"We have just left the hotel after a week in the Palio Tropico and have much to share. Let me start with the positives….
Excellent location - right on the front overlooking the beach on a flat prom so easy walking for those with mobility difficulties.
Cleanliness - absolutely spotless everywhere. Room, pool, bars and dining room are all impeccably clean.
Beds - comfy beds and pillows. All good there.
Pool - love that the pool is locked until 10 so no early bed reserving. Although people do queue for their spot from about 09.50. We never struggled to get a bed. As fyi….the left side (when looking at sea) of pool starts to shade over mid afternoon so stick to the opposite side if you want the sun later.
Dining and bar staff - very hard working and friendly given how short staffed it appears at times / they look. Think this is by choice to keep costs down, regularly there is a queue in the dining room for coffee (more staff and coffee pots for table would expedite) and in the bar for drinks for free alcohol (spirits and wine). Some of the selection isn’t great so most people seem to drink cocktails which are nice, or at least mask the quality of some of the choices. Mostly saw mojito going out.
Let’s move on to where they could do better…
Reception staff - no proactivity. Didn’t advise of what I would expect as standard things. I had to ask about everything - pool towels, safe, courtesy room. Only ever one person on reception, even with a queue of 8 people. Was in queue for 15 minutes when someone else wanting courtesy room card. Reception stated still people in room however we had been in the queue for ten mins by then which wasn’t fair on them. Only because my taxi arrived did anything get expedited. Management need to sort out staff issues.
On booking I asked for a room that had purely lift access. I now know this means building 1. We were put in building 2 which has a flight of stairs before you get to the lift. The reason I asked for easy access was that I was travelling with my 76 year old mum who has knee issues.
There is a stairlift for wheelchairs but it wasn’t working when we checked in, so we had to drag our cases upstairs. (No assistance / bell hop)
Pool towels - not proactively advised as above. €10 deposit required and only allowed to change them 2 times during the week. This is disappointing as many holiday venues I have stayed would allow daily / multiple changes per day.
Safe - again chargeable. Was trying to sort it when arrived in room. Only found out chargeable when I called to advise not working. Should have been advised at check in. Although it is mentioned on the website as an extra charge - it would be more sensible to add whatever the cost is to the room base cost - who wouldn’t wish to use their safe given the likelihood of cash and valuables being taken.
Room towels - tiny and don’t cover much! Bigger towels or robes required. Although unlike the pool towels, were changed daily.
Shower mat - didn’t have one making shower a slip hazard. As mentioned I was travelling with 76 year old mum. She used the floor towel as a shower mat to provide grip in shower.
Shower shelf - toiletries provided were not to our taste and felt in keeping with some of the other decisions as a budgetary choice, with no shelf for your own toiletries. These need to reside on the floor. Again, with a travelling companion with limited mobility not ideal.
Coffee in room - you can have one coffee each on arrival (espresso and cafe au lait) then pods not replaced for the rest of the stay. They should save the cost of the machines being installed and give vouchers for coffee elsewhere.
No instant coffee anywhere for the room so you would need to buy a jar or take the decaf instant from dining room.
Minibar in room - Menu suggests water and soft drinks. Not clear if complementary however all that was in the fridge on arrival was water.
Everything is focused on keeping costs to a minimum which is not what I would expect of a 4* hotel - lack of staff (as above), lack of entertainment - 2 nights with singers, one better than the other.
A colleague who had stayed the week before me described it as a business strategy to encourage people out of the hotel at night. On reflection, this could be the case.
There was a repeat of the lack of proactively aiding guests when checking out. I asked if the room could be kept on for a few hours. Was immediately advised fully booked so no. Didn’t ask how long extra (only wanted a couple of hours) and then I had to ask if a courtesy room was available, so we booked that for the 45 min slot. I also asked to put my bags in luggage store. I have never had my luggage held by a hotel before in an unlocked room and not given a ticket for it. It was just left in there.
Glasses - I have no problem with plastic glasses at pool however plastic glasses in the main bar (unless you purchase from the paid for bar) is embarrassing. Furthermore self pour win in dining room is in a tumbler unless you ask for a wine glass. Again not acceptable.
Food - Majority of meat is tough and often fool is lukewarm. There are many nice stews which if slow cooked would be lovely but the meat is just tough. . The roast of the day tends to be the best. Thankfully there is a microwave in the dining room - although that tells its own story! Recommendations - omelettes, pizza, chilli, salad bar and paella all lovely.
The fundamentals they get right but at over €2000 for 7 nights if falls short and not somewhere I would return to."
