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A Female Review of La Palma Princess Hotel |
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(travelling as a couple) After an early start but a good flight, we were on the Thomson coach as it made its way past the volcanic areas down to La Palma Princess Hotel in Fuencaliente. Peering eagerly out the window, the first thing that struck me about the hotel and complex was its sheer size, impressive ocean-front location and the number of swimming pools. The second thing that struck me (despite much research before arrival) was the remoteness of the hotel and it appeared to be a little more secluded from civilization than anticipated! (However, we soon discovered this was not a problem and the ability to get out and about was there so don't let this put you off!) Checking In Checking in was straightforward however we were directed to our room which then proved to be a difficult thing to find. The huge complex was suddenly filled with tired new arrivals wandering around aimlessly with map in hand and luggage behind them, not knowing where to go and with no-one to ask. The solution - send one person off with map-reading skills to locate the room whilst the rest of the party stays by reception (or the bar!) with the luggage. Dragging your suitcases up and down the hills and steps is no fun after an early morning flight and not a good start to your holiday. Our Room Once we'd located our room we loved it. It was spacious, decorated to a high standard and with plenty of storage / wardrobe space which is always a good thing. The bathroom was fantastic with a bath, large sink area, toilet and very large spacious shower cubicle with a powerful shower. Plus there was a good hairdryer in the bathroom which is always an added bonus. Whilst checking in, we'd considered the option of a sea view which carried an additional charge but after a good nose-around, we determined it was quite windy facing the ocean and the balconies were more open with less privacy. Our room was on the 2nd of 3 floors, with a clear view of the mountains and a view of the sea if you looked sideways and we liked the location and peacefulness. Pools The pool area was really lovely, well-equipped and very spacious. We were there in February so had no trouble getting a sun lounger but I think this is still the case in the high season as there are so many in the complex. The heated pool was a little chilly upon arrival but seemed to warm up during our stay once the sun appeared! Some of the pools were shallow for paddling in which offered a great area for the non-swimmer. Getting Out and About We decided not to hire a car during our stay but if you want one, the hotel offered a good rate for car hire and it all seemed easy enough to arrange. The two main reasons for us not hiring were that we prefer not to be stuck in a car whilst on holiday and the roads looked a little scary to say the least! Our legs, the use of the good local bus service from reception and a few organised coach trips proved to be all we needed for our stay but it did take us a little while to find our feet and realise all the options (hence the need for a website like this!). Food and Drink We were on half board and the food in general was very good and I enjoyed what was on offer for breakfast and dinner. The dinner buffet each day was extensive and offered a good selection of salads, soup, pasta, fish, meat and plenty of deserts if you had room afterwards. An example of the options on offer throughout our two weeks included sea bass, rump steak, salmon, green lipped mussels, pork, turkey and lots of salad, pasta and vegetables. Breakfast was good too with plenty of options. The only downside is that after two weeks of any kind of buffet you do tend to crave some good old fashioned home-cooking but the food itself was great and should appeal to all. I would have liked something with a bit more spice to it on the odd occasion but understand that they need to cater for all. For breakfast and dinner you could eat inside or out. The outdoor balconies were a favourite of ours and we enjoyed many a breakfast and dinner there. In the mornings you get the benefit of the sunshine and in the evenings, you can dine by candlelight and relax and enjoy. We did eat indoors once but found it to be a bit noisy, bright and busy but there are some lovely tables inside that look down into reception in a balcony type design which were nice too. Late breakfast at La Choza was a lovely experience and you can sit overlooking the ocean and enjoy your meal. The selection is a little more limited than the main restaurant but it makes a nice change and the chef will cook your eggs, omelettes or bacon to order which was nice. Themed Restaurant The themed restaurant was an amusing experience. We booked at reception and requested an outside table but when we arrived that evening, we were told it was too cold to sit outside (we didn't think so) so we were seated at the only available table which had been shoved in near to the door and next to the curtain that separated the main restaurant from the themed one which was flapping around all night. We ordered a bottle of wine which arrived corked and then the replacement bottle also arrived corked. My partner ordered a beer whilst we waited and got the beer but no glass so we asked for a beer glass and got a 'big' wine glass. Finally a different non-corked bottle of wine arrived. Our soup came first and when my partner poured pepper on, the top fell off the pot and deposited the whole container of pepper into his soup bowl. We sat there trying not to laugh and the waitress then showed up and took it away to get a new one. In the meantime, the poor lady at the next table who had been enjoying her meal suffered a bout of sneezing brought on by the pepper which lasted about 15 minutes and she couldn't eat the rest of her dinner. The rest of the meal continued without any further upsets but it was a bit of a disappointment and the food served was basically the same as in the main restaurant (which we were almost in anyway!). We didn't go back for our second visit and preferred the main restaurant but it did seem quite popular with others. Give it a try, it's worth the experience and hopefully your meal will go smoother than ours! Entertainment The hotel offered 'entertainment' every night in a spacious room with a bar and outside acts appeared around 3 times per week which were varied, professional and good. They included a Chinese acrobatic team, traditional Canarian folklore singers and dancers, a Bee Gees tribute plus a few other acts (which were all better than they sound!) Unfortunately the in-house entertainment team were terrible and we had to experience some dreadful performances during our stay. I can only assume bar sales are good on those evenings, it's the only way you could sit through the entire show and I really hope this is improved upon some time in the future. We were looking forward to the 'piano bars' but discovered these are just bars with pianos in them and no-one actually plays them! However, there were a professional group of three Spanish entertainers playing every night who offered a welcome break from the main entertainment together with the chance to get up and dance if you wanted to. Summary I liked the La Palma Princess Hotel and it offered everything that we needed for a two week stay. I won't deny that the remoteness seemed to be a big problem initially but once we'd looked into the bus service, booked a few coach tours and found our feet, we had a great time so come prepared and get some info as soon as you arrive and you'll have a great time too. After seeing the hotels around Los Cancajos on the east coast, I much preferred the quieter side of the island but obviously this would not appeal to everyone. Rooms were excellent, food was enjoyable, the pools were great, and the hotel was of a good standard, modern and well-kept. Plus there was a great little on-site shop selling all you needed. Everything has a down side and for me it was the in-house entertainment which still gives me nightmares even now! We did have some rain at the start and as everyone would, felt a bit despondant and didn't really know what to do. After feeling as if we had un-necessarily wasted a few valuable days, we got on with it, walked in the rain and still had a great time so we hope our website covers all eventualities during your stay! See also: |
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