Atlantica Aqua Blue Hotel

We had a fantastic two-night stay. Even though the hotel was busy, it was laid out well and never felt crowded. Stratos checked us in and upgraded us to a family room with a huge terrace overlooking the pool. What a view! The room felt modern, with a big walk-in shower, and the conditioner left my hair soft and nourished. Breakfast had loads of tasty, healthy options, and the staff were attentive throughout. The car park is right beside the hotel, which is also on a bus route. Some restaurants and a little hidden beach with great snorkelling are within walking distance, near Mimosa Hotel. Just be aware it’s very family-friendly, with a splash zone for kids.

Andreas from the main restaurant and Bibiana from the evening activities and kids’ playroom were two bright spots in our stay. They were welcoming, helpful, and always smiling. Thank you both! The small water park and playroom were nice for kids too, and there are two pool bars, four restaurants including the rooftop bar, evening activities, and a shop. If you do visit, take the all-inclusive option. The service elsewhere was a letdown. The young lifeguards often seemed focused on themselves instead of their important job. The pool bar staff weren’t welcoming, and sometimes raised their voices at guests. Most of the front desk team didn’t seem to know how to welcome or help guests properly, regardless of nationality. We felt tension that other guests apparently didn’t. Management also misled us: the screen on the room TV suggested a reservation at the special restaurant, but apparently you need to book five nights to get one. After a long discussion with staff, we were tired and disappointed. The rooms are small, and the lighting switches are so confusing that it took us 30-60 minutes to work them out on our first night. The AC was loud, wouldn’t go below 23 degrees on a very warm night, and we didn’t sleep well. We were told that’s how it came from the factory, which was a ridiculous response. One of our two TVs also needed four handymen and two days to fix. Then one man arrived frustrated and made the whole day miserable for his team and the hotel. He literally ruined my day. We had problems with the hotel overall, so I won’t be coming back next time we’re on the island. Such a shame.

The hotel is modern and clean, the staff are friendly and helpful, and the drinks are generally good. There’s plenty of food to choose from, but it was always cold. The pool snack bar, open from 10:00 to 18:00, was amazing, especially the burgers. Do visit the 7 skies rooftop cocktail bar, it’s stunning at sunset. Our room, 601, was a lovely modern swim-up room facing the gardens, but neither the pool nor terrace got any sun, so the water was freezing and unusable. If I’d known, I wouldn’t have booked one. The maids took away our towels and bathrobes and didn’t bring replacements. I’d recommend the hotel, but not the swim-up rooms.

The room itself was pleasant, the cleaners did a fantastic job every day, and the key card kept working even beside my phone. We did have a cupboard door and the door handle come off during our stay. Noise from the hall was bad, with people talking and opening their doors. Late arrivals woke me several times, and the AC kept my wife awake. We couldn’t leave the ground-floor door open because the grounds were accessible to anyone. The AC kept switching on and off, was very loud, and couldn’t be set below 23 degrees. Our swim-up room faced the garden rather than the main pool. We didn’t know it would only get sun from 4 pm for about an hour, leaving the pool freezing. I think guests should be told this when booking, as we wouldn’t have chosen it. You also have to leave your room and walk through the hotel to get a drink, since there’s no access from the pool side to the main area. The rooms only have chairs, no sunbeds. Most guests, even those facing the pool, seemed to use the main pool instead. I wouldn’t bother booking a swim-up room here. Reception were very nice on arrival and explained things clearly. The food was nice, though some dishes repeated. The main issue at lunch and dinner was having to wait for someone to take a drinks order. There are no self-service drink pumps, and you have to catch someone again if you want another. The staff were friendly and did their best. Cocktails and drinks were nice, and the snack bar food was delicious and popular. My favourite part was that men don’t have to wear trousers in the evening. The main entertainment started late, around 10 pm, so we mostly missed it. There weren’t enough seats in the bar, and it was strange that there was no entertainment room. There wasn’t much nearby besides one shop and a car rental place. The beach is down the way, but it’s a small stretch used by another hotel, with no free seats. There are four pools and three lifeguards on duty. Each sunbed has a table and umbrella, which was good, but even in October there were still fights over beds. You had to get yours by 7 am to stand a chance of a good spot. Some paths around the pool are very narrow and slippery, barely wide enough for one person. I saw a few guests slip. The kids’ splash park looked fun.