My friend and I are women in our early twenties and stayed at Hotel Alexandra, C'an Pastilla, Majorca from 7/6 - 11/6. We had a wonderful time and were very impressed with the hotel.

The exterior is beautiful, loads of colourful flowers everywhere, in pots and planted all around. They looked and smelled gorgeous, and were a lovely welcome. Right by the entrance is a fountain and a huge palm tree, which looks spectacular at night when the fairy lights that are wrapped around the entire trunk really stand out.

We were half board so dinner and breakfast were included. Meals are served as a buffet, you can go up as many times as you like. Not all of it was to our tastes but there was so much choice. I tried a little bit of everything and then got more of the things I'd liked! The desserts especially were amazing, at least ten choices. For example: several types of cake, fruit, rice pudding, blancmange, 4 ice creams/sorbets and fruit salad. There's a lot to choose at breakfast too - cold boiled and scrambled eggs, slices of ham, fruit salad, cheese, bread, pastries, croissants, biscuits, cereal, fruit and toast plus fruit juice and tea/coffee. Half board doesn't include things like bottled water and wine, but you can buy them from the waiting staff for extra at dinner. A litre of mineral water was £1.05.

Our room was spotless, on the first floor overlooking the pool and beyond that the beach and sea. It was cleaned and towels replaced every day. All the facilities worked and we had mini soaps, bath/shower gel and shampoo which were also replaced.

The beds were clean and comfortable, there was a very large wardrobe with lots of drawers and shelves, a desk, lamps and a large mirror in the main room. The balcony wasn't too small, it had a white plastic table and 2 chairs (like garden furniture), and a frosted glass screen separated us from our neighbours balconies.

The staff were great, especially the barman. I forget his name but he was friendly and chatty, and always made our cocktails with feathers, umbrellas and even sparklers once! There are loads of cocktails to choose from, average price was £2.60, and there are non alcoholic ones too. Most of the staff spoke great English and were happy to help.

I particularly enjoyed the pool which was clean and large, with floats to play with included. It was never crowded and although it's not heated, you soon get used to the temperature. My advice is get in quickly! The pool was very impressive, with little blue tiles all over and a very shallow area for the little un's that was protected by a stainless steel fence. Plenty of sunloungers and lots of outside seats and tables. There is a large cart filled with beautiful flowers, and to the right of it are 2 outside huts for the loos (separate mens and womens) with basins and mirrors, perfect for getting changed or applying sun block.

It's very close to the airport (if you look out of the window on the top floor you can see the planes landing and taking off!) but it was never too loud, certainly not enough to wake you up, and of course getting to and from the airport is very cheap! (10-15 Euros including a tip) There's a taxi rank right outside the airport exit, so unless you arrive very late/early you'll have no problem getting a cab.

We were concerned booking without a travel agent, but there was no need to worry as the Roomsnet service is fantastic. If you have a question you can text chat live with an agent over the internet, e-mail, or call the free phone number. Once you've booked you just print off the confirmation they e-mail you and give it to the reception desk. It all went very smoothly.

C'an Pastilla is gorgeous, loads of restaurants and bars, a fantastic beach, lots of souvenir shops and a little supermarket as well. Theres also a tobacconist which is much cheaper than duty free, it's just to the right when you come out of the private exit from the hotel to the beach. Next to it is a cash point which accepted my Maestro card, and when I checked my bank statement I wasn't charged much - certainly less than a fiver.

To get to the beach you either go down some stairs by the pool and swipe your card on the reader to open the gate. This is also how you get in your hotel room, then you stick it in the little box by the door to activate the lights. The gate is locked between 8pm and 8am and weekends, so you go out the front entrance and go right.

The little beach in front of the hotel was great. There was a very mixed bunch of sun worshippers - loads of different nationalities, families, groups of older people, and a few topless women! It is separated from the road (which is very quiet, the odd car or cyclist) by a short stone wall, and there are several small ramps to get to the beach. There are many shelters which look like giant coconut tops on sticks, a great idea if you have children or need some shade. The guys that hire out sun loungers also do massages right there on the beach! There's a string of buoys about 40m out which you can't cross as on the other side there is a marina, and if you swim too close to the line the coastguard will sound a klaxon and say something in Spanish over the loudspeaker. The beach is set in a cove, meaning the waves are very gentle - again a great place for the kids.  

To see for yourself search Google Maps for "Calle De Levante Palma" and choose satellite view. Hotel Alexandra is just to the left of the green arrow, you can see the dark blue pool and red brick roof. 

In our 5 days there were no big rowdy groups like you get in Magaluf for example. C'an Pastilla is 10/15 mins to Palma which is were the real nightlife is. A taxi is 15-20 Euros which is a bummer, but I'd rather that than stay in Palma which is a proper city and therefore noisy and busy.  Still, even there we only found 2 nightclubs. Abraxia - not impressed, and Tito's - AMAZING! When we went a singer called Rebekka Brown was there with gold painted dancers. There were also dancers in cages suspended in the air.  Upstairs is a VIP section overlooking the stage and dancefloor, and a Spanish room playing, of course, Spanish dance music, which had a glass wall so you could see the main room downstairs. It was 10 Euros to get in and you get a free drink. The drinks prices were very high - a double Vodka and coke was £7!!! We had a wicked time and came out just as the sun was rising! Getting a taxi back was a nightmare, the queues were huge and the taxis were very sparse. We got home about an hour after leaving the club. Lots of people will stop you walking along the main road in Palma at night to get you into bars and clubs, most offering a free drink.

Back at the hotel, there is a pool table where a game costs 2 Euros and a pinball machine. The bar is open till the early hours and they play music. There is evening entertainment, but it is geared to the mostly older people who stay there.

We each bought a lilo from a shop run by a lovely Northern lady on a side street by the beach. It was heavenly floating on the sea on our lilos - and a great way to get a tan! I can't remember the name of my favourite local bar, but if you are facing the little beach you head left along the road and it's on the left just after curve in the road, past the Spar minimart. They play hippy music, there's loads of candles and ornaments, low sofas and cushions on the floor, and gauzy material covering the ceiling. Very chilled and relaxing.

Checkout was at noon but our flight wasn't until 3, so we made use of the luggage store room and sunbathed by the pool right up until the last minute!

We made a very good choice here. I've read some bad reviews - nonchalant staff, bugs, dirty rooms, but we did not have any of these problems. Ok it's not luxurious but it is very cheap (worked out at £10 a day each!) and for that price it should have been a dive, but my experience was brilliant. Both the hotel and C'an Pastilla are wicked, and I shall definitely be returning just as soon as I have enough money!

Review submitted by Christine Anson, United Kingdom