Vila Gale Isla Canela

We arrived at the hotel around 2:40 after an early start and a long day travelling. When we went to check in we were told the room wouldn’t be ready till 3pm, we were fine with that. We were told to leave our luggage in a room and go and get some food and drink. We went to the pool bar which was the start of our experience in this hotel of trying to pay for things. We ordered the food, we couldn’t give a room number so we asked to pay by card, this didn’t seem to be a simple thing. The food was fine.It got to 3:30pm and we were waiting in the reception area for the phone call which didn’t happen as reception was very busy and everyone checking in took an enormous amount of time to get through the process. We saw another couple in our situation so queued again at reception like them. They were told to go away again, fortunately at this stage our room was ready. We had emailed ahead and had requested a quiet room which was acknowledged by hotel reception staff. When we got to our room it was right above the outside area where evening entertainment was held, so disappointing. My husband went down to reception and complained and they said we couldn’t have a change of room until Sunday. We thought we’d stay in the allocated room and see what it was like over night, thankfully no outside entertainment. No apology or anything, just indifference. We weren’t given pool cards, there was information about other things not provided. We asked for a bus timetable to Ayamonte, that was out of date. During our wait for our room, there were many Spanish families arriving, getting room keys, being helped with their luggage. It was apparently the end of the Spanish school holidays. Our room had a nice balcony, one of the reasons we didn’t want to change. Everything in the information book was in Spanish. The food was buffet style very few variations except fish, tropical and Spanish nights but really it was the same buffet with a few extras. The hot food was generally cold even when we went in at 7:30 when service started. We ate in the Italian restaurant one night and paid for this, nothing special at all, we should have ate out which we did for a few of the nights of our stay. The dining staff were very efficient till a lot of the Spanish families left during our stay and staffing levels diminished there were glasses and cups were on the table but you had to go in to the buffet area to fill them. The staff were mostly efficient cleaning tables but when they moved our table from a 4 seater to a 2 there was food, chips, broken glass right near our feet. Staff in the restaurant weren’t always able to provide the wine you requested, it was near on impossible to get hold of the wine list. House keeping did the minimum, we didn’t have our towels changed for days, the bed was changed two days before we left. One day we were in the room and the cleaning staff were there for less than 10 minutes, we had long dark hairs floating around in the bathroom, red ants in the bedroom and bathroom, it got worse as I dropped a crisp one day and couldn’t believe where all of the red ants came from. I reported this to reception but due to the receptionist not being able to fully understand me until I said red ants. This wasn’t dealt with as a priority. The bar times shown were not as they stated, paying here for drinks was another issue, the machine didn’t work, sometimes you signed an iPad other times you had to go back to pay. This whole process of paying was really stressful, sometimes you received a copy of what you paid for but most times you didn’t. The pool bar sold ice cream, I bought an ice cream and small bottle of water it was 6.95 euros, the ice cream we later found out was 2.9 euros in the local shop and water .29. We had stayed at this hotel 12 years ago and had a great holiday, we expected a change but it was a big disappointment. We had previously liked the hotel, the location, the fact that it’s a very Spanish area and quite quiet. What we wondered was if there was any type of emergency or something you didn’t understand who would help you. We travelled on a package holiday with Jet2 on half board basis, when we went to pay the bill every day listed on the bill, we were charged for food, fortunately we sorted the bill the night before leaving and it was sorted out the staff member who tried to blame Jet2. On our arrival we gave staff the hotel voucher which clearly stated we had booked half board. The day before we left we couldn’t get in to our room, when my husband went to sort it out they thought we were checking out then. Reception staff seemed to spend a great deal of time going through everything on the computer and then doing the same on an iPad, everything takes so long. Getting the pool towels was a fiasco, I saw a young man give some towels to a man so went to ask, he couldn’t speak much English he gave me a fob to exchange for a towel, I indicated with my fingers I needed 2, he checked with reception as I hadn’t been given these. I asked where to get the towels, he disappeared came back with 2 towels and took the fobs!! I just laughed at this. I then had to ask him later on in our stay where to take the towels when we leave. This communication was done on his computer through a translation app. Would we stay here again, definitely not !!

I have visited this Hotel about 24 times so have a good knowledge of the routine and have been present with both companies. Negative first. We had a problem with the discount not being applied and had to wait quite some time for the refund. The food variety does need improving. Every time I have visited there has been Tia Maria or Kahlua available but this time the coffee type liquor was not acceptable. I mentioned this to a few people including senior management, I was told they would try to rectify this many times with no success. I am thinking of bringing my own next time which is a bit ridiculous when on All Inclusive! As a client I noticed that food , entertainment and staff improved if there were more people making you feel as though it’s not worth the effort. I appreciate this is probably a monetary issue from the Hotels point of view but this my holiday and I am worth it. Now for the good points of which there are many. The Hotel has improved , it seems to have more room and is a lot brighter. As mentioned I have visited many times so the quieter location suits. It is in a lovely area. I feel at home as soon as I arrive. The staff are the jewel in the crown at this Hotel they are all so friendly and so helpful. Special mention to Louisa , Jose ( Italian restaurant) Jose ( entertainment) and of course Isabel on reception. I will be there again in May next year as I work in a school and have time off then and can relax with my sister. Thank you Alexandra Heaney

Having last visited this hotel in 2016 under the iberostar banner, we arrived like expected it to be updated, we got checked in. Felt like there was a lot of information to take in. The room which we picked was the budget one no complaints. The complaints I do have is the entertainment team. The music is on far too loud if you are listening to music with noise cancelling headphones in, especially when doing Zumba, the crowd is very close and still choose to use a microphone, they split our time and we moved back to the room. My wife has mobility issues,that day couldn't make it down the beach, the sunlounghers around the pool seemed to have towels on them, but nobody there, I watched someone rip the notice up that was left to say don't do it. In my eyes this is a manager's job to remove the stuff, another day I witnessed people reserving them ,then go straight to the beach, obviously when full you don't have enough sun loungers. Food ,the quality I must say the actual ingredients were good, but you could give a bit more choice and be more adventurous with your accomplishments, like sauces etc, on three consecutive sitting the same meat. A shout out to Mohammad who took pride in his work and to learn. Another thing was descriptions of the food into English were incorrect, one instance and I put this down to laziness, was a dish was offered in the al carte restaurant, so the interpretation could have been used, not many staff speak English, thankfully Google translate is a godsend, the staff are very friendly and do their best to understand, the English lady at the restaurant entrance is a credit to your hotel, friendly with everyone, always time for a little chat. So all in all a good stay

Just spent 10 days at the Vila Gale. The hotel is beautiful with amazing decor and furnishings. Everywhere is spotlessly clean including the rooms. Very comfortable beds and lovely pillows. Spacious bathroom with lovely big shower with rainfall shower. The food in the buffet restaurant was really good. Everything was fresh and nicely cooked. ALL staff were very friendly and helpful and always with a smile which really adds to the holiday mood. The pool is beautiful with plenty of sun beds. Gorgeous beach just a short walk across the boardwalk, so quiet and peaceful, perfect for a relaxing break. All in all a really relaxing holiday at a fabulous hotel.

The first 2 weeks in October we booked AI at the Vila Gale on Isla Canela. The hotel cleanliness, all the Staff, the Spa and definitely the wine could be 4 Star. However the food was dismal and at times just like a cafeteria, very basic, bland, little variety, served cold (Microwave to heat it provided) and to insult the guests further salt and pepper are in teeny tiny packets stacked in baskets you have to remember to take back to the table with you. Not one cruet set in site in the only dining room available to AI diners. There was also the mystery of DessertGate, as the holiday progressed the desserts diminished until there remained a choice of one of two cakes or jelly with icecream. Without a doubt the worst AI Hotel food we have ever experienced anywhere in the world. Clearly TUI needs to be looking into the problems being encountered with the food as soon as possible before it takes bookings for another season. Something else we were disappointed in was that the resort and surrounding area was already in 'closed for the season' mode, hardly any bars, cafes open and no boat trips or ferries running to other islands and most of the chiringuitos on the beach were closed giving an air of desolation everywhere. That being said we enjoyed the company of all the guests we met.