I loved it!

I thought it the hotel was propa brill, and im 12, so i had a really good time there cos the receptionist, Jonathon dares was totally flirting with me!! The food was alright though it was very plain! But overall i loved it! Its the best hotel i have ever been to!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pensioners' paradise

This really wasn't very good at all. I agree with all the negatives previously noted (thin walls, uncomfortable beds, small balconies), though we were grateful that it was clean and we didn't feel unsafe. The bar area was actually quite nice, and as we had arrived on a group trip it was fine to sit and chat with the people we had travelled with. The duo in the 'entertainment lounge' were dreadful - really really bad. We heard it through the open door, and that was as close as we wanted to get. However, nothing can prepare you for the awfulness of the food in this place. I can only imagine that all the food is prepared with denture wearers in mind, as the vegetables had clearly been on the boil for hours, the meat was mush, and the desserts based around rice pudding and swiss roll (though the serve yourself ice cream was fine). I really wouldn't recommend this to anyone aged under 80.

I felt old

I felt I had landed in a dedicated Saga zone (and I am 50). The rooms small but clean but beds very hard. Dining room was hell, packed, noisy and fighting for tables, especially at breakfast. The food was mass produced and overcooked. Staff friendly and place clean. However, the hotel behind the swimming pool is being refurbished and didn't we know it, the noise and dust were non-stop. You could not sit around the pool or at poolside bar without being deafened or spied on by builders! The bedrooms noisy too, walls are paper thin, we could hear people either side and anyone in the corridor. I came home for a rest! Reception staff helpful but bored looking. Entertainment fine, if you like ballroom dancing every night. Not a hotel I would go back to, or recommend to anyone under 80.

Good location, good food, good hotel

Airtours allocation on arrival, so could have been sent anywhere.

Puerto de La Cruz is lovely.Florida was excellent. Agree with some of the other comments. As a couple of 40 year olds, myself and partner were positively young!! The resident band were atrocious, but i suppose some people like that sort of thing - we were not there for the resident entertainment so it wasnt a problem.The reception staff indeed did look fed up, but i didnt need to deal with them so not a problem.The food was plentiful, and largely of a decent (although not outstanding) quality. The fish was always extremely good. I must disagree strongly with other comments about the scrambled eggs - they were wonderful, all sloppy and creamy. The room was clean and adequate, and well cleaned while we were there. I did not see any insects, which i was very glad about. The location was ideal, only a short walk into the city.The only real complaint i would have was the beds which i found to be uncomfortable. All in all, if you are on an allocated on arrival package and you get the Florida then i reckon that you are doing okay.

Fair value

Second time in Puerto Cruz. First allocated on arrival at MIRAMAR(3*) was fine. Not spectacular but O.K. It had charachter!

This time we looked for a little more class and opted for 4* A.O.A. It was the Forida. A modern high-rise which lacked ambience. Rooms small but adequate, clean and well maintained. Public rooms clean and spacious. Dining was not good. Forget holiday ideals of moonlight reflecting off the water whilst your candlelit dinner is served. This is catering on an industrial scale. Fight for a table, leave your partner to hold it whilst you forage at the buffet then vice-versa. All the while staff are frantically clearing tables clattering and banging with their mobile slop trolleys. They do try but catering for hundreds at one go leaves no room for elegance. Similarly the food is mass produced, some of the cold salady dishes quite good but the trays of meat and fish stew a bit suspect.

Entertainment by the bored looking Duo was country. 'Lay the blanket on the ground' is still in my head as I write.

All in all you gets what you pay for. We did not pay a lot and I think what we got was fair value. I would query 4* status, I guess gymnasium and beauty facilities account for that but personally I was happier at the MIRAMAR. Oh and the reception staff could try and look less fed up.

Blue Rinse Paradise

2 weeks returned 22nd Feb 04. We were allocated the Florida on arrival.

We found the food OK. Breakfast had everything you wanted including Spanish bacon, nothing like English as all regular visitors to spain will know. The egg Chef fried the eggs to order. Dinner had fish & meat Chefs that would do the same. With a wide choice there was something to suit every palette, unless you are dedicated to pie or burger & chips and Sunday lunch. These were available at the two English bars just across the road (Stalones & JD's). I have never see as many over 60s in one hotel as the Florida and they were well caterd for with the 'Card Room' and the Entertainment which was like live 'Come Dancing' with music supplied by the residet entertainers (2 blokes) One night there was a Disco and the place was empty. 10pm some nights outside entertainment was provided. Flamenco, Magic Show etc. Rooms were OK but balcony small. Low floors have poor views & traffic noise, high floors and you have to wait for the lifts. In all for just sleeping and eating in it was OK but more suited to the older generation and that's coming from a 47 year old!

Food very poor but Hotel really nice

We have just returned from 2 weeks at the Florida Hotel and there were only two complaints really.The food which was not up to the standard of a **** hotel.There was plenty of it but the chef and the cooks should be sacked and better cuts of meat,chicken, bacon etc should be served.The fried and scrambled eggs in the morning were so snotty that it made you want to throw up!I must say the fresh baked bread in the mornings was fantastic though.I have never seen such a bad desert menu.Every night was swiss roll with either ice cream,cold custard,cold semolina or yogurt.Terrible!There was always lots and lots of fresh fruit though.The hotel itself was really nice and the rooms clean and comfortable with good service.We did have ants in our bathroom (on the 7th floor) but as soon as I mentioned it to reception they had someone up to deal with the problem.No scrabbling for sunbeds or mattresses and a nice peaceful sun terrace on the first floor away from the pool.It only took a short stroll to get to either the beach or the town square and shops.It was in a good position with views of Mt Tiede and the sea.It was also only 15 minutes walk along the promanade to Loro Park.Opposite the hotel were a couple of bars and a shop.These bars were not roudy and were very friendly.All in all we had a great holiday and for what we paid thought it was value for money but maybe it should be downgraded to a ***.

Very bad Hotel

I was in Florida Hotel from September 11th until the 16th. My evaluation is the following 1--During this period the air conditioned in the rooms and at ithe dinning rooms did not work. It was horrible! The temperature was very hot, higher than 33 o 34 Celsius degrees. I Thng that it was off on porpuse, trying to save cost.

2-- You had the opportuniy to see very big insects (in spanish we call "cucarachas") around the swiming pool or in the corridors.

3-- The Florida hotel is really far of the city. You need at least 25 minutes walking to reach it.

4-- The beach near the hotel is of bad quality.

5-- The **** qualification is not justified at all. Conclusion: You have a lot of hotels in Puerto de la Cruz in much better conditions for your hollydays that the Florida Hotel. As reference you may choise one hotel near Martianez place. I have been In Puerto de la Cruz five times before and the Florida Hotel is the worst one.

Nice hotel, great location

We were allocated the Florida on arrival. (Don't say Florida - it's flor-ee-da, with the stress on the 'ee'!) It's one of those old high-rise hotels which put us off a bit at first, but inside it was very clean and comfortable and certainly worth its 4 stars. Food was good (nice gazpacho) and the staff were very friendly and helpful.The 'entertainment' was as you might expect - strains of "Coward of the County" could be heard most nights, but that just added to the character of the place. The best thing is the location though - well away from the touristy area towards the lido. It's just a couple of hundred yards to the excellent beach which never got too crowded (in September at least) and there's a row of excellent restaurants just across the way.I would certainly stay there again, if only for the location and the relaxed atmosphere of the place.

Good location shame about food

The hotel is as advertised and the quality of the accommodation is fairly good.The bedrooms are functional and clean.Reception and public areas are very nice and the staff were friendly.The location of the hotel is good with it being only a few minutes stroll to the centre and very close to the bus station where 12 euro buys you a weekly rover ticket( ask at reception ).However the buffet meals are another matter unless you can live on salad.I have never seen breakfast bacon, eggs etc destroyed as they were here.Dinner was the same,a good choice available but the cooking of it was not impressive. I would say over cooked and tasteless.If you can eat salad all the time you will enjoy this hotel.Shame because everything else was fine, but anybody you chatted to complained about the food.