times the maid came in and changed our bed linen and towels, four times in one week.



The Hotel is very clean & tidy but our Kitchenette was very basic and tiny don't expect to cook anything more than beans on toast! However loads of places to eat just minutes walk away.



We found a good bar called The No1 English bar with good English snacks at reasonable prices, a chip butties with English bread at 2.50 Euros & a Tuna Mayo Baguette at 4.30 Euros. They are many German Restaurants in the resort, the one next to the No 1 English Bar the food was rubbish don't try to order English food from a German bar it's not what you think.



Avoid the garlic bread it's just normal bread with a tub of Garlic mayo it's awful!



Quite a few Beach front hawkers selling dodgy cheap sun glasses & watches and flashy toys to attract the kids.



Overall we had a good holiday and the resort of Ca'picafort is very nice.

I’m not sure if the ownership...

Overall Rating:

5/10

Board Basis:

Room Only

Date of Holiday:

Jul 2007

Tour Operator:

Select

Submitted By:

Mr J Woodham

Comments:

I’m not sure if the ownership has changed hands since these previous reviews were written but the staff when we were there were definitely not as described in these reviews.



For the price we paid, the place was adequate. Decent sized room, lovely swimming area and really close to the beach. The reason I rate it so low is because of the treatment we got from the staff. There definitely were no bibs as described in one of the reviews; in fact the only food they served was microwave burgers and hotdogs. You were expected to pay 30 euros to use the kitchen and deposit money to use alot of other facilities.



Bar staff were rude and unfriendly. One night in particular there was about 15-20 guests playing pool and drinking at the bar at about 1.30am when the owner turned off the lights and told us to go to bed. We tried to finish our game of pool so he took the balls away. Felt like I was back at school, not on holiday. Everyone was disgusted.



All in all nice place but let down by staff and management.

Just returned from Can Picafort,...

Overall Rating:

6/10

Board Basis:

Self Catering

Date of Holiday:

Jun 2007

Tour Operator:

Booked Independently

Submitted By:

Mrs Sa Crimmins

Comments:

Just returned from Can Picafort, Mallorca, Apartments Africamar.



On arrival although we booked self catering we were given a double room and had to share a kitchen and fridge. The fridge was full of other peoples food. When we said we were not happy we were charged an additional 10 euros a night to upgrade to studio. The rooms were very small and the studio was also tiny. Needed a fan which was 5 euros.



Not allowed to sit by pool and drink own water had to buy drinks from bar. Noisy rooms near main road also got smell of car fumes in room.



Miserable bar staff maybe because we didn't sit by pool and drink their expensive drinks. Not much shade by pool only 2 umbrellas.



Overall disapointed with accomodation but resort was nice would go back to resort but not Africamar.

Fabulous hotel, would recommend...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

Self Catering

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2006

Tour Operator:

Goldtrail

Submitted By:

Mrs A J Thompson

Comments:

Fabulous hotel, would recommend this. I have rated a 9 only because I found the kitchen area to be rather small.



Very well equipped, coming with kettle and toaster which normally you have to hire, and little touches like tea towels (not the norm). Very helpful and friendly staff and the owners were always on site. Any problems were sorted out immediately by them. I would suggest getting a room at the rear of the hotel as the road noise is disturbing and also at the rear you get the sea breeze coming in and it keeps the rooms cooler than the front.



Excellent location, only a 2 minute stroll to the beach and right at the top of the main strip. I will definitely go back there again.

The Africamar apartments in Can...

Overall Rating:

0/10

Board Basis:

Self Catering

Date of Holiday:

May 2004

Tour Operator:

First Choice

Submitted By:

Mrs K Northern

Comments:

The Africamar apartments in Can Picafort are excellent. We requested a two room apartment and were very pleasantly surprised with the rooms. They were very large and each bedroom had its own shower/bath and toilet and also its own front door. The apartment also had a comfortable living area with a TV and a separate bijou kitchen with microwave as well as cooker/fridge/hob etc. The staff were very welcoming and friendly without being over bearing. The entertainment was reasonable and the prices in the bar and restaurant were very reasonable. It was cheaper to eat/drink at the hotel than it was at some of the many other bars & restaurants in the resort. The pool area is very clean and has non slip flooring however it is not very large and is on the front of the building next to a main road. I imagine that in the high season it may be a little noisy if trying to sleep with the balcony doors open!! I would certainly recommend this apartment, which offers excellent value and comfort for its 3 star rating

The Africamar is run by three...

Overall Rating:

7/10

Board Basis:

Self Catering

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2003

Tour Operator:

SelectFalcon Travel

Submitted By:

Celtictraveller

Comments:

The Africamar is run by three brothers who go out of their way to make you feel welcome. The apartments are clean though the cooking area is rather small.


There is a slight noise problem with the road facing apartments, but this is the price you pay for an excellent central location. The resort itself is very nice with a beach that runs the whole way to Alcudia.

Drink in the Africamar is cheaper then the "strip".


We only dined there on the night before we left and boy were we sorry that we left it so late. The BBQ they put on that evening was absolutely beautiful! As much as you could eat of excellent Chicken, Sausage, Burgers, Chips, Pizza, Salad ect... for €8 each !!!


If only we had known earlier in the week. I would recommend these apartments to anyone. By the way there is a local bus stop 50metres away, from where you can travel to Alcudia for very little.