ILLA D'OR or UYAL

Looking for some advice from some of you fellow forum readers. Some friends of ours are hoping to visit PP for the first time next summer, and have 2 girls, ages six and two.

They would prefer a hotel to an apartment and would obviously like a pool. The Dania is quite central, but is a high rise building, the Capri is great, but not particularly suitable for children, and only has six sea view rooms, the Sis Pins is also pool less, as is the Bahia.

I think the Illa D'or or the Uyal would be the best options, they are both a little out of the centre, but have swimming pools, the Illa D'or is in an idyllic spot at the end of the Pine Walk, and the Uyal is right opposite the main Pollensa beach, although admittedly the other side of a busy road.

I would appreciate any advice/opinions, or personal experiences of these two hotels, or indeed, any alternative ones that might be suitable. Finally, am I right in thinking that one can now stay at these hotels on a Bed & Breakfast deal only, booking one's own flights, or they still only available through tour operators on a Half or Full Board basis.

Thanks for your help

[pollensa]

Hi Steve,

first of all you can book these & other hotels either direct or via a booking agent such as AlphaRooms. Just look at www.puertopollensa.com/hotels.html & you will see details of booking agents at the top, some featured (advertising) hotels & them a complete list of EVERY hotel in PP - they are in Star/Alphabetical order.

However, I would recommend Puerto Azul as a family hotel. We went there 3 years in a row. However it is Thomson's only & half-board. The food is OK but a buffet - ideal for kids. You can always miss the odd meal & escape! The rooms are apartment-like with a fridge etc. but it is half-board so the best of both worlds. See Thomsons in www.puertopollensa.com/TravelCompanies.html#package

Steve

I went to the Uyal last summer and have already booked to go again next year. Don't worry about the road - we had no problems with crossing to get to the beach. The road only gets busy in the early evening and or at peak times at weekends.
As for the hotel: it is smallish, quietish ( compared with some of the hotels with awful throbbing discos) very friendly, staff are excellent and the food is good basic 'international fare' rather than just Spanish. But if you have half board there is a big choice for breakfast and dinners and regular Spanish specials throughout the week.
If we wanted a local feast, we would go out in PP or drive somewhere for lunch then have a light meal from the hotel's brimming salad bar in the evening.
Obviously we would like to try the Illa d'Or but not until our teenager son is off our hands. In the meantime the Uyal is, in my opinion, excellent value.

Hi Steve,

We stayed at the Illa D'or last year and were very disappointed. The bedroom was incredibly small, although the outside terrace was huge and with good sea views. There was no room to swing a kitten, let alone a cat! The bathroom was more like a cupboard. We complained, but they said that we had one of the best rooms. I guess that is always going to be a problem with old hotels. Service was OK.

Thereafter we stayed at the Duva apartments on the Habitat roundabout and that suited us fine. The rooms were very spacious and the service was good. However, we weren't using it as a holiday hotel, just somewhere to rest our heads while we looked for property. If you stay there you really need a car.

[Portofan]

Good evening Steve.

Just read Roy and Katie's comments re Illa d'Or and their views were borne out by opinions I had read on www.holidaysuncovered.co.uk which is a website covering just about everywhere but mainly Thomson and assoc companies places.Drill in and you can get views on both the Uyal and Illa d'Or.

I haven't stayed in either but have had a drink or snack at the Illa d'Or and think it is a bit "stuffy" and might not be the place for a first visit with two little girls.
Equally the Uyal might be similarly "stuffy" but to a much lesser degree. On one "Tailor made" holiday we had to rejoin A Thomson coach pick up at the Uyal and waited in the lounge and were astonished at some of the elderly residents sitting reading the financial pages of the Daily Telegraph.Now there is nothing wrong with so doing,I do it at times-reminded me of stories elderly relatives told years ago about Eastbourne!lovely place by the way!

Was interested in Pollensa's ref to Puerto Azul.

Yes been there done that too and for a couple with two little girls ideal.
A pool, central, plenty of food in a Thomson buffet style with a little buffet for the kids and the waitresses really are absolutely amazing with kids ,remembering names even from year to year.If you got tired of the food really handy for other places to eat outside and child friendly too. Again look at the website reviews.

There is also Flora Apartments again very central 2 minutes to the beach or 5 to the Square.Very clean although a bit basic and very pleasant reception and maids.Be careful to get an apartment up from ground floor --see "Theft from Flora Appts" topic.

Good hunting!!

Oi Portofan!

Less of the elderlies reading the DT in the Uyal. That might have been me. ;-)
The Telegraph is a great, big value, newspaper compared with all those tabloids and after strolling down to the centre of town to buy a copy there was nothing like reading it in the serene calm and coolness of the resident's lounge.
Stuffy? The Uyal? Not likely. Serene sums it all up nicely.
There were plenty of children there when we were there last August and hotel staff were forever sweeping up trails of sand deposited in the foyer when buckets, spades and other beach accessories were carried up to rooms. And no one seemed to mind.

[mallorcaboy]

Hi Broadreach, really looking forward to seeing you again in the summer. Maybe we can sit in the lounge of the Uyall together, a G&T each, you with your copy of the Telegraph, and me with my Socialist Worker.

[Portofan]

Hi Broadreach!

This is all good fun isn't it?

Absolutely no offence intended.I am a broadsheet man myself and no fan of the tabloids and I too would indeed savour a nice G and T in the cool of the Uyal lounge.Yes serene is a good word for it.

My post was more intended to be helpful to Steve's friends and I am sorry if any offence caused.

Regards

Portofan

[JH02JLH]

Hello Portofan, Broadreach, Mallorcaboy, etc

I have been following this thread with great amusement. The class war still exists!! Although I am surprised at you Mallorcaboy! I had you down as a Times reader.

This is exactly why I love the forum! Everyone is different and long may it stay that way!

By the way I am a faithful Daily Mail reader, although I do branch out on a Sunday and immerse myself in the Sunday Times, only because of AA Gill who I think is wonderful and so funny!

Can anyone tell me where the Uyal is? And how do you pronounce it?

Regards and good reading,
Jane.

I had Mallorcaboy down as a Daily Bulletin reader and I cannot understand why any of you want to buy / read the UK papers. Chill out and enjoy your time in PP - get away from the FT and concentrate on the G & T !

KAB

[JH02JLH]

Hello Kab,

I agree, you're right, but still... Maybe that's why, deep down, if I were honest, I would find it difficult to move permanently abroad. Call me a stick in the mud, but although I love being in PP, I still like going home! Maybe it's because I love where I live.

However, does buying the Mail abroad count? It's printed in Spain now! And we only buy it because of Hubby's avid interest in football!

Regards
Jane.

[mallorcaboy]

Hi KAB, you've got me sussed, I am a Daily Bulletin reader. The online version is 3rd on my favorites list on my PC.
Only pulling Broadreach's leg.
By the way Jane, I've always pronounced in Oooyall.

[JH02JLH]

Hello Mallorcaboy,

Thanks for the pronounciation. It sounds Australian (aboriginal?)

Jane.

What ho folks

Portofan: no offence taken.You should have guessed from the wink symbol ;-) that my post was somewhat tongue-in-cheek.
I can't agree with Mallorcaboy's pronunciation "Ooooooyall". It sounds so Texan-drawlish that you'd expect to hear it in an episode of Dallas.
JR to Sue Ellen: "You awll gonna go on vacation to the Oooo-yall in the Fall."
Sue Ellen to JR and rest of Ewing clan: "Ooo yeah, the Ooo-yall. It's so cooo-wall".
I think the Catalan, Mallorquin pronunciation, Eu-yawl, is nearer the mark. That's certainly the way the chap on reception pronounced it when we phoned to book direct a few weeks ago.
Mallorqaboy: we can discuss this further in August. We will certainly have G&Ts at my club ( The Uyal) and perhaps I can borrow your Socialist Worker when we go to your club, or the golf club or yacht club.

BR

[mallorcaboy]

Broadreach,
thanks for the help with my pronunciation. Perhaps this explains why in my profession I have been called a cowboy. Hopefully see you in August