“Great hotel for the money with very friendly staff”

Just got back from a week at the El Duque and we had a fantastic time! The hotel has everything we needed in a great location and, in our view, offered great value for the money. As many other reviewers have said, yes the rooms and some areas of the hotel are a little tired/dated but the rooms a... more

Just got back from a week at the El Duque and we had a fantastic time! The hotel has everything we needed in a great location and, in our view, offered great value for the money. As many other reviewers have said, yes the rooms and some areas of the hotel are a little tired/dated but the rooms are all very functional and the standard of cleanliness throughout the hotel was superb. The room was cleaned daily, beds made and towels changed. The kitchen was fairly basic but had a fridge, microwave, toaster, kettle, coffee maker and hob - no oven though. We were AI though so that was fine for us. We were in C205 - a top floor, end room (one-bed apartment) with great views over the smaller pool area and the mountains behind from the rear balcony. That pool/bar closed at 6pm each night so we were never disturbed by any noise. Looking round to the front from the end of the balcony just about gives you a sea view which is even more visible from the bathroom window! We found the AI food to be generally good. There was plenty of choice and variety throughout the week, although some evenings offered better choices than others but we were always able to find something that we enjoyed. The AI drinks were all good too. Local spirits and wine were very drinkable as was the local beer (Dorada) - very much missing those cold pints by the pool already!! Endless soft drinks during the day were also spot on. Comparing what we paid for AI versus the non-AI pay-as-you-go prices, we felt like we got our money's worth just on the drinks alone. The location of the hotel was perfect for us too. Only a 10-minute walk down to the beach where all the main bars/restaurants/shops are but far enough out of the main hustle and bustle which suited us. The hotel is also right next to The Duke shopping mall which has a few bars and restaurants to choose from as well as a supermarket for snacks, water and other bits when needed. Finally, all the staff, from reception to the bar/restaurant staff and entertainment team were all really friendly and welcoming. We had an issue at one point with our front door not locking properly (flat battery on the lock) and it was quickly sorted after reporting it to reception. We only really had two minor gripes from the whole break. It would have been good if the pools opened earlier than 10am as we're generally early risers so would have liked to maybe have an early dip and sunbathe. Also, the evening entertainment was a little hit-and-miss. We had two nights of magician shows which felt more like Kids' entertainers and fell a bit flat. On the flip side, a couple of nights had great singers on who created a brilliant atmosphere - but the shows ended at 10am just as it felt like things were getting going! Overall though, a great hotel in a lovely complex. We'll definitely be looking to visit again!

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