Hipotels Dunas Cala Millor Aparthotel

The indoor pool is very small and usually crowded. Breakfast and dinner at the buffet were okay, though not amazing, during the two days we ate there. The self-catering apartments had everything we needed and were cleaned daily. Parking was busy, but there were plenty of options nearby and we rarely struggled to find a spot when we returned. Staff across reception, housekeeping, the restaurant, and the bar were excellent, friendly, and helpful. The animation team were great with the kids and put on good entertainment. The hotel is right on the beach and within walking distance of the main street.

This was our sixth visit to Dunas, and we love the hotel and its location. Our first few visits before covid were good, but the last two weren't. It feels like one hand doesn't know what the other is doing, and the overbooking is unforgivable. Is this because of a change in management? Six years ago, when we went to the Dunas, we were sent to ANOTHER HOTEL on the first night because there was no room, even though we'd booked by email. Overbooked again? We booked with Jet 2 for two adults and two children, for Easter 2025. At check-in last week, we were told our permanent room wouldn't be ready until after breakfast the next day. We were sent to a first-floor room and given 83 euros compensation to spend at the bar for the 24-hour delay in starting our holiday. We couldn't unpack properly or relax knowing we'd have to move, and the children couldn't conveniently use the pool. The next morning at breakfast, we weren't on the list under either the first-floor room or the third-floor room we were supposed to move to. I went to reception to complain again. After breakfast, our permanent room still wasn't ready. Staff told us to pack up, go out, and let them move our belongings. We insisted on getting the sea-view room we'd booked more than a year earlier. When I said I'd leave a bad review and report it to Jet 2, I was told the compensation would be withdrawn. We had to sign a document accepting the payment, which we assume meant we couldn't complain further. During the stay, the maid took our plastic glasses, which belonged to us and looked nothing like the hotel's, and two Spar shopping bags that were nowhere near the bin. She also removed the electric card after cleaning. I should say her work was excellent, though. One of our key cards stopped working and had to be reprogrammed. On the second night we went to the bar to use our 83 euros credit, only to be told there was no credit and we needed to leave our card details at reception. In the restaurant we were told we couldn't order wine by the glass, so we went to the bar and got our own. Later we were told we could order glasses in the restaurant, then the next night told we couldn't. It was like a comedy of errors, and we kept ending up at reception for one thing or another. We will return to Cala Millor, but won't book a hipotel because we're not sure we'll get what we booked. They obviously think 83 euros is fair compensation for delaying the start of our holiday, but we spent it at the bar, where 83 euros worth of drinks wouldn't have cost the hotel anywhere near that amount. If you're considering the Dunas, be warned, you may not get what you asked for.

The pool area was clean and nice for our children, aged three and six. Since we visited during school term, we could get loungers for the first half of the week, but the second half got busier and they were harder to find. A family of eight put towels down every morning and went off to the beach for a couple of hours, taking eight loungers out of use. The lifts are tiny too. Our double City Jogger pram only just fit, and the kids couldn't stay in it, which would be frustrating with younger children. The hotel is close to the beach, with great views. The rooms are okay but dated, though they do the job. We spent the first two nights sleeping on the sofas because we didn't realize they had to be turned around to make beds; the cleaner did it for us. The pillows could be better, and we had to wash lots of dirty plates and cutlery before using them. The room could use some care, but there's plenty of storage and lots of wardrobe hangers. The balcony door was very stiff, though I liked the extra child-safety locks. Cleaners were great, and Wi-Fi was available throughout, which is a must when travelling these days. We went self-catering because we prefer to support local businesses, so I can't comment on the food. Some staff were really friendly, while one in particular wasn't. We didn't know the hotel allowed dogs and wouldn't have chosen it if we had, since our son is allergic to pets. For two nights a yapping dog kept us awake. One night it woke everyone at 1 am and barked for over two hours. I went to reception, but the man didn't understand me and told me to come back in the morning. I wasn't the only one complaining. I spoke to reception the next morning, they said they'd sort it out, and by that night it was resolved, but it wasn't a great start to the holiday. We couldn't get late checkout because the hotel was full. The day before leaving, a man told me there was a luggage room, showers, and a downstairs room where we could relax. We planned a morning out and expected to return late afternoon to freshen up and charge our phones before the coach transfer. But the woman at reception seemed unhelpful, perhaps because of a language barrier, and said there was no downstairs room, only reception, and no showers because the indoor pool was closed. Then she said there were showers but she needed to unlock them. We had to ask twice for our luggage to get clothes to change into. With a busy check-in queue and one receptionist handling everyone, I waited 25 minutes for shower access, then gave up, changed in the toilets, and charged my phone there. We loved Mallorca and will definitely come back, but next time we'll choose a different hotel. One other thing, we downloaded the taxi app, but whenever we ordered a taxi, it couldn't find the pickup point. Taxis did know where the hotel was when we were getting one back, though, and that's not the hotel's problem.

A decent hotel in Cala Millor, right by the beach, with a variety of meals, clean spaces, and good staff. The beds creak, the furnishings are older, and although dogs are allowed, the hotel isn't very dog-friendly.