The trip began with a night at the 3 star Russ Hill Hotel, Gatwick which was not much more than the cost of parking only so I decided to have a stress free evening and save the travelling up in the morning. It was very reasonable so was not expecting it to live up to much and it does appear to be undergoing refurbishment (still a little run down at the moment) Toilet was wobbly, taps difficult to turn off, there was TV but no controls but I arrived late and was not bothered to ask for some, airconditioning did not work, window set high so unable to open, bed positioned so that person on left climbs over and faces wall; couldn't quite understand this as there was enough room, no bedside cabinetsand no stool in front of mirror.- otherwise ok!! Plus points tea/coffee making, bar in hotel or can ask for a bottle of wine at reception to take back to room. An older style of property so if renovations completed to a good standard, could be a reasonable hotel. Transfer bus appears to run every hour and takes about 10-15 mins. Staff friendly and helpful. Parking is at hotel or outside compound so you do have to leave your key at your own risk!!
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| Russ Hill double bedroom |
We flew with Monarch airlines who I have always found to be a good airline and staff very friendly and helpful. We had a small delay of 10-15 mins and the airline made up most of this time by the time we arived in Palma. We were then transferred to our hotel which was to be the hotel for the duration of our stay called the Coral Playa Hotel in Magaluf, where we joined the rest of our party. As it is the year of Cosmos Holidays 50th birthday, they invited 50 agents from Manchester and Gatwick and the enphasis was on celebration. We spent the first evening at a restaurant in the centre of Magaluf starting with a mixed platter and choice of mains. The standard of the food was average and I found the salmon and prawn tagliatelle to be very rich. We then followed on to Titos a dance club for the evening where a good time was had by all.
The following day we were taken to Alcudia market followed by a catamaran trip around Alcudia and Pollensa bay, a very scenic part of the island. The spread for lunch provided exceeded expectations and was a thoroughly enjoyable day. This was ended with the icing on the cake; a visit to the casino in Palma with a meal and fantastic show named "Come fly with me"; a Frank Sinatra tribute with a difference with acting and acrobatics - a musical that could match any West End Show
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| Alcudia market in the older part of Alcudia offering a wide choice of things to purchase |
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| Alcudia market |
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| Alcudia Market |
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| The scenery in the area is scenic and mountainous |
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| View of the area |
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| There is an old bullring in Alcudia which can be visited |
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| Walking down to the promenade at Alcudia |
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| Pictures taken on the catamaran - a very enjoyable trip |
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| Alcudia bay from the catamaran |
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| Another from the catamaran |
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| This is the vew from our pool area overlooking Magaluf beach |
The hotel is officially a 4 star but I would give it a 3 star rating though the staff were friendly, the food was reasonable but not to a 4 star standard. Our room was comfortable and clean and we had a fabulous sea view across the bay
The following day we were taken to Santa Katarina near Andratx for wine tasting; because of their situation in the mountains, it is perfect for the grapes which are kept at a temperature which gives a superior quality of wines which I personally thought were fabulous. We were able to sample 2 reds and 1 white wine and they usually offer a rose but it was not quite ready for us this time. Most of us were keen to purchase these lovely wines.
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| En route to Santa Katerina for wine tasting |
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| Inside the wine cellar |
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| This was our group sampling the wines and the lovely food they provided to accompany the wines - the situation and grounds were very pleasant |
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| They were more than happy to give us a tour |
Majorca does have a lot to offer with superb beaches, the scenery of the mountainous north, the friendly spanish hospitality and a good contrast of quieter upmarket resorts as well as the lively southern resorts. It is reasonably priced and still remains one of my favourite holiday destinations and you can understand why the like of Claudia Schiffer, Princess Margaret and Lord Jeffrey Archer plus many other celebrities chose to buy property here.
This is definitely on my destination list for my singles holidays for the 30s to 50s age group next year, with the option of wine tasting and catamaran trip plus many more - details to follow .......
A big thank you to Cosmos Holidays for a most enjoyable trip, their organisation could not be faulted and Lauren Francis was a great host.
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