TUI FAMILY LIFE Playa Feliz Apartments Timeshare

First time writing a review, more like an essay, but feel it needs doing, blunt and Honest.

Firstly having booked this family holiday over a year ago for my Wife, Daughter, Son in Law and 2 grow up grandsons, we were really annoyed to receive a letter in the post from Thomson just 6 weeks prior to our departure to state the Hotel we were staying in was having a lot of building work done, and that we may be better changing hotel, Well that left us with a lot of choice, NOT as everywhere was fully booked.

We came across the Playa Feliz classed as 4 Star which had 2 rooms left, and after checking with Thomson was told we could swap to a 2 Bed Duplex with a ground floor bedroom as my wife and I both in our 70s and struggle with walking, my wife having cancer and me with a bad knee replacement and bad arthritis, We thought fantastic, But…..Oh my, how shocked we were.

We must have been staying at a totally different complex too most people who have done a review for this place.

Firstly although the lady checking us in at reception was lovely, we proceeded to walk off and find our room which was a fair walk away, being down the furthest end of the complex, some 350 yards + away only to find we didn’t have a Duplex at all, but an upstairs apartment, with 17 steps to climb, with NO handrail, our hearts sank. Struggling with the help of my Daughter and Son in Law, we made it up to the top and entered our room, and although it was ok, it was definitely NOT 4 Star, We have stayed in plenty of 4 star and 3 star complexes and hotels, and this was by far only a standard 2 star as far as we were concerned. We went straight to reception and asked for another room only to be told this was not possible as they were totally full.

Next, there were no sheets for the trundle bed in the sitting room for my 20-year-old grandson to sleep on, and this bed was not even big enough for a 14-year-old let alone a grown man.

The best thing about the apartment was the Wardrobes, they were nice and big.

There was No full-length mirror at all and as for the dressing tables in the bedrooms, you couldn’t see in the mirrors as there were no lights above them. The bathroom was way to small for a family of 6, with absolutely no space for any toiletries and the wooden shelf below the bathroom sink was so blown from water nothing would stand up.
The bathroom also had an odd stagnant smell, which wafted through the apartment at night.

Take your own hairdryer as the one supplied was dreadful, it had no blow what so ever, and the handle got so red hot and you had to wrap a towel around it to hold it.
The towels were awful, and so small more like a hand towel, stained and full of holes, at home we wouldn’t even have used them as floor cloths.

Duvet covers didn’t fit the Duvet and were covered in marks and rips, the leg of the bed was broken, water did not drain from the bathroom sink, even though we reported it to reception it continued throughout our 2-week stay. The shower let water out everywhere, The air conditioning was only in the sitting room part, there should have been a unit above the beds in each room as well as the nights were stifling, and one night it started leaking all over my 18-year-olds grandsons (sofa) bed, leaving his pillow soaked, and we had to turn it off completely.

The kitchen has no worktop space, and are not very well equipped. As for the kettle, all that was supplied was a travel kettle for 2 people which turned off around 7 times before coming up to the boil, we had to ask for a replacement, which was a full-size kettle thank goodness.

There was a microwave in the kitchen, but this could not be used as there were absolutely no plastic basins, measuring jugs or any type of Tupperware that could be used in it.

We was supplied with 1 very small teatowel ( for 6 Adults), a little larger than a facecloth and 1 dishcloth, which after 1 whole week had not been changed so put it on the bathroom floor with the dirty towels, only to find the maid had picked it back up and put it back on the kitchen sink, Ewwwww, disgusting, she took the tea towel and never left a clean one, so we had to use a hand towel.

The cleaner missed cleaning on several days, and when they did come it was around 6 pm just as you were in the shower and getting changed, all cleaning should be completed by 2pm, as its an intrusion of your privacy.

9 days in we still had the same bed sheets on the bed and we collared the maid and told her we wanted them changed, we got a strange look but she did change them, and again they were full of holes.

There was a small outdoor airer only big enough for a few baby clothes, nowhere to hang up wet clothes or towels for 6 people, and the chairs and table on the balcony had definitely seen better days, covered in dirty marks.

We couldn’t ever go out on our own as my Daughter and her husband had to be with us at all times to get us up and down the stairs, which was quite distressing, and very painful.

Dining room…..
Staff lovely very friendly… But……
We had an issue every morning and every evening getting in, continually being told we were not allowed in as we had to pay, (we was half board), or that we shouldn’t be there, we should have gone home, this really became an issue until I got so cross and went to the manager, who was lovely and for the agro he upgraded us for the last 4 days to all-inclusive.

The dining room at the Playa Feliz itself was very overcrowded, most days having to wait for a table, and having to sit on a separate table to my Daughter and the rest of the family, it was also WAY too hot in there, no fans and no open windows which did make you feel sick and light headed at times, we could not eat outside as there was no disabled access, only steps, so more of my food would have been on the floor or i would have been. The tables were miles to close together, once seated you could not get back up, without asking a complete stranger if they would mind moving, we even had a waiter fall on us twice after tripping up the chairs, at one point smashing a hot cup of coffee all over our table.

The food was just ok, same food different day, not much choice, and meat like boot leather, spent a lot of time waiting, one night being told the beef would be another 50 minutes before it would be ready.

Also never had a cup of tea for the first week as there were no T bags, until, I saw a man open the draw below the drinks machine, which had all the tea bags and sugars in, these draws should be labelled so you know they are there.

You could eat over in the sister hotel the Orquedia although, to be honest, this is more like the TV program Benidorm, Total Chaos.

There is no beach to speak of, just a very small cobbled section, which with walking difficulties is just not possible.

The pool was ok, not the best, The handrail was broken and done up with duck tape, so nothing to hold on to as you walk down the slippery steep disabled slope, The pool water was cloudy, not crystal clear as it should be with lots of black bits floating around from the disgusting slime and mould in the water gully surrounding the pool, The steps were broken and coming out of the floor, and the sunbeds were filthy, heaven knows how this place got 4 stars.

Pool towels are provided……. BUT when we asked for a sun brolly, got told we couldn’t have one by the lifeguard as we had pool towels, and we could only have one or the other, even though everyone else there had both, he was not going to give in so we dumped the pool towels at his feet and took a brolly. This lifeguard spent more time chatting up the ladies than watching the pool.

The other lifeguard that was there was lovely, very friendly and very good at his job.
Toilet and supermarket at the Feliz are accessed by going down, even more, steps, this makes it very frustrating for those who have walking difficulties, continually needing help up and down, let alone parents with pushchairs, just not acceptable for so-called 4 star accommodation,

The Spa at the Orquidea, after seeing several reviews saying it was only 3 euros each for the day we thought we would give it a try, or maybe not…. on entering we got told it would cost 29 euros per couple, and you have to wear a swimming hat, for only 2.5 hours use….. no way !!!
Sorry, this is so long, but I feel I should be honest.

The grounds are really Beautiful, very pretty and peaceful, unlike the noise and chaos of the Orquidea, its such a shame the rest of the place does not match it, we were so looking forward to this holiday, and it turned out to be such a disappointment, especially after the amount of hard earned money you have to pay for it.

Tompson need to review their star rating on this complex, it only has 2 keys on the wall at the entrance, there is no sign of 4 **** anywhere to be seen, totally miss-sold.
On a better note, the weather was amazing

The restaurant at the hotel and the hotel next door, both owned by TUI, actively engage in discrimination based on gender as they do not allow men to wear fashionable sleeveless t-shirts in the restaurant. But for women this is ok. Might seem to be a minor issue but illustrate certain corporate values that need to be critiqued.

Our stay was enjoyable, besides being asked to redress the last night of our stay in order to stay in the restaurant, despite most women wearing short dresses and t-shirts (which I pointed out and asked for an explanation that I never got).

So next time when choosing the company to travel with it might be wise to scrutiny their corporate values and if this is something to support or not. TUI arena to have some issues to deal with.

We were recommended this place having given specific criteria to our local Thomson shop as to our requirements. We were 3 adults and two children travelling. We had booked a two bedroom end duplex apartment.

On arrival, we were given a two bedroomed apartment and not a duplex as these were all full! The apartment was nice but:

– it was accessible by 17 steps. This meant that when we pushed our two-year-old grandson to get him to have a midday sleep, you could not get him back up to the apartment. We had to find a shady spot to sit while he slept for two hours.

The apartment was also 6 minutes walk from the pool. We have complained to Thomson about mis-selling but they have still not responded in spite of numerous conversations with the rep in resort. I can see this going to court.

The resort itself offered nothing. There was one small Norwegian bar and that was it. The others had all closed. There were a few, very similar type restaurants but they were not cheap and not child-friendly.

The kids enjoyed the entertainment in the hotel but there was nothing for adults in the area. Glad we were only there for 11 nights and not 14.

Extremely disappointed with Thomsons and will not use them again. Similarly, will not be visiting Grand Canaria.

It may have been passable had you been all inclusive but hopeless as self-caterers.

Saw on TripAdvisor that the hotel Orquedia maybe closed so checked this with Thomson before booking. They told me it was 100% open so I decided to book.

My children got all excited about the facilities and pictures, but when we arrived the hotel Orquedia was not open and we could not use their facilities. Absolutely disgusted with Thomson and the way they lied to me.

If they would have told me truth u would have booked elsewhere.

The Playa Felix hotel itself is ok and would be great if the Orquedia was open, but without it there just wasn’t enough to keep the children entertained.

We went for 2 weeks and on 8 of the days it was cloudy more or less all day and rained on three of those.