"not too long a transfer from airport"

How long is too long? It would take just over 1 hour to Puerto Pollensa where there is the Hotel Romantic right on the seafront, opposite a lovely beach. Mid-Oct the weather can be quite variable.
Other hotels in the same resort to consider...
Daina
Mirimar
Ses Pins

http://www.puertopollensa.com/hotels_apartments_pollensa.html

If you need advice on a specific hotel in the resort then just ask (but do so this week as we are off to PP ourselves next w/e).

Well worth the hour transfer, Puerto Pollensa has some beautiful scenery around it as well, we have had some very good weather in October several years

And if the weather should be a bit iffy at times, then if you are in a beachfront hotel you can be on the beach in a trice when the sun comes out. The town of Puerto Pollensa has interesting shops/harbour to wander round, long flat walks along the prom (including the famous Pine Walk), and you can get the bus to inland Pollensa or to Alcudia, Cala san Vicente etc. And there are boat trips from the harbour.

well you cannot go wrong with the santa lucia in palma nova.20 mins transfer depends on how many drop offs.sticks right out to sea.beach either side.local shops just across road.easy laid back entertainment.good food.lots to do and see in resorts.mainly older people stay in this hotel in oct.but there is a right good mixture.hurry and book though as its very popular.

With over 300 rooms the Santa Lucia isn't exactly the small hotel that the OP requested.

well 5 out of 6 is not bad.resort would suit all.its not full anyway mid oct.

I can't work out how arrive at thinking this hotel will tick 5 out of 6 boxes for the OP

- Anybody who lists 'small hotel' as their first requirement is unlikely to want to stay in a half empty large hotel.

- They want HB but it seems to be marketed as AI by UK operators

- They aren't bothered about entertainment and definitely don't want a disco but this hotel seems to have very busy entertainment programme.

- There's no mention of needing shops close by.

- A hotel with a mainly older clientele might suit the grandparents on their own but a couple in their late 20s with a toddler?

As far as I can see the only boxes it ticks is that it is on a nice beach and not far from the airport.

SM

you can just go h/b.i was thinking more that the hotel will have more of the age group for the older ones.and for the 20s they can always nip into to magaluf.you get games round pool.quizz and bingo and a few acts on for entertainment.there are bars across road that show sport etc.
but if you can find them a very quite hotel thats fine.

Mallorca, mid October and lively?
With the exception of the capital Palma, everywhere else is closing down or has already closed down. All the PR men start to leave the Island during the first week of October, and the shops start closing down by the second week - sometimes within a matter of days, instead of gradually closing over the remaining 2 or 3 weeks left in the month - it depends whether or not they've had a good 'summer season'.

Hotels contracted to stay open until the 31st October have been known to pack up the sunbeds and close down earlier too.

My cut off point would be the 30th September or maybe the first week in October ( at a push). We've done the October half term break and got the T-shirt.
The shops don't replenish their stocks and the hotels use up what's left in their cupboards.
One lasting memory is that we had pink blancmange every night, and when I complained during the second week of our holiday, they slapped an orange on the plate for a toddler to eat.( take it, or leave it, because they didn't have anything else)

Sanji

The chances are the weather will be poor in mid October in the Baleriacs as well Although obviously that isn't important to everyone, was thinking the two year old might have liked to paddle/mess about in a toddler pool.

I have had so many good weather holidays in October in Mallorca and Ibiza and ever year we have had a swim in the Med that was warmer than the UK in summer.I would agree the from the second week the sunbeds start to go off the beaches in some resorts.

Mallorca and Ibiz in oct can be as hot as july sometimes but chilly at night.still enough to do in both islands.hell better than washing pots.

Or getting the frost off the car

We arrived in The Don Bigote Hotel 27 September 2013 for 10 days and needed to put a small message on Trip Advisor to let people know about this Hotel.
On our arrival to the Hotel the reception is very welcoming with lovely staff that offers advice and information about the area. We went to our room which was on the fifth floor (out of seven) looking out over the sea (you can either have pool view which is a lot quieter or Sea View where it is a little noisier due to the road below). The rooms are very small with a Twin/Double bed, bed side tables, dressing table and two chairs. The balcony is an ok size with two chairs and a table and the bathroom has a shower over the bath, with plenty of hot water, a toilet and sink. The room is an ideal size for two people, but would advise that it would be crowded if three people were in it.
The pool area is lovely with a pool bar, outside toilets and loads of sunbeds. The pool offers a child’s pool, but the adult pool is very deep. If you love the sun the pool is ideal, but it does not offer a lot of shade.
The restaurant is a buffet. Breakfast offers breads, cereal, and full English breakfast. Evening meals had different soups for starter, a selection of salad, hams, and cheeses with hot food from chicken, Beef and Pork with a selection of vegetables. The deserts have cheese board, cakes, ice creams and fruit. I would advise to go to breakfast and dinner later, as this hotel is more for the older generation and they are queuing at 8am in the morning and 7pm at night (we were going for Breakfast at 9am, and then evening meal about 8pm so we did not queue).
The location is ideal – 5 minutes’ walk to the beach and local shops, bars, restaurants opposite the hotel on the way.
Overall, for what we paid – I would give the hotel 8/10 and the location 9/10.

In which resort is the Don Bigote hotel ?

Palmanova

Sanji wrote:

Mallorca, mid October and lively?
With the exception of the capital Palma, everywhere else is closing down or has already closed down. All the PR men start to leave the Island during the first week of October, and the shops start closing down by the second week - sometimes within a matter of days, instead of gradually closing over the remaining 2 or 3 weeks left in the month - it depends whether or not they've had a good 'summer season'.

Hotels contracted to stay open until the 31st October have been known to pack up the sunbeds and close down earlier too.

My cut off point would be the 30th September or maybe the first week in October ( at a push). We've done the October half term break and got the T-shirt.
The shops don't replenish their stocks and the hotels use up what's left in their cupboards.
One lasting memory is that we had pink blancmange every night, and when I complained during the second week of our holiday, they slapped an orange on the plate for a toddler to eat.( take it, or leave it, because they didn't have anything else)

Sanji

From past experience I would say your description above is an unusual one. Depends on the resort and hotel.

ChrisandAlfi wrote:

We arrived in The Don Bigote Hotel 27 September 2013 for 10 days and needed to put a small message on Trip Advisor to let people know about this Hotel.
On our arrival to the Hotel the reception is very welcoming with lovely staff that offers advice and information about the area. We went to our room which was on the fifth floor (out of seven) looking out over the sea (you can either have pool view which is a lot quieter or Sea View where it is a little noisier due to the road below). The rooms are very small with a Twin/Double bed, bed side tables, dressing table and two chairs. The balcony is an ok size with two chairs and a table and the bathroom has a shower over the bath, with plenty of hot water, a toilet and sink. The room is an ideal size for two people, but would advise that it would be crowded if three people were in it.
The pool area is lovely with a pool bar, outside toilets and loads of sunbeds. The pool offers a child’s pool, but the adult pool is very deep. If you love the sun the pool is ideal, but it does not offer a lot of shade.
The restaurant is a buffet. Breakfast offers breads, cereal, and full English breakfast. Evening meals had different soups for starter, a selection of salad, hams, and cheeses with hot food from chicken, Beef and Pork with a selection of vegetables. The deserts have cheese board, cakes, ice creams and fruit. I would advise to go to breakfast and dinner later, as this hotel is more for the older generation and they are queuing at 8am in the morning and 7pm at night (we were going for Breakfast at 9am, and then evening meal about 8pm so we did not queue).
The location is ideal – 5 minutes’ walk to the beach and local shops, bars, restaurants opposite the hotel on the way.
Overall, for what we paid – I would give the hotel 8/10 and the location 9/10.

Many thanks for your report. If you haven't already done so would you add your review here please http://www.holidaytruths.co.uk/reviews/spain/balearic-islands/mallorca/palma-nova/don-bigote-hotel/

Many thanks