I have been on many holidays and I have 2 say this holiday was the best. The hotel staff were brillant I was very happy with the service of the bar staff the were very friendly and ofcourse you cnt 4get about dave the best entertainer about

rite dave

cud u say hi 2 k raldo and quan at the bar 4 me

its daniel from the downpatrick crew

thanks 4 a great holiday.

We stayed in the Babalu apartments back in February 2007. We were really surprised as this was a cheapy holiday and we expected basic at best.

The apartments were large with an enormous balcony all of which looked over the pool area and also the sea in the distance. Kitchen was quite basic but it did us for what we needed as we ate out every evening. Lack of kettle wasn't a real problem as we just used a saucepan. The apartments were cleaned every day but the quality of cleaning was somewhat lacking. Beds were surprisingly comfortable and the rooms had ample storage. Beware of the numerous stray cats who wander on to your balcony when you are eating in search of scraps.

The main down to these apartments is that they are not really within walking distance of any beach as it is up a steep hill.

Pool could be warmer but was fine for kids who do not feel the cold!

The staff were very helpful nothing was too much trouble, the maids very friendly she came and cleaned our room every day, towels were changed every day.

The apartments and complex are spotless; quite a few cats around pool area but no cat mess, the pool and gardens are cleaned every morning around 8am.on one of the days that we were there. There as a problem with one of the swimming pools so it was taped of immediately.

Within 3 hours the problem was dealt with and the pool reopened. Apartments are in a great location only 3 euros down into centre, Amadores beach is spotless and a great beach although sand is like quicksand as you enter the water.

From start to finish, this was an excellant place to be, first class bar food, palacial surroundings, beautiful gardens, the most helpful and pleasant staff, spotless apartment and grounds.

This was my second visit to the Babalu in less than a year and I cant believe some of the reviews I've read.

Yes its at the top of the hill but taxi's are so cheap this isnt a problem.

On both visit's the complex was spotless and the staff were extremley friendly.

I have just returned from Puerto Rico having stayed in another apartment by a friends choice and I can't wait to book the Babalu for next year.

We were very disappointed with the cleanliness of this hotel. There was cat excrement all over the hotel grounds and even on the balconies because the cats could climb up to them. This was a big problem because there was a lot of them hanging around the hotel grounds and all of them looked flea infested. You were unable to have something to eat at the pool snack bar because the cats jumped up onto the tables and grabbed your food before you had chance to get it yourself.

The rooms were very basic. When we booked at the Babalu we were on the understanding that we had paid for self catering facilities, however, when we arrived we were told we would have to pay extra money for the use of a kettle and a toaster!

The rooms got dirty because the maids never cleaned them properly. They used the same cloth to wipe the kitchen units, the kitchen table, the sink and the toilet. One maid was found searching through the wardrobes! The maids were very rude and unfriendly with everyone. They refused to change the bed linen and the towels. During our two week stay at the Babalu, our sheets were changed once and our towels were changed three times. When they were eventually changed, the 'new' ones were dirty. The balcony wasn't cleaned at all throughout our stay. On a few occasions we would come back to our room to find the maids had been using some of our toiletries!

Anyone visiting the gounds, such as the man who collects the money out of the televisions, was allowed the keys to your room at any time they wished. This made us feel very uncomfortable because there were a lot of robberies occuring every day, usually targeted at young couples or young groups of people. We had to carry our passports and all of our money around with us all the time. The belongings were stolen out of the safety deposit boxes by someone who had access to the keys to them. It is thought the hotel staff were involved with this.

The Reps were absolutely useless. They couldn't be bothered to help you out if you had a problem. however, there is a new rep who has recently started at the Babalu and she was a really big help to us during our last week.

The receptionists were usually quiet and sometimes they were friendly and polite.

The bar staff were very friendly and polite and were always trying to encourage you to participate in the competitions they held during the day. they also did their best to encourage you to stay for the night time entertainment when they had it. There wasn't a lot of entertainment because some of the acts didn't turn up but i don't think that was the bar staffs fault.

The food at the hotel was fine when you wasn't fighting a cat for it!

The location of the hotel wasn't too bad. It was literally just around the corner from the Europa Centre, however, we found it was a better night out if you went to the Puerto Rico Shopping Centre but you had to get a taxi there and back again because it was too far to walk.

We definately would not stay at the Babalu again! We did not feel safe and could not relax at all.

We would never return to the Babalu. It was unhygienic and unsafe.

The rooms were dirty and very basic. We had an infant with us and we had paid to have a cot in our room and also we had paid to have adjoining rooms with my parents and the other party we had travelled with. On arrival we were told the cot wasn't on the booking sheet and we were placed away from the other parties we paid to have adjoining rooms with. We were then told we had to pay an extra 30 euros to be placed in the apartment next to my parents(what we had paid for through the travel agents anyway!) and also the cot wouldn't be available until the next day in the afternoon. During the night my son had to go without a cot, he fell out of bed and hurt his head. When we approached the rep about this she wasn't bothered at all and told us there wasn't a lot she could do. We also asked to be on a low floor due to us having an infant but this request was also ignored.

We had paid for self catering facilities and were told we had to pay extra again to have a kettle and a toaster. This was very upsetting because we didn't have the proper facilities to make my baby's bottles and we refused to pay extra for something what we have already paid to have!

The rooms were dangerous. The plug sockets were hanging off the walls and my son had tried putting his fingers in the sockets a few times.

The stairs were dangerous as they were falling down! On some of the stairs all that was left was the wire that helps structure the stairs.

There was cat excrement all over the balcony and all over the hotel. I didn't feel comfortable having my son near all the wild cats because they looked vicious. They would climb all over the sun loungers and hung about the pool snack bar.

The pool was dirty and I can't say I ever saw it being cleaned in a morning. The tiles were very slippery making it dangerous to walk on.

The small park on the grounds was also dangerous because it was all metal so I couldn't let my son play on the rides because he would burn himself.

The food was ok when the cats weren't harassing you for it. They often tried to steal the food my son was eating.

The maids were very rude. My sheets and towels weren't really changed at all during my stay because the ones she replaced the dirty ones with were also dirty. I noticed they used the same cloth for all surfaces in the room, including the toilet!

The bar staff were ok. There wasn't a lot of entertainment and since the park was dangerous there was nothing I could do with my son.

The reps were useless and just didn't have the time for you if you had a problem.

The location wasn't appropriate for pushing a pram so I wouldn't recommend this to anyone with small children.

This was the holiday from hell! I would never recommend this to anyone! The list of complaints I have for this accomodation is endless!

The rooms were really dirty and hardly ever cleaned. When the maids did eventually decide to show their face they swapped the old sheets and towels with dirty ones. They didn't clean the balcony at all while we stayed there. She used the same cloth on the toilet and the kitchen units and tables. When reps were told about this they did nothing.

There were four people staying in my room altogether, including myself, however, we had 2 cups, 2 plates, 1 dish, 2 spoons, 1 knife and fork to share between all of us. We didn't have a kettle or a toaster in the apartment, even though it didn't state this in the brochure.

The camp bed my son slept on collapsed in on him so for most of his holiday he had to sleep on the floor on the thinnest matress you have ever seen. When we told the reps about this they didn't want to know again.

The stairs were falling down. All that was left on some of the stairs was the metal wires.

The pools were dirty and I don't think they were cleaned during our two week stay. I didn't feel comfortable letting my sons go in it, incase they picked up a bug from it. The tiles around the pools were really slippery because of all the scum around them that hadn't been cleaned off.

The park was ridiculous! All the rides were metal so obviously you couldn't let your children play there because they would get burnt.

There were wild cats hanging around everywhere! Even on top of the tables at the pool bar. They get to your food before you have chance to. Surprise surprise the reps did nothing about it again.

The staff were very ignorant and rude. There were a lot of robberies happening.

The entertainment really was non-existant! On some occasions the acts didn't turn up.

Save your money and go to a better place than the Babalu!

This is one of the worst apartments we have stayed in. As a last minute deal we were not expecting luxury but with a 3 star rating we expected cleanliness and basic facilities.

On arrival our fridge was mouldy and had to be bleached. The shower flooded the bathroom every time we used it. The facilities within the room are none existent - no kettle, toaster, grill, oven - so forget cooking. No storage space to speak of. The beds were uncomfortable and the sheets were usually ripped or torn and certainly didn't fit the beds.

Cats roamed the complex and we would usually find cat excrement in the walkways each morning. But to top all this off the music from the pool bar blared from 0930 - 0030 every day! We complained about this several times and sometimes it was turned down (usually when the rep was about) but it certainly didn't make for a relaxing holiday.

The same CD's were played over and over again. We tried sitting on our balcony several times but even with ear plugs it was difficult. We spent as little time as possible in the apartments. The reception staffs were friendly. We only sampled the pool bar once and if you like greasy food and disgusting wine it's great!

We only heard one entertainer and it was awful. We definitely will not return to Babalu and would never recommend it to anyone - even as a last minute deal.

Do not go here!

Hotel on arrival seemed pretty good.

Pool area was very slippy but was cleaned daily, but there was a problem with the pool water which caused a lot of problems with children burning their skin. Pool bar was very expensive for drinks but food wasn't bad.

Night porter was very friendly and made you feel welcome and safe. If there was a problem with security there was no mention of this upon arrival or at any other time.

Sun beds were chained together which caused problems and you had to be up at the crack of dawn to get a sun bed before the Spanish who didn't come down to the pool till late afternoon and then stayed there till late squawking like a gaggle of geese which was nearly as annoying as the female entertainment one evening if that's what you'd call it.

All in all I wouldn't go again even if it was free.