Occidental Roca Negra

Had a half term break with my overworked teacher partner who left the holiday choice to me… no pressure! I got lots of brownie points for picking a beautiful location and relaxing holiday. The views are beautiful and the sea pools are special if you don’t mind the crawl up the hill after. Rooms were also of a good size and the bed great. Also loved the shower it was welcome after a hot day at the poolside

A total nightmare – do not stay here! Rating: 2/5stars "We just spent 4 catastrophic days at this establishment, which is a complete tourist trap. The hotel is far too expensive for the quality of service provided. Food is very average and Do not expect any convenience: our main complaint is that there is no shuttle to the airport, so you are left to pay for an overpriced taxi on your own (80 Euros to Las Palmas airport) or take a 3 hour bus ride in an overcrowded bus with one stop over in Las Palmas bus station, Where you loose another 30 minutes Waiting around. Once you get to the hôtel, the small pool is overcrowded and the WiFi is very slow if it works at all. Worst place I’ve been too in years unfortunately. Avoid this place at all costs; we got the profond impression that they only want to empty your wallet without giving anything in return."

This was a 5 day trip with my mum. We chose this hotel based on reviews. Cons: Lack of air conditioning in main public areas especially dining room. No food served between 3pm and 7pm. There is also a lack of choice in main dining room as the food is quite repetitive. All inclusive is not really a full all inclusive. With regards to lunch, you can order until 1pm but from 1pm-3pm you have to pay. Also, not all drinks are included and there can be a surcharge. You must check out at 12noon and at that time your all inclusive or half board stops. We were told by 2 staff members at reception that we would continue our all inclusive until we left for our 8pm flight. However, this was not the case. At 12noon you no longer can receive food, snacks or drinks. This was very disappointing as we had a long time to wait at the hotel until our flight. No entertainment daily- just a singer on the Friday night of our stay. Whilst this hotel is aesthetically pleasing to the eye, it really is a great distance from the airport. It will cost at least €90 one way to get to the hotel from the airport. Pros: Nice pool Hotel was clean Lots of outdoor seating and sunbeds Very quiet as expected in adults only hotel. We were here for 4 nights, I’m actually quite glad we were not here for a week. Whilst most staff were lovely, reception staff attitude left a lot to be desired.

Nice and clean hotel with very kind personel. Food is excellent and variant with alsof regional specialties

We had a great stay at Occidental Roca Negra. The hotel is clean, bright and spacious, with a lovely reception area and amazing views of both the sea and mountains. We particularly enjoyed the location in the north of the island, which is much quieter and less touristy than the south. There are lovely walks from the hotel to the natural pools, harbour and village, making it a great base for exploring the area. Having a car is definitely worthwhile if you want to see more of the island and visit some of the attractions and beaches nearby. What really makes this hotel special is the staff. The reception team were always friendly, helpful and welcoming. The housekeeping staff were excellent and kept our room spotless throughout our stay. The spa is quite small but very relaxing and good value at €22 extra. The pool bar is lovely and the Lunch Breeze menu offers very good food at lunchtime. The main restaurant is open for breakfast and dinner only. Breakfast was excellent, with a huge variety of choices to suit all tastes. Evening meals vary depending on the theme night. Some we loved, while others were less to our taste, although there was always something to enjoy. The only downside was that flies could occasionally be an issue in the restaurant, perhaps because the air conditioning was not always strong enough. The Rock Bar at the top of the hotel is fabulous and the perfect place to watch the sunset while enjoying a cocktail. Yunia the bar girl and the 2 young lads were fantastic. Our only disappointment was that food from the Rock Bar is not included in the all-inclusive package, which limits evening dining options for guests on a budget. One issue the hotel faces is the challenge of maintaining a coastal property exposed to strong sea air and winds. We changed rooms during our stay and, although the second room was better, there were still signs of damp and some areas of the ceiling that would benefit from restoration. This didn't affect the cleanliness, which was excellent throughout, but it is an area the hotel could improve. During our stay we visited the coffee plantation, volcano, banana farm, local market and several beautiful beaches. Next time, the rum distillery is on our list! Overall, this is a wonderful hotel in a beautiful location. The outstanding staff, stunning views and peaceful setting more than outweighed the minor issues and we would happily return. Great for a relaxing holiday away.