Melia Isla Canela

We have recently returned from the Melia hotel and thoroughly enjoyed our stay there. Unfortunately weather had been a little mixed so having a lovely big and comfortable room to chill in was good. We had a superior side sea view which was kept immaculate and had good sized balcony. The public areas are spacious and we found food really tasty and plentiful. We had half board which suited us as not many restaurants open in area as near end of season. Yes you do have to pay for water with evening meal but we had a beer and large wine which was approx 6 euros so I think quite reasonable. We also enjoyed the entertainment each evening and drinks a little cheaper than would be in the uk. We enjoy walking and bird watching so Melia ideally situated for us as we could access marshes in about 15 mins without car. We would recommend to anyone wanting a more relaxing holiday but with the opportunity to visit local areas quite easily but if you’re a big party goer and shopaholic then maybe not for you.

We love the Melia Isla Canela, so much so that this was our fourth visit. Since we were here last year there have been a few changes, and having read recent reviews we weren't sure whether we would still like the hotel as much. But we did - almost. It is a beautiful hotel, always spotlessly clean and the staff are friendly and helpful. The location for us is perfect. It has a mixture of hotels but also has a beautiful typical Spanish village, Punta del Moral, a short walk away where you can experience every day Spanish life. We found a delightful Church there. There is a small Marina close to the hotel and the opportunity to go across to Portugal is available if you want to explore. What I love to see are all the little fishing boats going out for night fishing, one after the other. A perfect example of normal Spanish life. There is a lovely long promenade which runs parallel to the beach. There you will find hotels and permanent residencies. From our hotel there is a small walkway down to the beach itself, and if you so wish you can hire a sunbed and spend the day there. As before we stayed on the Level, this time in room 2015. This was a twin-bedded room with a full ocean view, which was nicely renovated (with a mirror on the wall and not at the back of the wardrobe) but it was quite small. The bathroom was neat and compact with a walk- in shower but sadly lacking a bidet as before. As it was a Level room we had a coffee machine and kettle but it was in such an awkward place and quite difficult to use. Personally I felt that space could have been used more as a wardrobe, as it seems that lack of hanging space, drawers etc is quite an issue with a great many guests, us included. The changes made to The Level on the whole were a great improvement. The breakfast was excellent, with much more to choose from than previously We enjoyed sitting in the lounge both during the day and at the end of the day after dinner. It was so peaceful and relaxing, and it was nice to have a snack and drink during the day when we needed a break from reclining on the sunbed.. Although we have stayed before on The Level this was the first time we sampled the Tapas and although we didn't drink the spirits on offer we did enjoy the Rose wine and we realise now what we have been missing on our previous visits. Our only disappointment with the upgrade of The Level was that the private area that we enjoyed previously was no longer there. We used to enjoy lying on a sunbed under the trees, away from the pool, but to our dismay there are so many rows of sunbeds this is no longer an option. The dynamics have changed now that particular area and pool is for adults as well as Level guests. The way it is set up now restricts where a Level guest can use a sunbed + cushion, which is a small area close to the Level Lounge, and unfortunately is in the full sun most of the day. Not realising this I used one of the cushions for my bed under a tr

This is a spectacular hotel in a equally spectacular location for a laid back, relaxing holiday. It is situated in a quiet location by an enormous beach. The hotel is absolutely beautiful and incredibly clean, modern and well decorated. I loved the reception area and all of the art and statues, the pretty lighting, the huge bar area down the stairs with a huge amount of seating, etc. Even the restaurant was modern and fresh. Staff: Very friendly and helpful Room: our room was modern, clean and really spectacular. It overlooked the pool and beach, The beds were incredibly comfortable. We did however, have this wonderful room because we upgraded to The Level. Only minor complaint of the room - there was a full sized mirror but it was inside of the wardrobe where you hang clothes. A really odd place to put a mirror - our clothes blocked being able to use it. Why not put the mirror on the wall (not inside of a closet!) Very odd Bathroom: a very nice bathroom and lovely shower with really nice products (shower gel, shampoo and conditioner). Another odd feature - the towel rail was placed above our toilet - not sure why but it was an awkward place to have our towels and I had to reach over the toilet to get my towels? Why not put the towel rail on the wall like most hotels away from the toilet? A very weird design. The Level: You can upgrade to this if you want to get a better room and all the "extras" that make your visit even more special. Some of the extras with The Level include a beautiful area to have breakfast and you can order special items from their menu. You also have use of a separate adult pool - it's okay but much smaller than the main pool. You also have access to the Level lounge located near the pool which has a lovely variety of drinks, snacks and food in the evenings. You can read about the benefits of what you get on the hotel's site. We were very happy we did this upgrade and it was worth it. Pool: Pool area was clean and spacious with plenty of sun loungers but water was cold. I do have a health and safety complaint however. All the handrails to the steps going into the pool were loose - they need to be tightened or it could cause an injury. Even the railings going up the stairs from the pool to the entertainment area were loose. (My husband had his finger squashed between the loose rail and the wall of the stairs going down into the adults area pool). Beach: the beach was a short walk from the hotel across a wooden boardwalk and the only way to describe the beach is spectacular with beautiful sand, lots of shells and calm seas. We took a walk down the beach and actually saw a huge pod of dolphins swimming by very near the shore. Even a couple of baby dolphins swimming and jumping - it was a Wow Moment. It was a rare and memorable sight. Food: the food was our only disappointment of our holiday. Very repetitive, the same vegetable soup was served every night of our holiday for example. The meats that were