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Nerja Hotels and Apartments A - Z

Hotel Al Andalus - Nerja

Operator and Date: Independent - May 2005

Opinion submitted in June 2005 by : Steve Clare

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

A nice friendly hotel which overall we were satisfied with. However, please be aware that the brochure and internet site is a bit misleading.
In recent times a new patio and function room have been constructed which has dramatically reduced the size of the garden and seen a new, much smaller, swimming pool installed.

In addition no real mention is made of how close the hotel is to the new motorway (50 metres), therefore when you are sitting by the pool the noise can be a bit intrusive. Fortunately the road is not that busy.

As the owner of the hotel also runs a 'chef school' the food in the restuarant can be a bit hit and miss. It did go from the sublime to very average as sometimes you had a trainee cooking who wasn't skilful enough.
Breakfast is only 'continental' served with coffee which was always too cold.
Location is very good for those wishing to to tour the 'costa del sol'/'costa tropical' with easy access to the motorway!.

Nerja is very close and the small village of Maro retains its character.

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Hotel Al Andalus - Nerja

Operator and Date: April 2004

Opinion submitted in Aug 2004 by : Steve L.  Bristol  (2)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

The hotel is situated to the east of Nerja right next to the famous `Caves of Nerja`. Access is directly off the main Malaga highway.

The hotel has a restaurant and a bar. When we went in April, there were only a few other guests, so things were not that busy.

The hotel is very clean and the staff friendly. There is an outside pool, which was a bit cool at that time of the year. Adjacent to the pool is a large grassed sunbathing area complete with plenty of loungers.

Nerja town is about 5 minutes by car. There is little around the immediate area of the hotel. The small village of Maro is a couple of minutes walk away. This has a couple of bars, shops and a bank. The nearest location with a variety of eating places is Burriana Beach. Again this is 5 mins. by car and about 25-30 mins walk.

The rates were very reasonable, about 40 euros a night for a double room with balcony.

The hotel, and Nerja suite older people, mainly without kids as there is no entertainment at the hotel (About 20 rooms.).

The bottom line is would we stay there again. Definetly !

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Alta Vista Apartment - Frigiliana

Operator and Date: 2005

Opinion submitted in Aug 2005 by : Terry Kavanagh - Liverpool 37, 36, 5, 3

Resort Rating: Below Average

Accommodation Rating: Poor

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Nerja is beautiful, with lots of authentic reasonably priced Spanish restaurants and a beautiful coastline. Try fresh Paella or Sardines for lunch from the beach restaurants, very reasonably priced. The caves of Nerja are absolutely stunning, suitable for children and are pretty unbelievable. The balcon de Europa is amazing too. One tip, if you dont want the hassle of driving and are in no rush, get the bus from Malaga - its so easy (even with a 3 and 5 year old). We caught a 19 bus into Malaga City (go out of the airport and turn right) and then a bus to Nerja. Couldn't be simpler. Total cost £12.

Frigiliana is very rustic and a nice place. However, it is very hilly and unsuitable for children. Overall we preferred Nerja as Frigiliana is full of expats who have retired and think they own the place or you may (like us) stumble upon an unscrupulous landlord who retains your deposit for no reason. Luck of the draw eh?? But Nerja is fantastic, stay there and you'll have a great time.  

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Hotel Balcon de Europa - Nerja

Operator and Date: Own arrangements, September 2006

Opinion submitted in October 2006 by : Andrine/Edward (66/59)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We have just returned from our second stay at the Balcon de Europa.  The breakfasts are still just about the best on the planet, but don't go half board.  The evening meals have seriously deteriorated in the last six months and we can honestly say we did not have one meal where we enjoyed both the starter and main course, to say nothing of the dessert.  The staff are delightful and very helpful, and the sea-view rooms are excellent.

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Hotel Balcon de Europa - Nerja

Operator and Date: Independent -April 2006

Opinion submitted in Apr 2006 by : Couple from Blackpool

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We had a relaxing week weather was warm and sunny most of the time. Food at the hotel was good with plenty of choice even though it was waiter service for the evening meal apart from Sunday when it was a very good buffet. The restaurant overlooks the sea and the hotel is on the beach which is virtually private to the hotel. Sunbeds and parasols were free on the beach and on a small patio area next to the bar and a day time restaurant on the beach front. The pool is very small and on the 5th floor where there are more sunbeds. 

Nerja is a pretty resort with no high rise buidings and many restaurants and bars with  lots of British and Spanish visitors. Parking is expensive in the municipal and hotel underground car park but we parked for an hour to check in using the hotel porter to collect our luggage.Then we drove and parked on a large free car park 5 minutes walk from the hotel behind by the hotel Carabeo (the porter gave us a map and instructions).We parked there all week without any problems.Our room was a standard double  without a balcony and overlooked a small courtyard but it was kept very clean and we were happy with the room price.

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Hotel Balcon de Europa - Nerja

Operator and Date: Flybe & Alpha Rooms - June 2005

Opinion submitted in July 2005 by : Isle of Wight (57,54,23 &19)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We had an excellent holiday here in June 2006. The hotel, Balcon de Europa, was ideally situated with the lift to take you to the beach but right in the centre of Nerja. Breakfast was good quality with lots of choice.  The hotel was spotlessly clean and the staff friendly and helpful.

Nerja is a lovely resort with plenty of good quality restaurants to choose from. We had lunch several times at Cochran's Terrace Bar, which overlooked the sea.  We had good meals at Pinnochio's and on the roof terrace of the restaurant opposite Pinnochio's.

The Nerja caves are spectacular and well worth a visit.  

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Hotel Balcon de Europa - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - Sep 2004

Opinion submitted in Oct 2004 by : Jim and Est - London

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

The Hotel is literally built into a cliff with entrance on the 6th floor right on the pedestrianised promenade of the Balcon itself. It has a semi-private beach with a tiny area of private sunbeds Floor 0 has a beach bar/restaurant which serves very good lunches. 

'Sea View' rooms are either overlooking the Balcon promenade or the beach itself.  Our room overlooked the promenade with its nightly visitors, musicians, vendors and streat artists.  It made the balcony a little noisy but good double glazing kept the room quiet once closed.  Friends with a beach view room found just as much, if not more noise, from the hotel entertainment, as they were sandwiched between the beach bar and the restaurant on the 4rth floor.

The hotel was recently refurbished and rooms are well fitted but cleaning and housekeepint is patchy.  Generally the staff are very good.  Food at this hotel was poor, with little choice and poor quality, but there are so many restaurants within a few minutes walk we did not find this a big problem.  

Nerja is a very small town with lots of restaurants. We found a lot of English-speaking (British, Irish etc)  people there, running businesses as well as visitors.

Local trips are very good and the Alhambra is reasonably close by in Granada.  The Nerja caves are very spectacular but tiring  - the trip involves about 1.5 hours of waloking up and down steps!

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Hotel Balcon de Europa - Nerja

Operator and Date: May 2004

Opinion submitted in June 2004 by : Jacky Holt - York (45,41,12,10)

Resort Rating: Average

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion:

We booked the hotel direct and had a junior suite which had four separate beds with plenty of space although a squash for the bathroom. The room had a great seaview and balcony overlooking the semi-private beach. The beach is public but due to its position in front of the hotel feels private, however most days after the schools had closed the local boys would congregate on the beach playing football along the sea edge and generally making it unpleasant to swim from about 4pm onwards.

Visited the beach next to the hotel beach which is larger. The beach restaurant will lend you umbrellas and cushions in return for your custom.

The hotel itself was excellent. We had breakfast and there was a lot of choice. We only had one evening meal in the hotel due to the choice available in Nerja but what we had was good. The lift doesn't seem adequate for the quantity of people using it and you have to wait quite a while for it to arrive.

Nerja itself was okay. It surprised us how many English people there were and how many restaurants were English owned or had english staff. I gave up trying to speak Spanish because I didn't need to. Plenty of restaurants to choose from. Good Italian restaurant overlooking the sea between the balcon and the hotel carabeo.

Our children were entertained every night  by the artists and street acts that appeared every night in the square next to the balcon de europe.

We hired a car for the week and visited Granada and the Alhambra which we all found interesting. Came back to Nerja through the mountains which gave us spectacular views but very windy roads.

Although the hotel and weather was excellent I cannot say that we would revisit Nerja. I had wanted to visit for a few years but I was disappointed. I don't want to hear English constantly when I am in another country and wish some people would try to make an effort and speak some Spanish.

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Hotel Balcon de Europa - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - March 2004

Opinion submitted in Mar 2004 by : Sally & Gordon   (62,64)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: No rating

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Very nice hotel, with good food. 
Our criticism was the location of our side sea view room with balcony.  Thomson also provide full sea view rooms at the same supplement charge.  

We looked forward to a relaxing holiday in a good hotel.  Unfortunately, the side sea view room we were allocated was situated on a pedestrian square which accesses the Balcon de Europa viewpoint, one of the biggest attractions in Nerja.  The square has continual movement of people, noise, street musicians and entertainers, and street vendors.  Our sleep was often disturbed by noise. As a result, there is absolutely no privacy or relaxation while using the balcony.  It was equivalent to sitting in the middle of a city centre high street on a busy Saturday!

Nowhere in the brochure under the hotel description, did it indicate that the location of these rooms are subjected to this noise and disturbance, making it impossible for us the enjoy the advantages of having a balcony.
The full sea view rooms are in total contrast to side view sea rooms, with the peace and tranquility which we had hoped to enjoy.
I would return to this hotel again but only if staying in a full sea view room.

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Hotel Balcon de Europa - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson Direct - January 2004

Opinion submitted in Jan 2004 by : Gordon & Sarah

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

As we have previously found the comments on this site very useful, we trust it will similarly assist others if we submit our own experiences. Incidentally, we are both 'young' 50s, who appreciate the finer things in life (alas, within our own financial limitations)!!

We have just arrived back from a 7-day holiday in Nerja, staying at the Balcon De Europa.  The most enjoyable factors:

Our hotel location, situated  directly on a small, private beach cove. There was a paved area at the side of the beach for those of us who love the sand/sea view but who don't want the 'nuisance' factor of sand-filled shoes, sun-beds etc;

The food was mainly very good, including buffet breakfast and evening waiter-service for 6 of the 7 nights, although the evening 'buffet' on our first night (Sunday) was certainly lacking in choice. There was also very little choice for vegetarians throughout the week. Another point, there is was a 'Table-d'hote', set menu included in our half-board fee, priced at e26 (£18)on the menu. However,  should you choose their alternative A la carte menu, you would find it difficult to spend e26, but we were given only a e5 (£3.50) discount!

The beach/pool bar also served good, reasonably-priced snacks/cooked lunches, from a small pristine open-view kitchen and with the added bonus of beautiful white table-cloths.

If we visit Nerja again, we would definitely use this hotel, but if possible, would choose accommodation only and use their A la carte menu. Typically, their low-high season basic twin-room accommodation only(no sea view/balcony included) varies from e83-e121.20 (£58 -£84)in 2004. It is possible to find many discounted flights to Malaga (approx 20 miles from Nerja). There are regular buses to/from Nerja, but a taxi will typically cost e60 (around £42)!!!

The hotel was kept spotlessly clean and we enjoyed good service.

Our only mild disappointment was the lack of evening entertainment. Although some entertainment was provided two out of seven evenings, the piano-player only attracted about 4 persons into the entertainment bar.  On the second evening, although there was a young couple who sang/performed well, again the bar was almost empty. We decided that because there was no entertainment for the remaining five evenings per week, people had otherwise found other sources of entertainment. We had noted that the Hotel Riu De Monica (about 10 minutes walk away) did have daily evening entertainment and this is where we spent some time most evenings. The Monica is a much larger hotel and although it seemed quite empty/impersonal during the day, it appeared to 'come alive' in the evening.

Nerja itself is one of the prettiest places where we have ever stayed. It is a small town, without 'English pubs' or any of the commercialised trappings of many of the other Spanish resorts. Narrow cobbled streets and pretty white-washed houses, strewn with tarracota pots/plants.

The weather was a complete bonus, and our week January 4th-11th appeared to be fairly much the norm at 16-21 degrees farenheight. This was perfect for either sitting or walking and we were told by fellow Brits who had arrived on December 19th for 21 days, that they also enjoyed a full 21-days sun. As this is only a 2.5 hour flight from the UK, it is not surprising that the Costa Del Sol is particularly popular with the British.

As far as trips went, we chose the 'Mamas & Tapas' trip, visiting an olive oil factory and local village. Thompson have recruited a few local ladies who each prepared a 5-course meal and eagerly showed the tourists around their pristine, pretty homes. We did not know what to expect, but were thrilled with the experience. Our groups were divided into 11 or 12 and tables were beautifully pre-set for our lunch, including tapas, soups, casserole, mangos in quince, coffee, wine and liquers......just such a different and lovely experience!!!

Our other trip was to the much larger city of Granada, visiting the ruins of a local palace, which was also enjoyable. As Granada is situated alongside the Sierra Nevada mountain range, it is much colder; the weather being less predicable,  and so warm clothing is required (as with all in-land trips).

The area along the Balcon and square is just lovely for an evening stroll and all of the streets/walking areas are washed daily.

There is a small English shop called 'Allsorts' just up the first side street to the right near to the Tourist Office (directions - on leaving the Balcon De Europa Hotel)selling English newspapers, sweets etc, also a useful source of local information for those who speak little Spanish.

On day 4 we hired a car from Europehire (about 7 minutes walk from our hotel), the rate was around ?53(£37) per day, which reduces for additional days' hire. The wide 'motor-way' road leading to Fuengirola/Marbella is absolutely straight all the way from Nerja and Marbella is only about 90 miles away (around 1/5 hours drive). We had not visited Marbella before and decided to visit before booking a young-adult family holiday. Unfortunately, it did not hold the charm of Nerja for us, altough we also accept that Nerja may be a little quiet for young adults.

In conclusion, a thoroughly enjoyable holiday experience!!!!

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Burriana Aptartments - Nerja

Operator and Date: 2004 / 5 

Opinion submitted in Mar 2005 by : paul (17) stuart (17) chris (17) ESSEX

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

I thought Nerja was a quality place to go on holiday. In the Afternoon, Just relax by the pool or go down the steep hill and go to the beach and have some drinks on the seafront.Great little bars down there.
When finished topping up our tan and dusk hits. We normally went to this little restuarant on the burriana beach, cheap and quality!! then about 11ish we went out to the Tutti Frutti Plazza which is top noch. Plenty of brits down that way, and mostly english owned bars so getting all your drinks in shouldn't be a problem. Open to about 3.30 ish on weekdays and 4.30 on fridays and saturday with nightclubs open till 7am (JIMMYS, the dogs!)you won't get bored..and when leaving tutii frutti, quality little snack bar selling your typical munchy food!! 

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Burriana Playa Aptartments - Nerja

Operator and Date: Booked Apt Direct,      flew Monarch Schedule

Opinion submitted in Mar 2004 by : Rob and  Paula  -    Bolton  -    43,  36

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

This was our second trip to Nerja. We booked an Apt this time because we wanted the freedom and space.The Apartments were in an ideal location for us.  With so many great places to eat and drink in Nerja and Burriana, we didn't need a hotel .

Nerja is as everybody else has written a very pretty resort and still Spanish ! There are English bars if you want them,All showing English sports on T.V. If that is not your thing, there are many Spanish/ Tapas bars. We find Nerja perfect, something for everyone of all ages and tastes. Tuttie fruttie bar area is open until all hours, very popular with the younger set and the young at heart (that's us !) with so many restaurants and bars it is hard to name just a few, so these are my personnal favourites from both our trips
Bella Roma, Off the Balcon de Europe. fabulous pasta dishes, steaks are delicious, always busy, never had a bad meal, nice atmosphere.
No34,at Hotel Carrabeo thats for your "special "night out. The one we visted the most was,
The Greek Taverna at El Zoco de Nerja. It is a lovely restaurant. They have some great music, not neccessarily the type you would expect in a Greek restaurant, but it definatly adds to the evening, it's good fun !
It is a little further away from the main restaurant area in the  Old town ,you can walk but it is just a few Euros in a cab.It was walking distance from where we were staying in Burriana. We have had fantastic meals each time we have been there. It is very reasonably priced , the quality and service are superb, the owners to be very friendly . The kleftico was better than anything I had tried in Greece !
Bars; love the Speak easy, music is excellent,
Acorn good atmosphere.Good for the sports.
Round bar, great Tapas.

Definatly going back to Nerja, will give July/ August a miss as it gets so busy.
October is said to be very good. They have the fair/carnival on for 5 days.
Though not essenrial, a car is useful. Frigliana is worth a visit as is Granada.
We still love our long haul holidays, but if you only want to be two hours out of the UK, We can reccommend no where better than Nerja.

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Capistrano Playa - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomas Cook Direct) Thomas Cook - August 2005

Opinion submitted in Oct 2005 by : M P Thomson - Glasgow [57, 18]

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Wish to stress that this location is not for anyone who is not fit to climb lots of stairs and quite steep inclines. And I mean within the apartments area!
Taxis are reasonable but one still has to get to the road and, dependent on your apartment, that can be quite a trek - and in the heat of August, exhausting.
The pool restaurant is reasonable and the food good but, as others have mentioned, the attitude of the people running it is far from friendly and not what you need on holiday.

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Capistrano Playa - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomas Cook Direct) Thomas Cook September 2004

Opinion submitted in Sept 2004 by : The Hutton Family (56,56,24)

Resort Rating: Average

Accommodation Rating: Below Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We booked a 2 bedroomed apartment at the Capistrano Playa for 3 people and paid the extra supplement charges so we knew we'd have adequate space and not end up sleeping on sofa beds in the lounge. We booked this holiday 3 weeks before departing and were throughly looking forward to a nice relaxing break.

On arrival at the resort, we had to struggle with our cases down a very steep cliff side with numerous stairs to reach our apartment - not what you want to be doing in the heat of the afternoon (God help people who arrived in the night as they would surely break their ankles whilst struggling with heavy cases in the dark)

Once in the apartment, the interior was very shabby, not what the picture in the brochure had shown and thank goodness we didn't have to sleep on the sofa bed as it was thread bare and in dire need of being thrown in the skip!
The apartment itself was very basic, the only good part of it was the balcony which was huge and looked out to the sea front.

When you self cater you expect there to be an on-site shop or mini market to get provisions such as water and basic food stuffs - not at this place. We had to walk down the 214 stairs to the beach front and along the whole row of shops to get a bottle of water. Struggling back up the steps whilst carrying water, milk etc was no joke.

The restaurant on site is overpriced- (give it a miss) and the pool has many signs on display such as- don't move the chairs, don't bring your own food/drink, don't use lilos on the pool and to top it off it's 2.50 Euros to have a sunbed for the day- it really should be free if your guests who are staying in the complex.

The snack bar opens when it feels like it, we went to it one night after being assured it was going to be open from 7pm-10.30pm (as we couldn't face the 214 steps down to the beach side restaurants and the walk back up afterwards in the pitch black) only to find it was shut - not a soul about.

Good points about the resort were that it was very peaceful- no loud bars playing music until the small hours and er... thats about it.

We ordered a taxi to nearby Frigalini- a very quaint Spanish village and spent a day taking ourselves around the place with a bought tour guide which was very informative. We also caught the bus into Nerja town itself and had a look at the local street entertainers and shops. The ice cream there was delicious and we walked back along the beach which didn't take too long at all.

All in all, the holiday was a great disappointment. Whilst it's set in a very pretty area, it's just not practical to self cater there; with no on-site shops, car hire is essential if you are to fetch food and drinks back to your apartment.
The final parting shot was when we were leaving our apartment with our suitcases at 8am in the morning. We struggled to get them up the steps when the garden sprinkler system became activated, not only were we out of breath, we were also drenched with water!
We will not be returning to this resort.

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Capistrano Village - Nerja

Operator and Date: Hotels4U - June 2007

Opinion submitted in June 2007 by : Mr Lake - Kent (49, 42,16)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We had booked a one bedroomed apartment for our nine night stay and upon arrival were told we had been given a three bedroomed apartment for the same price - what a bonus!
Two bathrooms, one en suite and a huge private terrace with great views over the town and out to sea. The terrace included furniture, sunbeds, a clothes dryer/airer and a very useful retractible sunshade, meaning we could choose to sit out there at any time of day or evening. In June we had no problems with mosquitoes, etc.

The apartment itself was clean and suitably furnished throughout, although perhaps the odd touch up here and there would have made it more pleasing to the more discerning eye. There was a bottle of cava waiting for us to greet us on arrival (which was nice) and we were also pleased to find quite a few British channels on the TV (including Sky Sports!).
Our apartment (No. 42) was just across the road from the swimming pool, cave bar, restaurant and mini market.  The bus stop was also just outside and was excellent value at just 1 euro to the town centre.
The complex is a good 20 min walk downhill into town which we did once - it's not too taxing but after that we took the bus nonetheless. It is a steep walk back up the hill so we took a taxi which at just 6 euros is a bargain.
There were two adult pools and a child pool in the area near us with a poolside snack bar. You'll need a pool pass to use this area which requires a 20 euro returnable deposit. Sunbeds were 2.50 euros per day but we tended to sit at the snack bar before and after swimming and saved the sunbathing for our private terrace where the four sunbeds were free! A small beer or soft drink was about 1.9 euros and always served with a smile.

The restaurant had a limited menu but the food was served by two highly entertaining and pleasant waiters Jose and Eduardo - they always had a prank for the kids and certainly made the few times we ate there fun. There is a snack menu available during the daytime (burgers, toasted sanwiches, etc) and a more formal menu during the evening. Neither menu is very wide ranging and it's not five star dining but what they do they do well. We ate from both menus and always enjoyed our meals. The restaurant is closed on Tuesdays.
Underneath is the Cave Bar, cool and dark with a 'club' feel without the loud music. They also do snack food but we didn't try it. There's a dart board down there if you like your arrows, and also a TV which had English pictures on when we went in.
The Mini-Market was open Spanish hours - early till late with a break in the afternoon - and was pretty well stocked. Fresh bread, milk and the like, plus other useful things like swimming goggles and souvenirs. There's also a cash machine just outside if you're running short.
What you can't get at the mini market you'll be able to pick up at the Super Sol supermarket which is just five minutes stroll to the right of the compex's main entrance (after the tennis club).
We're pretty sure you can also do things such as hire cars and organise trips from the reception areas (next door to the mini market), although we'd already hired from the airport so we didn't need this facility.

Nerja town itself has a wide variety of bars and restaurants, especially around the Balcon de Europe area. You'll see hawkers with tat for sale but they're not too pushy, and you can't sit for 20 minutes at a pavement restaurant without a musician coming along with a tray to rattle. But if you can put up with that then you'll be fine. Some of them are actually quite good, but don't give all your small change to the first one (like we did!).

Summary: We'd be happy to go back to Capistrano Village as we found it ideal for our kind of holiday. If you want a base to explore the Costa del Sol, Granada, the Sierra Nevada, etc, then this is the place. Perhaps a couple of nights of entertainment on the complex would have been a boost but we're used to making our own so didn't mind this too much.

All in all, we'd say 4 out of 5 and excellent value for money.

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Capistrano Village - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - August 2006

Opinion submitted in August 2006 by : Suzanne Rowell - Jarrow (39, 42, 16, 12)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Poor

My/Our Holiday Opinion:

Nerja town is gorgeous; rather cosmopolitan in ambience which we found to be just what we needed with two young girls on their first holiday in the sun! A set of protective parents felt safe with their children. Eating on the terraces facing the Balcon de Europa was a pleasant experience at any time of the day.  We spent time in the town for lunch, tapas and evening meals; we never had an unpleasant experience. We would recommend a fabulous Italian restaurant called, Roma which overlooks Calahonda beach (left of Balcon), all of the Tapas bars were excellent with a variety of menus (the one in the centre of Calle Picador) was superb and served as an excellent resting place when shopping!  Tuesday is market day and, worth a visit, but the shops in town are just as economical, even though we also found some fabulous designer stores.

Not so pleased with accommodation. Capistrano Village is way out of town, although there is a half hourly bus service (none of the stopping points are clear though) and it took a week for us to comprehend that the buses alternated their direction around the village.  Our apartment was a disappointment...the garden was so overgrown that the sun was blocked from our balcony; furniture was grubby and uncomfortable and we had to have a very squeaky bed replaced as none of us could sleep.  Lots of apartments are owned privately and used by owners and guests for short weekend stays; we found lots of these visitors inconsiderate to holidaymakers like ourselves who were looking for 2 weeks of peace, away from it all!  The pools were not nearly large enough for a village the size of Capistrano; the restaurant didn't live up to its reputation as bragged on its website; and having to have a pass and pay 2.50 euros for a sunbed was outrageous!

Compliments and thanks to Angela, Co-manager of Capistrano Village however, she made our stay a lot easier. As for the Thomson rep....we never knew their name, number or location!?!

Burriana Beach was well looked after and safe with lots of fabulous eating places.  Sunbeds outside of Mondero restaurant were fabulous with the guys getting your drinks for you and repositioning beds no problem. At the far end of Burriana (towards town) their are a flight of steps which lead to a great beach cafe, Carabeo Cafe, worth a visit for apple cake and excellent service.

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Hotel Carabeo - Nerja

Operator and Date: Independant - July 2005

Opinion submitted in Nov 2005 by : Steve & Bev - Wakefield (44,43)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

This was our second stay at the Carabeo and it is a superb hotel with excellent staff.

We booked independantly by calling them, but they also have a website for you to visit and book through. Doing it this way saves you a fortune as you can always get a cheap flight to Malaga and hire a car.

The hotel is on either side of a small road (limited access) with one part being the older main building with stunning sea views and rooms of a more andalcian style. The annex across the road is much more contemporary and decorated to a modern standard. All rooms are spotlessly clean!

The hotel restaurant '34' has fine dining and I believe, a michelin star, an absolute must for at least one meal. We also dined at a restaurant called 'Nido', which was very contemporary and chic with a good, but short menu. The wine is sensibly priced and of good quality.

Speak to the staff in the hotel, they are very helpfull and will point out the better places to visit and eat. We went into the hills behind Frigliana and had some great, if basic, spanish dishes. You must try the meatballs!

Carabeo is in the ideal position, just off the main square at Balcon D'Europa and about a 10 minute walk from Burrianna Beach. It has a lovely garden area and pool in the original building and a well kept garden area for sunbathing at the annex.

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Hotel Carribeo

Operator and Date: july 2006

Opinion submitted in August 2006 by : Charlotte, judith, angela,

Resort Rating: Poor

Accommodation Rating: No rating

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

I would just like to say that the little streets of Nerja are very pictoresque and have lots of lovely little shops to look in.

However, i didnt actually stay in Nerja, I stayed in a villa in Salobrena. We visited Nerja twice during our holiday, and both times incountered a type of abuse towards the horses that pull the traps around the town.

The first time we visited Nerja, we came across a grey horse that was standing, waiting for tourists.. Anyway, as we walked up to it and started stroking it, we noticed a rub on its right shoulder obviously from the tack. the horse was also grinding its teeth, which means it is frustrated. As me and my mum are horse lovers, we wernt going to let this go amiss - so we alerted the driver of the cart and made him look at the wound and he said that he knew about it and had been spraying it.

On the second visit to Nerja, we were still concerned about the horses and thought we would check Balcon d Europa out to see if that same horse was there. We came quite early in the morning, so all the horses were standing in a line waiting for tourists as no1 had come yet. we managed to find the same horse, and we were relieved to see that its wound had healed quite alot.   ...We then went to the rest of the horses and checked them all- they seemed to be alright, maybe a few minor rubs that had healed over but stil had scars - nothing to worry about at that stage..    HOWEVER........

there was a beautiful Andelucian horse at the back of the queue holding it's head high and are first thoughts were of how its posture was and how well it was standing.. but i'm afraid that wasn't the case. The poor horse was holding its head high in the air for one reason - to try and stop the pain from a serious wound on its chest due to a small fitting 'yolk' (the big piece of tack around the horses neck). My mum lifted the tack up and inspected it more closely, the tack was actually stuck to the horses neck as there was puss pouring out of the wound!  we immediately shouted the nearest cart-driver over and asked what on earth was going on, as you would, all he said was 'its a rub. small fitting tack'. (wel obviously...)    a couple of people started walking over wanting to get on the cart, they wondered what we were making a scene about, and they took one look at the wound and walked off, discusted. a few more people kept walking over and agreeing with us about the cruelty, and suffering the horse must go through every day. the horse had numerous cuts to its legs and knees, probably from falling over. also, there was one big cut on the top of its left eye, which wasnt very pleasant either.   We finally found the driver of this particular cart and showed him all of the wounds etc.. he didn't seem to care about it AT ALL! Later on, i saw tht horse trotting down the streets with about 5 people in the cart - u should have seen the poor horse.  it was trying to keep its head held high, but it couldnt as it need the keep its head down to pull the cart. its ears were flat back on to its head, which means that its angry or frustrated in some way.    

That ruined my visit to Nerja as i cannot stand cruelty to animals, especially to horses.

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Casa Margarita - Oasis de Capistrano Apartments

Operator and Date: independent travel

Opinion submitted in September 2006 by : G Alexander, 40,39,8,4

Resort Rating: No rating

Accommodation Rating: Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Can't fault Nerja, have been before. Still have to skip around dog dirt on pavement though!
This apartment is set on decent urbanisation, two pools. Ideal for children.At first the apartment looked welcoming enough but.. 

The one thing they don't advertise about this apartment is it's proximity to the main road. Didn't feel comfortable using the terrace as you were almost eyeball to eyeball with pedestrians and joggers, also noise level from cars was noticeable even with doors and windows shut- not easy in a heatwave!Only private self catering property ever stayed in where there wasn't even a drop of washing up liquid left behind or cleaning materials, cupboards completely bare apart from a 'welcome' loaf of bread and a very sweet bottle of wine which we didn't drink. 

Towels were only changed once during the time we were there with no spares, tried washing them but the humidity meant they were still damp next morning. The double bed was fine if you like a really hard mattress and there was no concessions to the fact we had a toddler with us- had to go and buy a box so he could reach the toilet.Have stayed in better equpped and friendlier owners apartments in Nerja.

Would go back to Oasis de Capistarano apartments but not any on Calle Tetuan as they are right next to the road and certainly not Casa Margarita.

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Casanova Villas - Nerja

Operator and Date: JP Villas (James Perez) - 2004

Opinion submitted in Oct 2004 by : Sally Rose - Stockport (54,43,40,39,39,35,1,69,62)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Below Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Casanova Villas are up a very steep hill, and I mean very steep, which they omitted to tell us.  When I asked why they did not disclose this, they said "All of Nerja is up hills", but it isnt.  We have been to Nerja before and we were not up Mount Everest !.  

The resort is lovely and the majority of restaurants are clean and very reasonably priced, eg. Pinocchio's, La Galeria, the Chinese on Burriana Beach - all very nice.  JP (James Perez Villas) managing agents, were not very helpful.  It took over 4 days to get the electricity sorted, we couldnt cook and use the washing machine at the same time. So when we turned off the washing machine, because we put the toaster on it blew as well!  The sunbeds were broken and not fit for use.  The spiral stairs leading down to the pool, were unsafe as the bottom welds were broken! The patio doors did not lock although the iron bars did!  The third bedroom which we were in, contained the boiler and aparently subsequent drain, which stank!!! Had to keep pouring bleach down it in order to sleep in the room.  When we questioned this they said they would cover up with a piece of card, but never did.  The response time to the faults was unacceptable, but the Manager did not seem bothered.  The microwave broke but they could not come until the next day, but we had great difficulty in cleaning the babies bottles.

We did not let any of the above spoil our holiday, because we are not that type of people.  However, what was a great holiday could have been better if the Villa had been all that it said it was.

We love Nerja and would recommend it to anyone, but please check out the location of the accommodation, as seriously this one could damage your health!

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Condoda Apartments - Nerja

Operator and Date: (MyTravel Direct) My Travel march2004

Opinion submitted in Apr 2004 by : taz devil 39 36 13 10 8 7

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

On arrival I was expecting a nightmare after reading all the prev reports on this site. However I was shocked to find that the apartments were no where as bad as reported I will add however that the cleaning standard was not up to my usaual high standard but a quiet but polite conversation with the reception got things moving as they were not fluent in English it was a great help that I could speak some spainish I recomend talking basic spainish as at this location it will and does help. A phrase that I found very useful was Lo sento pero noes aceptable para me this would normally get the staff to offer help. I would not expect a tourist to our country not to speak a little English so why should we go to Spain and not speak any Spainish. simple manners such as por vorbor and gracias does get result .I found that if you greet the staff in espanol such as bueno dias komo esta hoy would result in a smile and a hello back.

After the cleaners had brought the apartment up to standard and we went out and about we were not disappointed to see that it is the old catlana Spain that I knew in my younger days. When haggerling on prices it is very useful to be able to understand some spainish as you can then tell them in espanol esa muy caro no es possible para me compliar teenaque dar me un reduction if they say no walk away they will soon come after you offering a reduction yes there is a lot of fake goods about but it is the same here .

Yes the appartments are on a main road and you had to have road sense but it is the same here in some towns you take your chance crossing the road here dont you so remember look both ways before crossing then look again.
Did not use pool or beach to busy doing other things so sorry can not comment on them but staff in complex were polite and did try to help but as I said a little basic spainish will help.

If you vist this complex and you have a remarks to make why not post them and we will see if you agree YES I will use this complex again it is cheap and centrally located and I had only ONE HIC CUP.
thanks for reading this .

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Coronado apartments - Nerja

Operator and Date: BMI baby flights privately booked villa

Opinion submitted in February 2007 by : A & C Lewis 24, 24

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Firstly, it is very difficult to get  decent package holiday to Nerja, as many of the hotels are away  from the centre. It is also cheaper to book direct. We would struggle to stay in the same restaurant for the whole 2 weeks if we were on half board so we would see it as a waste of money!

Coronado apartments are in the best location in Nerja - the Parador area in the east side. The west side has the "Tutti Frutti" plaza, very loud and brits abroad, and the Burriana area is much more touristy (and so hilly!) We find the parador area fantastic as it is so close to the old town with traditional tapas bars (try los Cunaos, El Chispa, rincon and Tinaja -a small bar opposite Amys bar in Los Huertos) You can get a cana (small draft beer)or glass of wine and a tapa for ?1.20 and the tapas are local specialities. El Pulguilla on the main road leading to the balcon from Los Huertos is also very good, full of Spaniards, not touristy at all, but friendly staff.

Nerja does get busy, but we have always felt very safe there and the locals are friendly.Do try and learn just a few words of Spanish, they love it!Paradise cocktail bar on burriana does fabulous cocktails, and although you are looking at ?5 a throw, they do very good wine, 250ml glasses for ?1.50 which actually beats many of the local tapas bars. They have a big tv which we watched the football on.

Burriana beach is ok, but Nerja isn't really a brach lovers paradise, don't get me wrong it is clean and safe, but sand is pretty course and the water shelves deeply. We go there for the relaxation, food and culture (the weather helps!)
Joannys in Plaza del Olivido is amazing, good locally produced food (the Rosada is beautiful)and very reasonably priced coffee and brandy.

We have never bothered with a taxi from the airport, get the town bus from outside the airport for ?1, then the bus to Nerja from the Malaga bus station for ?4. They are coaches with air con plenty of space, and the journey is relaxing. We go as a foursome, and we would need 2 taxis to fit all our luggage so are essentially saving?150 per holiday!
We love Nerja because it does retain its local Spanish village charm, just stay in the eastern side of the resort and you can't lose!

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Coronado Calle Los Huertos - Nerja

Operator and Date: Direct - 2006

Opinion submitted in August 2006 by : 50,49,19,14

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Booking direct saved us about £700 on our usual holiday so will be doing this again next year.

Our apartment was ok but could of been better if the owner had spent some time on general maintenance. Thesmall complex was excellent wth a swimming pool which was a decent size (with a lifeguard on duty for 10 hours every day).  There was a garden for sunbathing which was well looked after.
We had a brilliant time in Nerja and would highly recommend it.  We went on 16 July which was just before the town gets really busy.  Our last week was getting very busy in the main square.

The Balcon was where most families seemed to go at night time. A great place to sit outside a bar and people watch.  the horse and carriage ride was good but the train was better value for money and took you around Nerja to places you might not usually see. Nerja is very cosmopolitan with just as many French, German, Belgian as British.  As this is a town there are a lot of Spanish as well which is how it should be!!!
Be warned the Schoool holidays are the busiest times to go.

We did not have a bad meal out the whole of the holiday.
Try Pinochio's for Pasta and Pizzas.
The California Restaurant was nice for burgers and Specials.
Bar Uno for Chocolate Fondue
Just away from the main square you will find the meals are cheaper (although we did not find eating out expensive in any restaurant).
The salmon and prawns very good value.
All that Jazz (?At Burriana Beach)
H20 for drinks and people watching at Burriana Beach.
Try some small Tapas Bars for a taste of authentic Spain.
For a different experience try the Morrocan Tea Rooms (in Carabeo street)and try a fruit pipe (you can get alcoholic ones) not drugs!
Try eating churros (which is like a long hot doughnut) and dipping it into hot chocolate.

Walk around the many winding streets when you will come across hidden away restaurants and shops and locals selling fruit and veg from their front doors.
The beaches are really nice but the shingle gets very hot during the day and the 122 steps down are a little off putting. The water was clean and clear but be careful as it drops away after the first 15 feet.  Most of the time the water is calm.

The caves are well worth a visit.  Not to sure about Frigliana the white village.  It is possible we went at the wrong time of day but it was very hot and a little over rated.
the bus service is very good but if there are a few of you a taxi is a cheap way of getting around.

Try and find a street map in one of the local shops as this can help.

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El Capistrano Village - Nerja

Operator and Date: spain away - 2005

Opinion submitted in Sept 2005 by : the franks clan 43 43 15 14 12

Resort Rating: Average

Accommodation Rating: Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

El capistrano village very nice,pool area  a little on the strict side eg kids are not allowed inflatables or snorkles,and you have to pay to hire sun loungers.

The village is a good walking distance from the beach and town centre,and although we did see street cleaners  we also came across loads of dog dirt on pavements. The best beach was a 5 min drive away at Maro, the only thing we didnt like was all the used fag butts on the sand ,this seems to be a problem in most of the med.Plenty of places to eat ,a few good restaurants were The Cottage, Pinnochios,Cohcranes and Fusion (Burriana beach). Just so that you are aware ,everywhere you go you will come across youngsters on mopeds that will demonstrate their ability to weave in and out of traffic with no concern for the safety of other road users and pedestrians,it can become a nuisance.

We would only go back to this resort if it was cleaned up,and there was stricter rules for moped users.

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El Capistrano - Nerja

Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice April 2004

Opinion submitted in May 2004 by : William Craig - Perth

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Booked this holiday with First Choice through our helpful t/agent.  Had been to Nerja before and looked forward to going back - NOt disappointed Nerja was everything we could remember.  Arrived at Malaga airport and met by FC rep.  Most helpful and along with 3 others going to Nerja wwere allocated a minibus for journey to accomodation.   Arrived at Recept to fins appartment not ready but promised it would be shortly.   Wait for it- FC Rep arrived.  Colin was unbvelieveable, not you usual rep.  This guy fell over backwards to be helpful not just on arrival but for 2 weeks we were there.  Appartment quickly made ready for us and it only had one downfall - the beds otherwise we had accomodation to die for -patio terrace and garden with built in BRQ
Kitchen well equipped but could have done with few more accessories and microwave dishes, but then again with beautiful weather who needs to stay in and cook.  More than enough restaurants and bars to keep everyone fed and watered.  Particularly found food in The Gallery extremly good and terriffic value Meal of the day for under 8 Euros and plentiful.
Nerja is growing but still quaintly Spanish.

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Holiday Club Nerja - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thompson May 2005

Opinion submitted in May 2005 by : Cheryl & Chris - Lancashire

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Below Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

What can we say about this hotel?

On the plus side:

Staff are friendly, rooms are basic but clean and the pool area, though small, was pleasant.

Negative:

Food was diabolical,we booked half board, and soon wished we hadn't.
Our dog eats better!
We ate out for 5 of our 7 days stay.

We complained to the rep, who cheerfully told us that she didn't eat there.
We suggested that she try it,and report her findings to Thompsons.
We wonder if she did, and what,if anything Thompsons are going to do to bring about improvements.

Just in case you think we are being "picky", I can assure you that we were not the only people who complained about the standard of food served.

Nerja is a beautiful place. The hotel was quite a way from the beaches, bars and reasturants. All downhill, it's a pleasant 20 minutes walk.
Taxis, which cost 5 euros, are advisable on the way back to the hotel, especially if you're not young, fit and active, because the uphill walk back is quite a slog.

This is one hotel we won't be using again.

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Holiday Village - Nerja

Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice - May 2006

Opinion submitted in May 2006 by : 64 ,12

Resort Rating: Below Average

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

First time A.I. and was definately impressed. I was disappointed on arrival to find we could not get into our room until 3pm but we were able to use all facilities so time passed quickly. Also I had requested a pool view which I did not get but hey you can't have everything, and the apartment made up for disappointment. Although we overlooked the railway line they did not make enough noise to disturb us. The same cannot be said for the donkeys on the hillside who loved to bray at regular intervals through the night.

The apartment was great for just the 2 of us the 2 beds in bedroom were oversized singles (pull out in lounge for 2 more if necessary). The kitchen was perfect for A.I. but would not have been equipped enough for S.C. The bathroom was amazing with 2 showers & 2 hand basins plus bath.
Beach towels are available free of charge -15e. deposit(returnable) change as often as you like.
Dinner is buffet style - plenty of variety
Lunch is served buffet style in Beach Club but I found this a bit of a trek as the access to it is over a spiral bridge(very uphill) so we had snacks at the hotel poolside bar- hot dogs, burgers, chips etc.
Plenty of clubs, entertainment for kids,etc also the reps organised things poolside morning and afternoon.

Evening entertainment pretty much par for the course and held in the Malaka Bar which is really not big enough for the purpose, but as the evenings get warmer it is held outside which will be better as the Malaka Bar has huge pillars which seriously restrict the view.

A word of warning if you are a smoker take some cigs with you as you will not be able to buy them at the airport (E.U.country) and the only way to buy them in the hotel is single packs from machine. I had to get a taxi into Benalmadena to find a Tabac which cost me 10e. each way.

All in all a great holiday with fantastic facilities my grandaughter says the best ever!!

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Hotel Jimesol - Nerja

Operator and Date: Flyglobespan - June 2007

Opinion submitted in June 2007 by : Caz and Al - Edinburgh (40's)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Hotel quite old but very clean, fresh towels and room cleaned daily, buffet breakfast had everything you could need,rooftop pool waste of time I've had bigger baths, building work going on nearby but I'm an early riser so didn't bother me too much. Nice beach 5 mins away not a lot of sunbeds but these can be reserved, old town really lovely with abundant bars and restaurants, I tried quite a few and have no complaints about any of them, Round Bar in old town supplies free tapas with every drink, great to sit there and watch the world go by, staff and service everywhere fantastic, 

I would recommend this resort (didn't see a sinlge football top) but if I return I would spend more to get a different hotel with nicer pool.

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Hotel Jimesol - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Airtours Direct) Airtours Oct 2004

Opinion submitted in Oct 2004 by : Gill and Terry (39, 38)

Resort Rating: Average

Accommodation Rating: Poor

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

we arrived at the Jimassol in the early hours and it looked like quite a decent place until we got to the room, it was like a matchbox no balcony and the view was of a wall, the room was just as dark with the curtains open as it was when they were closed.

We thought we would make the most of a bad situation til we experienced the food which was terrible, the breakfast was swimming in grease, the cutlery was dirty (when there was cutlery)and they ran out of hot water for tea one morning.  We had to ask for the food to be replenished on many occassions.  Most of the people who arrived on the same day as us asked for a transfer.

Then we decided to visit the pool how they can call it a pool is beyone me it's like a big jacuzzi and when people tried to swim the sunbathers underneath got soaked!

How this hotel ever got a three star rating is beyond me I wouldn't even give it a 2 star.  We were moved on our third day after comlaining a couple of times and had a fantastic holiday in the Castle Beach in Fuengirola which is proper three star accomodation.  My advice don't go to this hotel and be very careful when booking allocation on arrival we had to pay 56 euros to be moved (money well spent though).

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Hotel Jimesol - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Airtours Direct) Airtours - May 2004

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We found the hotel to be basic but more than adequate for a bargain break away. The rooms were clean, the staff were very friendly, the food was the typical 3* hotel food - no better or no worse!!!

While we were there there were plenty of work being done to improve the look of the hotel (nothing that would affect anyones stay though..)

The roof terrace was great for those who don't like the beach. The bar served great reasonably priced food at dinnertimes.

If possible try and get a room with a balcony though as we did hear a lot of people complaingin about theie dark rooms!!

Nerja as a resort is great loads of lovely places to eat,drink & shop not your Blackpool in the sun like a lot of the spanish resorts nowadays!!

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Hotel Jimesol - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Airtours Direct) Airtours - Feb 2004

Opinion submitted in Mar 2004 by : Debbie, Tim & Emma (34, 37, 5)

Resort Rating: Below Average

Accommodation Rating: Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Having been to this hotel before, it was a real disappointment when we arrived in the hotel.  The room was adequate and clean, although overlooked the road.  The food was limited and obviously reheated the following day in a sauce etc.  The most disappointing aspect was the inability to provide a breakfast on the departure day, given we had a child and a diabetic on board, this was not the best end to the holiday.  The transfer to the airport was unaccompanied and no rep was at the airport to advise of Departure Date.  I now know why they have renamed Airtours to MyTravel - you have to do everything yourself!!  We would not go back to Nerja again, the resort was not as clean or inviting as it had been 3 years previous.  Dead cats/rats on the burriana beach, did not make for a welcoming sight! 

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Hotel Jimesol - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Airtours Direct) Airtours - February 2004

Opinion submitted in Feb 2004 by : Chris - Edinburgh (32,38)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

The hotel was satisfactory considering it was a budget break.  The food is sometimes bland and presentation could be improved, but (apart from some pork steaks one night) was edible.   

Staff were friendly and helpful, and spoke good English but we made the effort to speak some Spanish for rapport.

The leather sofa's in the lounge are comfy but the decor (and reading materials) is a bit dated.

I would recommend a room at the back of the hotel with a balcony as the road to the front is noisy (however, beware there may be excited revellers on a Saturday night walking through the car park).  There's a good view of the mountains from there as well.

A 2 star rating is probaby more appropriate.  Nerja has all you would want to avoid the high-rise superficiality of other Costa del Sol resorts.  Especially recommended are the village of Frigiliana, and trips to the beaches just east of Maro and the Nerja caves.

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La Hacienda - Nerja

Operator and Date: Private Bookiing -Sept 2006

Opinion submitted in October 2006 by : Michael 56-Gail 48 Plymouth.

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Poor

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

This is our 4th time to Nerja the resort is fantastic ie the food the beaches the people but this was the worst accommodation we have ever stayed in we stayed at number 29 we had to wash the floors with disinfectant to remove the musty smell then remove the cockroaches the bathmat which we thought was black in colour after washing found it to be pale blue and orange and it was only on the last 2 days of our 2 week stay that the shower worked properly due to low water pressure we will certainly go back to Nerja but will never stay at La Hacienda again

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Las Rosas de Capistrano - Nerja

Operator and Date: Independent Aug 2006

Opinion submitted in August 2006 by : Rob and Heather 50 ish

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

2 separate complexes of apts,opposite one another, both with lovely pools, only the one with sun beds and a pool bar. I understand they are all slightly different, ours had an arch into bedroom with a curtain and no window but fan provided, full bathroom, also no window and large living space. Full kitchen with fridge freezer and oven but no kettle or English style toaster and no grill. Fantastic terrace with furniture and BBQ provided and with lockable gate too.

Supermarket with fresh meat and fish almost next door and several perfectly good eateries near - 3 minute walk, especially the Italian one. Town is a hike - Burriana Beach about 15-20 mins downhill, town another 10 minutes; both with lots of gourmet choice but either way a serious trek back up a steep hill and it was well over mid 30's for the whole of our week! Free parking but don't risk even one drink! Beaches darkish sand and quite a swell-not ideal for little ones I would say. English management helpful. Caves and Frigiliana worth a visit and very near. No cleaning or maid service in a week, one change of towels.

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Las Rosas Apartments - Nerja

Operator and Date: Nerja Summers May 2004

Opinion submitted in May 2004 by : Diane, Malcolm - Loughborough (43, 45, 14, 12)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We booked our holiday over the phone through a private advert in our local paper.  We got an excellent personal service, although we did have to ring Spain for the initial contact.  They arranged taxi transfers at a very reasonable rate and our welcome pack, because we arrived on a late flight.  

The apartment had recently been refurbished, so was very clean.  We had a ground floor apartment and had use of two pools and a childrens pool set in very lush gardens.  The poolside bar which is not mentioned in tour operator brochures, gave an excellent service at reasonable prices.  Only problem was, walk back from beach, although close, it is uphill.  The main Burriana beach excellent choice for Fish Restaurants, must try the paella on beach front.  Nerja town had huge choice of restaurants and bars to suit all ages.  

There's plenty of interesting place to visit nearby, The Caves, Frigiliana (white washed hillside village) and Granada is only 1 1/2 hours away.  We hired a car for couple of days and found some fantastic quiet beaches nearby.  

Will definitly go there again and would recommend it to anybody else. 

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Hostal Lorca Calle Mendez Nunez - Nerja

Operator and Date: personally  via internet   January 2005

Opinion submitted in Mar 2005 by : Mary Galway  Northern Ireland

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Hostal Lorca(www  hostallorca  com) is more like a B & B which suited us fine, they do breakfast if required but there is a bakery round the corner who do a delicious breakfast of coffee, toast and fresh orange juice for 2 euro.  Rick and Femma who own the hostal are lovely and will give you plenty of tips for walking in the hills, where to get a good meal for a good price and a basic low down on Nerja itself.  

The rooms are spotless and cleaned everyday.  The place is absolutely beautiful, the views from the Balcon de Europa are breathtaking.  The people are unbelievably, genuinely friendly and the restaurants all seem to serve really good food at reasonable prices.  A favourite of ours was 'Esquina Paulina'(www  esquinapaulina  com) on Calle Cristo, also close by and Italian restaurant called 'Holiday'
El Molino is also worth a visit for some awesome  spanish guitar music.  For a quiet drink and some tasty tapas try 'La Fuente' which is located on the edge of a roundabout just close to Hostal Lorca, Miguel and his wife are very friendly and attentive and seem to remember all their past visitors.

This was our first visit to Nerja and will definitely not be our last, we were there from 1/1/05 to 8/1/05 and the celebrations on the 5th January for 'the three kings' is a sight to behold, the children clamber to catch the sweets being thrown from the very decorative floats carrying the three kings, which make there way down to the chapel at the Balcon where you will find a real baby boy asleep in the crib..  

Los Arcos Hotel - Nerja

Operator and Date: internet August 2005

Opinion submitted in Sept 2005 by : Hazel Graham 46 49 17 10 9 7

Resort Rating: Average

Accommodation Rating: Below Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We have just had the misfortune of staying at the Los Arcos Hotel!

The Hotel is 3 months old very clean. The rooms ample size and a maid service daily. The restaurant open to non guests has very good food......However

The Hotel is run by 3 brothers who have no idea what the hospitality business is all about...The Hotel lacks atmosphere except for a bad one  nobody laughs smiles or says hello even to the children! We felt as if we had to sneak round the place....on holiday!

We were made to feel like English trash I run my own business and my friends husband (who was not with us has his own business)We are normal people who like the a drink round the pool and a few  laughs, our children are well behaved girls and are not allowed to run riot or be too noisey.......
We are normal holiday makers who work hard all year round to have a nice holiday.......But not at Los Arcos we were told by one of the Brothers that the Hotel was full but the other guests would not sit round the pool because of us! We were not the type of English they wanted!

The next day at breakfast I was the only person there, I asked the waitress were where all the guests sleeping? no she said only 5 rooms occupied and we had 3 of them!
So why was my friend on the 2nd floor with 2 children and me on the 1st floor with my daughter, not once could we sit on the Balcony and have a chat together, because after along day the children by 11pm were tired and wanted to go to bed, we couldn't leave them on there own so we had to go to our respective rooms, we never got a break even for a couple of hours on the balcony......And why was my sister told they were fully booked and only the most expensive room was availible! for her daughter and her friend both A.Level students who were definately not wanted....after they had paid top rates!

And it was not just us the day before we were leaving an English couple arrived, we had a chat to them about what had been happening and they told us that they had telephoned and e.mailed the Hotel to tell them they would arrive at 4am.........They had to hammer on the door to get in only to be told by one of the brothers that they had woken him up! Welcome to the Los Arcos it's Faulty Towers with out the laughs because that's noisey......Nerja is a small resort so called Costa Del Sols hidden treasure we think it should be buried.......

I am trying to be fair but the Brothers grim spoilt our holiday and left us feeling not wanted so it's hard to be posotive about anything.....we were glad to go home!

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Los Christianos - Nerja

Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice - 2004

Opinion submitted in Feb 2005 by : laura roberts coventry  (17)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Well where do i start...
When we first got to nerja i thought WOW the weather was so hot it was brilliant.
We got to the apartments and got our keys, when we opened the door it was like stepping into a massive villa it was amazing (when im older im thinking of buying one)
More to the point the beach was amazing really soft to the touch, well i must say girls if your looking for some nice lads nerja is the place to go hehe!

The ffod is outstanding especially the beans on toast at rocky's bar (you cant beat the english breakfst)We also visited the caves de nerja which personally i thought was boring but my parents enjoyed it.

Overall though the holiday was excellent and i would love to go back sometime.

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Los Jarales Apartments - Nerja

Operator and Date: Andalucian Travel - June 2004

Opinion submitted in July 2004 by : Liz Patching - Rotherham (51, 39, 11, 9)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Apartments were of a good standard with washing machine, dishwasher etc although as they are all privately owned, some have better standard of decor than others.  We had a very large roof terrace which, although very good for sunbathing, had been neglected and was grubby.  Nice pool in  pleasant small gardens but located next to the road so quite noisy.  No room for sunbeds so had to sunbathe on grass!

Nerja is a lovely town with lots of nice restaurants and shops. 

The reviewer staying at Stella maris apartments must have been staying in a different part of Nerja than all the rest of us as he described it as a high-rise city full of traffic.  It is actually mostly pedestrianised with cobbled streets!!

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Marinas de Nerja - Nerja

Operator and Date: Abbey Travel September 2006

Opinion submitted in October 2006 by : Seamus, Clare, Ber, Sharon, Mark - Ireland (50, 46, 29, 28, 10months)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We booked a two bedroom apartment so that we could help out with our 10 month old Grandson.The apartment was lovely,our daughter and son-in-law took the twin room as there wasn't enough room in the double room for the travel cot we were provided with.

We had a side sea view, this was only marred by the fact that looking straight down the view was of a dumping ground,there appeared to be a lot of old hotel equipment there along with old cars and general junk, while this did not spoil our holiday, if it is owned by the hotel, it would be nice if they cleaned it up.

We booked B&B as we like to go out in the evening.Breakfast was fine, typical of any european hotel and plenty of highchairs,we usually went down for breakfast at 10,no problem getting a table or food.Staff always friendly and helpful,no matter what time of day or night.The bar at night is non smoking you can smoke on the terrace outside.

The pool was freezing, I normally take at least one swim a day, but after one dip in the pool, I vowed never to get back in.Plenty of sunbeds, no charge,but no cushions,as far as I could determine, the people who used the sunbeds on the grassy area in front of the hotel, nabbed them and kept them in their apartments even though those sunbeds were softer (mesh)and didn't require them, while those of us on the harder sunbeds by the pool had to do without.

You can hire beach towels for a refundable deposit of 10 euro which our brochure never mentioned,but it saves dragging towels there and back.The water in the pools was tested on a regular basis,first time I've actually seen this done in a hotel.If you want to use the beach,bring swim shoes or plastic flip-flops as it can be a little hard on the feet,I walked on a stone and had a bruise for a week.We got a taxi into town every night, it cost 5 euro for 4 of us and baby, the bus is 1 euro per person,we didn't even attempt to walk in along the beach, it seemed too far especially with a buggy, taxi drivers always courteous,holding doors open and taking out buggy.

Nerja is fantastic,all the little streets off the the Balcon are paved and pedestrianised.Fantastic shops,none of that tacky touristy rubbish.We visited some lovely restaurants, Bella Roma,which has been mentioned before but you need to be patient,we waited an hour for our starter,but our main course was quicker.The food was fabulous and only cost 89 euro for 4 starters 4 main 2 dessert 4 coffees 2 bottles of wine 2 beer,I'm not surprised there was a queue waiting to get in.In saying that we didn't have one bad meal in Nerja and all our meals were only about 25 euro a head including drinks.The Indian restaurant Haveli was lovely,the same for the PacoMari and the Antica Roma apart from the grumpy waiter as mentioned in another review.We left the El Candil for the last night, unfortunately it was closed for a 2 day staff holiday(strange for a friday and saturday night).

Finally, no trip to Nerja would be complete without a visit to the beautiful hillside village of Frigiliana (12 euro by taxi)a very enjoyable day.I always say I will never visit the same holiday destination twice,because there are too many places in the world to see, but hopefully we are coming back here next year because We so loved it so much.

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Marinas de Nerja - Nerja

Operator and Date: Saga Holidays - May 2006

Opinion submitted in October 2006 by : J Hickman - Shropshire (65, 62, 60, 58, 57)

Resort Rating: Good

Accommodation Rating: Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Having booked with Saga Holidays we expected few children to be staying at the hotel.  Sadly, this was not the case and these children were not catered for which resulted in chaos in the restaurant, bar,  pool and beach area.
Frequently had to queue for the restaurant and quite often our party could not be seated together.  As one of our party had special needs, this created major problems.
Food was more often than not lukewarm to cold, very little choice and often not good quality.
Long queues also for the bar and entertainment was repetitive and mediocre, in fact quite boring sometimes.
Rooms, once we were allocated more suitable ones than those we were given on arrival, were very good but still did not cater properly for our special needs member.
Nerja and surrounding areas are very nice and we often strolled along the walkway or took the excellent bus service into Nerja.
Staff at the hotel were very friendly and helpful where they could be.
Our two resort Reps could not have been nicer, friendlier or more helpful with the problems we were having.
Would go back to this area but definitely not to this hotel.  Shame, as it's a beautiful one but does need to make some changes to the running of it.

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Marinas de Nerja - Nerja

Operator and Date: SAGA     November 2005

Opinion submitted in Dec 2005 by : Alan-  leicestershire (67)

Resort Rating: Average

Accommodation Rating: Below Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

This was an all inclusive holiday with SAGA Holidays. It is SAGA's first season in this hotel and there are a number of teething problems related to SAGA clients.i.e elderly and British.

The hotel itself is very clean and the rooms are spotless although the cleaning of rooms is not always very thorough and bedding was only changed once in two weeks.There was only one hotel bar/lounge in the hotel and this was very smoke laden and the entertainment each evening consisted of two singers who turned their amplifiers full blast and consequently any normal conversation was impossible. The all-inclusive drinks were acceptable and the staff were pleasant and effecient.

At weekends the hotel is invaded by Spanish families whose children are allowed to run amok in all public places,shouting and screaming whilst their parents on the whole ignore them.
SAGA guests also had the use of an annex lounge with refreshments, a library and wide sceen TV, but this lounge is hard to find and very dark and cold at nights in November.

The worst feature of this hotel,however was the food. It was for 12 of the 14 days holiday almost inedible and complaints were frequent and strong. Plates as well as food were often cold and vegetables were tinned,uncooked and cold. Meat was tough;even roast chicken, or recycled from the previous day or days and disguised in a variety of sauces. For one Sunday evening meal beafburgers and chips were the only edible item. The food was recycled and reconstituted continously and overall just plain bad. The worst I had ever experienced ever thoughout the world. Many guests ended up eating out. Complaints to either SAGA reps or management did not really produce any changes although some guests did comment that there was a slight improvement after 12 days....too late for most. The manager was new and anxious to make improvements but he admitted that the culture of SAGA guests was very new to him.

I could not recommend this hotel to any elderly visitors.

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Marinas de Nerja - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomas Cook Direct) JMC - August 2005

Opinion submitted in Aug 2005 by : Wendy - Bolton 70, 65, 42, 12

Resort Rating: Good

Accommodation Rating: Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

The hotel building and location is superb its right on the beach and everything is spotless - we were placed in a 1 bed apartment even though we had booked and paid for a 2 bed the hotel had over booked the rooms and we were unable to move for two days its not easy sleeping on a sofa bed with your 12 year old son.  If you are thinking of upgrading to all-inclusive dont bother as this is not any ordinary all-inclusive hotel.  We have been to three in the past and that was why we chose this option it is basically breakfast/dinner and evening meal with drinks there are no snacks at all during the day or evening and children are only allowed ice cream between 3pm and 5 pm you have to book your evening meal in advance and you have to go at the alloacted time every evening and sit at your allocated table.  Even though you have to wear a band for all-inclusive you still have to produce a card and sign for every meal and drink you have if you forget the card you will not be served. 

The hotel is pretty isolated but it is a lovely walk on the sea front to the town of Nerja.  On our last day we did not leave the hotel until 4.30pm and we were refused our lunch until JMC stepped in we were also told that we could not have any further drinks as our all-inclusive had now finished.  The JMC rep was brilliant and she was pretty disgusted at our treatment.

I would not recommend this hotel as an all-inclusive option and definetly not for families there is no entertainment for children only for the younger ones and if they speak Spanish as the majority of people here were Spanish.  I feel like we have been to a boot camp for a week as the hotel is so regimented in its ways with no compromise at all

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Marinas de Nerja - Nerja

Operator and Date: Wintersunshineholidays - March 2005

Opinion submitted in Aug 2005 by : Lisa - Mirfield (36, 34, 14, 5, 4)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

I have stayed in this hotel twice, last November 2004 with girlfriends and March 2005 with my family.  Marina de Nerja is an excellent hotel.  It has a lovely large pool area with lots of loungers, lovely pool bar, the pool itself is large and clean, there is also a child's pool.  The hotel is situated right on the beach but the beach isn't up to much. 

Marina de Nerja is situated about a mile from Nerja centre so if you have young children it is quite a walk but a taxi will cost you 5 euros.  Nerja is a lovely place to take a family but as it was low season didn't see many clubs/discos.  Lots of places to eat and drink but in November lots of bars etc shut up.

Would definately go back to this hotel as the staff were very friendly and the rooms were very pleasant.

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Marinas de Nerja - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Direct Holidays) Direct Holidays - October 2004

Opinion submitted in Oct 2004 by : Gill, Mark, Jon, Sue and little Poppy - all late 30/early 40's except Poppy who is 3

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We booked for only a week as a pick up after a miserable wet main UK holiday. The booking was last minute and we picked self catering so we weren't tied to the hotel - however having tried the food there on the first night it was so good we didnt eat anywhere else so perhaps should have booked half board.

The hotel was incredibly clean and the facilities were very good.  Even in October the sea was warm and clear but some swimming shoes were needed to get over the pebbles.

We had a couple of shopping trips to Nerja and spent some time at the Balcon de Europa which had a lovely vibe to it.  Would certainly re-visit and recommend the resort/hotel.

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Marinas de Nerja - Nerja

Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice - Sept 2004

Opinion submitted in Sept 2004 by : Paula & Glen (34,29)

Resort Rating: Average

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Stayed here for 4 nights 16th Sept 2004.
We booked our flight separately from the hotel, so the 65 Euro taxi transfare to get from Malaga was a bit of a shock!

Can't really fault this hotel. It was immaculately clean, staff were extremely polite, helpful and always smiling. We went all inclusive - no problems with waiting for drinks at bars etc (as I had read on previous reviews). All inclusive drinks are highlighed on the bar menus with a blue bird symbol,and to be honest, there was a symbol against virtually everything - which was great! Food was the ususal choice of hot and cold foods, always a good choice and well presented.

No problems at all with how much you could drink or eat.  Our room was fab ... studio for 3 people - really spacious, contemporary and had a side sea view.

We walked into Nerja along the beach a couple of times (aprox 15 mins). Hotel is set rigght on the beach but the beach was very disappointing, grey shingle/pebbles, and although Nerja centre was very small, yet pretty and traditional, we found it a bit too quiet. However, we spotted lots of apartments and hotels under construction just outside the centre, so if you want to visit a quaint, sleepy, traditional spanish resort - go sooner rather than later.

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Marinas de Nerja - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomas Cook Direct) Thomas Cook - July 2004

Opinion submitted in Aug 2004 by : 49, 47, 15

Resort Rating: Good

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion:

We booked Rio Marinas (next door), but because of 'overbooking' we got Marinas de Nerja for the same price. Not a bad deal: Marinas de Nerja is bigger, four stars, recently redecorated (not at all ready in the apartments; we got a new fridge while there); Rio Marinas is smaller, looks acceptable, but all the same a bit 'run down'; it has a small swimming pool, the pool at Marinas de N. is bigger and you've got direct access tot the beach.

We booked breakfast only, not a bad choice: the breakfast was high quality, but one meal in the hotel was (for us at least) enough. In the evening we took the bus to Nerja and back (1 euro per person, bus service service twice an hour, you can get back with the last bus at 22.45h!).

Nerja is a nice town: not a small village really; a big city, but with a relatively old and pleasing center.

Lots of restaurants in Nerja! We read all the other reviews en tried some of the restaurants (favourably) mentioned. Beacuse of that we had a meal at 'El Candil' (not far from the Balcon): nice food indeed, but a little bit too international/English for our tastes (we're Dutch, so that may be the reason we dont't want to eat Yorkshire pudding while in Spain, with temperatures around 25 degrees C in the evening).

We also had a meal at the pizzeria across the street of 'El Candil', 'Bella Roma': just like Italy; friendly service, very good pizza and wine! The other pizzeria where we did have a meal (Antica Roma, C/. Carabeo) had a nice view on the Balcon; the food was so-so en de waiter grumpy!

The Mexican Restaurant 'Cielito Lindo' (C\. El Barrio) is perhaps a litte bit too expensive, but quite good!

You have to look out for restaurants with Spanish food: we ate paella in the restaurant Pacomari (C/ La Gloria): very nice; the other courses where fine too (jamon serrano etc.); it was the only restaurant we ate twice (a menu for 7,80 Euros, no disappointments!).

You shouldn't go to Nerja (and the Marinas de Nerja) with teenagers that want to visit fancy disco's etc. at night. Around midnight everyone in Nerja seems to go to bed; around midnight the bar in the hotel closes also.

Things to do and to see: the Cuevas the Nerja (closed between 14.00 and 16.00!!!) were interesting, but we've seen the same (Belgium, Monaco, etc.) and better (Lascaux, Dordogne, France!). The small town of Frigiliana was quite white and interesting.

You really should go to Granada and the Alhambra!!!! It takes about 1,5 hours to get there (with a hired car). We booked and paid our tickets before travelling to Spain, via the internet; everything went just fine!: you can visit the Alhambra at the day and time you want, and you don't run the risk that the tickets for that day are sold to tour operators etc.).

All in all: a nice hotel in a nice town in nice (if hot) Andalucia!

Fam.B., Netherlands.

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Marinas de Nerja - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Direct Holidays) Direct Holidays - 2004

Opinion submitted in Sept 2004 by : Rachel Old- Sunderland (13,12,38,40)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion:

I went on holiday to Nerja with my best friend,after reading the reviews i was a little anxious because Marinas de Nerja didnt sound as great as some of the others, we got there at 3 o clock in the morning and I was really surprised, the main reception was immaculate and the rooms were adequate, spotlessly cleaned and practical, because we were all inclusive we were rarely in the room through the day. 

When we arrived there was food and drinks in the dining room waiting for us, there was a wide variety considering it was half past 3 in the morning. The actual meals in the hotel were great there was a huge buffet to choose from and it was something different every day ! 

The pool was a great bonus it was huge in comparison to some of the other hotels around the same area. Also,it was 1 minuite away from the beach. The sand was a bit grey and pebbly but it wasnt as bad as I imagined. The great thing about this holiday was I made loads of friends who were Spanish because this ApartHotel is one of many where spanish people go for their holidays. There was a slight restriction because of the language barrier but me and my English friends had fun using our hand gestures for every word in the English dictionary.

The centre of Nerja was lovely there was lots to do and lots of places to go ! Overall,  it was a great holiday and I would most definetly go back with my own family.

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Marinas de Nerja - Nerja

Operator and Date: (JMC Discounts) JMC - Date Not Specified

Opinion submitted in July 2004 by : ANTHONY,CATHY,SUE,ANNIE(39,36,35,2)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion:

This was my 2nd visit to nerja as i thoght it was so nice the 1st time.the 1st time i stayed in nerja i was right in the centre and was just perfect.marinas de nerja is a good 20 minute walk along the beach road to the centre or 40 minute walk along the the main road(5 mins in a taxi = 5 euros)to the centre.

the hotel itself is very well presented,clean,very polite staff all speaking very good english.we stayed in a self catering apartment which had all we needed,we still had the use,if we wanted to,too use the all inc; restaurant the price was about 12 euros each per meal(drinks not included).the pool area was very clean well kept.

now the down side,,,it took on average 15 minutes to get served at the poolside bar for a drink which closed at 6p.m.this normally had 2 or 3 staff manning it,however at night things got much worse in the "entertainment" bar,service here was dreadfull taking anything upto 40 minutes as only 1 member of staff worked behind the bar."entertainment" was also poor both in the day and night.

overall the hotel is excellent but the last 2 points lets it down,i`m glad i went self catering + not all inc; as i think you need to get away from the hotel in the evening time to see the wonderfull town of nerja,not 1 bad meal in the 2 weeks spent here,i`m back in october but sadly not this hotel.

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Hotel Mediterraneo - Nerja

Operator and Date: self booked july 2007

Opinion submitted in July 2007 by : Paul - Glasgow 42,41,41,40,7

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

after trying a crash course in Spanish we were all set as we had booked the lot ourselves. Getting on the wrong bus at the airport and ending up in Marbella 100 miles approx from Neja was not the best start. (My friend really has to remember to ask if bus is going to malaga before buying tickets)

On arrival (finally) my wife and son were pleasantly surprised by our room. We upgraded to a studio with balcony. Very spacious.Our friends who paid more to upgrade to a 1 bedroom with balcony were less happy but that is for them to advise you.
Still they were clean, maids came as promised and there was free TV -including late night prn if that is for you. And the beach was only a 100meter walk away.

I know people commented on friendliness of staff etc but we always find engaging in conversation from the off helps. On that score Jose the chief barman was superb. Coldest and best pint of San Mig ever!
This was our 3rd time in nerja and it was as lovely and relaxing as ever.
Well when my mate Scott runs into the sea on day two and forgets that the rocks are, er, made of rock and goes onto break 2 toes the pace definatley dropped to relaxing!!!

What of nerja? Situated on a backdrop of mountains that i can only compare with my own highlands the views are wonderful. So many bars etc and you should try and go spanish and appreciate the friendliness of the locals and the free tapas.
Cost of food and drink well down on UK prices with some places giving you a large beer for 2euro that includes a tapa.
Tutti frutti square for the younger set (sadly not us now) being done up so will look good later in the season.
Nerja despit having a large population of resident Brits still retains a Spanish charm. If you are looking for this then look no further. If you want Benidorm mayhem then head right after Malaga airport.

Places to mention? Too many but old friends and new deserve one so Bull Ring up in El Zoco(Karen &Kim,) Bar Feliz near market place (Rich and Iain) and bar casitta (Thomas) near the balcon should be visited.
Aye, and okay i will mention Sleinte bar across from Rui despite mark being a Celtic fan and me a rangers man!!!
And if you wish to see the most beautifully designed bar you will ever likely to see then go to The newly opened Buddha bar.
I didnt try the beer and food but the look of the place...  

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Hotel Mediterraneo - Nerja

Operator and Date: EASYJET JAN2007

Opinion submitted in February 2007 by : Don McMillan

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Took a short break in Nerja with the good lady "Jan07" did the self catering thing at the Mediterranio appartments, the accomodation was both clean and basic, with bedding and towel changes twice in the week, sufficient and reliable. Down side to the appartments were the social facilities, the bar was rarely open as so the restaurant and the TV room was out of use for five of the seven days, not that we went to watch Corrie or Eastenders, but the option to watch a bit of TV would have been good. The swimming pool is more of a plunge pool in all honesty Approx 3Mtr*2Mtrs and not one for young kids to be around themselves as its deceptively deep. Excuse the negatives as there are lots of good points to the resort that merit a visit, we dined at the following and heres how they rate to my pallet. Sunday/ The Gallery, try the duck, a real treat and the prices were good at appro 30 Euros for the two of us that included a couple of glasses of house wine.

Monday/ Pinnochios, Feeling optomistic and went for the Sole, the good lady had the Pink Hake, not being much of a fish lover i can only say what a pleasure to discover fish at its best, again great value at 40 Euros including a bottle of house wine.

Tuesday/ went for Tapas at the balcon de Europa, found a small tapas bar opposite the Chapel the average tapas was 1.80Euro, we indulged in six different ones and a nice bottle of red for the great price of 28 Euros, the food was excellent and the service fist class, well worth a visis at lunch time also.
Wednesday/ Bar Okey "small irish bar" with four tables and possibly the best steak in Spain, 12oz Irish prime, what a taste,the wife went for the grilled chicken and loved it, Steve and Audrey could fill the bar 10 times over with the food they serve, special mention on the home cooked chips, first class, magic. Price at 40Euros great value.
Thursday, New Orleans Cafe, as the name suggests American run diner, the most expensive meal of the week and worth every cent, I had the meat loaf with white trash gravy, yes thats the name of the gravy, the meat loaf answered all my questions as to why americans rave about the afore mentioned, the wife had the southern fried chicken and raved about it afterwards. The service was relaxed and welcomming and we sat for an age over coffee, never to be rushed by the owners, a great night out if you like to eat well.Cost 52 Euros

Friday/ did the whole day in Malaga and had dinner at a local diner next to the appartment.
Saturday/ went back to Pinnochios and had another excellent meal, consisting of chicken and pork.
other than eating we visited the outlying villages and the caves of Nerja, truly worth a visit, to say they are spectacular is no over estimate.

All in all, we went for the option of self catering and eat out each night, there are numerous restaurants that were not open at this time of the year, though the ones i dropped into this report are in my opinion and that of the wife , well worth a visit.

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Hotel Mediterraneo - Nerja

Operator and Date: Jazz travel sept 2006

Opinion submitted in January 2007 by : Stuart and Gill Foster 53 54 rochdale

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

My wife and I wanted to see the spanish spain and not Blackpool with sun, the resort was quiet and had no drunks or idiots running around. No loud music from pubs only background music from resteraunts. The hotel was clean and central for the beach,market and the start of the resteraunts. It was only a short walk/stroll to the centre and the Balcon de Europe, we ate out every morning and night (try the mixed grill at the california and a litre of sangria). The food was generally very good and only had a jippy tum after a piaella, no problems with flies or dogs, and the people were polite and helpfull, The days were hot but the sea was freezing, to be honest a week was long enough to see the caves,frigliana and malaga but if you want a restfull time then two weeks would be fine. 

All in all we were not dissapointed with nerja the views and mountains are stunning.

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Apartments Mediterraneo - Nerja

Operator and Date: Self-booked, online -May 2006

Opinion submitted in May 2006 by : Rodger (55,56)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Just got back today from Nerja, having stayed the week in the Mediterraneo Apartments (easy to confuse in online searches with similar named properties in other nearby locations) so this review is nothing if not fresh!

Paid less than Pounds Sterling£83 for a week through holidaynights  co for a self-catering apartment - this seemed both excellent value and pretty cheap to us, I cannot tell what period the earlier reviewer had there, probably one night.

We did find it an excellent base for a weeks' stay, but then we were looking for a relaxing, laid-back holiday.  We must have found a shorter route as the beach only took us 2 minutes or so, ambling at that.  We also found around at least 15-20 bars and eating establishments within 5 minutes walk or less, some excellent, perhaps that is the advantage of staying for more than one day.   The restaurant at the beach nearest the Mediterraneo Apartments is well worth the visit - fresh fish and a huge pan of paella cooked and served alfresco tempts you as you sit on the beach.

There were not many staying in these apartments the week we stayed so we did not find the interesting lift and corridor noises too intrusive, I have certainly experienced much worse - aren't all Spanish Hotels like this then?  I agree with the earlier comments about the pool but if your kitchen surfaces are in your bedroom aren't you bound to get white formica there?  I was glad of the surfaces with the mess I usually make.

The Old town of Nerja, and the central balcon are about 5-8 mins walk away and provide a great deal of the usual tourist attractions, and very pretty too.  We are fiftysomethings, had no kids with us and are able-bodied, if your party is otherwise you may wish to research the suitability of Nerja a little deeper.  There are plenty of steep gradients and steps for the less nimble, also the attractions for the under (40's?) were somewhat limited.  An excellent place for avoiding noisy families and packs of gormless youths though - grey power has already arrived in Nerja!   Don't tell the fairly large resident population of ex-pats though, I can stand the negative feedbacks on here but I may wish to go there again!

Eating and drinking seemed to be the main activity whilst we were there (First week of May 2006) and that was fine by us - and plenty of establishments to help you in this quest.

We would have no problem staying in Nerja and this property again.  We would consider paying considerably more to do so.

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Apartments Mediterraneo - Nerja

Operator and Date: Travel-Saver - September 2005

Opinion submitted in Nov 2005 by : A & H Cartwright [65, 60]

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We travelled to Nerja on Saturday, 24th September, not having been to Nerja before having spent previous holidays on the Costa Del Sol in Benalmadena or Torremolinos.    

We had visited Nerja on a daytrip but obviously had not been able to spend as much time there as we would have liked so decided to spend a holiday there.  We were very impressed with Nerja, it is very different from Benalmadena and Torremolinos, much more relaxing and a bit more upmarket.    

The apartment was on the first floor, was quite spacious with plenty of storage space and a balcony.   In the main the accommodation was satisfactory.   However, the surface of the bath was broken and flaking which was offputting.   The settee in the lounge was a mixmatch as the seat was bright red whereas the base and cushion were turquoise/quite/yellow and it also smelt quite stale as did the curtains throughout the apartment.   The apartment was quite dark and the lighting was very low wattage so it was quite difficult to see even with the lights on.   However, the common part areas, staircases and corridors were brightly lit and such lighting would have been much more beneficial to the apartments themselves.     The beds were very comfortable, we did not suffer any noise nuisance during our stay.   

The pool is a waste of time, it is like a garden pond with no space whatsoever to put chairs or sun loungers.   However, the beach is very close by and is clean although there are no sunbeds.   The sand is shingle and the sea is very difficult to enter with people who have back or problems with their legs as it is soft and difficult to get your footing.   The staff were very helfpul and friendly, the maid did a good job in keeping the apartment clean.   The kitchenette consisted of two halogen rings which were very efficient, the fridge was in good working order, but there was very little space to work in.   

On the whole we enjoyed our fortnight in Nerja very much, the weather was very good for the time of year and we would definitely return again.    There are some very good pubs and restaurants close by as well as two adequate supermarkets although the MAS supermarket to the rear of the apartments is rather like the local "Asda" and gives a much bigger selection.   The apartments were sold as 3 star although they are rated as 1 key by the Local Authority and really do not come up to the standard expected of 3 star accommodation.   If a refurbishment programme were to be carried out then due to their location and size they may well qualify for 3 star rating.   

We hope to visit Nerja again and are sure that anyone will enjoy their stay there.

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Apartments Mediterraneo - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomsons - April 2005

Opinion submitted in Apr 2005 by : Sarah Cox - Hull (22, 30)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

I booked a week in Nerja for me and my boyfriend as it was his 30th Birthday. We hoped for a nice relaxing week with lots of nice places to eat and drink and thats exactly what we got.

I was a bit worried about the apartments after reading a couple of the reviews but we was both very impressed, plenty of room and everything was very clean.

The restaurant in the apartments did an execllent breakfast, we ate there 3 times, and it was so cheap.

We found some really nice restaurants, the italian one just behind the balcon de Europe was very nice, and sit outside lindas bar suring the day as it was a sun trap.

The resort is very nice and the views from the Balcon de Europe are truly amazing.

It was quiet with it been April but there were still plenty of people about.

The weather was boiling for 4 days and a bit windy / overcast for the others, but still warm enough for shorts and vests.

We both wanted to stay for another week, and we would recommend the resort and apartments to anyone who wanted a nice week away and isn't bothered about not having a very lively nightlife.

Hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

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Apartments Mediterraneo - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomas Cook Direct) Thomas Cook - December 2004

Opinion submitted in Jan 2005 by : Aidan Best - Belfast (45,46)

Resort Rating: Good

Accommodation Rating: Poor

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We booked a holiday through Thomas Cook who stated that the Mediterreaneo Apartments was rated 3 star.  We arrived in Nerja at the Mediterreaneo to find a one key symbol displayed.  I would not recommend anyone to stay there.  They were dirty with stains on walls, the bathroom was a total disgrace with broken tiles and mildew all around the edges.  

As it was December the room was very cold with no heat coming out of the air conditioning.  We had to turn on the cooker to heat the apartment.  There was only one news channel on the Tv and when we complained they said it was because of the wind.  We also complained about the coldness of the apartment and they said that they would see to it but didn't do anything about it.  The hostals in the area were like 4 star hotels compared to these apartments.  

Most definitely the worst we have witnessed in a long time and having paid £400.00 each for the week we were totally ripped off.

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Apartments Mediterraneo - Nerja

Operator and Date: (MyTravel Direct) My Travel - October/November 2004

Opinion submitted in Nov 2004 by : Maureen Ward - Manchester (31,31)

Resort Rating: Average

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We liked the accommodation very much.  The apartments were very clean and spacious and we had a balcony (some rooms do not).  There were some useful items in the apartment, for example an iron and ironing board and plenty of coathangers.  The staff were very friendly and helpful.  It was in a good enough location with a supermarket and cash point next door! 
There was plenty of communal space, a bar, games room and lounge with large screen tv.  The telephone in the room cost us a small fortune so be careful about making calls from the room.  Use pay phones.  Overall though we could not fault the apartments.
 
The supermarket next door to the apartments was adequate but there was a much bigger one about a ten minute walk away called MAS.

The resort was nice but we found it quite small.  There was not an awful lot to do although we did visit out of season.  We booked onto a free blanket trip but this was cancelled, we think due to lack of interest.

Nerja Caves are well worth a visit.  It cost us 7 Euros in a taxi from the apartments but they can be reached by two buses.  The entrance fee was less than we expected at 5 Euros.  There is an opportunity to buy a hotograph of yourself entering the caves (4 Euros) and there is a gift shop and nice restaurant there.
 
Taxis around the resort are 5 Euros where ever you go.
 
The market along the streets at the back of the apartments which is on every Tuesday is worth a walk around but watch out for being overcharged for nic-nacs which you will probably see in gift shops for much less.
 
The weather was quite nice for the time of year.  It was very hot for two days, rained one day and was warm but cloudy the rest of the week.  We did not acquire a tan!

We travelled to Malaga one day which was 5 Euros and 80 Cents.  It took us an hour and a half and we didn't find anything of interest once we got there.  Apparently we should have got another bus into the town centre from the bus station where the bus terminated but as it was raining we didn't bother.

We were keen to book a trip to Gibraltar (46 Euros) but were put off after hearing it was at least a two and a half hour journey and that you could only buy 200 cigarettes (£7.00) and one litre of spirit (£5.00).  Coaches apparently get searched at the border so this adds even more to the journey time.

The nicest beach we found in Nerja was the closest to the apartments.  It is called Torrecilla Beach.  Burriana Beach was not that special but it had plenty of shops and eating places alongside it.

Frigiliana is pretty and can be reached by two buses.  It is well worth a visit for the lovely narrow streets, gift shops and pub serving tapas.

The main shopping area, Balcon de Europa, was a bit of a disappointment as we expected far more shops and restaurants than there actually were.

At the end of the week we were ready for home and neither of us would return to Nerja mainly because of the number of flies that they have in Nerja.  The flies land on you by the dozen while you are sunbathing and eating outside restaurants.  We found them very irritating.  We would also not return to the resort due to there not being enough to see and do.

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Apartments Mediterraneo - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Direct Holidays) Direct Holidays - SEPT 2004

Opinion submitted in May 2005 by : MARIA CAVE - CHECHIRE (43, 38)

Resort Rating: Average

Accommodation Rating: Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

The apartment was clean and well equipped but very small with no balcony. The pool was too small to sunbath around which wouldn't have been a problem but there were no sunbeds to hire on the beach which made sunbathing uncomfortable. The staff were attentive and the restaurant did great sangria by the jug.
The resort was moderately busy with plenty of restaurants and lots of little back streets with good shops so good to explore on foot.
I wouldn't go back to these apartments but you get what you pay for and they were quite cheap when we went.  

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Apartments Mediterraneo - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Airtours Direct) Airtours - August 2004

Opinion submitted in Sept 2004 by : Lucy & Sam Hunter - Aberdeen (29, 32)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

The Studio Apartment was well equipped, with iron, kettle, toaster, tv (only english spoken channels were CNN and Eurosport), fridge freezer and a two ring hob with an extractor fan.  The beds were very comfortable and there was plenty of room for hanging clothes (incl. hangers).  We had a dining table with four chairs and a balcony.  We were situated at the back of the building which was a bit disappointing as there was quite alot of building work going on.  It wasn't too noisy but the view wasn't up to much.  The rooms were cleaned every couple of days with fresh linen and towels.  The only minus point would be the reception.  Every time I needed to cash a cheque I had to ring the bell to get someone in attendance.  Also, you could not cash a cheque anywhere after 10pm.

The beach was very nice (just down from the apartments).  Not shingly as some people have mentioned but smooth pebbles.  You could lie your towel down and the stones would not dig into your back.  However, buy a parasol as soon as you get there as there is no shelter or sun beds available to hire but there is a little shop that sells water, ice cream etc.  The sea water was very cold but I was used to lovely warm water in Zante last year. There were also showers and foot showers available.

Nerja is a lovely town.  Yes busy but no trouble or any large groups of yobs.  There were mainly Spanish holiday makers there which gave it a more authentic feel than some Costa resorts.  The little narrow streets were lined with bars and restaurants.  My personal favourites were Havali (indian restaurant), Rendevous, The Marina (great seafood), The Round Bar (smashing tapas) and Jamaicas.  The pubs were great too.  We made friends with many of the ex-pats who were living there.  The Balcon itself has a great atmosphere and when we were there there was a festival on with Flamenco Dancers, musicians etc.  There are horse and cart rides round the town but I felt so sorry for the horses and the hot conditions, that we avoided it.  Instead, go on the little blue train (preferably as soon as you get there as it gives you a good idea to the layout of the town).

A must see trip would be to the Caves, what a breath-taking sight.  We also went af free trip which included a visit to the Bacardi factory, the diamond factory (no hard sell) and then onto Belamadena.

There is so much development on the outskirts that I only hope it still keeps some of its Spanish charm.

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Apartments Mediterraneo - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Airtours Direct) Airtours-aug 2004

Opinion submitted in Aug 2004 by : Cathy Griffiths -Wales (45,35,11,9)

Resort Rating: Good

Accommodation Rating: Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

On our first day in Nerja we went straight to the beach as it was scorching but what a let down it was shingle and cigarette buts. Not a good start, as the week went on things didn't improve when for an early morning stroll you get to see the local residents dogs doing their buisiness on the beach.

The Apts were very basic setee most uncomfortable for adults to sleep on, no grill just 2 burners it was a nightmare trying to cook.
Apt balcony got no sunshine at all and the pool area only got 2 hrs a day, but there is no where to sunbathe while your children swim.

Staff were very helpful and friendly.The food in the restaurant in the Apts was delicious.

Nerja caves are worth a visit as is the diamond factory trip as you get to see Benamadena Port which is lovely.
Balcon de Europe is lovely at night you get to see all the street artists,and by day it has spectacular sights.
Sarah & Minolas cheap San Miguel and lovely cocktails, you get a lovely welcome where you can sit and watch the world go by.Codfather lovely food.La Teja lovely food.Jamacian lovely food.
Aquavesta Park lovely day out well worth a visit but make sure you know where to catch the bus home and what times they are.
Market on a tuesday you may find some good bargains there.

Would go back to Nerja again in my later years.A very relaxing holiday but i do like it a bit livlier myself.

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Apartments Mediterraneo - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Airtours Direct) Airtours - July 2004

Opinion submitted in Aug 2004 by : Carol & Douglas Thorburn (30,29)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We stayed at these apartments during the last 2 weeks in July.  We booked them mainly because they have air-conditioning (essential!) and also the fact they were reasonably priced compared to others in the brochure (also we were on a budget!) We didn't expect 5 star luxury and these apartments were ideal for us. They were basic but clean, after all we don't go on holiday to spend most of it in the accomodation.  The pool was really small, but we knew that when we booked and because it is only across the road from the beach it wasn't a problem. 

Nerja itself is lovely.  Although it is a busy town, the area around the Balcon and Plaza Cavana is great for restaurants and the atmosphere at night is great.  We ate at a different restaurant every night and we couldn't complain about any of them.  Would recommend Scarletta's (we had to book in advance) and the small area with the Italian restaurants is nice (behind the Balcon).

We booked a trip to Gilbralter and the rep told us it was a 2 1/2 hour journey each way.  It ended up nearly four hours by the time we picked up everyone else all down the coast and had to wait in a queue to go through customs for three quarters of an hour.  Gilbralter itself is a bit of a dump, the main street is full of cheap booze shops and English pubs and shops.  They mini-bus trip up the rock was interesting though and it was worthwhile to see the apes.   Long day out though.

Would definitely go back to Nerja, I think it is now one of our favourite places for eating out!  Would also go back to these apartments as they are in a great location and are good value money.

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Apartments Mediterraneo - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Airtours Direct) Airtours - july 25 2004

Opinion submitted in Aug 2004 by : tina and andy (34,36)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We have just returned from a really relaxing week in Nerja staying at the Mediterraneo Appartments.We orriginaly booked A.O.A but were so worried we would end up at the Nerja Lodge Appartments after reading the reviews that we paid extra to be sure we would end up somewhere half decent.

The appartments themselves were pretty basic but clean and comfortable.We didnt really have a balcony to speak of which was a bit dissapointing but at the end of the day no one spends that much time in their rooms anyway...The air conditioning was very good,thank god!As it was a bit of a scorcher!!

The staff were very helpfull and friendly and the rep was very good.We chose not to go on any excursions as we were only there for one week,but there was plenty to choose from if you wanted.The pool was very very small,i think we only took a dip twice as you couldnt really sunbathe around it but the beach was a stones throw away and was lovely,so it didnt really matter about the pool.

The resort itself was lovely,lots of choice for eating and drinking and really good value,the appartments were a couple of minutes from the nearest restaraunts and about 10-15 mins walk from the old town and the Balcon De Europa which was lovely.Lots of expensive supermarkets to choose from and of course tourist shops.We did quite a bit of walking and came across some lovely oldie Spain streets and casas.

We would go back to Nerja but we will have a baby next year and so will hire a private villa or appartment to ensure very good accomodation with a pool.LOVELY!!!!

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Apartments Mediterraneo - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Airtours Direct) Airtours - July 2004

Opinion submitted in July 2004 by : Mrs D McDonald - Tyne & Wear (35)

Resort Rating: Below Average

Accommodation Rating: Below Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

I have just returned from a week in Nerja, having stayed in the Mediterraneo Apartments, and felt I must add my comments, as they certainly differ to what I read before booking!

These apartments are advertised as 3 star by Airtours - I, and a few others, disagree!!  They're probably more a 1 star.  Although there was only 2 of us, we got a 2-4 apartment (booked last minute), which was a decent enough size, but I wouldn't have wanted to have slept on the bed settee - the springs groaned just sitting on it (and I'm only 8 ½ stone!). 
Although we had a balcony, it looked straight out onto another balcony, as did every window we had!  It was a bit like living in a goldfish bowl!
The bathroom had a half bath with shower over and the grouting was appalling, which may seem picky, but it made it seem very dirty.

Although it was supposed to be for 2-4 people, there wasn't enough crockery, etc for 4.  We made the mistake of spending 30 Euros at the local supermarket stocking our fridge only to realise the next morning it wasn't working, so most our stuff had to be thrown out.  They did however fix it within 24 hours of reporting it.
The pool is a waste of time.  It is so small, never gets any sun and has no sun loungers.  I never saw one person in it the whole time we were there.

There is a bar/restaurant attached to the apartments, which did seem nice enough, but we never ventured in.
The cleaners appeared twice in the week we were there.  But one thing we found very strange was that the cleaners didn't empty the bins.  Signs asked you to take your own rubbish to the dumpsters that were situated down the street!
Location wise, the apartments were pretty good.  Only 5 minutes to the nearest beach, which I personally thought was nicer than Burriana beach (the main one).  It was about 15 minutes walk to the Balcon de Europa, where most of the restaurants, etc are.

As for Nerja itself, I wouldn't return but that is personal preference.  If you're looking for Blackpool with the sun, you'll love it!  The beaches were absolutely crammed, the sand is a sharp shingle and covered in cigarette dumps.
The sky line is filled with big cranes!  I've never seen so much building work in a resort.  A big development was being built right next door to us. The noise didn't bother us but perhaps we were lucky to have been on the far side of it.  I know some people did complain.

It is a very family oriented resort.  There were no groups of youngsters and evening entertainment seemed to be restaurants.  I didn't see any nightclubs and the bars were well outnumbered by the restaurants.  Plenty of English bars and restaurants, Nerja's population is apparently 40% British, which disappointed me.  I prefer to sample a taste of the chosen country, not Sunday roasts.  We struggled to find a restaurant selling Paella!  I would highly recommend two restaurants - Cielito Lindo (great Mexican restaurant, but book for outside table) and Scarletta's (rooftop seating, English staff and bit more upmarket than most).

Loads of 'tat' shops (cheap souvenirs) but one or two nice shops if you look carefully - particularly Rusticasa, each room set out like a house (bathroom, kitchen, etc) some lovely stuff at reasonable prices.

I would also recommend getting the bus to Frigiliana, 85c each way (beware, buses run spot on time!).  The rep did say you could walk it.  I'm pretty fit and I would say this wasn't an option!!  It's a 15 minute bus ride, up hill all the way!  This is a beautiful little village set on a hill, very traditional Andalusia, white wash houses, lovely flower baskets all over.  Only don't expect to spend too much time there.  We went around 10.30-11 am and the few shops/restaurants that were there were all closed.  

If all you want is a week of sun in a basic '1 star' apartment, in a good location, then go for it.  The weather was great!

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Apartments Mediterraneo - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Airtours Direct) Airtours (MyTravel) - June 2004

Opinion submitted in July 2004 by : Bobby Elliott, - Erskine (46, 43, 16)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We stayed in the Mediterraneo in mid-June thanks to a low-cost budget holiday through AirTours. We had a great time.

Nerja is a nice resort. Very clean. Lots of nice bars, cafes (including Internet cafes) and restaurants. It has three beaches - which are a little hard on your feet but OK - and not too busy at this time of the year. The Nerja caves are not to be missed - and walkable from the Mediterraneo (5Km). Make sure you also go to the Alhambra in Grenada (take the local bus - the bus station is a 15 minute walk from the apartments).

The Mediterraneo is basic but very clean. Nice staff. We had a studio which was bigger than I feared. There are no breakfast facilities but you can get dinner. Forget the pool - it's tiny - but you're only 100m from one of the beaches so it doesn't matter. It's very close to lots of facilities (there's a cash machine right outside and the supermarket is 20m away). It's also right beside the local market (held on Tuesdays and Sundays). It's very safe for kids. The bedrooms are fine. Clean with a small balcony. The only problem is that there's building work *everywhere* in Nerja - including right outside the Mediterraneo. It's no big deal but spoils the look a little.

So, a good resort and nice accommodation. Highly recommended. We'd go back tomorrow. And the sunshine..!

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Apartments Mediterraneo - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Airtours Direct) Airtours - Feb 2004

Opinion submitted in Mar 2004 by : Cbee, JG - Leeds (40, 52)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We had never been to Nerja before so didnt know what to expect even though we had read all the reviews on this site. 
We were most impressed.

The apartments are well kept, clean, (cleaned almost each day) and ours was very spacious with a balcony, we couldnt believe it! We think the apartments are family run, but there are many staff to help with your enquiries along with a 24 hr reception. Our rep Emma deserves a good word, very helpful and polite. The apartments have a restaurant/bar, looked after by the much loved and very hard working Marco (sit down n have a rest Marco)! We were there most evenings creating havoc!

Most nights we went out to eat, and there are literally hundreds of bars and restaurants in Nerja and the village, not to mention take aways. Some of our favourite places were Bella Italia, near the Balcon, 34 on Carrabeo, San Juan, just down the road from the apartments. Here are just a few of our favourite bars; Sarah and Manolo's, The Ship (nice lunches), Restaurant Carrabeo (again nice lunch with excellent sea view) El Cortijo opposite the apartments where we used to meet up with our new spanish friends!

There are many beaches in Nerja, all very peaceful at this time of year, great for us because in 2 weeks we had warmth and sunshine!

The transport is very good and buses run regularly to Malaga, The caves (although you can walk there if you feel fit!), Frigliana; this is a lovely village, and well worth the short bus ride as you also get the chance to admire the beautiful scenery.

The hotel do 2 Free trips a week and these are worth going on cos you get to have lunch in benalmadena, or mijas.
We went on one rep booked tour to Granada, and the Al-Hambra City, which we found really interesting, again the mountains and gorges are stunning.

We didnt see many tourists with children because it wasnt the school holidays, so i'm not sure if there is much to do for kids. Also if you want lively, blackpool type stuff go to torremolinos etc. Having said that Nerja was more than lively for us we even went to the local 'salsa' disco called Coconut which is in the plaza Tutti Fruiti just round the corner from the apartments.

The locals are very friendly and we couldnt believe how they stop to let pedestrians cross the roads - unlike greece! Also you dont feel under any pressure to buy in the shops or go into the bars/cafes. Incidentally the shops range from top designer ones to 'tat', along with a few surprises. Most do close of course in the early afternoon for siesta.

All in all it was a wonderful holiday. We probably wouldnt go in high season as it will get very busy, but theres plenty to see and do low season and if you like walking there are many walks/trips up into the mountains.
So get yourselves there quick! there is just so much more we could tell you....

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Hotel Nerja Beach - Nerja

Operator and Date: First Choice-June 2006

Opinion submitted in June 2006 by : Alan Yates - Manchester (58,55)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

This is a very good hotel situated on the outskirts of Nerja.The food is very good although the choice is slightly limited.The room was clean with air conditioning and though the balcony overlooked the side road it was fairly quiet.

The rep,Geoff,was very good. He spent the entire meeting giving us information about the resort and other local places of interest and at no time tried to push trips although we did book the one to Gibraltar which was very good.

The closest beach is Burriana which is a walk of about 15 minutes down a very steep hill.Some reviewers have complained that to go into town from this beach you have to walk back up the hill to the main road,this is not so.If you come off the beach back towards the hill a road forks off to the left.Take this road and then the first left and this will take you into the town.

From the hotel,it is a pleasant 15-20 minutes walk into town where there is a good selection of shops,bars and restaurants and the focal point,the Balcon de Europa which has lovely views.

If you have been having a drink or a meal and require a taxi just ask and they will call one for you.Whatever distance you are travelling within Nerja the charge for the taxi is 5 euros.

A 30-40 minute walk in the opposite direction to the town will take you to the caves. This is well worth a visit. The charge is 7 euros.

Drinking at the hotel is expensive and though some people did not appear to go out at all,it is worth the trip into town in the evening.We bought two large bottles of water on the second day,sunday(the supermarket across the road was closed)and it cost 5 euros.It was 1 euro 80cents
for 6 bottles at the supermarket.

Nerja is a very good resort with plenty to keep you going and the Nerja Club is a good 3* hotel.

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Nerja Club Hotel - Nerja

Operator and Date: Freedomflights/Beds with ease.  June 2007

Opinion submitted in June 2007 by : Michelle,Susan,Valerie and Elsie (46,46,52,57)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We all found the Nerja Club, to be clean, comfortable, friendly staff and the food although not always loads of choice was very well cooked and presented, we enjoyed our meals every night of our stay

The resort of Nerja is beautiful, some steep hills from the hotel to the beach but if you came back via another route you did not have the steep hill on the way back. You cannot visit Nerja without going to Frigilana, 93 cents on the bus. We also used the local transport to visit Granada this year although we did only get to do the Alhambra Palace. Its a 2 hour journey there but breathtaking views on the way takes a bit longer coming back though but some of it is a different route so different views.We visited Malaga last year whilst in Nerja but wouldn't bother again. The markets either Monday in Torrox Costa or Tuesday in Nerja are well worth a visit some good bargains to be had. One point of interest , if you are a coffee connossuir take your own for breakfast unless you like coffee made with milk. However the coffee in the bar is excellent.

Overall we had another excellent holiday in Nerja and we look forwrd to going there again. And that comes from four fussy women!!!!

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Nerja Club Hotel - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson April 2007

Opinion submitted in May 2007 by : Carol and Alan- Newcastle (55,59)

Resort Rating: Good

Accommodation Rating: Poor

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We recently returned from a winter price breaker holiday at this hotel and can not think of one good thing to say about it. The location was dreadful on the outskirts of the resort up a very steep hill and a good walk from beach or resort.The hotel is shabby and rundown,small rooms dirty pool and pool area,dreary bar and reception rooms but worst of all was the dingy dining room and absolutely awful food we only ate one evening meal in the hotel during our stay.
The majority of people staying at the hotel appeared to be on late deal holidays and in our opinion it is the only way they will fill the rooms.
Our advise is do not go on a late deal with Thomson it was shown as a 3 star hotel but we wouldnt even give it a 2 star.

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Nerja Club Hotel - Nerja

Operator and Date: First Choice - Easter 2007

Opinion submitted in April 2007 by : Tony & Carol Woolacott (59,58)

Resort Rating: No rating

Accommodation Rating: Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We have just returned from an Easter break to the above hotel.
As in the previous reviews, this hotel is rather isolated, on the outskirts of town.
The hotel should provide a shuttle bus down the hill to the beach, not to bad going down but a killer coming up.
Nice beach restaurants if you manage the hill.
Taxi were very hard to find, only able to get them from the taxi ranks.
The hotel was very clean, the food was hot and adequate, not a massive choice.
The only other pub in the area was the Sportsmans Bar up the hill past the supermarket, Craig & Paul were very hospitable, food cooked by Denise was excellent, they made us very welcome.
The little village of Maro about a 40 minute walk was very pretty, had an excellent paella at the local hotel.
Would probably not return to Nerja,too quite not enough to do.

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Nerja Club Hotel - Nerja

Operator and Date: Independant May 2006

Opinion submitted in June 2006 by : Andrea & Jim 29 & 30

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

This was our fist visit to Neja and the recomendations of the place were spot on. Nerja is very pretty the Balcon De Europa is lovely day and night. There is plenty of variation and choice for bars and restaurants.

Buriana beach was great if a little pebbly, I would recomend the end cafe with the white plastic chairs for the paella. It looks like the worst on the beach but its where the locals go!

The hotel was advertisied as being 1km from the town but this is a definate understatement! It is also quite a hike from the beach.

We found the reception staff to be very helpful but some of the bar staff rude and unhelpful.

The drinks wern't the cheapest. We had a few drinks in the Villa Flamenca one evening and found them to be almost half the price and a better atmosphere!

We stayed B&B which was OK, no real variation from day to day but sufficient.

When all said and done it is a 3* hotel so you get what you pay for.

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Nerja Club Hotel - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - April 2006

Opinion submitted in Apr 2006 by : Robin Smith - Nottingham (52,53)

Resort Rating: Average

Accommodation Rating: Poor

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

First of all let me just say this is my own and my wifes opinion every body has different holiday Ideas. But there are some things we thought you should know.

We arrived Easter Sunday by hire car from the Airport. We were on a 'on arrival basis' The man on the reception was very nice and we were soon booked in. As it was around 9pm I asked if we were to late for Dinner, he said no so we put our cases down and headed to the dinning room. The nightmare starts ! The choice of food was terrible and just warm, o.k we said it is late, how wrong we were It was like this all week, the restaurant staff could not clear the pots in time and very badly organized! We went to our room, very small with a balcony just big enough for two chairs ( the people next door said they paid extra for it)!

In the morning we went to the 'welcome meeting' We were told it was 800m to the sea !! but not told it's about a 1 in 5 hill and 20 mins. walk, DON'T TAKE KIDS WHO LIKE THE BEACH ! when you get there it's a small beach with no way out at each end, so if you like to walk you have to come all the way back up the hill again.Three road Islands down and about a mile walk is the main resort. YOU NEED A CAR AT THIS HOTEL but then you can't have a drink (then again taxis make alot of money)!

The first two days our beds were not made and some days the tops were not wiped. IN OUR OPINION THIS HOTEL SHOULD BE 2* AND NOT 3*. I could go on but we found the hotel very disappointing, I think Thomson's should pay attention and not just try to sell 'trips'. We will book 'seperates' next time with cheap flights.

Just one more thing not to do with the hotel, we both come to the conclusion the Costa Del Sol is very over populated with more traffic than back home (that's saying something) and there are much nicer Costas. Thank you for reading.

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Nerja Club Hotel - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - FEB.2006

Opinion submitted in Feb 2006 by : STEVE AND JILL. SQUIRES, SHEFFIELD. (52,42)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We booked this holiday on a friday and flew on sunday, not knowing where we would be staying in NERJA.
Ended up at nerja club hotel,we found it very clean and tidy, speedy and helpfull check in,the room was small and sparse, horrible colour scheme, but had bath & shower,safe ,sat. tv.so not too bad.always plenty of hot water, but overlooking the main road,asked to be moved but hotel full, it appears that if you are stopping for 2 weeks you usually get the better rooms at the over side of the hotel overlooking the pool etc.

We found the meals in the resturant ok for a 3 star hotel, choice of food was ok, our only gripe is that nothing was really served hot enough,,oh and the constant queues for the tea/coffee machine at breakfast time.
The bar area was ok.no smoking in the lounge or conservatory, the pool area was nice and clean, but too cold to use in Feb. Oh.. and the lager was awful.

this hotel is not really for young famillies, too far from the resort centre & beaches, though a pleasent 20 min. walk to either, Burriana beech very nice with lovely beach bars & resturants.
We found most people stopping here were 50 + , but all managed the walk to the centre and back, all very friendly and talkative.
all the staff were very good & helpful,the maids cleaned the rooms , made the beds every day.
Helen, the rep.was excellent always there and very helpful.
A visit to the caves is a must only 7 euros, we went on the trip too Granada and the Alambra palace , very good but the wrong time of year to see it at its best.
Also went on the Gibralta trip for a day ,Fantatic, but a very long day, 6.30am start.

All in all for what we paid a good relaxing holiday is what we wanted and got.

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Nerja Club Hotel - Nerja

Operator and Date: independent - Dec 2005 / Jan 2006

Opinion submitted in Feb 2006 by : keit and maz

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

stayed at the nerja club ,over xmas and new year,weather first class .enjoyed our stay,hotel very clean,food good,friendly people,a little far from town,but walkable.will stay in hotel aagain

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Nerja Club Hotel - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - October 2005

Opinion submitted in Nov 2005 by : Carol Collins - Welling, Kent (49,44, 12)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

The hotel is a small, very well run hotel. It is very clean and comfortable.  The only down side is the beds, we found the mattresses too hard and the mattress covers were plastic/cotton which tended to make you too hot and were extremely noisy.  The staff are all very friendly and Clare, the Thomson Rep. gave an excellent introduction which was very interesting and helpful, without spending too much time going over all the trips in detail but giving you the opportunity to look through her folders and make your own mind up.  She was always very helpful and has a lovely, cheerful personality.

The choice and quality of food is very good, catering sufficiently for the size of the hotel guests and the restuarant very clean and tidy.  Entertainment pretty good, we had a few laughs and enjoyed it.  The swimming pool is unheated and we did find it quite cold, but it is October - as too the sea itself in the resort was cold.  The beach at Burriana is safe and reasonably quiet.  We spent our days on the beach at the end near to Ayo's the restuarant famous for its Paella, well worth a try at 5 euros a plate.  All in all, we love the resort of Nerja.  The Tuesday market is excellent.

A day visit to the neighbouring village of Frigliana is well worth doing, we thoroughly enjoyed it.  The bus to the village is only 90cents and you get a good look round the interesting bits with the American guy.

We will definitely be returning to this hotel and to Nerja.

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Nerja Club Hotel - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - September 2005

Opinion submitted in Oct 2005 by : Carla Smith and Carol Hughes (37)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Although booked the Thomson Price Breaker and were allocated the Nerja Club, the hotel is fine for a short break. Ok, you have a large clientele who are over 50, but if you're on a holiday, does it really matter ?

The hotel is a little tired, but no complaints over cleanliness, the staff were very helpful.  The food in the restaurant is a little bland but you don't starve !

If you don't mind a short stroll to the centre, then this is fine for you. Being located in a residential area isn't a negative point, but at least you are somewhere Spanish, rather than between every Irish or English bar with Fish & Chips - ok if you like that, but remember not everyone does !

Overall, had a great time, loved Nerja, weather was fabulous, high 20s all the week, didn't want to come home !

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Nerja Club Hotel - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson August 2005

Opinion submitted in Aug 2005 by : F and J   27, 22

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

My boyfriend and I have just returned from a weeks holiday, half board at the Nerja Club Hotel on the Thomson Halfboard Allocation on arrival deal. 

Having booked last-minute, and read some of the reviews on this website, we were already prepared that we would probably be allocated this accomodation, and were slightly apprehensive about how we would enjoy it.  On arrival we were told we would be staying here, but contrary to other opinions on this site, others were given the Villa Flamenca on the same deal, so I have no doubt this is not as someone put it "a con"!  However I would point out that we had an excellent holiday at the Nerja Club hotel - and would return tomorrow. 

the hotel is lovely, and yes it is a bit out of the way but it clearly states that in the brochure so it shouldnt be a surprise, plus in reality it is only a short walk to the town centre or beach and if you cant make it back, only 5 euros in a taxi - very reasonable! 

We had a lovely room with views over the pool and down the hill to the sea - it had a large balcony, sky tv, air con., radio and bathroom with bath and shower.  The room was cleaned daily and like the rest of the hotel was kept spotless.  The pool area was reasonabley sized, and due to the limited number of sunbeds there was always plenty of room to spread out.  Although sunbeds are limited we always managed to get one each, and spent most days lazing in the glorious sunshine - the weather was fab really hot and sunny all week.  The bar area was nice, and all the staff really friendly.  Prices were fine, and we just charged everything to the room - handy so that you dont need to carry lots of money about with you. 

The restaurant was fine with enough choice for us, soup, salads, pasta, cold meat, vegetables, potatos, fish dish, meat dish and poultry dish with accompaniments.  The quality or variety was perhaps not 5 star but it was definately no less than the hotels 3 stars.  There is a fantastic supermarket across the road which is cheap and has lots of choice.  We usually bought stuff there for lunches - bread, cold meats, crisps, fruit etc and found it really reasonable.  We ate out during the day a couple of times and would reccommend paella cooked on the boat at Burriana beach and a street cafe in Plaza Cavana.  Would also recommend The sportsmans pub - so glad we found it - up the road at the supermarket next to the fish and chip shop.  Run by two english guys, my boyfriend spent a fair bit of time watching footy here - they do nice food too!!

Our flight home wasnt till late on our day of departure, and if yours is the same I would highly recommend you ask to keep your room for longer, it only costs 25 euros and it means you can really make the most of your last day. 

We had an excellent holiday here and will definately be returning in the near future!! 

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Nerja Club Hotel - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson  july 2005

Opinion submitted in July 2005 by : sue and ste hart over 40

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

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Nerja Club Hotel - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thompson - May 2005

Opinion submitted in May 2005 by : Irene Andow 49 Emma 22

Resort Rating: Below Average

Accommodation Rating: Below Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

I have just spent a week on the Thompson con deal at the Nerja club. The deal was a choice of 3 hotels Villa Flamenco Riu Monica and Nerja club all who flew out on this deal from Manchester appeared to end up at the worst located hotel Nerja Club. I did not meet anyone who were accomodated in the other 2 hotels. I would be interested to find out if anyone got a better deal. 

the Nerja club was high up on the edge of the resort with only one supermarket opposite no bars or restuarants the hotel was basic and I personally would not rate it more than a 2 star. The food was edible but choice was very poor vegetarians would have starved the sweet menu consisted of fruit and ice-cream. This hotel would do well to arrange courtesy buses to the centre as the local buses that passed were far and few between Taxis and expensive trips were the only way out. I beleive there was a nice beach if you were good at hiking down to it.

Buyers beware if you book this three hotel deal it is highly likely that you will end up in last chance saloon aka Nerja Club.

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Nerja Club Hotel - Nerja

Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice Travel   Jan 2005

Opinion submitted in Mar 2005 by : J.Snook     Broadstairs Kent            58,20

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

I go to the Nejer club hotel again for the 3rd time in March 2006, the hotel is fantastic the staff is friedly the town is amazing, i liked the food, very satasfactory i managed to enjoy a 3 coarse meal every day with desert. The first and second time i went to the nerjer club ive felt sucure safe and managed to have a fantastic holiday without worring about any trouble. 

The hotel room and the hotel are cleaned daily with a choice weather to get your room cleaned or not. There is a supermarket 150 yards from the hotel, cheap and you can get what ever you need. I visited the caves found that brilliant. 

Would recomend this holiday to any one that likes a nice quite relaxing time

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Nerja Club Hotel - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson jan 2005

Opinion submitted in Mar 2005 by : S-31yrs & R- 30yrs

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We only booked on the Saturday lunchtime through teletext website and left on the Sunday afternoon.£130 each,Half board! 16th Jan-23rd Jan 2005. We were told that we were going to nerja club and arriverd at 10pm. (coach from Malaga took 1 hour)

A supper was ready for us in our room,which was nice. We were lucky to have a room overlooking the pool. The room was fairly small,but we didnt plan on being in it for long as we had exploring to do. We had a bath and shower. The whole hotel was very clean and tidy and your room could be cleaned daily if you wanted.

The food was ok,much the same every night and morning,(buffet) You could eat from 7pm til 10pm and could sit anywhere,beware of evil stares if you dare to sit on 'someone elses table'!!!!
The entertainment was good although the bar wasnt cheap,staff were nice and worked very hard all week.
The supermarket was over the road for all you need and burriana beach was lovely. we walked in to town daily,very pleasant.
Please BEWARE of the scratchcard people,they have been to acting school'wow youve won', i heard almost daily to new victims! i asked him to leave us alone and he did.

Well the weather was fantansic,we met some lovely people and had a really relaxing time. we would go back tomorrow x

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Nerja Club Hotel - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson Late Choice  on arrival - January 2005

Opinion submitted in Jan 2005 by : Penny & Alan , Tonbridge (60,60)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Below Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We booked this holiday after seeing that we would have the choice of Nerja Club (3 star), Villa Flamenca (3 star) and Riu Monica (4 star).  Obviously we hoped we would get the Monica.  However from talking to people and looking at the reviews it would appear that although in theory you are offered the choice of all three in reality you get sent to the Nerja Club.  

The hotel is on the outskirts of the town.  We were in a front room with the main road outside so noisy and not very nice.  The food was the same every night with negligible choice.  The dining room was clean but very dated.  The bar and lounge area was mainly for smokers;the non-smoking area was directly opposite the entrance so the doors were opening and shutting all the time.  Only room for about 12 people to sit.  The patio and pool area was very small, we went in the winter but goodness knows how you would get people on the patio in the summer.  

The one outing we went on to Antiquera was over-priced and drawn out. The morning was spent with a coffee stop and a visit to a prehistoric burial chamber, followed by a walk round the town. We went to an exhibition - unfortunately all in Spanish!  The afternoon visit to the National Park was well worth while, but this could have just been a half day outing.  Coves and beaches were attractive as was the town but a week was quite long enough.  We won't be returning to the resort.  

I wouldn't recommend this hotel to anyone.  Thomsons really ought to take it off their list. 

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Nerja Club Hotel - Nerja

Operator and Date: November 2004  - independent

Opinion submitted in Dec 2004 by : Josie Bamford  -  West Yorkshire  (50+)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

I have stayed in this hotel many times and have never been disappointed. This latest visit was no exception, even though I booked flights and accommodation independently. 

The outdoor work had been completed and the pool area looked great. I felt the standard of food had risen and, once again, the hotel was spotlessly clean. This is not a place for people who want a rowdy night-life or to be a stone's throw from the beach or town. It is set some way from the centre, but this is clear in the brochures and should not come as a surprise to guests. 

I have always found the staff to be efficient and - especially when spoken to in their own language - they are more than willing to converse, time permitting. I have already booked my flight for next year and look forward to returning to the Nerja Club in July ( and hopefully before!!)

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Nerja Club Hotel - Nerja

Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice - November 2004

Opinion submitted in Nov 2004 by : Alex. Dunlop - Irvine (57,57)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We Didn't know what to expect from a 3* hotel in Spain in November but we were pleasantly surprised by this hotel. The hotel is clean and the staff very friendly.

The food was fairly basic compared to some hotels we've been to but the choice was good and cooked to perfection(especially the cooked breakfasts). Although situated on the outskirts of the town(directly opposite Capistrano Village)it was a pleasant walk into town. I would recommend this hotel to anyone wanting a smaller, quieter hotel. The evening entertainment was predictable but O.K.
Nerja itself is a nice sized town and a visit the the caves is a must. Try the tapas bars and the west end of town which is less touristy.

I have no complaints whatsoever regarding our choice of operator and the rep couldn't have been more helpfull.

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Nerja Club Hotel - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson October 2004

Opinion submitted in Nov 2004 by : John Statter - South Yorkshire

Resort Rating: Good

Accommodation Rating: Below Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We read the reviews on this website before booking for half term. Thomson sent us a letter saying some work on the pool would happen the week before we went, finishing on the day we arrived. I wrote back stating that we were unhappy about this as we expected it would overrun and there were no hotels available to swap to in the same price range. 

We arrived on Sunday and sure enough the work was nowhere near finished, with several workmen on the terrace, mortar mixes and an empty pool. Its not the biggest sun terrace in the world - there's no greenery at the back of the hotel at all, just a view of other buildings and with a main road at the front it felt very claustrophobic. Our room was facing the main road so no way to relax on the balcony unless you find the noise of mopeds labouring up a hill relaxing. 

The food was awful, even by Spanish hotel standards, waiters brusque (euphemism). I am surprised Thomson use this hotel at all. Its not a 15 minute walk into town, only down to graffiti covered Burriana beach. The town centre is more like 25 minutes down the busy main road - lovely! No information on buses at the hotel reception and when I asked about supermarkets the guy said there were none nearby (slightly less than true - one across the road and down a bit) so I paid 2.5 euros for water from the bar. 

Rep yawned through the welcome meeting (no glass of wine of course) and gave very little useful information as she tried to sell us overpriced trips (bus fare to the caves and to Frigiliana is less than 1 euro) The building work continued so we paid £103 extra each and went to the Monica Tue-Sat night - worth every penny.(£200 extra on the website - perhaps they knocked some off for the letter - they certainly waived the admin fee - moral - always put it in writing asap)

The Nerja club does have English TV and good entertainment - but those are its only good points. We'll revisit Nerja but stay elsewhere. We wandered into the (full) Villa Flamenca - nice quiet location, lovely inside and the same price! If you;re going to Nerja book the Flamenca, don't go late availability 'cos you'll end up at the Club noone wants to belong to
cheers
john

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Nerja Club Hotel - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson-september 2004

Opinion submitted in Sept 2004 by : mike&eileen (52,54)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Below Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

having read reviews about this hotel we were looking forward to our 2 weeks in the sun .THE GOOD BITS-very few children in hotel so it was nice and quiet,rooms had air-conditioning and were reasonably clean and the staff were very friendly.
THE NOT SO GOOD-for a 3* hotel the dinner menu was very limited.a typical night menu consisted of
soup
small salad selection
pasta(one choice)
fish (one choice)
type of stew
minute chops
potatoes or chips
ONE choice of vegetable!(always brick hard)
dessert
choice of 3 ice creams
instant whip
fresh fruit
we know that you expect to pay a bit more for drinks with your meal but 1.85 euro for a .5 ltr of water was a bit steep
(same size in supermarket cost 10 cents!)

it's about  a 15 min. stroll downhill to nerja town and costs 5 euros for a taxi back. it's a lovely town loads of places to eat .try the HOLLIDAY PIZZERIA just up from the square we had swordfish,bottle of wine one sweet,one coffee and 3 beers total bill 29 euros FAB!we will return to nerja buy not to the nerja club we would rate it 2*

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Nerja Club Hotel - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - July 2004

Opinion submitted in July 2004 by : jenny thornhill and james cheetham -sheffield (17, 18)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

if you are thinking about choosing this hotel for your stay in Nerja then think no more. this is a wonderful hotel, which is very clean and officient. all the staff are charming and very willing to help. our plan was to spend each day at the beach but the hotel was so charming we spent almost everyday by the pool, which was never crowded even though we visited at peak time. 

the evening entertainment is brilliant with a different entertainer almost each night. if you are lucky enough to have a room with a balcony overlooking the terrace and pool then you have a perfect view of the entertainment with the convenience of you room. there is a supermarket just across the road. if you are staying in summer then i would recommend you get a fridge and air conditioning in your room as the heat is almost too much. if you have mobility problems then you can get a taxi anywhere in nerja for just 5 euros.

i would definitly recommend this holiday to any one, it is terrific value for your money and the food at the hotel is great! we cant wait to go back to the Nerja Club!

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Nerja Club Hotel - Nerja

Operator and Date: Self Booking  June 2004

Opinion submitted in July 2004 by : Sue Gill - Doncaster (44, 44, 48, 49)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Hotel was very clean, friendly, and quiet, pool was lovely, resort not too touristy, Big Als or Bar bostrum, friendly good English food, Caves worth a visit, Bistro and California, steaks excellent, definately going back next year.

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Parador de Nerja - Nerja

Operator and Date: Soverign - August 2005

Opinion submitted in Sept 2005 by : kb_ beach babe- manchester

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

parador de nerja is a fantastic hotel,the food was very tasty but to try many of the spanish specialalites you had to be keen on fish! i loved the outdoor dining on the terrace and the rooms were very comfy, the toiletries were super and got replenished every day. 

The swimming pool was great as it was massive but you aren't allowed to take balls or inflatable toys like lilos in, which was dispointing as sometimes during the day we were the only people in the pool so there was no one to disturb. We made up for this though by using them in the calm sea. We found a fantastic little beach down past the Irish bar that was extremely sunny, the best time to go was in the morning stright after breakfast as there was a slight sea breeze so you could stand the heat for longer. 

I loved the little shops leading up to and in the balcon de europe square, they were great to poke around and had a fantastic choice of jewerally. Frigilani made a good day out, although take alot of water if it's hot as there's quite abit of walking. The other end of Nerja towards the Riu Hotel was abit scruffier and work-a-day with more dog poo but i loved the balcon de europe square area - a 5 min walk from the parador de nerja. Id love to go back to the hotel and resort! 

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Parador de Nerja - Nerja

Operator and Date: Soverign - August 2005

Opinion submitted in Sept 2005 by :  rb Smiley face  -  manchester

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

The Parador is an excellent place to stay.With its  huge lush garden where you can sunbathe other looking the famous beach to the moden but very spanish like bedrooms.
The food was delicious but there were no chips with the starter ( but the onion rings were just as tasty) and there was no ice cream with the pudding (but the home made assorted cake were just as nice especially the spainish cheese cake )and I really liked the out door dinning.

My favourite bar was the Irish bar.There was a good range of drinks.You also got a free bowl of nuts (including Nobby's Nuts!!!!!!!!)but you only got these if you ask for them.This is situated near  by the  Balcon de europe hotel !!!

Overall i give The hotel and the sarroundings  an  excellent  10/10

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Hotel Paraiso del Mar - Nerja

Operator and Date: Independent  - April 2004

Opinion submitted in May 2005 by : Colette Rigg (34,37)

Resort Rating: Good

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We spent 4 days in Nerja during the school easter holidays 2004. We found this hotel via the internet having intially planned to stay at the parador which is next door.

The hotel is in a great postion right next to the sea and our room had a fantastic sea view. The room was large, clean with plenty of storage space and had an ensuite bathroom with a very large jacuzzi bath. The only bad point was the mini bar made an annoying buzzing sound (which we sorted out by turning off the electicity at night - operated by a key in a socket).

There are steps down to the main Nerja beach from the hotel garden with lots of terraces with chairs and sunbeds. The hotel has quite a small number of rooms so there was lots of space for everyone.
Breakfast was pretty standard international hotel fare and could be taken in the dining room or on the terrace. No other meals are available.
The hotel has its own underground car park(which costs extra). We left our car on the street where there was some parking space.

I liked Nerja and found it a nice place to wander around although my husband who had been there before, thought it was busier and not as pleasant as 10 years ago. We found a nice pizza/pasta place on the road between the hotel and the Balcon de Europe. The main beach was large with plenty of amenities. Nerja is a good place to stay if you would like to visit Grananda and the Sierra Nevada. Ronda (where we stayed before this) is also not too far away.

I would recommend both Nerja and the hotel if you want somewhere fairly quiet with wonderful views.

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Perla Marina Hotel - Nerja

Operator and Date: april 2007

Opinion submitted in April 2007 by : Moore - 28

Resort Rating: Average

Accommodation Rating: Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We booked this holiday independently through travelrepublic.com - it worked out as much cheaper than a package deal.

HOTEL POSITIVES

quiet
clean
the new block was well decorated

HOTEL NEGATIVES

on the edge of town and so a ten minute walk to the main centre
many of the services / quality aspects of the hotel were not what I would expect from a 4*
although we had breakfast provided, there was quite a lot of choice, but in general it was of poor quality. For example the fruit was of poor quality and the bacon was more fat that meat!!
the food in the snack bar was of a very poor quality.

RESORT POSITIVES

the caves were worth a visit
we found two decent restaurants - one very close to the hotel (just on the corner to the right of the hotel) and one a thai called lapsong on the way into town.
there were two reasonable beaches

RESORT NEGATIVES

The whole resort is covered in dog poo!! GROSS. Not great for kids... as an adult you can avoid it, but harder as kids have a tendency to walk where you don't want them to!!!
There is not a lot to do if there weather is bad... most of the things to do in Nerja are looking at churches or wandering around the streets. Outside of Nerja all there really is to do is visit other towns.
there is no real promenade with picturesque restaurants.... many of the restaurants are in the main town with no real view.

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Perla Marina Hotel - Nerja

Operator and Date: co-op travel june 2006

Opinion submitted in August 2006 by : Steve johnson -stoke on trent  (46,51)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

My first time in Nerja and a very  pleasant change to the touristy costas.
Unspoilt, and the people were very friendly.
lots to see and do although the world cup being on at the time ment quite a lot of time spent in bars watching footy.
Hotel was exelent except dinner which was very poor for a 4 star, but breakfast was very good.(ate out 3 nights)
pizza resteraunt in main square was exellent for lunch.

so taken with Nerja I have booked again for Sept and we are staying at perla marina again, but this time bed and breakfast only.

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Perla Marina Hotel - Nerja

Operator and Date: Self booked - April 2006

Opinion submitted in May 2006 by : Aged 42 & 47

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We have just returned from a 5 day break and will definitely return,maybe not to the same hotel though as we saw nicer whilst we were out and about and would like to try a different one. The hotel was comfortable and in a quiet location about 10 minute walk from the balcon de europa. It was clean,rooms being done daily. Breakfast choice was varied. Tea and coffee yuk! Very small pool area with about 20 sunbeds only,not enough for the capacity of the hotel but the beach was down the steps albeit shingle/shale. The bars and restaurants were many and all really nice. No favourites as all lovely. Scarlets overpriced and over rated. 

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Perla Marina Hotel - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Direct Holidays) Direct Holidays - August 2005

Opinion submitted in Sept 2005 by : 59,54,51

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Have just returned from our first visit to Nerja,we really enjoy the place and we stayed in the Perla Marina town house,would recommend this accomendation as it was very good.We would also recommend Slainthe Bar (facing the Hotel Monica) for a lunch and a nightcap also one for the road.

Will most certainly be going back to Nerja

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Perla Marina Apartments - Nerja

Operator and Date: direct - May 2005

Opinion submitted in May 2005 by : Liz,Gill,Liz, Megan (60,42,38,) West Yorkshire

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Just Returned from a lovely week in Nerja. This is the second time I have been to Perla Marina Apartments, Would definately reccommend them to families, they are 2 bedroomed apartments 1 ensuite, toilet and shower room, kitchenette with washer, toaster, microwave, iron and ironing board. 

The small very pebbley beach is a few steps from your door, so from the lounge you have a fantastic sea view. (Perla Marina Manager you need to do something about the beach, needs a bit of work doing to it!!!!). You can also sunbathe just outside ur apartment, theres plenty of beds. The pool is lovely (revamped since I last went there 3 yrs ago) plenty of beds there too. There is a better beach just a few minutes away. All of the staff are nice and friendly, except for one bar man (works most evenings, quite ignorant). The snack bar at Perla closes at 14.30 but just along the beach there are other restaurants. 

The main town centre is about 10mins walk away, which is a lovely stroll along a nice promanade. If you like a nice steak the Rendevous Restaurant is a nice place to go, run by very friendly English people, ZaZa do the best Chicken n Chips EVER! My Mother fell ill on the last night and cant thank the people from the Rendezvous enough, they were fantasic, keeping calm when we were frantic THANKYOU from all of us. The Caves are well worth a visit, cost 6 euros in a taxi from Hotel then about 30 euro's for 3 adults and one child entrance fee. Take a walk to The Balcon De Europa,its great of an evening you get all kinds of artists doing there thing.  Only downside to Nerja is the dog poo, its everywhere dont think they have heard of pooper scoopers!!!!!!!!

Was disappointed with a Direct Holidays rep whom we phoned when my Mother was taken to the hospital, we asked if she would meet us there as we couldnt speak any spanish, but she said the not only did she not speak spanish, she couldnt drive either, so she was no use whatso ever!!!!!!! Monarch airline staff nice n friendly but the plane was too cramped, one of these airbuses where they cram you all in like sardines!!

All in all lovely Apartments, lovely place.

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Perla Marina Hotel - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Direct Holidays) Direct Holidays September 2004

Opinion submitted in Oct 2004 by : Simon and Michele (48, 53)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Nerja is a really nice place to visit. The old town, the caves and Frigiliana were all very enjoyable. Our only complaint is the hotel. 

We were informed three weeks before we went by Direct Holidays that some building work was going on at the hotel but we would not be allocated a room near this and sure enough we got a room overlooking the building site.It cost me 120 Eoros to be moved to the other side of the hotel and we were informed that the tour operator knew of the building work last year but neglected to tell us when we booked in January 2004.

The Perla Marina is a lovely hotel in a great location right on a pebble beach but the food is something from a no star soup kitchen. Luke warm to nearly luke warm every night, very limited choice and some evenings totally unappetising so we ate out. This really does let the hotel down and whilst we would have no hesitation in going back to Nerja, the Perla Marina will not be our destination.

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Plaza Cavana Hotel - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Portland Direct) Portland  April 2007

Opinion submitted in May 2007 by : P Eaton (59)   A Eaton (60)

Resort Rating: Average

Accommodation Rating: Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

The Plaza Cavana is okay but did not expect continental breakfast everyday. Room 206 - like an attic on two floors with tilting roof - arrived late and next morning when we  opened  the curtains we found communal tables and chairs and  the swimming pool directly outside our door - had to keep door locked and curtains closed (people kept trying our door thinking it was the exit ) -Plus all you could hear was the noise of the pool through the wall. Nerja quite nice but after a couple of days it can be monotonous - you can only walk around a place and admire it so many times  - Food in all restaurants excellent especially Cafe del mar (Burriana Beach) -but even where entertainment advertised - guess what it was - Football. 

Due to the repetative breakfast menu we ate out at a great place - Joannys (Plaza de Olivira) - it cost 7 euros for two breakfasts and that included drinks etc.  We actually tried a meal there one evening and it was excellent value and well cooked - with beer and wine - 14 euros. We normally paid between 50 - 68 euros.  A but disappointed with beach expected golden sand like lower down the coast not pebbles but the views were fantastic and the weather was very good - would not like to have been there though if the weather bad - absolutely nothing to do.

One final point - on the Balcon de Europa you get a violinist who only knows one tune and he plays it all evening and a guitarist who cannot play at all but he does - all evening - you cannot imagine the racket.

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Plaza Cavanna Hotel - Nerja

Operator and Date: Thomson - March 2007

Opinion submitted in June 2007 by : 58-61

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

A well situated, clean hotel with good breakfast choice but the air-conditioning system was very noisy and we were unable to sleep. We spoke to other guest who agreed.
The air-conditioning was only operating in the public areas and not in the bedrooms as it was March. It was 24 degrees and they told us it was 'not summer' so it was not on for guests.

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Plaza Cavanna Hotel - Nerja

Operator and Date: Cooks - Dec 2005

Opinion submitted in Jan 2006 by : David & Lorna - Dundee (62,60)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We stayed half-board and therefore did not eat out much, although we enjoyed the local tapas bars at lunch-time.

Nerja is still unspoilt.

The  low-rise centrally located hotel was marvellous with much marble in evidence. The staff were helpful and interesting [the receptionist was from Poland and the waitresses were from Argentina].

We did not hire a car but used buses to visit Malaga [twice], Frigilliana and the Caves. We also went on a bus tour to Granada and the Alhambra. Get maps and timetables from reception. The rep was also very helpful.

The regular dinners were very good, while the dinners at Xmas and New Year were magnificent [about 7 courses with as much wine as you could drink].

The buffet breakfasts were good standard stuff, although on one day the bread rolls were rather hard and I asked for the milk to be replaced [it smelt rather off].

Small matters [a replacement bulb in a bedside lamp] were quickly addressed.

It was a great way to spend Xmas. We would do it again. Same hotel.

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Plaza Cavanna Hotel - Nerja

Operator and Date: April 2005

Opinion submitted in Apr 2005 by :

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

stayed at the plaza cavanna hotel april 05 ,the hotel rooms were very clean, done daily by very helpful and pleasant hotel staff.
We stayed on a half board basis breafast was a buffet with a set evening meal menu.nerja has  many eating places to visit and would probably go breafast only.
Breafast buffet continental with english as additional extra.
two small pools roof and one indoor.
Do not park outside hotel as police remove cars!car parking is available via hotel garage storage area 9 euros per day.
Hotel very central with many rooms with small balconies.

Overall a very well maintained and run hotel with very good staff.

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Plaza Cavanna Hotel - Nerja

Operator and Date: March 2005

Opinion submitted in May 2005 by : James Feest     Worthing  (75 & 76)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

This was our fourth holiday at this Hotel over the past 8 years, and each time it has improved. They have now opened a new Restuarant on the ground floor. Previously the evening meals were served in the basement room where they also served breakfast (as they do now).  They must have a new Chef and Restuarant Manager as the evening meals, which previously were very good, are even better & really some of best hotel food we have had in Spain in the last 30 years or so.With excellent staff as well we can find no fault with the hotel. I hope the Package Holday firms continue to feature it in one way or another. 

Nerja is a pleasant town that exists in spite of the Tourists rather because of them. With the central areas semi-pedestrianised car use in high season would be extremely difficult, as it was it looked bad enough in March. We will definitly go to this Hotel again, even if we have book every aspect of the holiday - flights, transport and hotel via the Internet!!

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Plaza Cavanna Hotel - Nerja

Operator and Date: Independent - Feb 2005

Opinion submitted in May 2005 by : Mum, Dad and Robin aged 13 - Bristol

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Needed a relatively cheap, late choice break and after some web research picked Nerja. Easy flight from Bristol, car picked up from Malaga airport was booked on the 'net (brand new Renault Modus diesel) and hotel also booked on the 'net. It all worked wonderfully well - and at less than £500 all in it felt like good value. Plus - apart from one day of early morning drizzle it was fine and dry. Temperatures around 14 - 16C with the last 2 days in the 20 - 22C mark which was, for us, hot!

Plaza Cavana Hotel is excellent - clean, neat, tidy. Breakfasts the usual continental range of fruit, cold meats, cheeses, cereals, various breads. More than enough to eat and good quality and range.

Ate in the restaurant on one night - varied menu and wine list and the food was well presented and prepared.

Comfortable, civilised bar area and reception. Roof top pool and bar; though not open in February it would obviously be popular in warmer months. The 'basement' pool is tiny - used it twice, just for fun and we were the only users in the week.

Underground car park, accessed via very tight squeeze car lift!  Needed to be patient a couple of times when double parking guests were hoicked out to move their Mercedes; all done with good grace.

Rooms good - Robin's overlooked the street and he had a bit of (scooter) traffic noise but was usually so tired he slept though it. Ours opened onto an internal courtyard so was very peaceful. Air Con available and when tried, just to see what it was like, had enough of a hum maybe to distract a light sleeper. The warm air heating very welcome - it was brisk at night!

Nerja is a working town adapted to tourism. The central area and Balcon are very focussed on tourism, as is Capistrano beach front. That looks as if it would be heaving, but good fun, in high season. But the rest of the town just gets on with its life.

We like walking and went out every day, including walking through many of the shopping streets and village centres used by the locals. Fascinating - and of course this is also where you can find the lunchtime cafes.

The two / three long narrow streets of the tourist area in Nerja are packed with tourist tat shops, bars, restaurants, cafes. Huge variety of choice. Pick your menu and enjoy.

Far and away the best value in Nerja centre is the trattoria at the back of the square just off the end of the Balcon - we found it on the first night, early, and were astonished to see queues build up by 8pm.  Booked for our last night and it was just as high quality, and even more busy. Genuine italian cooking and superb value.

Turn left out of the hotel and you are on the Balcon in 5 minutes, and on from there into the tourist lanes. If you are going to stay in the town there is no need to hire a car. And there is a frequent and cheap bus route to Malaga, taking about 90 minutes to the airport.

Turn right out of the hotel and then left and within a 10 minute stroll you are into the other main seaside tourist eating / plaza area. On the way there is a full range of all sorts of local shops, including one amazing place - hardware store/ haberdashery/ stationers/ toy shop with a massive collection of Dinky Toy cars!
 
There is an expensive but extremely high quality French restauarant on the route down there, tucked away at the base of one of the blocks of flats in which the Nerjans live.  Further on beyond that is the 'eatery' strip with enough variety to satisfy all palates. We tended to strut our stuff in that area after dinner - the promenade has been refurbished and is extremly pleasant.

In spring the walking in the hills is excellent (on a nice day) and there are dozens of routes if that is your thing. We had a walk around Frig' so also had a look at that quaint place. It is over hyped in the tour guides but worth looking at, if only to wonder at the prices of property there!

Competa, way up in the hills, is just as fascinating, especially on Market day, but you do need to be aware that it is high up and reached by a 'mountain' road. Drive with care!

Torrox Mare was the end point of another day in the hills - dominated by over wintering Teutonics - but a pleasant place to stroll at the end of the afternoon and to hear German rather than Spanish or English spoken.

And the trip through the mountains to the Alhambra in Granada is absolutely worth it. Totally fascinating but plan to arrive early so you actually have enough time to enjoy it at your own pace. And, do your shopping and take a picnic. The place is a classic tourist trap and the cafe / restaurant prices reflect the fact that they have a captive market. We forgot how high it is in comparison with sea level Nerja. And therefore much, much colder.  It was a bit of a nippy day when the breeze got up!

We loved the whole experience - Robin is still at an age where he will recognise that a 'boring walk' is in the end 'alright' . And we found enough to do and see to make it enjoyable for him as well as for us oldies. Maybe it won't work for him from now on.

Much of the commercial activity is inevitably holiday villa development, promotion and sales. And many of the Brits seemed to be in Nerja on an extended tour of the (many) estate agents ... or maybe we were just coincidentally always falling into conversation with folks who were on a villa hunt. There is a huge choice and Nerja is extending visibly and rapidly to the East to fill the demand.

Located about an hour East of Malaga airport on a very smooth and not overly busy motorway it is obviously going to become more developed, especially because Nerja is the 'last stop' on the Costa del Sol before the mountains reach the sea.

It has enough variety to suit most preferences and is ideally located if your preference is for early season walking in the low Sierras.

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Plaza Cavanna Hotel - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - May 2004

Opinion submitted in May 2005 by : GILLIAN CALDWELL   AGE 58 NORFOLK.

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

OUR VISIT TO Nerja was our 4th, this is the best Hotel so far, from the minute we walked into the Hotel the staff were so helpful, pleasant, and made us feel more than welcome, reception staff also no trouble to sort anything for you or help.

The room was spacious very clean, and a lovely clean spacious bathroom which you dont often get, the room was complemented with a balcony, although there was at times a little noise until about midnight, but did not keep us awake, the food was of good choice, the evening meals were well presented, waiter service, and very tasty,we will be back again this year and this is where we will stay again, a good hotel not to be missed, a 3star should have 4, we must also thank the staff at Thomsons travel, for being so helpful too 2 very well satisfied customers thank you Plaza Cavana and staff,you made our stay a happy one.

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Private Villa - Burriana

Operator and Date: independent - July 2006

Opinion submitted in August 2006 by : Susan,Richard, Laura, Jonathan,Kayleigh,Neil - Newcastle (48,45,20,19,20,25)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Villa & pool gorgeous. Quite close to Burriana beach,down a steep hill.We hired a car for the week,went to Caves, Maro and Frigiliana - all worth seeing.
Loved Nerja but the only downsides were the long waits for food and unfriendly service (unlike Icmeler,Turkey) and stoney beaches. Recommend Cafe del Mar,Burriana for english breakfasts.

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Private Villa - Nerja

Operator and Date: Booked our own flights

Opinion submitted in Mar 2005 by : Lynda Byrne - Ireland 49,44,17.13

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

I read through this site out of interest, our family have been to Nerja four years running, and absolutely love it, I'm astounded at the complaints about the spanish being unfriendly, and Nerja being noisy and unspanish!  Its a beautiful place, full of adulusian charm, we went with budget travel the first time and got an ok apartment, but decided after that to privately rent our own, through a site called ownersdirect, and we got a really beautiful apartment in the Capistrano Oasis. The apartment was huge, spotlessly clean and with the full facilities you would expect at home! We had a huge terrace. 

The Capistrano is a charming place with beautiful lush tropical surroundings!  There a beautiful restaurants all around Nerja, with cusines to suit every taste, the Balcon De Europe is an absolutely magical place at night when its light up with little fairy lights, the is lots to do an see in Nerja, car rental is very reasonable, you can visit the caves, the markets, we would hight recommend going to Sierra Nevada, its spectacular and worth the 2 hour drive. The restaurants around the balcon tend to be pricy, we recommend going down the other end of the town, near the Hotel Monica, there a wonderful restaurants there that cater to every taste. Burriana is beautiful if a little crowded,but its clean. We think Nerja is a safe and lovely place, no lager louts, or high rise tower blocks unlike it neighbour Benalmadena!

We would recommend Nerja, rent your own private appartment and get your own flights, its well worth the extra bother, dont bother with tour operators, you dont need them if you just do a bit of ground work before you go.
For car rental I recommend Carjet, for private rental I recomment www ownersdirect or www  thisisnerja  com

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Pueblo Mediterraneo Apartments - Nerja

Operator and Date: Independent - Aug 2004

Opinion submitted in Aug 2004 by : Paul (46) Louise (40) Sarah (16) William (13.5)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We stayed in the Burriana Beach area of Nerja. This is a resort in itself with plenty of bars and restaurants to choose from and the town is only a 15min walk away (dependant on where your particular accomodation is situated). 

Be careful if you have mobility problems as Nerja is extremely hilly and some apartments are at the top of very steep hills. We were lucky that although we had a walk up a steep hill back home every night it wasn't very far up the hill!!!!

Nerja is as unspoilt as a tourist resort can be and is not like some of the other Costa Del Sol resorts, it still retains plenty of charm and character.  There are some delightful restaurants in the town and plenty of bars, shops etc.

Burriana beach is the best beach in Nerja and is a good area to stay in.

One bar in particular stood out for us. All That Jazz (Aka ATJ's) only opened up in June and is run by Sandy, Mark and staff, who are all always pleased to see you and are extremely friendly and helpful. They also do very good food.  If like us when on holiday you don't like Sports bars or "british pubs" then this is the place for you.  While we were there they also had entertainment on some nights (but you have to book) such as drag acts and Frank Sinatra impersonator.

DON'T bother trying AYO's "famous" paella.  We went one night and yes it is cheap, but the service is appalling and the food awful.  Paella consists of a small plate of what can only be described as batchelors savoury rice with 2 prawns and 2 pieces of chicken.  Everyones starters, main meals are served at different times, they don't clear your table between courses and the waiters are all extremely surly. Cheap yes but not worth it!

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Rio Marinas - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Sunset Discounts) Sunset Holidays - November 2004

Opinion submitted in Nov 2004 by : Leanne Stobbs - Stockton on Tees

Resort Rating: Good

Accommodation Rating: Below Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Watch out for cockroaches!!!!! Pool is like Ice - colder than the sea, Rooms and Sheets were not cleaned once while we were there, you have to pay for the sunbeds 2 euros per day and the receptionist isn't much help and doesn't speak english!!! not much choice on food in snack bar and is over priced and Horrible! the hotel is about a half an hour walk into the main town and cost about 5 euros in a taxi and takes about 5 mins nothing else near hotel a little locals beach but was very dirty and no sunbeds and also very stoney.

Try Legends - English Bar excellent food drink and entertainment and also black and white excellent karoke bar open till about 3.

Also try big als for a great sunday roast.

Brilliant Holiday but would have paid more to stay somewhere better and closer than that this hotel.

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Riu Monica - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson-October 2005

Opinion submitted in Dec 2005 by : Rob Barnard-Grimsby

Resort Rating: Good

Accommodation Rating: Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Hotel looking tired ,due to be refurbished in November.Food ok staff great.Nerja very spanish quaint little streets with shops and bars.English bars very dear for drinks,use the spanish ones.

Familys with children BEWARE we saw man on Pencillo beach taking photos of young children,he was chased but was not caught.

PLEASE BE AWARE

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Riu Monica - Nerja

Operator and Date: None (independant direct booking) - October 2005

Opinion submitted in Oct 2005 by : Tony & Heather Whitelocke - Fort William (53, 53)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Overall rating as above despite the few adverse comments below.

HOTEL GOOD POINTS

- Despite adverse comments elsewhere on this website about tiredness of rooms ours was very good despite not being refurbished yet. Large, well appointed. very clean & everything worked. Decor obviously had seen better times but was still OK. On arrival we were offered a choice of rooms - a refurbished room at ground level which was obviously more modern (but smaller) & an unrefurbished room on the third floor with a good view - which we chose.

- Impressive large public areas in hotel building.

- Staff & service brilliant.

- Food choice very good. Food quality excellent.

- Location right on small beach excellent. Also only 10 minute walk from main tourist centre of Nerja.

HOTEL NOT SO GOOD POINTS

- Pool tatty. Some broken tile work & a green stain (algae?) just below water level - don't swallow the water! Also a funny ledge about 18" deep around the outside which wasn't very obvious. However water too cold (for me) to swim in comfortably so all the above pretty irrelevant! If it had been warm enough the pool would have been too small.

- Insufficient sunbed area around the pool & the usual problem with guests "reserving" sunbeds made this worse.

- Dinner in 2 sittings - 18.30 (too early) & 20.15 (too late). Fixed time (we chose 20.15) a bit inconvenient but OK.

- Dining room pretty full at for breakfast & we had to seach for tables but we could always find one.

- Evening entertainment sparse & pretty poor. Also it started at 19.30 some evenings which wasn't great if you were in the late sitting for dinner.

NERJA

Normal town with tourist area & not a purpose built holiday community. Good for more mature couples & younger couples who want quiet relaxing holiday. I would guess not suitable for groups of yougsters wanting a rave up.

AROUND & ABOUT

- Nearby caves worth a visit. Very impressive. Euro 0.82 bus ride away.

- Nearby mountain village of Frigiliana is a must. Euro 0.90 bus fare or Euro 10.00 taxi fare. You MUST avail yourself of David Riordan's Frigiliana walking tour. Excellent historical & humorous tour for only Euro 7.00.  Tour leaves 11.30 Mon - Frid from bus stop (only one tour a day so get your timing right).

FINALLY...

We booked hotel direct from Riu website & Glogespan flights from Glasgow to Malaga separately. We also took taxi from Malaga airport both ways (about Euro 68.00 each way). Our total cost for the above was about £370 less than the the similar Thomson package from Glasgow leaving 3 days later. You have been warned!

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Riu Monica - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - September 2005

Opinion submitted in Oct 2005 by : Joyce and Benny Small - Edinburgh 56, 57

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We stayed at the Rui Monica for 2 weeks in September. It was the best holiday we have had in a long time. The hotel was first class, the staff, very friendly and helpful from the chambermaids to the Director himself. The food was excellent. The hotel was situated in a great position not far from the main square. Lots of lovely restaurants and bars nearby very reasonably priced. The Jamaica and The Ship were our favourites. Nerja itself is a lovely place to stay. Very laid back. The people were very friendly. Would recommend this holiday to anyone and we wuill certainly be back

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Riu Monica - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - August 2005

Opinion submitted in Sept 2005 by : Anne Smith (46), Shaun McDonald (49)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Well having booked a Thomson 3* HB late deal was very nervous about the accommodation we would be allocated.  Could not believe it when we were given Riu Monica 4* (probably nearer a good 3* but up for refurbishment in October of this year).  We were dreading being given the Nerja Club or Villa Flamenca having read the reviews! 

Couldn't really fault anything, glass of champagne in reception on arrival and cases taken to your room.  We didn't get a very good view (overlooking a roof) but within minutes of being in the room were rang by reception to see if our room was OK - we asked for a sea view and got it in minutes!!  Food was excellent - couldn't believe the choices - Meats, Fish,Soups, Salads, Desserts, Cheese and Biscuits etc. etc.  Very well organised 2 sittings system 7pm or 8.45pm.  The one bieng a bit too early and the other being a little late, but it was well organised. The only downside being the pool area - not really enough pool area but lots of garden area, this seemed to be in the shade for a lot of the morning though.  

Location was fantastic - right near the town without it being really busy.  Weather was faultless - really hot, good air conditioning in room, mini bar which we used for our own drinks. As we had friends staying at the Marinas de Nerja Appartments we used their pool area (5 euro taxi ride) or a bus from door to door for 1 euro each.  Fabulous pool area here - very roomy.  Was impressed with dinks and restaurant prices in the resort, much cheaper than Ibiza which is our usual holiday destination. 

Would definitely come back, quite lively in town at night with lots of stalls, shops and street entertainment.  

All in all a brill holiday!!!   

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Riu Monica - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - June 2005

Opinion submitted in Sept 2005 by : Lorraine and David - Wetherby

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion:

We were nervous to start with as the hotel was not our choice but came recommended by the travel agent, Lunn Poly. However we were not disappointed. The hotel was excellent. The staff couldn't be more helpful and friendly.

The food was excellent with a varied menu each evening. Buffet service in 2 sittings but this wasn't a problem. Even catered for early breakfast when we went on a trip.

Rooms were very clean and a good size. We were on the top floor with great views.

They were closing for several months to decorate from November 2005. This was a very good 4 star hotel.

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Riu Monica - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson October 2004

Opinion submitted in Jan 2005 by : Pauline and William Fraser - Morpeth (45,55)

Resort Rating: Good

Accommodation Rating: Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Hotel was allocated on arrival and were pleased to be getting  a four star next to the beach.  The reception was excellent.  However, the rooms a little tired. 

There are two sittings for dinner and you have to stick to either first or second sitting.  However, this wasn't as limiting as we first thought.  The food was very good.  The hotel had a broad mix of English, German, Spanish, Belgians and catered for everyone, giving a good chance to try lots of different foods - salads were excellent.

Pool was good, beaches beautiful - especially further past the Balcon de Europa.  People in the hotel were not as friendly and keen to mix with other guests as other places we have been - the friendliest holiday makers were the Germans.  Flamenco show at the hotel was brilliant and other entertainment varied.

Were there at the time of the local festival, which added a lot of interest to Nerja - however, in October the town was dead at night when festival ended.

Frigillania (pueblo blanco) 4 miles from town is well worth a visit.  Trip to Granada and the Alhambra is a must.

A beautiful place to visit once.

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Riu Monica - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson Sept 2004

Opinion submitted in Oct 2004 by : Ian and Myra Dundee

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Spent an excellent week here and could find hardly anything bad to say about the hotel and we're quite fussy.Food was very varied and always good,rooms were clean,maybe in need of a little updating, but nothing drastic.Staff were very helpful, facilities were good and the entertainment was free so if you dont like it you can find other entertainment within 10 minutes walk at the Balcon Europa area.Nerja was beautiful and we thought the beaches were clean and not too busy. 

Go to Ayos for paella at the Buriana beach end.5 euros and a huge plateful.Also worth going on a local bus to Frigiliana and get Susie or Dave (they meet you off the bus) to do a guided tour.One of the best we've ever been on.Granada too was brill,loads of shops and loads of history as well.Cant wait to go back to Nerja and Riu Monica but we'd better be quick cos there is a bit of building work going on so its spreading fast.Oh, the market on a Tues is great too.Thomsons tours a bit pricey and can be done yourselves a lot cheaper.

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Riu Monica - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson- August 2004

Opinion submitted in Aug 2004 by : Sam and Sheila 27, 33

Resort Rating: Average

Accommodation Rating: Below Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Like others I booked a 2 week stay in Nerja because of rave reviews on this site.  However I found that the rare negative reviews were the more accurate.  Firstly the room was poor, the bathroom door did not close properly,  the bathroom taps were rusty, the green decor was an eyesore, the air condition unit was mouldy and green and the toilet light did not work.   The room had been given a fresh lick of paint but more pressing problems (like doors that don't shut) were not addressed.

Nerja itself is a little seaside town in Spain.  There is not much nightlife and if you are happy to spend 10 hours plus on a gritty area, full of cigarrette stubs, then you'll love their "beach".

Thomsons were terrible.    Our first excursion to Puerto Banus was awful, simply awful.  We had a rep who mumbled the entire journey, gave us the wrong times to return back and who had the nerve to direct us to the tourist office to BUY maps and make our own way round the place, while she disappeared to have coffee.  On our second stop, she told us to meet at a store  car park but neglected to tell us the store had 2 car parks .  As a result we were 5 minutes late, which was not bad, given her poor instructions.  However being just 5 minutes late was too much for some people and the rep had words with us whilst some tourists made bitchy comments.  I suppose having grumpy  men on your tour is just bad luck, but it was awful end to an awful trip. Funny, none of the tourists said anything when the driver was 35 minutes late collecting us at our first stop.  As for Puerto Banus itself, someone should really tell Thomsons that we have Designer stores in the UK too.

We decided to cut short our visit, because of the reasons listed above, and our rep although bubbly and talkative did not get back to us about returning our excursion tickets, despite me asking her several times. She didn't really give us the support needed, leaving us to trawl the internet for flight tickets and book oursleves.

On the good side the hotel staff were very friendly and helpful.  The food was also wide in variety and sumptious.  I counted 10 varieties of cake, 8 ice-cream flavours and 15 different salads.  The Monica excelled at food.  Also the views from the hotel were spectacular.

The entertainment was laughable. The live music was provided by a Spanish duo "Casino",  which consisted of a Bee Gees clone and a Tammy Wynette lookalike who sung bad cover versions of Village People songs!.  Kitsch heaven! 

I would have recommended the stay for a beach holiday had the beach not been so poor.

All in all, for those who want to see Sunny Spain I recommend booking another holiday with another company.

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Riu Monica - Nerja

Operator and Date: booked directly with hotel .July 2004

Opinion submitted in Sept 2004 by : J Phillips N.Wales. 51,53,52,48.

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Lovely hotel Very well organised,  confortable and spotless.Friendly staff. Wonderful position, on beach. The best hotel in Nerja. Make sure that you ask for a room with individual air-conditioning. Excellent breakfast. We always stay in 4 star hotels and this is the best we have had so far.The only improvement it needs is to tidy up the pool and surrounding area. 

Fantastic restaurants in Nerja we didn't have a poor meal in 8 days and if you like Tapas you'll be in heaven !

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Riu Monica - Nerja

Operator and Date: Tomas Cook - June 2004

Opinion submitted in Feb 2005 by : Allan & Joan  49,49

Resort Rating: Good

Accommodation Rating: Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We went for a week in June and were a little disappointed with the hotel and resort. Nerja is a bit tired as is the Hotel Monika. Food was very good but bedrooms and pool/surrounding areas were poor but clean. Hated those that were arranging sunbeds/towels at 7am!! and this was when it was quiet! Hotel rooms and grounds  just need a bit updating! Customer service was very good as were the cocktails! Entertainment was rubbish.

On the whole we did have a lovely time but were glad we were only there for a week.

We did find an Irish bar/restaurant down a side street just before the Balcon with beautiful views out to sea and along the coast where you were never rushed and could spend hours relaxing, eating and drinking.

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Riu Monica - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - 13-24 June

Opinion submitted in July 2004 by : Ian & Linda Lewis - Newport S Wales

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion:

Just returned from 11 days at the Riu Monica in Nerja.  We were  welcomed with a glass of cava by reception as we signed in and thought, although it was 11.30 in the morning (which can be a little early for some), so far so good.    The next day saw our welcome meeting with Thomsons and again, we experienced a first when in came the hotel director, closely followed by the maitre d, the head chef, the head barman and housekeeper all to be introduced and give a little speech about their various departments and what they can do to make our holiday special.
 
The hotel was excellent,  but some parts were in need of some refurbishment. Our room although adequate and very clean, did need a lick of paint and the air conditioning was past its best.  Parts of the pool needed attention.  We were not quite sure whether there was air conditioning in the dining room or not as if you are unlucky to be on the early sitting, then it is very hot & stuffy.   Food good if a bit repetitive.  Plenty of sun loungers and umbrellas, providing you don't leave it too late to come down.  Nice quiet areas, especially on the grass at the side of the hotel where the sun came around from about midday till sunset.  The biggest disappointment was the beach outside and the water, as Nerja does not have a sewage treatment programme, although the locals didn't seem to mind this and swam well into the late evening.

Nerja itself is quite big, but is still largely undeveloped so retains a lot of local character.  As we were half board, we didn't need to try any of the restaurants, but can definitely recommend The Ship (opposite the hotel) for a lunchtime snack and Sarah & Manolos a few doors up for drinks in the evening (a lot cheaper than the hotel).  The Balcon de Europa gets very busy in the evening, but is a very pleasant way to while away an hour or two especially if the two lads who play the Spanish music on the guitar & violin are there, or as we also saw in the same evening, a youth orchestra playing a medley of Abba songs!

The caves are pretty impressive and as the local buses (air conditioned coaches more like) are cheap & easy to use, save money and do them yourself.   We also went to Frigiliana on the bus and this is a lovely Spanish village.  You must do the walk by Dave Riordan, which is very informative and tells you, so much about this lovely place's history

Went to Gibraltar and if you go, you must do the Dolphin trip. MAGICAL!  One to avoid is the shops unless you want M&S, BHS, Early Learning & Mothercare.  Boring.

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Riu Monica - Nerja

Operator and Date: Independant/Jet2  - June 2004

Opinion submitted in July 2004 by : Les,Bri 52,55 - Leeds

Resort Rating: Good

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Yes, Nerja looks tired and scruffy but so does all of Costa del Sol. They are too busy building golf courses,new roads and hotels to bother with the up-keep of what is already there.  Having said all that, we enjoyed strolling around the little streets (when not being bowled over by teenagers on very noisey scooters).  Street entertainment on Balcon was amusing.

Burriana beach was the nicest of the area but it is shingle, so not nice to stroll on.
Nightlife in Nerja is Nil, by 11:30 everywhere is closed. We are not party animals but we would have liked some more livelier bars.
Hotel entertainment very poor.

The Monica is the best run hotel we have ever stayed in (and we holiday 4 times per year). Glass of champagne on arrival was a nice touch.  The staff are just wonderful and cannot be praised more highly.

Not too keen on 2 sittings at evening meal.  Food was good and not as repetative as some.5 jams at breakfast is good but no decent sausages let it down. Evening meals had plenty of choice too and salads were a delight.
The main areas of hotel are of good standard but was shocked at the bedrooms. Very old and worn,yet beds were new. Bathrooms old too.  Having said all that, we were told that it is to close for 3mths for total re-fit, so after that it will be a superb hotel.
Not enough sunbeds and ones on beach are always reserved!!!!!!!!!

Pool cafe was poor so we walked down the beach and found superb beach cafe. The locals use it (always a good sign).Walk out of gate and turn right,past the 'mini balcon',over little bridge and walk for 15mins and just after life gaurds hut. 3 boats outside with seats and umbrellas. If the special of day is Pork ribs, have them. They are best ever tasted!!House salad and Poor mans potato's are good too.

Want a coffee and cake then go into town,past Balcon and just after the tourist office is a little cafe (on right)called Anahi's,in door way is cold cabinet with cakes, look thru shop and you can see the sea, little balcony with 5 tables outside.Lovely food and good  fresh orange juice,sangria,beer or coffee.Sorry this is so long but wanted to tell it as it was.

Not impressed too much with caves, a cave is a cave!! Frigliana was good, if you go,get the 'tour'in the village.Susie or Dave meets people off the bus. They tell you all history of village for about 3 euros.With free glass of local wine.
Bus station isnt anything like a bus station. It is a layby with a man in a hut.Walk into town and keep walking up and it's just off the big roundabout.Get a map from hotel reception.Last tip, don't get a taxi from airport!!!! 70-80 euros, it's cheaper to hire a car for the week just to get to hotel.

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Riu Monica - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - June 2004

Opinion submitted in June 2004 by : Mick - South Wales (62,58)

Resort Rating: Average

Accommodation Rating: Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Having read a number of excellent reviews and hearing from friends of how good Nerja and the Monica are, my wife and I were considerably disappointed by both and can't help but wonder how such opinions can be derived.

Yes, the Riu is 'comfortable' but is now looking quite tired.  The food in the hotel is always on the same basic theme.  Only the chef's specials varied, he excelled with the grouper.

Did anyone else notice the cracked walls in the garden?  The cracked and poorly repaired tiles in the pool with their attendant attendant health risk?  There was aircon in the room but not too efficient; examination of the unit gave me a clue as to why - it was rotting away. .... and the dingy green decor of the rooms? Well done to the hotel staff however, who sorted out a major problem when friends we were to be holidaying with were sent to another Riu hotel, at Torox, because of overbooking at the Monica.  They dealt with this in a very professional manner.  Unfortunately by moving them back to Nerja rather than us to Torox where the recent addition to the Riu chain there gave our friends a good look at what might have been.

Our room was west facing.  I am now a tower crane 'anorak' - there were seven working within 500 metres on this side of the hotel with another nine within sight. Do you wonder where EU funds  are going? Look no further than Nerja where money is being ploughed into road works, bridge repair and roundabout construction.

As to the town, how about the graffiti and broken seats on the promenade in front of the hotel and elsewhere in the town?  The broken and holed pavements?  Oh yes! .... and the dog dirt too? 
The old part of town has a certain charm and the beaches to the east of the Balcon de Europ really are excellent however.  The Balcon itself is somewht overrated too.

No complaint about Thomson's though, the facts speak for themselves.  Flight from Cardiff cancelled; bussed to Manchester; departed at 1pm instead of 7am; Malaga rep gave us the wrong transfer bus bay location; transfer bus left without us even though there were only about 5 other couples on the bus.   About par for a 'good' holiday company!

And finally, Thomsons - it really grates on those of us over fifty to be told by someone who seems only to have just left college and her 'Essentials of Tourism' course to 'Have a fun time guys' !!!!
Not this time we didn't

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Riu Monica - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - February 2004

Opinion submitted in Feb 2004 by : Gaynor and David - Norwich (53 and 59)

Resort Rating: Good

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Nerja itself looking a bit tired and scruffy, but could be about to get a pre peak season facelift.  Hotel Riu Monica, as other holidaymakers have testified, is an extremely well run hotel.  The staff are unfailingly polite and helpful, the food was the best we have ever had from this type of package holiday, and the rooms large and comfortable. 

Thomson reps in attendance every day.  Frigiliana (about a 20 minute bus ride away) is well worth a visit - an extremely attractive and amazingly unspoilt typical Spanish white-washed town/village.  We found that when we ventured out in the evening, nightlife was limited at this time of year, but on Valentine's Day we went to Langhams in the evening and had an excellent meal (not cheap but good for a special occasion).  The mosque/cathedral at Cordoba is stunning and a must see.

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Riu Monica - Nerja

Operator and Date: Independant - Date Not Specified

Opinion submitted in Apr 2004 by : Dave Quinney - Derby (54,49)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Booked holiday independant using Bmi baby,taxi transfers and web booking agency.
All faultless and BIG savings on package holiday. Could not really criticise the Riu in any way.
The location,staff,cleanliness,facilities were all excellent with superb food and choice.
Frigiliana worth a look, so were the caves. Public transport (Bus Station and taxi rank)a five minute walk from hotel. 

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Toboso II - Nerja

Operator and Date: Private - June 2005

Opinion submitted in July 2005 by : Mike and Denise Edwards ( both late 50's)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

This was our third year in Nerja, and it's got better every time..!

Not only were the flights cheap and convenient, but the accomodation was modern, clean, tidy and being only 50 yards from both the Torrecilla beach and the beginning of the town itself, it couldn't have been in a better position.
Of course, the reason for all these complimentary comments has been mentioned in other good reviews of self catering private holidays is quite simple....... do it yourself.....!!!!
It's so easy this day and age, even for a pair of "nearly bus pass holders" like my wife and I.

Nerja got something for every age group and yes of course, just like home, some like it some don't. What's the old say.."you can please some of the people some of the time.........".
I've built up some excellent contacts, all private (and not travel agents), to enable anyone to plan a very reasonably priced holiday in the very pleasant town of Nerja and would share them with anyone wishing to give it a try. 

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Toboso II - Nerja

Operator and Date: Private Rental - 2004

Opinion submitted in Sept 2004 by : Vickie Laube - York (24,22)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

The first time I visited Nerja I was 14 and was dragged there by parents.  At that time even it it was Disney land I would have made sure I didn't have a good time just to frustrate my Mam and Dad (coz that's what teenagers do!)

However, now I'm the ripe old age of 24 I have just returned from Nerja for the seventh time.  I have converted all my friends too!  On my last visit myself and a friend stayed in Tobosso II. The apartment itself is 2 minutes from the beach and the highlight for us was having coffee on the balocony one morning and seeing dolphins playing about 50 meteres away from the beach! 

There are so many places to eat in Nerja I still havn't tried them all.  My fave's so far are Speak Easy's, La Teja, La Terraza and the Codfather deserves a special mention for the staff alone.  What with me being a young 'un I do like to have a few shandy's but not every night, so having all the late night bars in one area, Tutti Frutti Square is fantastic, if you don't want that kind of thing you can avoid it and be none the wiser! If it's a quiet drink you want the Barbados is great, run by and english guy it's cosy and friendly. 

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Torrox Beach Club - Nerja

Operator and Date: 2006

Opinion submitted in September 2006 by : David Brown

Resort Rating: Good

Accommodation Rating: Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Resort was great. Nerja really friendly place and the accommodation was really comfortable

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Verdemar Apartment - Nerja

Operator and Date: Private - Sept04

Opinion submitted in June 2005 by : Claire & Keith - Wales

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We have been visiting Nerja for a number of years and it never fails to disappoint. We tend to stay at the Parador end of the town in preference to the Monica side as we feel it has more charm.
 
We book the same apartment via a company in Nerja itself and they organise a taxi to collect us from the airport. 

The apartment block itself faces the sea ensuring every apartment has a wonderful sea view. There is nothing better than sitting on our balcony with a glass of chilled wine watching the world go by!
 
Nerja itself has built up over the years, however it still retains its character unlike many of the other towns on the Costa del Sol.                   
 
Nightlife in Nerja consists of cafe bars and restaurants to suit all tastes. Its not recommended if you are looking for nightclubs - although my teenage daughter never refuses the offer of a week there! 
The restaurants we recommend are Ayos on the beach for Paella, although a few days a week he does the most wonderful lamb dish. No 34 on the Carabeo - a bit pricey, but perfect for a special occasion.  Also New Orleans, Petit Paris, Scarlettas, El Pata Negra and The Taste of India again on Hernandes de Carabeo. 
Across the street from our apartment is the Bahia cafe, very reasonable and many of the locals tend to go there.                           

One restaurant to avoid is the Italian at the end of the Carabeo, on the left side of the road as you walk towards the Balcon - not good!

We are back there again in 2005 and we cannot wait!  Its just home from home - with sun!

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Verona Azul Apartments - Nerja

Operator and Date: Sunmaster - June 2007

Opinion submitted in July 2007 by : Janette - Manchester (50,48,44,43,)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Had a great holiday. Apartments were clean and well equipped although we couldn't get the washing machine to work.  Air conditioning was a godsend after a day on the beach or shopping.The Pool area was clean but there are no sunbeds, we bought straw mats and sunbathed on the grass which surrounds the pool.Found the lady on reception was very helpful with directions and booking a taxi for return trip(they have a regular taxi driver who is a lot cheaper than the regular taxis(65 euros). Balcon de Europe area is very nice with lots of tapas bars although Tutti Frutti square will be a lot better when the paving is finished.Burinna beach is nice and clean although the road is quite steep to get down to it, we used to walk down and call in H2O(a bar at the side of the beach )on the way back and get a taxi back up(6euros).

I wasn't looking forward to the holiday after reading some of the reviews but would definitely go back again.

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Verona Azul Apartments - Nerja

Operator and Date: Holiday Brokers - May 2007

Opinion submitted in May 2007 by : Ron Paula Connie Nick 54 to 23years

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Below Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Just returned from a short 5 day break in Nerja in the Costa del Sol,which was booked with the accomidation from Holiday brokers and the flight with Monarch.

Having visted Nerja and stayed at the Verano Azul before about 4 years ago and having no complaints then we thought we would try it again,BIG MISTAKE! The reception which used to be open 24 hours is now only open Mon-Fri from 9am-2pm and then from 5pm-7pm (but in actual fact was only open from 10am-1pm and 5.30pm-7pm ish)We arrived on Sunday morning and had to collect our keys from the Nerja club which is about 500 meters further up the hill,not a problem for us as we had a car but a very steep walk if you havent.

The apartment itself was ok but when we enquired about cleaning and clean towels we got told the apartment gets cleaned weekly so the towels you get when you arrived and the toilet roll have to have a lot of use! If you need a safe deposit box you can rent one but it is in reception so you can only get to it when reception is open as is the luggage room.The 2 receptionist seemed more interested in their make up than the guests.I would not stay here or recommend this accomadation to anyone.The resort of Nerja is great,lots to do,laidback and well worth a visit with lots of better places to stay,

Just one other quick note on the Verano Azul,it used to have a security guard who patrolled the grounds but he is no more so the local teenagers now take over the swimming pools for a couple of hours after school finishes.

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Verona Azul Apartments - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Direct Holidays) Direct Holidays - 2006

Opinion submitted in July 2006 by : 

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Poor

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

What a horrible accommodation these are. The reception was hardly open,  and the staff were really unpleasant. We had a major problem with ants and noise and had no confidence in are rep, in fact we felt really vulnerable. Please think twice before booking here.

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Verona Azul Apartments - Nerja

Operator and Date: Independent - October 2005

Opinion submitted in Nov 2005 by : Alan Spencer -Surrey  (64,60)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Most comments above agreed with:

Nerja - a beautiful resort, largely unspoiled by 'high-rise hotel architecture', offering most all want. Definitely superior to the rest of the del Sol.

Verano Azul apartments - We booked a private apartment direct. It was excellent in every respect. The main road was never noisy at all (in October) and our bedroom faced the back anyway (maybe a point to check).
We thus never even tried to find the maligned on-site restaurant, the town's restaurants being excellent in choice, quality and price.

The description on which we booked did not do the complex any justice - it is charmingly constructed on a Andalucian/Moorish village street plan and architecture, with profuse tropical vegetation throughout.

It IS a distictly uphill trudge back from the Burriana beach (although the routes to the town and other beaches are OK in this respect). We're an average 60's couple and found it annoying rather than a real effort. Nevertheless, it did put us off going to the otherwise great Burriana beach restaurants too often! Our booking site's description of "10 minutes to beach and town" with no mention of slopes was distictly misleading, and we have told them so.

We would almost certainly return to Nerja (and we rarely return anywhere, preferring new scenes each time). But we might locate a more convenient location, despite the Verano's excellence intrinsically.

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Verona Azul Apartments - Nerja

Operator and Date: Direct internet booking /  April 2005

Opinion submitted in May 2005 by : Colin & Pauline Statham 59/54

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

This was our first holiday to Nerja and we were amazed we hadn't found this jewel before.We usually go to Benalmadena but we will definitely be back to Nerja.

I booked the accomodation off the internet and flights likewise.Although a taxi from Malaga is 60 euros we got transported by the guy who maintains the apartments for 45 euros each way.You can get a bus to Malaga and then another to Nerja for about 10 euros but it takes forever so I am told.Our apartment is owned by an English couple so arranging the holiday was simple.The apartment by the way was excellent,complete with a full Sky package and all mod cons.Our apartment faced the main road and except for the boy racers on 50cc mopeds the noise was neglible.Burriana beach is well worth a visit(downhill) but get a cab back as it is steep.

The town of Nerja really suprised and pleased us as it still maintains its Spanish charm and caters for tourists also.There are literally hundreds of bars and restaurants in the town centre and all of the ones we visited made us very welcome.
Walked up to the caves one day but as the wife was not to fond once inside we came out and had a drink over the road - what views from the terrace.
Fragliana is a must to visit,it is only 2/3 Km from town and you will find this village absolutely breathtaking.I am told the village of Torrox is equally beautiful.We never found the bar/restaurnt on the complex but readig other reviews found that they do exist.

We will definitely go back to Nerja and probably to the same apartments.

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Hotel Villa - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson august 2004

Opinion submitted in Feb 2005 by : laura lindsay london 18,21

Resort Rating: Average

Accommodation Rating: Below Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Neja is gorgeous!!! But the hotel villa is not. Do'nt stay for the entertainment go out to the old town. Only stay in the resort to sleep otherwise you'll be dissapointed.

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Hotel Villa Flamenca - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Portland Direct) Portland july 2006

Opinion submitted in July 2006 by : AUDREY LONGSTAFF  - NORTON STOCKTON OVER 65

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion:

We are two ladies who have visited nerja for the 1st time came home 13th july(usually go to the other parts of costa del sol) we were pleasantly surprised when we were taken to our hotel in a mini bus only 4 others (they went to riu monica)which is the type of hotel we usually go to but decided on villa flamenca and were more than pleased with it may only be a 3* but you get 5* treatment by the staff.  

There was entertainment every night some better than others (worst was carlos playing keyboard he just seemed to mumble) but some where the same entertainers who were at the hotel balcon europa 4* hotel. We did'nt know what to expect we were expecting to have to walk down very steep hills. We walked most days to the balcon europa and never got a taxi there or back, there is a very nice cafe near there beginning with an 'a' near to the steps to the beach, you can get a nice lunchtime meal and if you are lucky enough to get a table on the balcony you have a nice view of the sea etc. The only time we got a taxi was to the market we arrived about 9.30am and we missed the crowds, after getting our bargains we had a look around the area of riu monica very much more built up than where we were which was more andulician and cheaper. 

The rooms in the villa flamenca i had read reports of small rooms and extra small bathrooms. They were not too bad in fact we had room 309 which overlooked the mountains (there is a tree in front which spoilt it a little) but being an end room it was larger than others plus we had a window in the bathroom plus an extra window in the bedroom. Room opposite was 308 overlooked the pool area. So any room ending in 08 or 09 is bigger, would'nt have liked a ground floor room.we met a lady who let us look in their room in the annexe yes the bathroom was a full size bathroom but the room was about the same but no balcony (well there was but only enough room for 1 chair - no table) there is a ceiling fan for which you pay 5 euors for the remote (you get this back when you leave) we found this better than air-conditioning as you could also leave the window open - no trouble with any biting insects.

Food was ok nobody ever went hungry there was always plenty of choice both breakfast and evening meals. Friday night is gala when there are a lot more to choose from. The nearest beach was down a fairly steep beach, beach is shingly so we did'nt go on it, but there are some nice bars small shops and cafes where we stopped for a cup of coffee, we walked up the bank (most get a taxi ) and it only took us 10 mins (and that was with 2 stops to sit on a low wall) taxi any where in nerje is 5 euros. A must is a visit to the nerje caves these you can go to by bus (fare each way less than 1 euro) price to visit the caves is 7 euros (and there is someone taking photos as you go into the caves - these cost 4 euros nice reminder of yout visit). The surrounding area is also very pleasant you can even have a meal there we only had a cold drink but lovely views to watch, we also went by local bus (better than our buses ) to frigliana very pretty village where the women white-wash their houses twice a year. Now this is where i must point out there are quite a lot of steps, so make sure you are where comfortable footwear!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wore my old clark's springers.

The place to get the buses is just near the 2nd roundabout.(on the righthand side)
just in case you like places like macdonalds or burger bar no use going to nerje there are'nt any!!!!!!!!!!!

Think i have covered it all and hope my comments etc will be of some help. Forgot to say not all the people staying at hotel villa flamenca  where over 65 there was quite a lot of younger people and some with children some had been last year and others had been going there for years. Sunbeds, chairs etc around the pool there was more than enough (better than some larger hotels) no matter when you were at the pool area you could always find some place to sit,

have a good holiday!!!!!!!

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Hotel Villa Flamenca - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Portland Direct) Portland - June 2006

Opinion submitted in June 2006 by : M & M (48, 44)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion:

Having been to other parts of the Costa Del Sol and not really liked it, we chose Nerja largely from positive comments on this site.
The town is very pretty and quaint, the 15 minute stroll from the hotel takes you down cobbled streets (it seems a different street every time) with whitewashed houses, awash with colourful bouganvillia and geraniums.  There are very few high rise hotels.  The Balcon area of the town is quite cosmopolitan, with lots of cafes/bars and street entertainers.  Lovely tapas in a bar, can't remember the name but its just to the left of the church in the balcon. Good shopping in the town, shoes are lovely and very cheap!
A steep hill takes you down to Burriana beach, where theres lot of bars, fairly busy in the day but quieter at night.

The hotel was very pleasant, friendly and laid back.  I read comments that rooms in the original buiding were small, so opted for a room in the annexe, which was certainly big enough.  Not luxurious, but more than adequate, kept spotlessly clean, fresh towels daily.  Food was plentiful with lots of choice, did hear some moans from some people, but then you always get that.  You can't please everyone, personally we thought it was fine. 
Entertainment in the evenings was low key, a bit samey, but OK. We usually went for a walk after dinner, then back to the hotel to listen to the singer (on till 12.00) for a coffee and tia maria! 
The pool area is a bit small and would imagine very cramped at peak times, but in June we could always get a sunbed even mid-afternoon.

This is not a lively, action packed, holiday,which was perfect for us. Lots of people had stayed there previously, and I can understand why. We would probably return for a very relaxing, peaceful time one day.

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Hotel Villa Flamenca - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson May 2006

Opinion submitted in August 2006 by : D & J over 60

Resort Rating: Average

Accommodation Rating: Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

This was our second visit to Nerja, the first being in 1999. We were sorry to see that Nerja now has a slightly run-down feeling about it. 

In 1999 a walkway was being cleared from the Balcon to the beach at Nerja and was being nicely planted and lights being put in along the walk. We went to walk along to the Balcon but discovered that the walkway had been abandoned and closed off. There was a certain amount of graffiti on the buildings in Nerja and it was obvious that money was not being spent on maintenance. Even the potholes in the road outside the hotel, which were there seven years ago, had not been filled in. We read in the local newspaper (printed in English) that any government money is being spent west of Malaga with none being available for the east. Also money was being diverted to councils where socialists are in power. Nerja is a charming small town quite different from the larger tacky resorts to the west of Malaga and it is a great pity that money is not being spent on the town.

Regarding the hotel, the staff were very friendly, the food was excellent - more four star than three star. The pool and surrounding area were good and kept very clean. The bedrooms were also spotless, being cleaned by the maids every day when they washed over the floors. We did not miss air conditioning as there was a ceiling fan operated by a remote controller. The controller had to be purchased from reception and a small deposit paid. This is well worth doing.

However, our two complaints about the hotel concern the beds and the bathroom. Our first room was so tiny that it was impossible to get round the beds to reach the wardrobes and in the bathroom it was impossible to sit on the loo as there was no room for one's knees. Also the paint/plaster was peeling off the ceiling and there was black mould in the grouting of the tiles. 

We complained about the room and were moved to a much larger bedroom with a larger bathroom with a window. However, this bathroom had peeling paint and black mould around the tiles. Our second complaint for each bedroom is that the mattresses were of very poor quality and you could feel the springs sticking into your back. There were no mattress protectors on any of the beds and flat bottom sheets were used, which became untucked as soon as you moved in the bed. This meant that one was sleeping on the unprotected mattress most of the time. This is clearly very unhygienic. 

On returning home we complained to Thomson both at a local level and to Head office, enclosing photographs of the peeling plaster in the bathrooms. In reply Thomson stated that the accommodation was performing in line with their rating in all aspects from bedroom comfort to cleanliness. They also said that the majority of holiday makers appeared to be satisfied. We agree that the cleanliness standards were good but the bedroom comfort as far as beds are concerned was appalling. We felt that, apart from the annexe, all the bedrooms needed completely upgrading. 

Apart from the accommodation we had an enjoyable holiday and the fiesta on May 15 was particularly good. We enjoyed walking along Pintada with its shops and relaxing with a coffee on the Balcon, particularly in the evening. The trip to the Lakes was excellent, with a good tour guide, and we enjoyed the trip to Granada and the Alhambra, although here the guide was not so good. This is the first time we have used Thomson and we would not go  with them again.

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Hotel Villa Flamenca - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - May 2006

Opinion submitted in May 2006 by : Julie Williams - Sheffield (42,40)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We booked our flights from Doncaster and our accommodation separately on the Thomson website.  The accommodation actually only cost us £10 per night each for half board.  We were only there from Friday to Monday to celebrate a birthday, but wished we had definitely stayed longer.  I wasnt expecting very much from the hotel for the price we paid, but it was excellent, basic and clean, but very friendly.  We also really appreciated the fact that there werent many children staying in the hotel, as we had left our two at home and the prospect of having kids jumping in and out of the swimming pool all day wasnt something we fancied. 

It is a longish walk to the town but a very nice walk all the same.  I wouldnt recommend it to anyone who has a problem with  hills.  Nerja itself was beautiful.  We have had many holidays on the Costa Del Sol but always in Benalmadena and Torremolinos, but Nerja is a million miles from these in charm and views. 

Because we only had a short stay, we didnt really explore very much but would definitely come back and definitely come back to the Hotel Villa Flamenca.

If you are travelling for a special occasion I can highly recommend a restaurant called No34 at the Hotel Carrebeo, on the way down to the Balcon De Europa.  It was excellent, friendly staff, moreish food and lovely decor. 

All in all a very enjoyable, value for money break.

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Hotel Villa Flamenca - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - April 2006

Opinion submitted in May 2006 by : Sue - Warwickshire (37,67)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

As warned by other reviews the room was on the small side, but there was adequate space. The bathroom was manageable, but again lack of space and layout was the problem.

However, the room was spotless and was kept that way by the friendly maid service. Bed sheets were changed every 2 days and towels daily.

The ceiling fans were paid for on site, but if you are in the annexe there is airconditioning. The balconies are adequate for two (but then there are only supposed to be two people in the room!!!!)

TV hire was available, but only gave CNN and EUROSPORT in the room. The TV in reception had SKY but you had to get the barstaff to change the channel in the bar.

Everyone was friendly, the food was very good. The entertainment was repetitive, but the flamenco show was superb, we were there 2 weeks and it was the same dancers but a different set, which was great.

Overall I think you can't really knock it. The position isn't ideal but taxis are plentiful and reasonable.

Try it and see.

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Hotel Villa Flamenca - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - April 2006

Opinion submitted in May 2006 by : M & I Carmichael 42 & 42

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Really enjoyed our holiday in Nerja, lovely bars and restaurants with a typical Spanish feel (not a Karoke bar in sight thank God) Had an excellant meal in Scarletta's Restaurant, highly recommend a visit there. If you want a drink in a relaxed environment then try the comfortable surroundings of Bar1Uno run by a pleasant English couple. There are also numerous bars and restaurants around the The Balcon de Europa which has a lively atmosphere in the evenings. The Hotel staff were very friendly and helpful and the food was quite good. 

Our room was adequate though the bathroom drains did start to smell on our last 2 days. We were staying in the newer annex part of the hotel but other holiday makers in the original part did say that the rooms, especially the bathrooms were very small. Did not watch the entertainment as I felt it was more for the older generation though I feel the Flamenco Night is definitely worth attending.

We will be returning to Nerja in the future and next time we will stay longer.

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Hotel Villa Flamenca - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson April 2006

Opinion submitted in Apr 2006 by : Tommy & Andy Southport (40+)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Nerja is a pretty good base for a holiday on the Costa del Sol. Unlike other costa resorts, it is relatively low-key. There are  relatively few 'egg'n'chip' restaurants and all night bars and these are mostly confined to the Burriana area. most of the social life centres around the Balcon de Europa. Be warned-prices are much higher in and around the Balcon-go further afield for better value and quality.

The Villa flamenca is a small, older hotel. The rooms are tiny with (mostly) no air con or TV. TV sets can be rented for about 14E per week. There is a ceiling fan, which also carries a rental fee. Rooms overlooking the front of the hotel wee quite noisy from street noise, so a  room on an upper floor might be preferable. Apparently, rooms overloking the pool were quieter at night. Don't be fooled by the 'central location' tag in the brochure. It's a good 20-30 minutes uphill walk back from town.

The staff at the hotel are very friendly and extremely helpful. Food in the restaurant is plentiful, but rather bland.

At the time we visited (April 06), the transfer coach was unable to get down to the hotel. This means that you may have to walk, with your luggage, from the coach, downhill for about 200 yards. Thomson were asking guests to carry their luggage back up the hill on departure, too. However, the ever helpful Michael negotiated the bus down to the hotel entrance for our return.

Overall, it was a good holiday. If you accept the limitations of the hotel it was a good place to stay.

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Hotel Villa Flamenca - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - Mar 2006

Opinion submitted in Apr 2006 by : Jean Scott - North Tyneside

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Just spent a lovely week in Nerja - 1st time we've been and would definitely recommend going.  Villa flemenca rooms basic but cleaned daily and staff at the hotel very friendly - nothing is a problem.  Cannot fault the food, plenty to choose from and can have as much as you like and not oily or garlic as I expected although there is plenty choice.  Entertainment was fine, some nights better than others but for the price we piad, cannot complain.  Would go back to Villa Flemenca.

We went on a tour to the caves/frigiliana which was definitely worth the trip but this tour should have included a trip the a marina but this did not happen and I have made a complaint as it cost us 50 euros to go the next day by taxi.  Also the only other negative point was that the bus did not drop you off at the door of the hotel due to 'raodworks' although there was another access route and this was quite exhaustive especially as you had to walk back uphill on the way back.  However if this is put right I couldn't fault the holiday at all.  The paella at the beach bar at Burianna Beach is definitely worth having, not expensive and is lovely.  You actually see them making it about 12.30-1.00 and is worth seeing.  Also the Spanish eat there so it must be ok.  You will know the one it is always busy.  The Balcon is lovely and if you like quaint streets and plenty of shops you will love Nerja. 

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Hotel Villa Flamenca - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - Mar 2006

Opinion submitted in Mar 2006 by : Jean Scott - North Tyneside (49,49)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

This was our first time to Nerja and would definitely go back again - even though it rained out first two days but then got better.  Very quaint, clean and friendly.  Stayed at Villa Flemenca, staff very helpful and friendly, rooms basic but cleaned daily.  Food - good variety and plenty of it.  Found we met more friends at this hotel than any other holiday, possibly because there were more couples and a lot of 'mature' couples.  The Balcon is worth going to also the caves and frigiliana.  

The only negative about the holiday was the tour we booked which should have been the caves/ frigiliana/ marina but we never got to the marina which was disappointing as it cost us 50 euros to go the next day by taxi as buses don't go.  Also the bus did not take us to the front door of the hotel so you had to carry cases from top of road going and coming back which was exhausting so Thomson need to get this put right - I have sent a letter.  

Flights were on time and if you go down to Burianna Beach you must see the Paella that is being made fresh every day (about 12) and certainly eat it, it was lovely and only 6 euros.  The spanish eat there also and it is very friendly.  Would definitely go back to Nerja and Villa Flemenca.

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Hotel Villa Flamenca - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - March 2006

Opinion submitted in Mar 2006 by : Colette Hamer - (44, 68)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Having sworn off Spain several years ago after frequently ending up in places that screamed "BLACKPOOL," I was delighted to be proved wrong by this beautiful resort.  

Nerja, while managing to cater for large amounts of (mainly British) tourists, has retained much of the charm of a quaint old Spanish town.  On the other side of the airport from my nightmare destination, Torremolinos,Nerja could be a completely different country.  While Brit bars are still around and the town is growing to accommodate the increasing numbers of holidaymakers, height restrictions on buildings have ensured that Nerja does not become another ten-a-penny Spanish holiday resort. 

It's location is also fantasic, allowing plenty of cultural delights within fairly short distances.  Only 1 1/2 hours from both the often-overlooked city of Malaga and Granada, which boasts the stunning Alhambra palace, the town also boasts amaing natural caves and the Blacon de Europa, a gorgeous viewpoint over the ocean. 
Though some of the excursions offered by the tour operators are easily managed under your own steam, some, such as Granada, really benefit from expert guidance.  In the case of Granada, those of a weak disposition should take heed - the local bus, though frequent and quick on the way there, takes 4 hours to return through winding mountain routes!

We stayed at Hotel Villa Flamenca, a traditionally Andalucian hotel with a real family feel.  Though it could probably benefit from a bit of modernising, this in no way detracts from it's charm - in fact, many of us commented that it added to it.  The staff and service are second to none, with returning guests (of which there are many) being recognised from the reception staff right through to the cleaners. 
I realised that this hotel was special when, during the Welcome Meeting, the hotel Manager and several of the key members of staff came and introduced themselves to guests.  A lovely, personal touch that set the tone for our entire stay.

The Welcome Meeting itself was informative, and, in contrast to many I have attended, interesting and amusing as well.  The Thomson rep showed a great deal of pride in and enthusiasm for the resort and hotel, which rubbed off on her audience.

The hotel food was, to be honest, much better than I had expected.  Each night saw a buffet menu with a wide variety of choices, and vegetarians were more than catered for with a choice of 20 dishes.
The rooms, though small and basic, were functional.  Maid service was every day and the reception staff were brilliant when it came to requesting extra pillows etc. 
Some guests were heard to complain about the lack of mod cons, eg TV's in rooms.  While this is true, those of us who require more from our holiday than Sky Sports could find more than enough to do in the resort. 

Would I return to this resort and hotel?  DEFINITELY.  Would I recommend it?  DEFINITELY.  If home comforts and lager-fuelled holidays are your thing, don't bother.  but for those who want to discover a taste of real Spain, Nerja is a good place to start.

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Hotel Villa Flamenca - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson  Feb 2006

Opinion submitted in Apr 2006 by : Dave & Sheila  61&52

Resort Rating: Good

Accommodation Rating: Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We were allocated on arrival at the villa flamenca. Found the hotel to be very Olde Worlde Spanish! However it was very well run, and the food was fine for us. The only complaint was that there was not a lot of Sweet choice, unless you liked jelly and ice cream, or fresh fruit.

Other than that, the room was small, but adequate, and the bathroom was not very well laid out, as other reviews have stated. The balcony was rather small, but it didn't matter too much. As we were on the front of the hotel overlooking the road, which does not get much sun at this time of year. Would rather have had a room overlooking the pool at rear of hotel, as this is where the sun was best.

We took the bus to Frigiliana and spent a nice afternoon there, only problem was a new development under construction. Lots of noisy mechanical equipment spoiled the peace & quiet.
There are a couple of very friendly cats, around the hotel, which seem to reside there. They will come and sit on your table by the pool to sunbathe, with you. I did'nt mind them as I like cats.

Overall this was a very relaxing enjoyable holiday & good value for the money we paid.

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Hotel Villa Flamenca - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - January 2006

Opinion submitted in Feb 2006 by : JD - Gloucester 58 & 64

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Below Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Nerja is very pleasant, not yet spoiled by tower block hotels. lots of interesting shops, bars & restaurants.

Hotel was clean but tired! bar was far too small, restaurant crowded and although staff were helpul it was adreadful experience - food was mostly inedible, disgusting wouyld not ge too strong a word, overcooked undercooked and left to ferment in a tepid bain marie with the usual hot lamps to dry the service. Imagine sprouts cooked for two hours and then left to ferment for a further two!!

Staff & locals very helpful, beach area nearby OK with good cjoice of restauranjts but - do get a taxi back to the hotel - the steep hill up is not called £cardiac hill" for nothing!

Nerja was quite Spanish and we would go back later in the teay but definitely not to the Villa Flamenca.

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Hotel Villa Flamenca - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - 2006

Opinion submitted in February 2007 by : Barry Sheppard - Devon (64, 63)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Excellent hotel.
Our room was a good size (including the bathroom), clean, tidy and well decorated. Pool, surrounding areas, reception and dining room were clean and bright. All the staff were very friendly and efficient.
Meals were good with plenty of choice, there was even a vegetarian menu.
Only hotel we have ever been to where the Hotel Manager introduced himself and members of the staff at the reps meeting. The free blanket trip is worth doing, no pressure to buy. The guide was brilliant, and we had 1.5 hours free time in Malaga.
Would definitely recommend this hotel and hope to visit again.

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Hotel Villa Flamenca - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Portland Direct) Portland - 2006

Opinion submitted in October 2006 by : jon- cumbria 61,,62

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Below Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Although we had booked this hotel well in advance, on arrival the room allocated to us on arrivall, overlooking the pool had been given to someone else earlier who had complained about their accommodation. (found this out from reception later) The room we were eventually given was the most depressing i have ever had and no way were we unpacking, it contained a double bed that just about took up the room, no sun at any time of the day no window exept for a narrow one down the lenght of the door and the smallest balcony you could imagine. 

The couple from the room above us were five minutes behind me with their complaint. Lost two days till we got a suitable room and they had to suffer for three. apparently its an on going problem with people moving rooms as some  rooms including the ones set back on the corner are not up to the three star standard that the main part of the hotel just about manage. Would advise anyone booking to take the annexe which is the new part of the building. Any problem take it up with the reception manager as the rep's aren't much help.Food quite good, some entertainment ok ,steep hill to beach and main part of town too far away

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Hotel Villa Flamenca - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomsons - October 2005

Opinion submitted in Nov 2005 by : John & Angela (40,37)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

If you have never been to Nerja I would definitely recommend it, its still got a Spanish feel to it. We walked for miles and miles around the charming heart of the town. Sometime in the future we will definitely go back.

The Villa Flamenca is a little out of the way, but if you do not mind walking we found numerous ways to the beaches and the the town. The Hotel is old, quaint and very friendly.

The rooms are small but clean and functional, there is adequate storage space. Our ceiling fan was on full speed as well, the only way we could turn this off was by turning the main power off. The bathrooms were clean but cramped.

The food we served was completely acceptable, the food was varied, warm and edible. On the Gala Night the food was very good and it was a nice touch for the hotel manager to give every lady a carnation flower.

The Bar was OK, everyone seemed to turn up from now where at 16:30 for the happy hour and that sent the tone for the night.

There was entertainment on every night, but we did not bvother as there was so much to see in Nerja, Those that stayed seemjed to enjoy it.

The Swimming pool was a little crowded, but we always got a sunbed. The swimming pool was cold, but once you had a couple of lengths you were ready to get out or acclimatised.

Would I go back to Nerja? DEFINITELY
Would I go back to the Villa Flamenca? YES

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Hotel Villa Flamenca - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thompson - September 2005

Opinion submitted in Oct 2005 by : John Davies - Solihull (52, 49)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We stayed on 3rd floor facing the pool and. yes.. the room WAS small and the bathroom also (A bit of a squeeze to get your feet right when sitting on the loo!). The room was spotless and with two single beds there was adequate room for the two of us. We were lucky and had a late check-out room on our last day - this room was slightly bigger so we assumed that the pool-view rooms were the smallest. The road and side-pathway were very quiet so would be a good alternative to anyone objecting to small rooms unless you particularly WANT a pool-view from the balcony where you get full sun during the day and the entertainment at night. (The loos are the same size though!)
Guests told us, and the Thompson's brochure says, that you have to pay for the hire of a fan (No air-con in bedrooms). Well, this means the ceiling fan but ours was switched-on already and we didn't have to pay. Maybe that happens with pool-view rooms or maybe they just forgot - we can't say.

Entertainment is the usual one man/woman with a keyboard or guitar (and backing tracks) - why is the Costa Del Sol stuck in the 60's??? If I hear "I just called to say I lurve yeeew" one more time I will scream!
My wife and I tend to walk a lot and explore the town at night so we didn't stay in the hotel after dinner.
The guests tended to be the older age-groups rather than young but maybe that was due to us staying after the school holidays?

The meals were nice - not cordon bleu but perfectly OK. Breakfasts were cerials, yoghurts, breads, cold meats, cheese and fruit as well as the cooked "english breakfasts" the latter being very good indeed.
Dinners were good - well cooked and lots of choice and variety - with one Spanish dish (specials) each night. I can't quite see how the earlier review comments about meals can be all true unless people really don't want to eat Spanish while in Spain - certainly things are cooked differently from the UK but the food was, nevertheless, very good indeed. The dining room tables were for two but some were arranged so that 4 or 6 could sit together - this meant that couples could sit-down near to others sharing a block of tables. We were usually able to be seated straight-way and enjoyed being able to meet other people.

The hotel was very fairly priced - drinks cost not much more (less occasionally) than the bars, the safe box was reasonable, and our late check-out room only 12 euros. (same as safe deposit)
Happy hour 4.30 - 5.30 each day for cold drinks including cocktails.

The pool wasn't huge but was clean, and surrounded by tables and chairs or sun loungers which were plentiful. The areas where the loungers could be placed was a little confined as the pool-side terrace was quite small and a grassy area next to it a similar size.

The hotel is a little way out of the town centre and the last few streets were quiet and a little boring to walk along - the nearest beach (the largest) is down a steep hill but another smaller cove is not much further with two or three other small bays further away still through the town.

The resort was pleasant and interesting. Lots of nice shops, plenty of bars and restaurants and even a Moroccan Tea Room! The "Balcony of Europe" area formed a natural central focus with the usual portrait painters, spray-paint artists and musicians. The Andes pipe band were great to watch - beware the CD's they sell though as this is not necessarily the same music that you hear in the resort! There is a market every Tuesday and possibly Saturdays too (didn't see that one)

I was disappointed that there was no continuous promenade to walk along - the coves, beaches and bays were all separated by headlands or rocks with collapsed paths so a detour up and into the town was needed to connect all of them in one stroll.

Local buses were easy to find and frequent - we went to Malaga, Frigiliana (go at  11.30 for the guided tour - worth EVERY cent of the 7 Euros [http://www.viva-malaga.com/frigiliana_tours_with_david_riordan_p287.php]
The caves of Nerja are a must also.

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Hotel Villa Flamenca - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thompson - Sept 2005

Opinion submitted in Oct 2005 by : John Davies  - Solihull (53, 49)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

My wife and I had a great time.

We stayed on 3rd floor facing the pool and. yes.. the room WAS small and the bathroom also (A bit of a squeeze to get your feet right when sitting on the loo!). The room was spotless and with two single beds there was adequate room for the two of us. We were lucky and had a late check-out room on our last day - this room was slightly bigger so we assumed that the pool-view rooms were the smallest. The road and side-pathway were very quiet so would be a good alternative to anyone objecting to small rooms unless you particularly WANT a pool-view from the balcony where you get full sun during the day and the entertainment at night. (The loos are the same size though!)
Guests told us, and the Thompson's brochure says, that you have to pay for the hire of a fan (No air-con in bedrooms). Well, this means the ceiling fan but ours was switched-on already and we didn't have to pay. Maybe that happens with pool-view rooms or maybe they just forgot - we can't say.

Entertainment is the usual one man/woman with a keyboard or guitar (and backing tracks) - why is the Costa Del Sol stuck in the 60's??? If I hear "I just called to say I lurve yeeew" one more time I will scream!
My wife and I tend to walk a lot and explore the town at night so we didn't stay in the hotel after dinner.
The guests tended to be the older age-groups rather than young but maybe that was due to us staying after the school holidays?

The meals were nice - not cordon bleu but perfectly OK. Breakfasts were cerials, yoghurts, breads, cold meats, cheese and fruit as well as the cooked "english breakfasts" the latter being very good indeed.
Dinners were good - well cooked and lots of choice and variety - with one Spanish dish (specials) each night. I can't quite see how the earlier review comments about meals can be all true unless people really don't want to eat Spanish while in Spain - certainly things are cooked differently from the UK but the food was, nevertheless, very good indeed. The dining room tables were for two but some were arranged so that 4 or 6 could sit together - this meant that couples could sit-down near to others sharing a block of tables. We were usually able to be seated straight-way and enjoyed being able to meet other people.

The hotel was very fairly priced - drinks cost not much more (less occasionally) than the bars, the safe box was reasonable, and our late check-out room only 12 euros. (same as safe deposit)
Happy hour 4.30 - 5.30 each day for cold drinks including cocktails.

The pool wasn't huge but was clean, and surrounded by tables and chairs or sun loungers which were plentiful. The areas where the loungers could be placed was a little confined as the pool-side terrace was quite small and a grassy area next to it a similar size.

The hotel is a little way out of the town centre and the last few streets were quiet and a little boring to walk along - the nearest beach (the largest) is down a steep hill but another smaller cove is not much further with two or three other small bays further away still through the town.

The resort was pleasant and interesting. Lots of nice shops, plenty of bars and restaurants and even a Moroccan Tea Room! The "Balcony of Europe" area formed a natural central focus with the usual portrait painters, spray-paint artists and musicians. The Andes pipe band were great to watch - beware the CD's they sell though as this is not necessarily the same music that you hear in the resort! There is a market every Tuesday and possibly Saturdays too (didn't see that one)

I was disappointed that there was no continuous promenade to walk along - the coves, beaches and bays were all separated by headlands or rocks with collapsed paths so a detour up and into the town was needed to connect all of them in one stroll.

Local buses were easy to find and frequent - we went to Malaga, Frigiliana (go at  11.30 for the guided tour - worth EVERY cent of the 7 Euros [http://www.viva-malaga.com/frigiliana_tours_with_david_riordan_p287  php]
The caves of Nerja are a must also.

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Hotel Villa Flamenca - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - August 2005

Opinion submitted in Sept 2005 by : John & Alli (33,39)

Resort Rating: Good

Accommodation Rating: Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We visited Nerja in 2003 and everyone said how good the Villa Flameca was, so we booked on word of mouth.
When we arrived we got into our very hot room (double overlooking pool) and had to rent a control for the Ceiling fan (otherwise it's at full pelt).  There are limited rooms with Air-con available, so if you're going, make sure you book one. All the ceiling fan does is stir the hot air around!  The standard of the rooms is good but they all need updating.  There was a touch of mould around the curtains and bath, peeling paint and general wear & tear were evindent.
All the staff are really helpful with things like extra pillows, towel and directions to town etc.  We can't fault the staff at all.

The food can't be faulted, although it is a small dining room there was plenty of choice and variation, the soups were a particular favourite of ours. Breakfast was as you'd expect, and the weekly Gala Dinner added that touch of class to the week.

The hotel has recently been expanded and it really shows.  The pool area was crowded with not much room for loungers (which need replacing). There are lots of tables and chairs which were always empty (could have been moved to make way for loungers?). There are no parasols so space in the shade is at a premium.
The nightly entertainment is ok but REALLY repetitive.  We saw 2 acts 4 times each with the same set each time.  The entertainment is every night until 12pm, so you will never get an early night
All in all the hotel was good, but desperately needs some TLC on the finishing touches.

Resort - Nerja was lovely in 2003 but is now slowly turning into a typical tourist resort.  The Spanish town feel is going being replaced slowly by 'egg & chips' restaraunts. What a shame...  Oh, when you're walking, keep your eyes out for the dog poo, it's everywhere.

After this visit I have to be honest and say that we will not visit Nerja any more.

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Hotel Villa Flamenca - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Portland Direct) Portland - August 2005

Opinion submitted in Sept 2005 by : 45,42,35,33

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Hotel was very clean and tidy rooms were serviced daily, however the rooms were adequate for no more than two people.
The balconys were very small, and there is no air conditioning just a ceiling fan which you have to pay to hire.There is no tea or coffee making facilities in the rooms and you cannot hire a kettle or fridge.
The food in the hotel is good with a wide variety to suit all tastes, the staff are friendly and helpfull.
I recommend going to the welcome meeting but dont buy any of the trips they are a rip off and you can do the same trips by bus or taxi much cheaper.
The lovely town is about a 10 minute walk away, there you have a wide choice of bars and restaurants and the shops are not all tacky souviner shops.
The caves is a must to visit it costs 7 euros by taxi or you can get a bus.
Frigiliana is a beautiful little village and is also worth a visit(10 euros by taxi)

We enjoyed our holiday in nerja great place to relax and unwind.

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Hotel Villa Flamenca - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson-June/July 2005

Opinion submitted in July 2005 by : Mr and Mrs Croxford-Oxford( 38, 39)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Flight from luton on time, no problems, more than can be said for the flight home, had a 3 hour delay, no explanation as to why from the rep, offered a 4.50 euro voucher for something to eat, only hour before departure, but due to the speaker system at malaga, very few people knew about it, when we finally arrived back at luton, the passport control only had one person on it, to check our flight and one other, then the luggage carousel broke, we finally got our bus to the carpark, an hour and a half after stepping off the plane

HOTEL
We had read reviews prior to booking, so were aware the rooms were small, but didnt have any problems, the toilet is very close to the bath, but again didnt have a problem and everything was clean, towels are only changed if you leave them on the bathroom floor,we had room overlooking the pool, which meant that we could watch the entertainment from our balcony.There is entertainment every evenning, the best is wednesday and saturday, when a male vocalist is on, he could sing and his redition of Hello by Neil Diamond was his best song, he also hosts a sangria and paella demo on a wednesday round the pool. 

There are plenty of sunbeds to go round, and a snackbar is open from 12-3, the sandwiches are very good, but they seem to think that a spanish omlette should contain chips!, not very nice. If you like cats, there are 2 resident hotel ones, both quite friendly, you can hire a safe and also ceiling fan, which is a definite must, as it is really warm at night, all the staff are really friendly, the food is very good, having always gone self catering, we didnt know what to expect, both morning and evenning is a help yourself buffet, breakfast is all the usual english, also fruit, yoghurt, cereal, different breads, cheese, salami and real fresh orange juice, coffee and tea(disgusting!), in the evenning there is a selection of salads, soups, hot meat dishes, vegs etc and a good selection of puds, drinks are reasonable and there is a happy hour, 2 for 1 every day from 4.30 to 5.30, we were disappointed with the gala dinner though

RESORT
Recommendations are Dancers bar, down the hill from the hotel, which incidentally is very steep, but i got up it in one go every day, along the beach front, does a good selection of beers and the salads are huge and are 5-6 euros, Cafe Del Mar, just down from dancers, food is really good, a huge selection, huge salads and jacket spuds, closed saturdays and there is a cocktail bar between the 2, cant remember the name, but it had cane conservatory type chairs outside, which does refreshing none alcoholic fruit cocktails for 3.80 euros. 

The old town is about a 15 min walk from the hotel, its very spanish, and has a huge selection of restaurants and bars, and then there is the balcon de europa, which comes alive at night with street entertainers, artists, and you can take a ride round nerja in a horse and cart for 25 euros, there is also a good selection of shops, if you like shoes and handbags, they are so much more colourful than here and cheaper too, there is also a perfume shop by the balcon which does a large selection at very good prices.On a tuesday there is a big market past the riu monica hotel, its quite a walk from the hotel, but you can get a taxi for 5 euros, lots of stalls and you can do a bit of bartering too, but its best to go at 9.30 when it starts, as it gets very hot. 

We went to the caves, which were quite breathtaking, a taxi there was 7 euros and we got a bus back for 1.60 euros for the 2 of us, its 6 euros to get in and 2.50 euros for children, only takes about 45 mins, but is well worth it, the reception will call a taxi for you and can also advise on bus times, outside the hotel is a small shop, where you can get a small water for .40 euros and a large for .70 euros, also british newspapers, out of the hotel and turn left about 200 yards is a spar supermarket for any other essentials and there is also one at the bottom of the hill, by Dungos, which has a good selection and is reasonably priced. 

The beach is a mixture of sand and pebbles/shingle, is quite clean, but does shelve quite steeply, the water is really clear, there are some beach sellers of tunics, sarongs, fruit(he is expensive) and you can have a foot or back massage too, its 7 euros for a parosol and 2 sunbeds for the day, the sun is very strong, if you go onto the beach at the bottom of the hill, there is a snack bar, which does a very cold lemon crush, like a slush puppy, for 1.50 euros. 

Would we return, yes, but maybe not to the same hotel, its great for a restful relaxing break, but is a bit out of the way if you wnat a bit more nightlife, nerja on the other hand is probably the best place we have been to for a holiday

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Hotel Villa Flamenca - Nerja

Operator and Date: June/July 2005

Opinion submitted in July 2005 by : Stuart & Geraldine (38,38)

Resort Rating: Good

Accommodation Rating: Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We were allocated the Villa Flamenca on arrival at Malaga airport. 

The rooms are small and in the height or summer are unbearable. Temperatures rose to around 33 degrees during our stay. There is no air conditioning and you have to pay for the hire of the ceiling fans.  Unfortunately, we got food poisoning on day 5 (through eating out) so were forced to spend a couple of miserable days in the room (sauna!). 

The toilet is so close to the bath that you have to go side-saddle and the bath is too small for bathing.  The balcony fits 2 people in no more and if you are to the front of the hotel you are disturbed by scooters labouring up the steep hill outside and families playing by the pool at the apartments opposite.  It's acceptable noise, so long as it's not the family from hell staying in the apartments!   Rooms were cleaned daily and the chambermaids were very helpful.

Having said all that, it was a clean and friendly hotel. The management really did care about their hotel.  All the guests were British or Irish. Perhaps not so suited to our age group though (this side of 40).  More suited to guests of maturer years.  Nightly entertainment was simple but pleasurable.  If you like dancing in a chain around the pool to Amarillo (like Butlins) then it's for you!

Breakfast was nice with lots to choose from.  The evening buffet style meal was OK, but a bit like school dinners due to the numbers of guests passing through.  There was no passion in the preparation or presentation, but it was nice enough.  The dining room staff were so busy they didn't have time to chat.  I think they would have given half the chance. 

Nerja itself is bigger than we'd expected with no high rise hotels except for the Riu Monica.  Dog mess on the pavements is a problem - so be warned.  The coastline is beautiful and you can wander around the Balcon de Europe all night watching artists and street entertainers.  I was a bit disappointed that most restaurant and shop owners served us in English.  Some entertainers were extremely talented musicians and others were clearly making a living out of typical tourist acts - equivalent to tartan, bagpipes and the Loch Ness monster!!

Tours to Seville and Granada were enjoyable - although I believe were pricey.  If you want to visit the beautiful village of Frigiliana and the Nerja caves go up to the main road where you will catch a bus for 90 euros each way.  Much cheaper than the Thomson Tours at around 26 euros.

Overall I'd say not the holiday for us, but if you don't expect luxury, want to meet some nice guests, relax by the pool, go for walks into the centre of Nerja and enjoy English entertainment most nights (Flamenco on Friday) then Villa Flamenco is for you.

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Hotel Villa Flamenca - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - June 2005

Opinion submitted in July 2005 by : John Allen - Mexborough - 56,53

Resort Rating: Good

Accommodation Rating: Average

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

The Hotel Villa flamenca is a small hotel up a side street high in the town of Nerja. The Bathroom is verry small, and the toilet is too close to the bath.There is no tea and coffee making facilities in the rooms. The balcony was very small. In the restaurant the evening meal was good, the breakfast dreadfull. Not much choice of breakfast food. The sausages were'nt that good. The staff are very friendly. The Hotel is no way a three star or sun's but is very clean. 

The resort is very cosy and nice. Dog dirt spoils it so much so you have to be verry carefull where you are walking. The traffic dominate the narrow streets. Scooters every where and car drivers take over the pavements. Nerja town is very nice but a week was long enough. 

I would'nt go back but I would recomend you try it. Its a bit hilly round the town but the shops and eating places are very good.

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Hotel Villa Flamenca - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - May 2005

Opinion submitted in June 2005 by : Marion & Jim  McFadyen - Glasgow (42, 44)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We had a lovely relaxing holiday, just back from 7 days of constant sunshine.  

The hotel was great, food fantastic, entertainment wasn't too bad.  The rooms are small but this in no way made any difference to us, as all the other aspects of this nice hotel made up for it.  It's the first time we've visted this resort and I would have no hesitation in going back.  The hotel was a little out from the main area but again this never caused any problems, it was rather nice taking a stroll after stuffing your face! It took around 15 minutes to get to the Balcon. There's something for everyone in this lovely resort, the only drawback was the dog dirt but to be honest we just watched our feet, you couldn't let something like that spoil you're holiday. 

Just chill out and you could find you have a lovely time just enjoying the sunshine and watching the world go by.

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Hotel Villa Flamenca - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - May 2005

Opinion submitted in May 2005 by : S & R McLaren (60ish)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Holiday taken 1 May 2005 Villa Flamenca clean, excellent pool area, good happy hour in the afternoon.  Gala dinner excellent but other meals not up to same standard.  Nerja is a lovely place but lots of building going on as is everywhere on the Costa del Sol.  Still, weather was lovely, no cockroaches or anything creepy.  Would go again but would probably stay B/B as plenty good eating places except The Cottage advertises friendly atmosphere (not).

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Hotel Villa Flamenca - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson march 2005

Opinion submitted in Mar 2005 by : keith mcdowell lanchester ( 49 + 57 )

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

hotel was fantastic food was very good staff were all friendly and very helpfull nothing was too much trouble for them room was ok space wise but was very clean bathroom was the same the friday night gala night was not to be missed thomson reps also very helpful and knowledgeable nerja caves are not to be missed a true wonder as was the thomson organised mamas and tapas trip which took in a visit to an olive oil production plant and a traditional meal with a family in a mountain village 

Nerja it self is very clean a trip to the beach is a must however the walk back up the hill is hard as the hill is steep but there is a wall which you can stop and sit on as you make your way up we ahd a really good holiday and we will go back to this resort and hotel

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Hotel Villa Flamenca - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson - December 2004

Opinion submitted in Dec 2004 by : Gav and Alexis 24,21

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Hotel - very cosy and clean.  staff friendly.  was half board but only stayed for breakfast which was 1st class.  rooms too small but good bathroom.  bar expensive.

Resort - very traditional and nice.  good choice of restaurants. Restaurant Chino, Haveli Indians both good.

During the day the restaurants are good on the beach front, under the rainbow, paradise.

we are both in our 20's and the average age of people in resort was about 70 - this was no problemand had a fab time.

Gavster

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Hotel Villa Flamenca - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson-november 2004

Opinion submitted in Dec 2004 by : Robert stokes- Bedfordshire

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We holidayed here in november and had a wonderful time the hotel is as good as it gets, very simple but so friendly and the food is top class,the hill up from the beach is a bit steep but it is the same all over this resort.A very nice old town to explore with good eating places. I can reccomend the caves as exellent value for money. definatley the best resort on this coastline.

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Hotel Villa Flamenca - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson-October 2004

Opinion submitted in Nov 2004 by : Rosie - Dorset (14,46,47)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

I had a lovely stay here at the Villa Flamenca, the staff were very friendly, we were close to the beach (which was down a very steep hill!) We were also very near some tennis courts that we hired for an hour at a very cheap rate. The food here was great and there was a very entertaining flamenco show that took place, but most evenings the entertainment was poor. Rooms were cleaned very adequently everyday, although they were small, they were not uncomfortable. The whole hotel seemed to be very well looked after. 

Overall i had a great holiday.
Rosie 14

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Hotel Villa Flamenca - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomsons - sept 04

Opinion submitted in Dec 2004 by : chris davies and wife (58, 56)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

if you are looking for a small and friendly hotel this is the one for you. we were a bit worried about booking a 3* hotel having been spoiled by thomson gold hotels. we need not have worried, this hotel is very clean and friendly, no kids, a nice pool and very clean rooms.  the food was very good and the staff brilliant.

the town of nerja is very clean and all the amenities of the town are about a 15 min walk from the hotel. there are plenty of spanish and english bars and resturants in the town, and the balcon de europa square is alive with street entertainers in the evening.( no lager louts). we will be making a return visit to the villa flamenca in the near future. highly recommended.

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Hotel Villa Flamenca - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thompson June 2004

Opinion submitted in June 2004 by : Sue Brooks 52 &53

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Excellent flights both ways no delays at all.
Hotel is very low key and had a lovely atmosphere, staff and management very obliging and really wanted to help.
Rooms small with no air conditioning unless in annexe but how long do you spend in your room!
Meals were quite good overall plenty of choice, food was hot and restaurant was open until 10pm food was still hot then as well.

Nerja really lovely, Balcon De Europa only a 20 min stroll from hotel and a good way to walk off dinner.

Nice atmosphere in hotel bar at night.

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Hotel Villa Flamenca - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Thomson Direct) Thomson (Just) April 2004

Opinion submitted in Apr 2004 by : Terry & Mark Harris - 50s

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

This hotel was excellent in every way. The food was well presented and being a buffet for breakfast and evening meal you could have exactly what you wanted and as much or as little as you wanted. There was a good variety every day and always something from the local area as well as more familiar dishes.

The service at meal times was also excellent, attentive but not obtrusive and always helpful and friendly.

There was good entertainment every night in the bar which did not affect the rest of the hotel so an early night was possible without being disturbed.

We went on the Granada and Alhambra excursion which was very good but the highlight for us was the guided walking trip in the mountains above the wonderful Caves of Nerja.

The only slight disappointment was the beaches. The sand was course and gritty with lots of small stones. However, perhaps because we live in the North East of England we have been spoilt by the quality of our local beaches.

We don't often go back to the same place twice but would make an exception for Nerja and the hotel Villa Flamenca.

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Villa La Luna - Nerja

Operator and Date: Aug 2006

Opinion submitted in August 2006 by : King - chester (46,45,17,14)

Resort Rating: Very Good

Accommodation Rating: Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We have just come back from a 10-day holiday to Nerja. We had never visited mainland Spain before and so we were looking forward to it being a relaxing holiday.

We found the La Luna villas on the internet and thought they looked a lovely place to stay. We weren't disappointed. The actual villa was spacious with 2 bedrooms and a bathroom on the first floor and a kitchen and dining/living area downstairs so we weren't falling all over each other! The pool area was cleaned every day and so was always welcoming after sitting in the very warm temperatures. 

However, when we arrived we were surprised to see a mop and bucket in the downstairs toilet. We just presumed that it was there for the cleaner to use... but no.... throughout our stay there was no cleaner and so we had to clean the rooms ourselves (without any cleaning material!!) it was only for when we would arrive and when we were to leave they would come in and clean. So we were a bit angry that throughout the 10 days the toilet wasnt cleaned at all and we werent even given toilet rolls, we had to get them from the nearby supermarket. Also after 5 days, we were given new bed linen and towels. But the cleaner and owner didnt come and replace them themselves, instead at 8 o'clock one evening they came round with a pile and asked us to change them  and put the dirty ones on the doorstep the next morning!!

We actaully ended up not spending that much time at the pool because there was a lovely beach called Burriana beach just down the road. The beach was a blue flag and so was very clean. There were also great beach bars that we ate at alot. The Bakers Bar was good for lunchtimes and there some great restaurants that served sardines and paella which were delicious. The one cafe-bar that I wouldnt recommend at Burriana is Tropy Sol. The waiter was very rude and the food wasnt enjoyable.

Nerja itself was beautiful. The balcon de europa had brilliant picturesque views. There were hundreds of shops selling jewellery. So for jewellery lovers, you will be in your element!! There were also some stalls off the balcon selling lots of little trinkets and bracelets etc. We also thought that Nerja would be fantastic for families with children as it was very family orientated with restaurants offering childrens menus etc. On the balcon there were a lot of street entertainers and artists.So they were brilliant to watch. While we were there, we went on a horse and carriage ride that took you on a tour through Nerja for 25 euros. That was brilliant and a lovely change from walking in your high heels!! There was also a train that took you around the town, but we didnt have time to go on it.
We did however dislike that there were quite a lot of bins that were full with rubbish and in the heat left a nasty smell. But on some level this couldnt be helped. Also, we did find that there were alot of beggars, we did feel sorry for them and so gave them some money, but after a while they come back and expected more and this got quite annoying.

The amount of restaurants in Nerja was astonishing! There were so many so you wont be stuck for somewhere to eat. The restaurant that stood out as the best by far was Pinnochios. This was an italian restaurant. It served beautiful food and we ended up going there to eat 4 times. Another restaurant that served delicious food was California. We went to a restaurant called El Candil. This was nice but pricy. There was a little square just off the balcon that had lovely italian restaurants as well. We did however think that there were more restaurants serving international food and there werent that many tradistional spanish restaurants.

Overall, we enjoyed our holiday to Nerja and we think if you decide to go, you will to!! 

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Villa La Luna - Nerja

Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice-august2004

Opinion submitted in June 2005 by : samantha roberts 11,13,17,41,43-coventry

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

when we got to nerja we had a struggle to get the keys but as soon as we got the keys we were off in the pool.we were in the pool at 7:30 in the morning till 10:30am for breakfast go back to the pool for a bit .then spend a day somewhere in nerja.then come back and get in the pool.then go for dinner .go to the bar.then go to bed.we are poolaholics.

nerja has lots of bars such as:rockys bar,bakers bar as they have nice food there and have nice men working there aswell hehehaha.nerja is a nice place to go to for families as it is a nice place for anyone to go to.we all enjoyed it.i would like to go there again.i was nervous at first but i really enjoyed it there.i hope to go back there again.and there are lots of things for everybody to do there.and they have nice beaches there too which is a good thing.if u really want a tan those beaches are the best.i will be proberbly be going back there again hopefully sometime as i am the youngest.so i say GO THERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Hotel Villa Vlameca - Nerja

Operator and Date: (Portland Direct) Portland Direct aug 2006

Opinion submitted in February 2007 by : Andrew Thorburn -dunbar (50,50,)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Stayed at hotel and had a great time staff were great noyhing was any bother food good and always plenty. Gala nights on friday when all woman got a flower not to be missed Entertainment good and it was nice to sit round pool area being entertained with table service The resort had none off the usual tack and it was great having a walk after your meal thru the small streets down to the balcony wher there were street entertainers and some cosy bars 

all in all a great holiday so much have booked up again for august again

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Private Villa - Capistrano village

Operator and Date: James Villas - 2004

Opinion submitted in Aug 2004 by : Frank Houston - Stirling (64,62,39,39,37,36,16,7,5,5)

Resort Rating: Below Average

Accommodation Rating: Very Good

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

Prior to going we had been fed the "Costa Del Sol's best kept secret" line. There's no way Nerja falls into that category.

We started badly when our outgoing flight was delayed and our luggage was 2nd last off the belt. The car hire (Centauro) was slow though we did upgrade to a Focus C Max when we found out we were getting a VW Golf (Ford Focus was on our pre-booking). The drivers in the car park were screeching around. We got lost in Malaga but eventually got our bearings and got to the villa in Nerja fairly easily.

Our villa was spot on. It was a sea view though the sea was about 2 miles off in the misty haze. We overlooked a decent athletics track and the main road into town. I went down to the track one night for a few laps. There were other people around but nobody objected. The rep showed up after a day or so and gave us some tips about the place.

The best/only place to safely park is the underground car park in the town centre. Find it quickly. The streets are narrow and the mopeds are everywhere. The majority of the moped riders wear no tops and no helmets and  undertake/overtake at every opportunity. In fact I drove past one such guy going down a steep hill with one hand steering and one holding a mobile! The drone of a moped going past at night certainly doesn't help the sleep.

There are loads of developments going on in Nerja. Capistrano is mainly newish accommodation though on the way into town there are more downtrodden areas. Nerja is full of tiny streets some of which lead to the Balcon d'Europa. If mime artistry turns you on this is the place to be. To be fair there are street artists and musicians too.

The caves at Nerja are fantastic though. If I were to return one day, it would be for one day just to see the caves again (a snip at 5 euros though they may charge you for parking too). Nerja as a whole is not really a family place as not much for the kids to do. The beaches aren't great either and Capistrano area is very hilly.   

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Private Villa - Nerja

Operator and Date: James villas - May 2004

Opinion submitted in June 2004 by : Lyn Webb - Essex (36,34,11,7)

Resort Rating: Excellent

Accommodation Rating: Excellent

My/Our Holiday Opinion: 

We have just got back from the best holiday ever in Nerja.
Nerja itself is ideal if you are looking to see 'proper Spain' and probably one of the very few places left along the coast to still go to if you want a quieter holiday without the noise and 'tack'

We stayed in a villa rented via James Villa holidays and it was everything we hoped it would be, very quiet and set back into the hills with its own pool, definitely worth paying the little bit extra for. Car rental was essential though as alot of the villas were situated a bit out the way along dirt tracks (wonderful for peace and quiet and privacy) We rented a car through Crown car rental as we found them cheaper than through the tour operator, car was excellent and brand new.

Food in Nerja couldnt be faulted everywhere we ate was of a very high standard our favourite though was Pinocchios not far from the Balcon.

We loved nerja during the evenings as the place came alive from 6pm onwards masses of lovely little shops in cobbled streets and a mass of good quality restaurants to choose from or just sit in the Balcon de Europa square and watch the street entertainers.

A must is some of the villages nearby especially Frigilliana, a mass of whitewashed homes set into the hillside, the scenery around this whole area is spectacular and if you have a stomach for heights the cable cars up into the mountains from benalmadena are a must.

Ive seen on this site people mentioning that some of the locals arent over friendly, we found the majority were fine especially if you even just manage the basic ,hello and thankyou in spanish, and in all of the restaurants we went in they were all very friendly, having said that admittedly we found ourselves eating 'italian' most nights!
Basically if your off to Nerja soon, LUCKY YOU! i want to go back already!  

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