Reviews of Tabaiba Princess Hotel, Maspalomas, Gran Canaria

Dissapointing

Overall Rating:

5/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Dec 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Lupen

Comments:

We stayed in this hotel for one week before christmas. Over all this is a lovely hotel, the room was a good size and very clean.
The majority of staff were friendly, however i could not say the same for reception staff whom I found to be less than helpfull.
The Thomsons reps were excellent.
The restaraunt was disapointing, very large with crowds around the buffet, children were often allowed to help themselves ( which they acheived by climbing up)
there was always a good choice of main courses, unfortuanatly they were mostly inedible, luke warm at best.
the large pool area has plently of sun loungers, but you have to be up at dawn to be able to get one in a sunny spot. The numerous very tall palm trees cast shade over large areas from early in the day. perhaps this is less of a problem in the summer.
the "sandy" area is not sand but very samll pebbles and they really hurt if they get in your shoes.
Entertainment was fair, certainly not professional, although the piano bar was nice.
The hotel is some way from maspalomas, however there are always taxis just outside and don't cost much.
The beach here is great.
Overall I don't think I would stay in this hotel again although I would go back to Maspalomas.

LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!! Very highly...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Board Basis:

Full Board

Date of Holiday:

Jun 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Miss J Smith

Comments:

LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!! Very highly recommended. The best holiday we have been on in years. Would 100% go back! The service was great. The accommodatio was lovely. The food was very tasty. Couldnt have asked for anything better.

The rooms were nice and clean as was the rest of the hotel. I would recommend this hotel to anyone going to Gran Canaria.

This hotel was a major let down...

Overall Rating:

1/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Jun 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Miss K Kirsty

Comments:

This hotel was a major let down and is in no way a 4 star hotel. The outside decor needs major updating the walls were dirty and paint peeling off. The pool water was green instead of blue and the pool tiles were dirty and cracked. The 'fake' beach was horrendous, the tiny peebles cut your feet and then add to that the heat from the sun and the pain was unbearable. The staff were moody and unfriendly, I have never stayed in a hotel where the staff were so bad, the reps were not up too much either! The room its self was very disappointing too, the air conditioning did not work and it was impossible to sleep at night as it was too noisey well into the early hours of the morning! And then in the morning do not expect to lie in! These people that state they go back every year are either mad or have stayed in very low class hotels before.

Not greatly impressed to be...

Overall Rating:

6/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Jun 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr R F

Comments:

Not greatly impressed to be honest. Hotel is spilt into two mirror imaged halves, one side for the half boards and one side for the all inclusives. All inclusive is only available to Germans which i think is wrong and should be available to all who want it. Want fried eggs at breakfast? Well get ready to queue as a majority of the Germans migrate from the resteraunt on their portion of the hotel and invade to the English side.... for the eggs. Thomson's brochure states that the food is "Outstanding"... errrm no. What i will say is the food does stand out as being no different to any other Canarian hotel at this level. Don't get me wrong, the food is nice but it certainly is not outstanding. Gents have to wear sleeves and trousers / jeans etc to the resteraunt for dinner but women can saunter into dinner wearing whatever it is they have been sweating in for hours around the pool. Call me picky but A: it seems like one rule for one and B: i don't particularly want some womans pale bikini clad nethers wobbling past me while i'm eating. Waiter service in the piano bar is pretty good but a couple of the waiting staff can be a bit moody. Hit the piano bar between 5 & 6 o'clock... happpy hour / 2 for 1. Want a lie in in the morning? Then make sure you're not on the ground floor as what sounds like a cackling of witches arrives into the corridor to apparently work but what seems mainly to chat. Maid service was good and everyday, except for not cleaning under the beds... wifey retrieved a misplaced top at the end of our stay so the maids had obviously not moved the beds at all. Towels are apparently changed if left on the floor. Funny that as ours were folded up and put back on the shelf. Pool side food is again mediocre with the snack bars basically serving toasted sandwhiches. Main pool resteraunt stretched to salads and pizza's but again they're nothing to write home about and were bland. Fancy a burger and fries for lunch? Ya do!? Well tough, as the pool side bar that serves said fare is for the all inclusive Germans. Thomson sell this hotel on a Platinum basis and i cannot see why. Personally, i'd say it was more Tin, or Aluminium. Doubtful i'll be staying here again.

We have been to this hotel twice...

Overall Rating:

8/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Sep 2007

Tour Operator:

Portland Direct

Submitted By:

Mrs J Little

Comments:

We have been to this hotel twice in the last 4 yrs, and found it to be a lovely, well run hotel.



I have read unfavourable reviews on other websites which worried me, but we were not disappointed. It is essential however that anyone contemplating staying there should know that there is very little good entertainment in the hotel and none at all in the resort. The guests are a mix of Europeans, but English is well spoken.



It is a good choice for anyone wanting a quiet, comfortable holiday especially in the winter.



The hotel consists of two identical mirror-image buildings with a huge lagoon style pool in between.



In and around the pool there are bars, restaurants and a massage/sauna area connected by bridges. One bar and one restaurant are reserved for the All Inclusive guests (mostly German). There are many sunbeds both in shade and sun, but apparently there is difficulty finding empty ones in the high season.



The beach and dunes are about 25mins walk away, as is Costa Meloneras with its very large luxury hotels. A pleasant walk or a taxi ride if preferred.



The food was good and there was an extensive choice of hot and cold meats, salads, vegetables, and desserts. Evening entertainment consists of a piano bar and theatre in each building, but Playa del Ingles is only a 5/10 min taxi ride away from Maspalomas if you want something more exciting.



We found the staff pleasant and friendly, although the Reception staff are a little aloof.



There is one aspect however which I must admit is irritating which is that the check-in process is excruciatingly slow. We were forewarned, and made a dash from the coach into the hotel and managed to be in the first few. After unpacking, changing clothes etc, we went down and found some guests were still waiting to check in. So BE WARNED!



Of course no hotel is perfect but we enjoyed our stay enormously and would go again.

Other than all inclusive in the...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Jun 2007

Tour Operator:

Portland Direct

Submitted By:

Mrs K Brown

Comments:

Other than all inclusive in the Caribbean this is by far the best holiday we have ever had. The resort is spotlessly clean, the staff friendly and helpful, the food was higher quality than I expected for half board and there is loads for kids.



The separate kid’s pool was fantastic and our 2 year old spent every day in it.



The only reason I haven't given this resort a 10 is because they only offer all inclusive basis to Germans not the British. With young children all inclusive is a godsend as they are hungry one minute not the next and it doesn't cost you a small fortune catering to their ever changing hunger.



Other than that I could not fault a thing in this resort.



Highly recommended and we are going back next year.

The hotel is split into 2...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

May 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr P Waspe

Comments:

The hotel is split into 2 halves, each a mirror image of the other side. Takes a bit of finding your way around it!



Overall a good clean hotel, with friendly staff. Food is German quantity rather than quality, but it’s good enough and has a very good selection overall.



Cockroaches - we saw one and that was in the garden, so good there as well.



The pool is massive, although not that warm, over 4000sq metres! And there was plenty of sunbeds to go round, although the hotel was not fully booked.



The safe is 13.50 Euro for a week and the fridge in the room was the same, Euro27.00 before you even get to your room, but, it is worth it, especially the fridge as there are no coffee / tea in the rooms, so a cold drink does go down well!



One word of caution, for the prudish, or family. In the centre of the pool area is a sauna near the toilets; the Germans do have a habit of going from the sauna to the shower naked! Not a problem and it is discreet, none the less it does happen, and with both sexes.



Overall, very good, can’t really fault it. 9 out of 10, and I would go back again.

My husband, myself and nine year...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Dec 2005

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mrs T Arnot

Comments:

My husband, myself and nine year old son visited the resort in December 2005 having been told about it by friends, who had been back more than once. It was one of the best hotels we've ever stayed in, and i am fussy and refuse to stay in anything under a four star! My head was in another space when we went, and therefore i didn't take advantage of the fab food on offer, as my appetite was lacking as well! Lounging on a pool lounger doing nothing was fab though! My son and hubby loved the buffet style food that was on offer at breakfast and evening meal, and my son took great delight in experimenting with some very different food combinations!



We had a couple of cloudy days, but one of them was spent at palimito park - u get 2 see birds of prey in flight, etc (we are from Cornwall and it was a bit like our paradise park in Hayle on a 100% bigger and more impressive scenery scale!)



Staff were fab at the hotel, excellent with kids and also were very calm with some of the fussy vocal "god they should have gone to Blackpool" tourists we also witnessed, patient and understanding, I’d have killed them! Shops and food in resort was not over priced and it was that good my son and i are off for a further holiday there this Monday, and we can't wait! Families and couples will love it, and I can well understand why our friends go back year after year.



Only downside is going literally just outside of the resort, not on an organised trip, as people bug you with unwanted "you've won something come with us" garbage. I know they are doing it to earn a living, but u pay for a holiday and don't want unwanted sellers - it's bad enough in the UK for things like that!

As good a four star hotel as you...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Mar 2006

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr D Lyons

Comments:

As good a four star hotel as you will find and Thomson's rightly give it five T's. Food was good but dinning room was let down by the lack of wine waiter's and the food is very German (qty rather than high quality) otherwise I would have given 10/10.



Up to 2,000 people stay at this hotel at any one time but you would never know it. Good area for walking and good shopping 15 minutes walk to the sea front.



Overall an excellent holiday.

A cracking place for our...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Sep 2004

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr J Reeves

Comments:

A cracking place for our honeymoon, even with an energetic one year old in tow. Everything was spot on apart from we were only there for two weeks!!!



The staff are all fantastic,the rooms were always clean,lovely pools and cracking lager. If your considering booking, get your suitcase packed!

This hotel is absolutely out of...

Overall Rating:

8/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Nov 2004

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Miss N Kusznir

Comments:

This hotel is absolutely out of this world. Stayed here for a week in November and wish I could have stayed longer. The Thomson rep was fab. The swimming pool is massive and has a heated section with a pool bar in the centre.


The rooms are of a really high standard and are really spacious. The food is excellent and each night there is a different chefs speciality dish which he cooks on request in the dining room for you to see.


Would definitely go back.

We are looking forward to our...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2003

Tour Operator:

Portland Direct

Submitted By:

Mrs H L Newcombe

Comments:

We are looking forward to our 3rd holiday to this hotel as we think it is fabulous. We first went in Sept 2002 when our youngest was 8mths and found plenty to do for the whole family.



The activities for the children are second to none and the variety of entertainment for the adults, both during the day and in the evenings is excellent.



The whole hotel is immaculately clean and the service of a very high standard. When our daughter hurt herself, they could not have been more helpful in getting her to hospital.



I would highly recommend this hotel to everyone.