Cala Bona, Sol Y Mar Apartments

Great place for a family holiday .

It was booked up last year so we booked early this time and are going back 17th July 07 can't wait.

The resort itself is lovely, and we would certainly go back to Majorca, but never again to the Sol Y Mar apartments. We did not think they were good value for money at all. There were only 2 of us, and we got heavily stung for under occupancy, but when we got there it was very hard to see where the 3rd or 4th person would have slept, as the sofa was certainly not a pull down one. A lot of the English people were complaining about this place. If only they would put their comments on these pages.

Sol y mar appartments has a friendly atmosphere.

The bar staff were very kind on our first day when we came down for breakfast. A good old english breakfast.

It's full of english people and everyone gets on well with each other.

Sol y mar is just across the road from the beach with alcoves where some people snorkel and see different fish. It's fantastic for all the family. There's also a Burger King on the left and a spar shop across the road. It's perfect for the family. I'm definitely going next year!!

I just got back from Sol Y Mar Apartments. From the outside it looks nice but when you get inside it is a mess. The bath has mould all round it; the maids were never in to clean it. The bar service was nice and so was the reception. The baby pool was cleaned everyday and night but the bigger pool was never cleaned, little kids were cutting their feet as they walked in the pool with the rocks and the little bits of glass.

Have just returned from Sol Y Mar Apartments having been very pleasantly surprised by the standard of the hotel. The rooms are typical Spanish self-catering accommodation - nothing fancy but nothing to complain about either; they were kept very clean.

Although small the hotel pool was very good and there was a seperate one for smaller children. Despite being peak season it was never a problem getting sunbeds around the pool and there was a very good family atmosphere - no "loutish" behaviour as noted in other comments I've seen (in fact at one point some teenagers not staying at the hotel did start getting a bit noisy by the pool and management were very quick to sort them out).

All of the staff - reception / bar / restaurant / cleaners / shop were very friendly and efficient. The food and drinks were reasonably priced and whilst the menu was obviously focussed on the "Brits" there could be no complaints about the quality.

The location of the hotel itself is excellent being literally 100m from the beach, and although the beach at Cala Bona is not fantastic it's only a 15 minute stroll along the promenade to Calla Millor which is very nice.

Noise levels at night were limited to entertainment from neighbouring hotels which was always over by 11-11:30pm. The noise of the hotel's own entertainment didn't cause any disturbance at all.

Overall an excellent location for a family holiday - and we will definitely consider returning next year.

Cala Bona, Sol Y Mar Apartments - We had a great time and would thoroughly recommend these apts to anyone who is after a cheap holiday. We are already planning on going back next year.

I am determined to place a review on most available websites regard the SOL Y MAR considering the 'old' bad press.

We went in OCT 2003

What do you want?

Value for money, cleanliness, friendly smiling staff because you will get it at SOL Y MAR.

Just remember you are in someone elses country and they have no reason to learn perfect english to meet our somewhat arrogant requests. Hello, please and thankyou in spanish will impress them. All these words are readily available in a spanish-english dictionary to be found in most good bookshops or a library.

Back to the point:

Appartment - Main building 2 bedroom, cleaned regularly NO damp, SAFE cots, and PLENTY of space.

Water will run cold about 7pm...Its because they use solar power you know!! Technologically advanced and environmentally friendly. ANSWER. Get a shower before 7pm...sorted.

No noise from building work or the pub below. No air conditioning but window shutters good for that gentle breeze during the night.

Pool - Good size, cleaned DAILY...some people may not have seen them but they are up at 6am scrubbing away the mess the guests leave littered around.

Its a bit on the cool side but safe...as is the kiddies pool. No life guard so keep an eye one em!

The big green screen everyones talking about! You forget its there after the first day and is good protection from the sun on those hot days. The pool area is big enough to choose sun or shade.

No arguments over sun beds and a no towel reservation rule. Some tried but we caught you which is why your towel was in the pool when you returned..ha

The CROWN - Nowt to do with THOMPSONS so dont even try comlaining to them...if you feel the need.

Complaints directly to the manager please!

Good food...too expensive except the specials for SOL Y MAR guests...drinks expensive.

Try CHEERS BAR at CALA MILLOR if you have fussy kids who need entertaining. There are plenty of posh nosh spanish tapas etc in Cala Bona...do yourself a favour get out and look around for what you want (side streets for cheap local food and hospitality - seafront for expensive egg and chips...or a steak if you're feeling posh but not adventurous.

BEACH - Another hot topic of debate. I can imagine someone frantically searching the internet to find out about SOL Y MAR cos you have just booked it. You will read somewhere that Cala Bona beach has a sewage problem...rubbish.

It was cleaned daily and absolutely spotless. There is sometimes a smell of what you may think is sewage....however for the uneducated be prepared for this....It isnt sewage, It is sea weed that has been buried by sand for a while and brought back to the surface in the surf. Totally harmless and any lifeguard will explain it to you if you bother to ask.

Some say Cala Millor beach is better, depends what you want. Snorkelling in the sea grass at Cala Bona or swimming between half naked frisbee throwing people at Cala Millor...hmmmmmmmmmmmmm

I'll wrap up by saying SOL Y MAR is great we are off again soon. Love kids ...go, hate kids....dont.

on arrival it was dark, i was most surprised when i walked into my 2 bedroom appartment, it was perfect for myself and family.

one bedroom had bunk beds for the children, which is what kids are used to, the other bedroom had a double bed. The kitchen had marble worktops, tiled floor throughout the appartment, plenty of space. The living room had a sofa bed and matching chair, dining table with 6 chairs, coffee table and a tv. all furniture is made of pine. Double patio doors takes you to the balcony where there is table and chairs, and a clothes line. I had a view of the beach. Opposite is a supermarket, to the left was a chemist which was good in case the children got sick, and a burger king, ideal when the kids getfed up of spanish food, fussy eaters etc. A shortwalk about 10 minutes took me to Cala Millor, an excellent shopping resort, the walk is along the beach front, all litup with lights and resturants.

I have no idea why people complain about these appartments, the only thing i saw was a small crane behind the annexe building(1 bedroom apts)where another appartment block is being built. I heard no noise nothing, at the end of the day, they have to do this at sometime, just like we do.

I did'nt use the swimming pool so I don't no much about it, it looked clean and there was plenty of people in it.

Underneath was a resturant/bar, quite nice, not too loud at all.

All the staff are friendly, and very polite. I loved it.

My appartment was in the main building, thats where all 2 bedroom apts are, 1 bedroom apts are in the Annexe building, but they are clean, and cleaned 5 days a week, towels changed 3 times perweek the same as the bedding.

excellent

flat

friendly

clean

sol y mar is great

Skytours brochure states SOME 1 bedroom apartments at Sol Y Mar in Cla Bona (Mallorca) are situated in the annexe at rear of main building. There are 32 1 bedroom apartments and only 2 are situated in the main building. The remaining 30 apartments are in the annexe and all have a view of a building site - bricks, scaffolding, corrugated metal sheeting and a great big red crane!

Cots provided were dangerous due to ill fitting matresses and one was a death trap!

Twin buggy access ZERO - had to go out and buy 2 single buggies for 7 month old twins.

Approximately 20' high screen put up at kiddies pool end to either shield sunbathers from building site or to stop debris falling into kiddies pool - this blocked the sun from the top sun terrace for most of the afternoon.

Kiddies pool never cleaned during 2 week stay despite being drained so that mosaic tiles could be re-stuck.

Mould on bedroom wall and around bath, sunken drain in bathroom, had to wait 4 days for a can opener and poolside bins were overflowing on more than one occasion