El Castillo, Barcelo Jandia Mar

We went for a one week all inclusive and absolutely loved it! The food was geared towards the Spanish (and English) market which we loved and got to try something different every mealtime and the catering staff were efficient and friendly. Soups, grills, salads, casserole, pizza as u wait - the choice every day was amazing.

The reception staff were all multilingual and went out of their way to explain the various parts of the resort, opening times and helped no end in helping us getting an excursion organised using public transport - copies of bus timetables and cab tel no supplied without having to ask. The public areas are clean and fresh looking, the public loos clean and stocked and the air conditioning is spot on.

The evening entertainment was a mix of professional gigs (juggling, circus like) and the on site staff's own shows which were very, very funny especially with audience participation, but please be warned, the shows start at 10pm and are geared up to a more adult audience so don't expect your 4 year old to understand the slight more 'saucy' humour! Our 10 year old thought it was very funny but realised a lot went right over his head. (There was a mini-kids disco on from 9pm which looked fun)

There's lots on in the daytime but we did find that the kids club (which their kids club room looked lovely) was more for the under 8's and the other activities have a 14 yr and over restriction which left our 10 yr old a little put out but the two large shaped pools more than made up for it. While he charged around the pool I slunk off to the spa and stayed in the massive jacuzzi for an hour - bliss! This said, if you have a 13-18 year old, you will not see them all week - they are going to be too busy for parents!

The First Choice rep was lovely but we didn't go looking for him whilst there - we called the office once and they were super as was the pick up rep and coach drivers. We will be using First Choice again next year based on this positive experience (especially NOT being pestered to buy excursions! What a difference!)

Overall this is a great resort that we'd be prepared to return to and well worth the money we paid. It is set on a steep hill which is well flagged up before you go but for 2 euros a taxi will take you the 5-10 min drive to the town centre which is also worth a stroll especially between 5pm-11pm when it's wide awake. The perfume shops are worth a look!!

10 out of 10 for us.

A hotels worth is marked on when things go wrong, not when everything runs smoothly.

We had upgraded to the Jandia Mar Hotel and were pleased to find it was all new and fresh. (Opened in the June). Gardens were lovely, and the rooms were clean and tidy, although a bit cramped with the 3rd camp bed.

Pools were nice, although not heated. You had to be a bit careful as there were several broken tiles, and people were cutting their feet. Staff at reception did provide antiseptic and plasters.

Gym, saunas and indoor pool/jacuzzi were pleasant.

Food was good, but got a bit repetitive after a while. Staff in the restaurant were very pleasant.

Then it all went wrong!

Two days before our departure we had my eleven year old daughter's 'Bratz' doll stolen from our room, and my fifteen year old daughter's teddy bear, that she has had since she was a baby, stolen from our other room. These may not have been valuable items, but the point being that the teddy bear had irreplaceable sentimental value, and the point of principle that items had been taken from our rooms.

On reporting this to reception that evening once we had found the items missing, they said nothing could be done, and to report it again in the morning as there was no one available at housekeeping.

(Although she will not like me saying this, but my teenage daughter cried herself to sleep because of the loss of that teddy bear).

This we did, and they did contact housekeeping, but to no avail. They asked if I wished to speak to the manager, I said I would speak to our rep first.

Once the rep arrived and I had explained the situation, he said he could do no more, and that I should speak to the manager.

This I tried to do, but after waiting awhile, one of the receptionists tried to usher me to the hotel shop to 'fob' me off with some holiday merchandise as 'compensation'!

I explained that I did not want this, and all I wanted was the return of teddy bear, and they could keep the doll as we could buy another. The receptionist then went away.

I had to involve the Rep who went to speak to the accommodation manger, who he had told me was a lady named Rosa. He then returned with the first receptionist. The Rep then tried to tell me he was also the accommodation manager!! No title on his badge!!

The receptionist said that maybe the items had got mixed up in the laundry and lost. When I replied that the bedding had not been changed that day, he insinuated that maybe they were. We basically didn't get any help with this problem.