HOVIMA Cool Costa Adeje

THE STAFF-Firstly the majority of staff are friendly and hard working the main 3 entertainment staff Alessandro, Lorenzo and ‘Shakiro’ are great and full of life. The bar staff are great with particular standouts, Nor, Jose (bearded) and Marc to name a few. The waiting staff are also very friendly and hard working with Miguel and Asia attentive standouts. Unfortunately this is not enough to warrant another stay here. This was our 3rd year here and we have seen the Hotel drop in quality each year. Year 1 we were superior blue bands and the last 2 visits we’ve been excellence. THE FOOD-for vegetarians this is a particular sticking point. We accept certain level of make do especially in other countries however the range of foods are just poor here. That said the 1 time we had a meat substitute was in the ocean blue restaurant, never was there any in the buffet. Year one there were more variety of dishes and we didn’t even have access to excellence then. Now every meal is just 5 different ways to eat a potato and a myriad of foods coated in white sauce. Most every dish is overly greasy for no reason. The excellence service at breakfast can be hit and miss but mostly miss with someone taking your drink order but not returning for your food order. The ocean blue restaurant is nice enough, food is of a higher standard and service is good however there are little opportunities to use this and if you aren’t excellence you can only visit it once in your trip (on a stay of 7 days). THE ROOMS-aren’t huge though they are kept clean and neat by the staff to a very high standard. That said the beds are far too hard and these are in the excellence room. I am not some mattress diva but when you wake half a dozen times in the night every night from aching and have change positions to get back to sleep it’s a definite problem. Aircon is noisy and not very strong, only giving any half decent level of cooling if left on the entire day. The hotel views are great to be fair. The mountain backdrop and sea are a plus but only if you’re lucky enough to be high enough. Shower towels have been downgraded to child size and you may only have 2 which when one of you has long hair makes for some inconvenient sharing. The rooms sunbeds on floor 10 are pointless, it is nice to have SOME shade but there is a non removable canopy above the sundeck that would stop anyone from private sunbathing. Not something we require but something to be taken into consideration for others. THE SUNBEDS-we have found sunbeds to be the easiest for us but only because we actually like the shade. If you want the sun on you, you have to get up and race your towels to the beds regardless of which area you lay in. The beds are comfy enough but are never washed down as proven by when we accidentally got suncream on one a couple of days into our stay and it hasn’t been cleaned by the time we’re leaving. THE BARS-these are good. Well stocked and well served with experienced staff and kept exceptionally clean much like the restaurants. THE AREA-this is another plus. The area is quiet and has very little in the way of trouble that we’ve seen. However you pay the price for this in other ways as every trip worth doing is hours away by transfer. THE ENTERTAINMENT-sadly this is a major low point. On our first visit entertainment started earlier and was of a higher standard. Now it starts later and is substandard. The team are trying their best but on the nights the main 3 are off the ones filling in make little to no effort to entice the crowd into participating and most entrainment has the atmosphere of a wake as a result. It also does not help that the adjacent Iberostar hotel has stepped up their entertainments package and are not only more lively but of a better standard. FINAL THOUGHTS- the hotel has lost its way. Obviously the renovations are not cheap and for the betterment of the hotel as a whole, however the way it comes across from the patrons perspective is that the hotel has CUT entertainment, CUT staff, CUT kitchen budget and are getting far more income from the increased number of superior and excellence rooms but making us have a poorer experience as a result. This is a running theme with recent reviews (except the false ones people add as part of the entertainment prize draw of a free spa visit) and with other people we have talked to whilst staying here. It is unlikely we will return which is sad as we love the area and staff as a whole. I hope this does not prompt the usual false apology and promises to do better message from the management as it just rings hollow when you can see previous reviews having the same response and clearly nothing has been done. Please if you have any hope for retuning custom and the future of the hotel, take onboard these comments and make positive improvements.

Pros and cons to this hotel. We've stayed at another hovima hotel 3 times so thought we'd try hovima cool as it looked really nice. Hotel was very clean and welcoming with friendly staff in all areas. Food was disappointing, goid quality but not much choice compared to other hovima hotel. Not enough sunbeds for number of guests, so you had to be waiting for door to open at 8.30am to get a bed on sunny side of pool. Excellence package guests were putting their towels on general beds instead of their exclusive pool area, one day we counted 12 Excellence towels which reduced beds for general guests, especially when you couldn't use their massively empty beds. Entertainment team tried hard during the day but evening entertainment was ok with some evenings better than others but not a huge variety in their performances. Rooms were clean with good storage, tidied and towels changed daily if you wanted to.

We have had a lovely holiday. There are many positives, however having been the last two years, it’s difficult to not compare and see the decline. The last two years we re booked almost straight away, we won’t be this this time. Re past reviews - it must be stated that you are encouraged by entertainment staff to write a positive review on Trip Advisor stating the room number, or a phrase as this could win you a prize that is allocated to you whilst at the resort. Usually on a Wednesday. I can see whilst scrolling, many 5 ‘star reviews’ clearly with room no, or this phrase. Personally I don’t feel this is an acceptable approach from the hotel. Surely it makes it less likely for improvements to happen. I am sure this review will have the same general reply from the hotel too, we appreciate feedback……blah but worth trying. I also note many of the high ratings appear to be from guests stating they have been coming here for years, sometimes a few times a year, or have been here 10 plus times. Positive points: Clean rooms, all hotel areas The excellence bar and the daily staff member who manages this, are a highlight, the best part for me. Jose x 2 are a delight. Cleaning staff excellent Bar and restaurant staff excellent Reception staff - some good, some unfriendly, one rude Good hotel for mobility issues. However entrance to hotel has steep long slope, could be struggle with bags. Other guests helped each other as no staff. Excellence pool area very good, new towels every day Hotel App is very helpful I feel due to the very good staff here, it makes people more reluctant to want to criticise. The issue is not these staff members. General: Access to beach could be little difficult for those with mobility issues or the elderly. It’s a few hundred metres walk, slope, steps. (The Sea not wavy, volcanic sand) Cons: The food is just not good enough at this hotel. Many variations of potatoes! Not 4 star. No food labels on many dishes. Vegetarian was also highlighted on last years labels, not this year Having stayed in hotel on Gran Canaria this year, I see difference in quality & choices. It’s a pretty stark contrast and made me realise how poor this is. The snack bar is truly awful - dry chips and cold dry pizza Puddings very weak - different coloured cakes which taste the same. Ice cream nice. Difference in food choices/dishes from two years ago very noticeable. In the excellence area - seems very short staffed at breakfast. Had to wait ages for a drink & a couple of times not asked if we wanted something from the menu. Just very different this year. Excellence is much busier this year, compared to last, need more staff in the mornings. One evening there was no table for us to sit at, there was a queue - as it had been raining which meant 5 less tables. We just sat in the main area as didn’t want to wait. We were ok with it but might bother some. Lunchtimes we have seen minor queues too, with no rain. Last year we were continually offered a second drink at meal times, only happened I think twice this time. Maybe the potential queues is why. Maybe too many excellence patrons, signs of over capacity? Breakfast or half board options would help. Many people we spoke to were choosing to dine out on a few nights, due to the food. Sun beds were available every day in excellence. Though many you would have to settle for shade. Seems to be a lack of sun beds on the non excellence service. People have commented to us about the morning rush to avoid the many shaded areas until lunchtime. Excellence sun beds not cleaned - same sun lotion stains for days on the ones we used. We stayed in a superior room first time, this room was the same we felt, only difference was 2 x sunbeds, slightly bigger balcony, mini bar can be replenished every day. Last year our excellence room was amazing. (Was not a suite either) Room Towels - have shrunk in size & only get two, without asking for more. Ladies would like extra for hair. Diet drinks no longer on mini bar menu - however we manually requested these. We are not sun lovers - we had sun beds on balconies but it was shaded 100% of the time. May bother some. The bed was very hard this year too. Shower door see through and you can be seen from bed, most of room- could be awkward if travelling not as a couple. Evening Entertainment- this was a highlight on our first visit & one of the main reasons we chose to come back the second time to this hotel. It had declined last year but this year it’s very poor indeed. On the nights Alessandro was not there, there was a notable decline in enthusiasm. The liveliness seemed dissipated on some evenings. There are less acts, on our first visit often it was two, now one. The acts were also not as attractive. Entertainment team seem short staffed in the evenings. Many patrons were discussing the decline, as this review is mainly to illustrate its sad to see. There have been many renovations over the past two years & I feel the kitchen, entertainment, rooms have clearly had budget cuts to counteract the expense. Sadly this has led to a decline. This is not a 4 star hotel as it implies - certainly not if you do not do the excellence package. However the excellence has declined this year too. It’s not worth the money. One of the reasons for excellence was also premium drinks, however this year, we witnessed and guests confirmed our surprise, they can now get many on non excellence too, so….. I rarely write reviews - the sad decline (hard not to compare when been twice before) & the manipulated tripadvisor posts has led let me write this.

Ignore the bad reviews! I think people are way too fussy these days! I came here with my best friend (we are early 20’s for reference) First impressions - welcome drink of cava on arrival, hotel looked lovely and clean, welcomed by security outside the entrance too Room - nice clean room perfect size for the amount of time it’s used for. Sea view to the left of the balcony was beautiful! Then the mountains on the other was nice scenery too Seen complaints about air con, however ours worked fine! Pool - no problem getting a sunbed, went down to queue at 8:20 and got the beds we wanted once they opened the pool at 8:30. Pool is nice, the shallow pool with the water sunbeds are amazing to lie on at peak heat times! We liked the cushioned beds & head cushions Sun does rise later in the winter around 10:30 over the hotel before it’s on the beds/pool Food - we really liked the food! We thought there was a good selection and noticed themed nights sometimes at the buffet, Chinese night was nice! Snack bar was good at the pool Only complaint would be for the food to be hotter in the buffet as it wasn’t consistent. Hot when fresh, cooled down longer it was sat there Drinks - we stuck to wine/beer and the spirits and mixers as cocktails are pre mixed and don’t always taste like they have alcohol in them, we preferred to go out to bars for decent cocktails in the evening Entertainment - we found the entertainment team nice and welcoming. We didn’t do activities so can’t have a say on those, however the on stage entertainment was ok, some shows could be better but we also went out the hotel some nights Overall - facilities are kept clean and you are well looked after throughout your stay. Room keys being in your wristband are great, no losing keys! We enjoyed our stay and it was perfect for us for 5 nights to have a nice chill on the sunbeds during the day and see the entertainment at night before heading out the hotel at night. We enjoyed food despite the temperature could be hotter and drinks the cocktails need improvement We have said we would return for a short stay in future, but not for any longer than 5 nights as this was a good amount of time for this hotel

This was our second visit to Costa Adeje but our first at this hotel which was closer to the seafront than the previous hotel and in a good place to access restaurants bars and shops. The room was of a good quality but our only reservation was that although there was air conditioning, moving the control made no difference to the level. On the first nite there we arrived at 11pm and the temperature was 26 degrees and we got little sleep in the heat. further nites were better but I would still have liked to be able to increase the air-con at certain times. Other people have complained about the food but on all-inclusive we had no trouble finding things to eat, and I am a very fussy eater ( I still put on half a stone !). Sunbeds around the pool were generally not a problem, towels were put down but we always managed to get sunbeds everyday. I like to do activities while I am away and took part in petanque, beach volleyball, table tennis, water polo and a couple of other activities which the animation team managed very well, they were never pushy and interacted very well, particularly Joseba. Maria and Patricia. The only complaint we registered was that we had picked that hotel because it did archery but it was not available whilst we were there. Also, some of the events take place in the smoking area (darts, quiz) and as non smokers did not like being breathing in lots of smoke. Noise levels were fine , no problems there. Entertainment was patchy, acrobats first nite were great, Bitter Sweet (couple with guitar and violin) were fantastic. Singers on 2 nites were very average often singing the same songs and lyrics didn't match to the original songs. The hotel celebration nite Back To The Future was average as well, male singer struggled with some notes and weird chorography with the singer and backing singers wearing fur coats (in that heat) for some of the songs. We enjoyed the bingo bongo nites they were fun. Hotel staff were very friendly and helpful and the most fascinating moments were watching the 2 robots that take the dirty plates and cutlery from the restaurant to the kitchen (including blinking eyes) whilst avoiding holidaymakers. Would we go back again - probably, but would want control on air conditioning in room to be active.