Reviews of Gran Hotel Villa Del Conde, Meloneras, Gran Canaria

Having just returned from a...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Jul 2007

Tour Operator:

Airtours

Submitted By:

Mr M G

Comments:

Having just returned from a weeks stay at this superb hotel, I thought I'd add to the reviews after reading various others on this hotel. Upon arriving and checking in, we were offered a complimentary glass of champagne, that’s before we took in the "wow" factor of the reception!!



The room was everything you'd expect from a top London hotel let alone a holiday complex. With cosmetics down to a sewing kit in the bathroom, bathrobes, a power shower and a full bath tub, a walk in wardrobe that meant we didn't have to live out of the suitcase for our holiday and plenty of hangers too!

The bed was firm but comfortable, in fact, its the only time I've slept so much whilst on holiday. There's a mini-bar, colour TV, hair-dryer with a diffuser for the ladies.



The maid cleaned the room daily, you have the option to have the bed sheets changed daily or not by placing a card on the bed if you don’t want the sheets changed. Chocolates are left every day.

We first tipped the maid on the second day, as well as through the stay, and came back to double choc's that day and for the rest of the stay.



The food was good, plenty to choose from including "show-cooking", the breakfasts were an eye-opener with different options to suit every taste, including omelettes whilst you wait.

The whole staff were so helpful and friendly, always ready to have a laugh with you or just leave you be if you wished. On our second day, I asked for a couple extra pillows for our room. By the time we went to breakfast and returned to our room, the pillows were there!!! How many times have you had to wait days for that?



Overall, the hotel was spotless; people were cleaning all day, either around the pool or in the hotel's main building. The main thing that we could not believe, was that on our second day, upon going to the pool after breakfast at 9am, there was loads of sun beds available and was like that through out our stay. The service you received from all the hotel staff was second to none, made our holiday.



I would highly recommend this hotel to anyone who wants a relaxing holiday with the up-market feel. If I could have given it an "11" I would have!! My family are all ready begging me to go back again, of which we will.

We have just returned from...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

May 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomas Cook

Submitted By:

Mrs G Evans

Comments:

We have just returned from staying at Gran Hotel Villa del Conde.



Just to let you know, the hotel is fantastic. Staff were good ,food was fine we found no faults at all will go back again.



Entertainment also very good at night. Well worth staying there.



The promenade is just outside the back of the hotel, which have shops and bars.



Have a great holiday.

Brilliant hotel for the peace...

Overall Rating:

5/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Oct 2006

Tour Operator:

Holidayrooms Direct

Submitted By:

Mrs A Dinsdale

Comments:

Brilliant hotel for the peace and quiet sort of holiday, not suitable if you want all night bars and karaoke etc. Some lovely bars along the sea front with entertainment til 12.



Although the entertainment in the hotel is the best i have seen. Facilities in the hotel superb, nice touches with chocolate left by your bed every day by the maid, excellent breakfast served til 11am, dinner til 10, wonderful if you have had a late flight.



The food catered for all types of diet, something for everyone and plenty of it. Nice robes in the bathroom, you could really travel light to this hotel, everything provided and as soon as you walk into reception you just know you have chosen the right place.

I thought it was an excellent...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Jul 2006

Tour Operator:

Orchid Canaries

Submitted By:

Miss LJ Jones

Comments:

I thought it was an excellent hotel, they had a great choice of breakfast and dinner buffets. The staff were very friendly. Great activities for all ages.



The only downside of this hotel was the entertainment because it is the same at any other hotel which we have been to in the past. The maid service was very good and they did it really well to the top standard.

5* hotel with definite 'wow'...

Overall Rating:

8/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Jul 2006

Tour Operator:

Thomas Cook

Submitted By:

Ms M Sullivan

Comments:

5* hotel with definite 'wow' factor when you first arrive in the lobby reception which has been based on a jaw dropping double domed cathedral with marble floors and massive chandelier. The stylists throughout this hotel have done a wonderful job in recreating a Spanish village atmosphere, where the reception/church as the centre point for the village.



The accommodation is individualistic looking like houses/villas around the gardened complex, so no tower block 'you are just a number' feel here! Many people got lost navigating their way round the hotel complex, the signs are a bit lacking and not easy to follow. The rooms are lovely, the bathroom has two sinks and a bidet, and fluffy white robes. Plus a wonderful separate dressing room! Again the decor very stylish and chic.



The TV mainly showed news and sports, a sky movies channel would have been better. Lots of swimming pools to choose from, a salt water infinity pool which overlooks the sea, one fashioned into a lake, with a sand beach with sun beds for those that want the sand in their nooks and crannies with the added comfort of hotel facilities on hand! A kiddies pool, and a tranquil pool which at weekends was not so tranquil as lots of Spanish families descended on the hotel booking it to full capacity, so the relaxed calm of the week changed to battle for a sun bed at weekends.



The pools are not 'policed' so although the tranquil pool said, no unsupervised kids, no diving, no inflatables, as no-one was there to enforce these rules , people did what they wanted which was a shame! Also during the day a poolside waiter only came twice which is a bit lacking when sunbathing and gagging for a cool drink. (You can go to the bar and get a drink yourself though). A swim up bar and a waterfall would finish the pools off lovely! They also had an exceptional SPA facility on site which was mega posh for the ultimate pamper!



The evening entertainment is based in the village square overlooked by the majestic twin towered church (lobby) with the restaurant on one side and bars and outside waiters pandering to all your alcoholic needs. You are issued with a Lopesan style credit card upon arrival (with your name embedded on it) so all food and drinks can be paid for using this card & charged to your room, which is also your room key! Very clever! And a nice souvenir afterwards to keep!



A few people complained about the restaurant, they have two sittings 6.30 and 8.30pm, a massive queue congregates just before opening and its a bit like the January sales getting food from the buffet, a bit manic! Arrive later than those times and expect to wait for a table! The OVO restaurant is an alternative to the half board but extremely overpriced and not good value for money, less haute cuisine more like miniscule portions for max price! But the staff were very good, I am veggie and they listened to my requests and auctioned it immediately.



Also the health and hygiene of kitchen staff is impeccable, they all wear gloves and masks. The staff everywhere in the hotel were fantastic, excellent service throughout! I would definitely go again!

We booked our holiday three...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Jul 2005

Tour Operator:

Orchid Travel

Submitted By:

Mr R Barnes

Comments:

We booked our holiday three weeks before departure using Orchid travel (teletext) best deal ever ! there was very little written in reviews about this hotel.


We arrived and being used to quality hotels the first impressions were we had made a superb choice.


The setting, gardens ,rooms, were all top quality. The rooms were spotless, cleaned every day, huge bed, excellent walk in wardrobe, bathroom and decor.


The food especially the breakfast was good. As we stayed half board which was good value if booked at time of holiday £9.


The only couple of let downs were that if all the seating on the veranda had been taken you sat inside the restaurant which was a little dark as for some reason the curtains were half drawn. Also if you took the later sitting for dinner 1st 18.30-20.00 or 2nd 20.30-10.00 then the food ran out fast and was extremely slow at re-stocking. Please take note that if you turn up sometime after 18.30pm then you only have until 20.00 to finish your meal.


At times we found all the afters had gone and we had to settle for ice cream. Mind you we used to chop and change which was fine with the hotel depending on if you had been on a tour in the day and wanted a late swim.


The meat served for dinner is good quality but like all hotels on this group of islands they will try to serve all red even the chicken at times. You soon get to learn the word well done please .


With that said ,there was choice, but as we only stayed a week did not get too bored with it.


I would recommend the Italian restaurant on site, which is free and needs to be booked at reception 24hours in advance and at times can be booked on the same day. The meal is a set dinner but the service and food is top quality. They need to transfer this over into the buffet one and all would be fine!


The only major bug bear is yes you guessed it the hotel is mainly 90% visitors from other countries. You get use to it I guess as being a regular visitor to the canaries.

I am a great believer that us English on the whole are polite and have manners so why is it we are always the last to get served.


I do believe that once the waiters knew you were English they moved to the Spanish and Germans before us. Why I don’t know as tipping was out of the question as all bills went onto a hotel credit card. Well i put it to the test we were first in queue one evening and still the last to be asked what drinks we wanted. Also get used to eating with dirty plates on you table as at times once again these sometimes get ignored if your English.



HOTEL CREDIT CARDS! Explanation as I saw a few people get confused on arrival . When you arrive you have to hand over a credit card as a guarantee. Then you are handed a room card that has to be handed into the restaurant every time you visit for breakfast or dinner. The drinks in the restaurant are then put onto your card and you have to settle up either by cash or credit card at the end of your stay.


The bars are either cash or you can use you card . We opted to follow the process of using only for dinner drinks so we could track what we had spent.



The towel situation does not change when you visit a five star. Even though the hotel says they do not allow the reservation of sunloungers they do not enforce it and the best seats are taken even for the earliest swimmer.


Mind you if you are brave like me take the towels of the seats if they look like they have not been used otherwise they will be there all day and then you see someone appear late on in the day for a swim. Not acceptable.



If you are into keeping fit whilst indulging in the local brew or food, then I would highly recommend the well being classes in the mornings. The instructor is very friendly and great at her job. Try the Nordic walking along the beach great experience.



Also the best beer at non-hotel prices has to be Paddy’s bar. This can be found just past the lighthouse -sign on lamp post. Small bar but a great pint of Caffreys or black Russian can be consumed. Very friendly and had some great evenings here with the must see singer.



On the whole I will look to return and look forward to the hotel improving over time with experience. If they read this even though us British are the small majority we do expect equal treatment.

Service as you would expect at...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Jul 2005

Tour Operator:

Orchid Thomas Cook

Submitted By:

Mr R W White

Comments:

Service as you would expect at such a class hotel. Staff always at hand for every occasion throughout our holiday. The accommodation was spotless throughout, the garden areas around the pool were maintained to the highest standards. So much time spend in the design of this very large complex .The attention to detail made our stay even more special.


Regarding other comments in other reviews about the food. I think people may have been dining in the wrong hotel??? The food was fantastic to say the least, with variety for every taste .


There is still a bit of the complex to be completed , but this did not inhibit our stay and we will look forward to a revisit in the near future .

It was paradise. I have never...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Jul 2005

Tour Operator:

Other- Please SpecifyOne Stop

Submitted By:

Miss K Gallacher

Comments:

It was paradise. I have never seen anything like it everything was just brilliant. The hotel was spotless there was people cleaning up all through out the day and the food was absolutely brilliant. Food to suit all types of eaters and well made aswell. The sun loungers were different class because they were comfortable and relaxing. Well what can we say about the bedrooms I have never ever had a bedroom with a separate room for clothing it keeps your room tidy because all your clothes are in a separate room. The bathrooms are especially good because while one person is in the shower the other person can take a bath with two taps which helped us a lot since we are a family of four. The adults were very impressed that there was champagne and caviar for breakfast. My brother and me are definitely coming back again.

We arrived here by default as...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Feb 2005

Tour Operator:

Alpha Rooms

Submitted By:

Mr B McCluskey

Comments:

We arrived here by default as the accommodation we had booked was overbooked. On arrival by taxi we were met by a very friendly concierge who escorted us promptly to our room. The lobby had the WOW factor with a magnificent crystal chandelier as a centrepiece. There were two marble staircases leading down to an auditorium, which had a white grand piano.


We walked through garden and patio areas and passed by several swimming pools to get to our room.


The room was very spacious with a full bathroom, corner shower and his and her sinks, beach towels, bath towels, bathrobes and a large selection of toiletries.

Adjacent to the bathroom was a fully fitted dressing room with full-length mirror and a safe (extra charge). Then a King size bed and sofa and chair and TV leading out to a balcony with a lovely sea view and wicker furniture.


The room was spotless, and every evening there was a turn down service and the maid folded your pjs and left Swiss chocolates on the bed.


But the best part was yet to come ‘THE FOOD GLORIOUS FOOD!!!!!’ At breakfast there was an extensive menu, which ranged from smoked salmon, champagne to boiled eggs and cornflakes. There were freshly cooked omelettes, crepes and waffles plus there was the full fry up if you so wished. Freshly squeezed juices, yoghurts, cheeses, cold meats, fresh fruit. The list is endless and the quality was superb.


Dinner was an exceptional meal with an unbelievable choice of hot and cold food.


As well as the buffet there was a silver service. The chefs cooked steaks and fish and wok dishes fresh to your liking. As with breakfast the list is endless but you need to leave some room for the delicious desserts.


There are six swimming pools and loads of sun beds. There is an evening entertainment programme to cater for all tastes. There is a free Internet cafe for residents. The staff were exceptionally friendly and helpful and speak very good English.


All in all this was an exceptional holiday in a magnificent hotel and I would recommend this hotel to anyone.


The Gran Hotel Villa del Conde is an unforgettable experience.