Talayot Apartments

Booked this fairly last minute via Thomson website and paid £990 for a weeks self catering for 2 adults 2 children, flying from Teesside. Was pleasantly surprised at the smashing 1 bedroom apartment we had in Block F, a minutes walk from the main pool....everything you need, hairdryer, lcd tv with Sky, etc......kids slept in the twinbedded room while we slept on the twin beds in the living area...perfectly comfy and I am very fussy when it comes to beds....our block wasn't far from a side road, but apart from the Saturday night when the music could be heard from the local karaoke bar, we weren't kept awake by traffic or bar noise. The main pool was large and clean, with two sperate toddler sections at each end....be warned though, the centre section of the main pool deepens sharply. We were never asked to pay for the sun loungers in the week we were there, on one occasion I DID see someone coming round with a money pouch and giving tickets but he never got to us then dissapeared! We didn't eat at the main bar/restaurant, but had a snack in the small snack bar, was adequate, usual stuff, toasties, hot dogs etc....a couple of times we had a drink in the bar at night on returning from an evening out, and I was dissapointed that the Baileys was almost definately watered down...either that or it was a cheap brand poured in a Baileys bottle. My kids didn't want to do the 'Kids Clubs' activities, so I can't comment on that, although they did seem to be very popular with the others in the hotel. We were always out on an evening so only caught the night entertainment on one occasion - my kids thought it too noisy (which it was) The hotel is in a great location just at the edge of the start of the bar / restaurant strip, but turn right out of the hotel and in only a few minutes walk you are where the 'action' is. Turn left out of the hotel, walk about 10/15 minutes and you are at the local beach. This beach is lovely, as it is a sheltered cove, so its perfect for keeping your eye on the children, and gently slopes so perfect for young 'uns. Sunbeds and parasols cost about £8 a day for a pair. There is a beach bar built into a cave where you can get snacks, drinks and icecreams etc. There ARE plenty of restaurants in CalaNForcat that do Spanish food, the bigger ones especially. One place we loved was Haiti on the corner near the main roundabout.....so nice we went back the following evening. I wish we had found that restaurant sooner as we had several dissapointing meals out....'Steak Cuore' held many promises looking at its menu, and we found it was overpriced, tastleless food -in fact we had nicer at a cheap snack bar. The AquaCenter (where the waterpark is) has its own restaurant which I can highly recommend...lovely chicken grilled chicken kebabs....the waterpark itself deserves a visit...about £35 for a family of 4) The resort is wonderful for kids, and the Menorcans really do seem to genuinely like children. There are bouncy castles and trampolines galore to keep them entertained while they wait for their meals, and parents enjoy a relaxing drink. My two (aged 5 and 7) loved listening to the singers in the Square (live entertainment 3 times a week) Right outside the Talayot you can jump on a bus to Cala Bosh, where there is a small marina, nice beach and a small selection of shops. We visited there then went to the old town of Cuitedella. Cuitedella's architecture is wonderful, we loved wandering around the little streets in the sunshine, then stopping off at the many cafe bars to people watch, and plenty of shops for the shopaholics. Menorca is a beautiful island, very relaxed and laid back...if you want a party hotspot then its not for you, but if you want a family holiday that caters wonderfully for the under 10s then I can't imagine you wouldn't enjoy it. I would say though, that it's not a cheap place to eat and drink...we found prices on par with the UK, more than we had budgeted for...thank goodness for credit cards! We are already planning our next visit back!

I have just reteurned from a 7 night stay at the Talayot . I was on holiday in a party of 3 adults and 3 children. The holiday was booked through Thomson. We had two well equipped, modernised and clean 2-bed apartments...so everyone got a proper bed in a bedroom. Unfortunately there was no AC..but the ceiling fans helped. That is the end of the good stuff. In over 20 years of taking package holidays (many to Spain) this is the worst experience I have had. Our two rooms in block S (S6 and S7) constantly smelt of sewerage. I know that the other guests in this block had the same experience. Several complaints to the hotel went unheeded..and the Thomson reps were of no help. We arrived late and decided to eat dinner in the hotel restaurant. It was the worst meal I have had in such an establishment ...served by surly and incompetent staff. We attended the welcome meeting and elected to go on the Eastern Delights tour. The first stop (which we were not told about beforehand) was to a shoe shop on the main road. (I'm not joking.) The only worthwhile part of the tour was the brief boat trip around Mahon harbour. Our impression of the behaviour of the staff on our first night proved to be accurate. They are surly, unpleasant and rude. I think they need to re-train...for a different career! Overall this was the worst package I have ever taken...and in terms of value for money scores 0/10.

Just arrived back from a 2 week stay at the Talayot apartments, I will always recommend a Thompson Superfamily holiday if you have small kids as there is so much for them to do, the childrens reps are excellent and are devoted to keeping them happy. On the otherhand I would not recomment the Talayot. The rooms are ok but not in good repair, the glass in our patio door was falling out, the bedding stained and ripped, towels and bedding were changed only 3 times during our stay. If you have very small kids I would make sure you are in a first floor apartment as downstairs is all open, making it hard to keep your kids from running off. We were in X Block which is a 2-3 min walk away from the main complex, this turned out to be good as the main area was dirty, loud and not very private for those staying around. Our pool was lovely and clean, but themain pool was disgusting, as was the mini golf course. If you are planning to stay around the pool you will be charged 1.80euro per sunbed per day, you do get a free drink voucher to use at the bar that is if you can get served. I would recommend to go out for you food as the talayot food is not so good and the waitress service is terrible, my plate was squashed under my partners plate and most of my food was left stuck to the bottom of his plate. One good thing about the Talayot is that the evening entertainment was excellent. Outside the complex Calan forcat is a lovely place ideal for the kids, full of bouncy castles, carting, rides and an Aqua park right on your doorstep. You also have a choice of beach, there is a qutet cove with 2 small sandy areas or a busy beach both excellent and safe for young kids. If you like to eat menorcan food you will have to go into Citudalla or Mao as there is nothing but english food in the resort. The dancing hourses at Cala Galanda is a must it has an indoor arena and the show is fantastic, if you book a day in advance you can see the horses train and visit them in the stables for free. Menorca was a lovely island and the people are very friendly. You must hire a car, the roads are great and the island is small, getting lost is rare but when you do you find the most beautiful places.

The kids had a great holiday, lots for them to do and all within walking distance. The apartments are pretty basic, the beds extremely uncomfortable. The pools tended to be taken over by unruly children whose parents did not care what they were doing. Don't leave anything valuable on your balcony as it gets stolen. The childrens club reps were great, although the reps in general did not want to deal with any problems.

For the kids this is a great holiday, excellent kid clubs and the reps work so hard to ensure they are happy. We stayed in X 35 and it appears the green parrott bar has been closed as all locked up and X block is a quiet area away from the hustle of the main pool, but with 2 quieter pools. The Bar is a bit on the expensive side and calan forcat is devoid of all caracter (but everywhere is very friendly)- go to cuitadella for decent food and a taste of Mencorca.

I spent a week at the Talayots with my two children, aged 7 and 10. We had a one bedroomed apartment which was spotlessly clean and well equipped (microwave, fridge/freezer, flat screen TV and excellent bathroom). Beds very comfortable. Our rooms were cleaned with towel changes 4 times over the week. The reception, bar and restaurant staff were all very polite and helpful. There are 5 pools spread over the site with plenty of loungers. It probably caters more for under 5's but my kids loved it. The Kids club were a great hit and the Thompson entertainment reps kept them entertained for the week. Excellent choice for food in the evenings with a large selection of bars and restaurants. Go for it!

We stayed in these apartments for a week from the 9th September. All I can say is we had a fantastic time! We're so glad we hired a car for the week as we went to a different beach every day! The apartments themselves seemed OK, we were in X31 which was a bit dated but we didnt spend that much time in the apt for it to bother us. We had our towels changed 5 days in a row and our sheets were changed 3 times, the apartment was always clean and tidy when we got back at the end of the day. The resort was lovely and I'm so glad we ended up here, having been to other resorts in the evening, cala n forcat was by far the busiest! We went to citudela for tapas one evening which was amazing, we just wish we had done it sooner instead of trying to find a decent restaurant in the resort. The restaurants seemed ok and we didnt have a "bad" meal, it was just that they all seemed to do the same things! We didnt eat in the restaurant in the comlex but we did make full use of the bar.... especially the "buy one get one free night!" :-) The bar staff were lovely and very friendly and as much as we could hear the entertainment, we didnt ever go to watch it but it seemed ok and very family orientated. All in all we had probably the best holiday ever! the beaches are amazing.... so please if you go to Menorca, hire a car and go out and about to find yourself some little coves with amazingly warm sea, take a good book and relax!!!!! Please email me if you want anymore info or advise on things to do....... emmasbyrne@hotmail.com

We had an absolutely fabulous time at the Talayot Apartments. We'd never been to Menorca before, or taken all of our 4 children abroad ( aged 8,7,7 & 3), but we were pleasantly surprised. The apartment was lovely and clean and we had one that was across the road from the main complex. There were about 10 apartments in this area and we had a pool all to ourselves. Would definitely recommend it as the main pool tended to get really busy and some of the older children would just keep dive bombing in - and to top it all we never had to get up at the crack of dawn in order to save a sunbed !! ( ask for an apartment in R block ) The towels and the linen were changed at least once every 3 days - in fact the only criticism of the apartment would be the quality of the kitchen equipment which was quite poor. We were the closest to the local supermarket which was really handy - although all the supermarkets in the area were fairly expensive for everything. However eating out was good value especially for the kids. The local bars, restaurants and shops are only a few hundred metres away, with loads to chose from. There is also a waterpark which the kids loved ! The reps in the Talayots were brilliant - especially the entertainment and kids reps. Our children all went to a few of the kids clubs and had a fantastic time. Also every night they had their own little mini disco that went on until 9.30pm - 10pm. The evening entertainment that followed was also very good. We went on a couple of trips organised by the reps, and we would definitely recommend the Lazy Days cruise. We were taken to Mahon and then taken out on a Catamaran for a 5 hour sail around the island. On the way out it headed for really calm water where it anchored and we were able to go snorkelling. This was the absolute highlight of the holiday !!! The water was so warm and clear, and the fish came right up to you. We were also given a buffet lunch on board and all drinks were free ! A kids rep from the hotel came too who kept the children amused. We could have stayed here a lot longer than 2 weeks and I can't recommend this place enough. We have definitely made plans to go back.

I would say that these apartments are overall great for families but they have a few down sides that would stop me for me going back! They are in a great location, close to shops, fun park and a great selection of restaurants, all of which serve the same food! Which is ok if you have kids as they like the same stuff every night but it could be a bit boring for adults who like to eat different food while on their holiday. I felt that I had been lucky with the apartment that we got (B1) right next to the main pool and was in a quiet area….but the X block from what I heard was a nightmare - so be warned! This block is above a pub that plays music until 4 or 5 in the morning, and the manager will not move you! In the 2 weeks that we as there our sheets were changed twice! That maybe ok to some people but I thought it wasn’t enough! Especially when there is 6 of you there! Didn’t eat in the restaurant there but it looked good and was told it was good., we walked into the main strip every evening, great selection of inflatable for the kids to go on for while the adults have a drink and relax (if at al possible). Only caught a few rep shows but they will fine, aimed at the kids mainly but still good fun. I have now had it confirmed by my doctor that 4 year old has impetigo - which I can see someone else has reviewed! I’m not happy as you can imagine as you don’t go holiday and expect that your children will get something like this! So everything that I liked about the holiday has been forgotten as I’m too concerned about my child!

We booked this break as a quiet last minute getaway as we had read that the resort of Cala N Forcat was quiet (compared to other resorts on the balearic islands). The resort - Cala N Forcat is a totally flat resort in it's centre (though there are steep steps to the beach area) which is geared totally towards families. The resort has a small water park, numerous play areas with giant inflatables for children to bounce around on (including a giant rabbit and whale whose mouths systematically open and close to swallow children!) There are numerous bars and restaurants offering traditional Spanish and Menorcan fayre and lots of British pub type food. If you are looking for a gourmet experience in Cala N Forcat you will most likely be disappointed but Las Barras do offer a higher standard than most of the others we tried and in a nice setting back off the main Los Delfines strip where most of the restaurants/ bars can be found. Entertainment can be found in most bars in the form of quiz nights, races nights and karaoke. If you want something a bit livelier wander up the The Square which is formed in the centre of about 1/2 a dozen bars with a stage in the centre and featuring live acts. When we were there there was a Robbie Williams wannabe (who really shouldn't have given up his day job) and a tribute to The Temptations - who got the crown up and dancing (people of all ages) - so the Square offers a bit of something for everyone. Theer are numerous supermarkets and the usual array of shops selling tourist gifts and various pool type inflatables. The beaches are tiny - as in postabe stamp, so if you plan to spend most of your time on the beach this may not be the detination for you. The beaches consist of small sandy coves and platforms built onto the rocks which people can swim/ snorkel from - the water is crystal clear and the setting is very picturesque. Talayot Apartments - Again the complex is totally geared towards families with around 5 pools of varying sizes including a splashpool for v little kids next to the bar (for mums n dads!) The comples sits on the main road - which is quiet - and is a 5 min walk to the slightly larger beach at Cala N Blanes and 5 mins to Los Delfines, the main strip with bars/ restaurants. If you don't have children this may not be the complex for you - we were 2 of only around 1/2 a dozen couples there without children most of whom were under 10. The apartments are comfortable, ours was light and they are well equipped. The bedroom and main living area come with large ceiling fans to keep you cool. Thomson are the only operators to offer holidays to this complex and are very active in sorting out entertainment for children through the day and evening, the kids seemed to adore the Kidzone reps! The staff at reception were fantastic, very polite, friendly and helpful. We only had one problem while were were there - hence the title of this review. We were originally placed in the x Block part of the complex in apts X34 and X35. The apts were directly above the Green Parrot bar which had the TV on loud through the day (and the loudest air hockey you have ever heard) and then music so loud the walls vibrated from 11.45pm to 3.30am! If you plan on sleeping at all make sure you don't get given those apartments! We requested a move which we were given - to bigger, more modern aprtments. From what we could understand the Talayot try not to put people in those 2 apts too often because they are all aware of the noise - from the bar staff to the Thomson reps. Our rep told us they were trying to resolve the issue with the bar owner but it was complicated by him being friends with the owner of the Talayot complex! So if you get allocated rooms X34 and X35 upon arrival don't take them! The apts were were later given were also in X block and were lovely - if we had them from the beginning the holiday would have gone without a hitch! In short - great resort and complex for families especially those with under 5/6's. Not for those wanting a lively clubbing holiday, or those who like to spread out on a beach!