Ohtels Cabogata

Had a fantastic week in September with brilliant weather, every day was 26 degrees or more with clear blue skies. The hotel is 20 minutes from the airport and is in a quiet area next to a golf course. The rooms are spacious with big beds and a good sized bathroom. The pool area was not busy and we always got sun loungers. The snack bars were great and served good snacks and drinks. We went all inclusive and the food was good with a wide choice of freshly cook meat and veg. The fish was so tasty and cooked in front of you. The hotel has a high percentage of Spanish clients and so not all of the staff speak a high level of English. However, this is not an issue because we all have Google translate on our phones don't we. There was the usual group of embarrasing people who think that everybody abroad should speak English and that shouting makes it better. We ignore this and enjoy our holiday. This is our second visit to the hotel and we would go back again because it is very quiet and chilled, the food is great and the staff are lovely.

First of all, I'd like to say we had a lovely time at OHtel, Cabogata last week. Upon arrival we were quickly allocated a room but when we got there we found it was immediately over an area where people were sitting and smoking. It was also very close to the outdoor entertainment area. We went back to reception and asked for a different room in a quieter spot. Olivia dealt with our request immediately and put us in a lovely rom overlooking the golf course to the rear of the hotel. She was very professional and understood our request perfectly. All the staff at the hotel were friendly, polite and worked very hard. I was happy to try out the little Spanish I know and there was no issue with the language. The room was clean and comfortable, and was cleaned every day. The pool area is the star of this hotel, a lovely pool and no shortage of sun beds when we were there. The evening entertainment seemed to consist if a kids disco, one evening there was a dance show, another bingo in English and Spanish and on Sunday an excellent singer. There was often a queue at the bar but not for too long. The surrounding area is very nice, we enjoyed flat walks along the long promenade and visited the shrine and Roman tower along the coast. We also took the local bus into Almeria city but it was Monday and many of the museums were closed. The buses are €1.5 per trip and run Monday to Friday. Unfortunately the hotel is let down by a couple of issues; firstly the food was not what we've come to expect from all inclusive hotels. It was often cold and unappealing but we enjoyed the large selection of salads on offer. There is a very strange system which operates in the hotel which seemed to catch the British customers off guard, upon entering for lunch or dinner you give you room number and are allocated a 'chit', the waiter writes down what drinks you've had on the chit which us handed back when you leave. Now I can assure you that all inclusive customers weren't charged, in fact they give you a full bottle of wine with your meal rather than a glass which was great. The chit must be for half board or B&B customers to pay as they leave but this was never explained. We didn't mind the token system at the pool bar, you exchange your token for a plastic cup to cut down on waste and litter. The pool area was always very tidy. Again there were sometimes queues at the pool bar, with only one member of staff that's to be expected, which was a bit annoying when all you wanted was your token back. All in all we had a nice rest, some lovely walks and enjoyed the wine.

Great staff and nearly all of them are very hard working. However it's a good job as there is not nearly enough staff for the amount of guests staying in the Hotel. Queuing at both bars was the order of the day every day. The Dining room was the most chaotic I've ever witnessed. The layout is just so wrong and trying to get to the food was always a bun fight and when you finally get your food it's mostly always cold. ( Never used a microwave as much in my life ) This could be a great Hotel if they invested in some more staff and a temperature probe. We always visit the Almeria area every year and this Hotel came up at a great price, so we thought why not because you know you are always going to get some lovely sunshine. Don't get me wrong the Hotel is clean and the rooms are of a good standard albeit a little dated. I think if you came maybe Bed and Breakfast only and eat and drink out you would have a better experience.

The biggest downside to this hotel is the constant pool music and nightly entertainment which starts at 10pm. The first two days the pool music (non stop party music) was unbelievably loud, though it did quieten down as the week went on. It starts when the pool opens - 10.30 (no chance of an early morning swim) and goes on to about 7.30pm, with a break for siesta time for a couple of hours mid afternoon- pure bliss! Otherwise, the pool area is clean, tidy and loads of sunbeds always available. The pool itself is very clean and a perfect temperature. A useful pool bar for drinks/snacks, but be aware the snack menu is not part of all inclusive. We had a junior suite (overlooking the pool, so no escape from the music) which was a good size, clean and tidy, the bedroom had two big, hugely comfortable beds, a large bathroom and lovely big shower cubicle with a great shower. The restaurant was good, the food, whilst not a huge choice was very good and tasty, although like many buffets, did tend to suffer from not being hot enough. At busy times, it tended to be chaotic - go early, as the Spanish always eat late. If your English and tend to feed children early, dinner doesn't start until 8pm. Unfortunately, at breakfast the coffee machines didn't always work properly. Wi-fi can be a bit temperamental, slow and drop out quite a lot. Would we recommend this hotel? Yes, if you like music and entertainment. No, if you want a quiet time. This hotel is undoubtedly aimed at the Spanish market.

We just got back from this hotel in late July and had an amazing time at this resort. The biggest asset of this hotel is the staff. Every single one of them was friendly, welcoming and providing excellent customer service. The hotel was very clean, food in the restaurant was always great, plentiful and healthy. The beach is just a short walk away and is beautiful. The local shops and restaurants were also friendly and welcoming. Even though we didn’t speak much Spanish, we managed to get on fine and didn’t have any problems with the locals. I would recommend this hotel for families with young children or if you are looking for a relaxing break.

Very nice 7 nights spent here, it’s very quiet and great for a relaxation holiday. We enjoyed our time here but if you’re looking for more. Things to do local then this is probably not the place. About 40min bus ride to nearest city.