SBH Monica Beach Hotel

The long-ish walk from the bungalow to the restaurant was the only small drawback. The route went through another resort area, but it was manageable. I really enjoyed the atmosphere and the hotel's location near the beach. The people were very friendly, and I met several lovely guests from Germany. Lunch and dinner were both good. I came back today after a wonderful time with my sister, and I'm very satisfied with the stay. I'd definitely recommend the hotel.

The staff were all polite, smiling, and professional, from housekeeping and reception to the animation team and waiters. There were plenty of daytime activities, including archery, rifle shooting, and ping pong. A sports centre beside the hotel has a free gym, plus paid minigolf and a paid tennis court. There's a Sunday market across the road, a small souvenir shop, and car hire available. A bus to the zoo is easy to catch, and I'd recommend the zoo. The area itself doesn't have much else to do. It took about an hour to get here from the airport. We were happy with the holiday and the sandy beach next door. There are three bars: one overlooking the sea that opens until 3pm, a pool bar, and one open in the evening. Drinks were okay, though the brands were cheap and the cocktails weren't tasty. Breakfast was the same every day, while lunch and dinner were fantastic, with lots of dishes, seafood, cheeses, pork, goat, chicken, and many salads. Our room was okay, the air conditioning worked well, but I couldn't open the patio door and the bathroom door was noisy to close. The evening entertainment was hit and miss, with the usual bingo, dancing, and white party; there's also a kids' club. There were plenty of sunbeds without any wars, even during half term. Two pools include one with a slide, and the public toilets were clean. I didn't see a single cockroach all week.

All our cash was stolen from the hotel room. Reception told us that only we and hotel staff had entered it. It feels as though guests are being robbed while management turns a blind eye. I regret not checking reviews sooner, since apparently others have also had cash stolen from their rooms. After that, I was afraid to stay there because it seemed so easy for someone to get inside. Our key card kept failing, and we had to return to reception again and again to get it reactivated. The man at the desk was rude and didn't even apologise. The restaurant staff were friendly and the food was good, but that couldn't make up for the experience. The fridge was dirty, there was mould on the bathroom window, and the sheets were never changed. Staff just made the bed without replacing the linen. I wouldn't recommend the hotel and will never return.

The food is lovely and well worth going all inclusive for. I'm really picky, but I enjoyed the lunch and meal choices. The dishes rotate each night, and there's always fresh pizza and chips, great salads, and plenty of bread. Some nights there was a good seafood selection, including fresh prawns and oysters, and the creamy ice cream was delicious. The pools are good too: one of the two main ones is heated and the other isn't, so you can choose. The entertainment team and other staff were kind, funny, and helpful, and the entertainment works well for younger guests and on some nights for older ones too. Our room was quite far away, in what seemed like a separate hotel or apartment complex joined to the SBH one, so getting to meals was a walk. It was quiet, and that was mainly our fault because we booked a suite instead of a room, but I wish they'd warned us when we booked. The slides are pretty slow for anyone over 12, as they're not powerful enough for older or heavier riders. We also noticed after cleaners had been in that our charger was missing. We still don't know if it was an accident. We went to the shop and found theirs for 40 euros. Otherwise, the workers were great. There's a bus stop with easy access to the zoo, which I'd recommend 100%. Great food and service, close to the beach, and I'd recommend booking.