BQ Aguamarina Boutique Hotel — Hotel in Palma

Travelling alone, I booked a 5 night stay at the hotel in mid May to have a quiet few days away. Online I obviously looked at all the hotels in the area but had never been to Playa de Palma so didn’t really know how convenient/safe/nearby anything would be in the area or to the hotel. The main reason I booked the hotel was not only because of the lovely hotel photos but because there were so many glowing reviews – all varied but all with the same positive and praising comments, so it just shows you how important decent reviews are. After looking at all the booking websites I decided to book directly with the hotel, which I feel was the best option for me. From the moment I arrived, I found the hotel to feel calming, refined & contemporary. Every one of the staff from the Reception/Restaurant/Pool/Bar/Housekeeping were very polite & professional yet warm & unobtrusive. The hotel is literally under 10 mins from the airport and in a great location. I had a front sea-facing double room. I requested a high floor prior to arrival and they did explain there was no guarantee but I was lucky – probably in high season it would be difficult to guarantee but there is no harm in emailing ahead of time.

My room view was stunning (corner room 306) overlooking the pretty small bay and was spotless every day. The superior rooms on the 4th floor have a larger outdoor area so if/when I come back I’ll hope to book one of these. Rooms are minimalist/contemporary & with all the nice add-ons like dressing gown/slippers and lovely toiletries. Loved the powerful shower, but be aware that one side to the shower cubical is actually the partition wall to the bedroom, although it is highly frosted glass.

The breakfasts were full of everything you would want and all staff were smiley and helpful. Pedro, made great eggs any way I wanted and was such a jolly character and Enrique, the restaurant manager, was superb looking after everyone and as the days went on remembered what you preferred or needed, ahead of asking for it. I didn’t get to say thank you to him on my last day as David was in charge, also excellent. I only had breakfast as the hotel so didn’t get to sample the dinners but reviews say they are excellent.

The rooftop snack bar and pool was so lovely and the breeze was perfect. The cabanas were gorgeous – only 3 of them though. The sunloungers were fine but would have been nice to have a thin cushion on them. Extra beach towels are supplied. The street level bar with comfy deckchairs/hanging chairs looked like a peaceful way to watch the world go by although I didn’t get to have a drink there. I didn’t get to sample the spa or gym areas but I’m sure they would have been equally perfect. This hotel has got it just right. Offers everything you need to have a seamlessly relaxed and yet classy stay. I felt very safe and secure and am so pleased I didn’t choose a larger boisterous hotel as this hotel is perfectly situated to explore all you need for varied restaurants, supermarket, bike rental and long walks along the promenades/coastal paths. I loved hiring a bike and riding to Palma (approx. 35+ mins) along the coastline. I will definitely be returning to this hotel due to the staff and style of hotel. A huge thank you to the Reception ladies who welcomed me (Sonja) and to the lovely, always helpful assistance of Aina and Lupe. A perfect Boutique hotel – do not hesitate to consider it as a top choice – I already want to go back!

A couple of very minor negatives for me would be that there is no proper drawer space, only a couple of high shelves within the hanging cupboard space, so a little too high to reach if you are on the shorter side. Cases can’t be put away anywhere which takes up a little space which is a shame. There is a long wall mirror but would have been nice to have another mirror on the wall where the...

We stayed at the hotel for 7 nights and I have to say the #1 thing that stood out for us was their customer service. I give that a 100% perfect rating, from the ladies at the front check in desk, cleaning staff, the staff at the breakfast buffet and their restaurant, one could not fault them. They were so friendly, helpful,incredibly polite and always ready to assist you with what ever you needed.

The hotel has great views right by the ocean, we had a sea view(which one pays extra for but total worth it) The food is great if you're an omnivore but a little limited if you're on a plant based diet. They don't offer all inclusive packages but (halvpension) they do offer breakfast buffet and dinner in their restaurant in the evenings, very cosey. One pays for all drinks including water, accept the water bottle you got "for free" when your room got cleaned.

The hotel is wheelchair friendly, close to the airport, right by the ocean, reasonable restaurants and bars within walking distance. Parking is free( which was AWESOME!) Public transport easily accessible and cheap too. It's not really kids focused which could be great for parents/teachers who want to take a break from their children when on holiday but I wouldn't say It's kids free as there were a few parents we ran into with their children. Their rooftop bar gave one such breath taking views. There is pool, 3-4 sunbeds, tiny gym downstairs, with a jacuzzi, two saunas.

My least fond things 1. Was how hard it was to sleep on windy nights/days. We were on the 3rd floor with sea view and the class doors could not completely close therefore there was this constant whistling sound from the wind throughout the whole night and day that prevented you from getting a good night's rest. Again we were there in early March maybe later on when the weather is better/warmer one wouldn't have the same problem. 2. The other thing was the poor ventilation on each floor. If someone smoked one could smell it on the entire floor which was awful as a person with asma.

Either than that, I recommend this hotel wholeheartedly. We were mostly happy staying there. Thank you to all the wonderful staff that made our stay so pleasant, memorable trip and the bottle of champagne I got complimentary for my birthday, it...

I write this review whilst currently staying at the hotel in the hope that other couples visiting have a fair and rounded account which will help inform their decision on where to stay.|Unfortunately despite booking directly with the hotel, the experience on the first day has been extremely poor; we booked a 'standard double' room only to find we were given a twin room with two separate beds. Not practical for a couple particularly in a hotel with all adults. Usually not a big problem in hospitality - the hotel would normally apologise and move you to a standard double room. So we politely asked to be moved to a double room as per our booking but instead of a polite apology, the receptionist told us most rooms were twins and they were fully booked so there was nothing she could do. After pushing, she eventually offered to have a double matress taken to the room within an hour. So we waited, came back after an hour, waited some more and after more than 3 hours still nothing. Going back to reception we were met with again with the argument that rooms may have twin beds despite our booking confirmation and most couples perfer twin beds(!). After nearly 20 minutes of arguing, she eventually relented and found a double room which they had all along!!|So the first 4 hours of our holiday wasted. No sincerity, no attempt to address the most simple ask and made us feel like we should be grateful for the double room we booked!|Personally experience aside, the photographs make the hotel look much better than in reality and guests may well be disappointed particularly if they were seduced by the infinity pool photos. The spa area is pitiful and probably included in the basement area (which smells extremely damp) to help qualify as a 4* hotel. Equally we noted the bathroom extractor did not work and the analogue air conditioning is far from modern. The welcome drink? Just small beer, or glass of house wine. |On a positive note, if you're reading this review you'll know the hotel location is great and easily accessible from the airport, and the drinks are very reasonably priced - just don't expect much other than that...