We’ve just returned from Globales Bouganvilla after travelling with my partner, our two children (11 and 3) and my in-laws. I was initially quite worried about visiting during peak summer and how busy the resort would be, but I was pleasantly surprised — despite it being very busy, it never really felt overcrowded.
The pools and slides were definitely the highlight for us. There are several different pool areas, including the main pool, a children’s pool with smaller slides in the centre, and then another pool and children’s pool with slides towards the back. There was plenty for both our children to enjoy and we spent hours in the pools. The lifeguards were generally good, although some were stricter than others. My daughter did hurt herself coming off one of the slides and there was nobody positioned at the bottom at the time, so I do think having someone there would be a worthwhile improvement.
We believe we had one of the refurbished one-bedroom apartments, and it was more than big enough for the four of us. With the sofa bed and pull-out bed made up, there was plenty of room. The air conditioning was brilliant — in fact, some nights it was almost too good! 😂 The fridge was my only real complaint as it wasn’t particularly big or cold. I would also personally have preferred a proper solid bathroom door, especially as we were sharing the apartment with my in-laws, but that’s probably me being picky!
Housekeeping was okay but I wouldn’t say it was 5-star standard. The bathroom and towels were cleaned/replaced, but the bedsheets weren’t changed every day. You also have to pay €1 to replace pool towels, which was slightly annoying but, realistically, €1 isn’t the end of the world.
The food was fine. There was lots of choice and each restaurant had slightly different options, although after a week it did start to feel a little repetitive. I particularly enjoyed the fresh fruit and salads. One thing I think really needs looking at, though, is the number of flies. There were quite a lot around the food areas, but also around the bars and self-service drinks machines, which wasn’t particularly pleasant.
The bar queues were probably the biggest frustration. They were consistently long and there just didn’t seem to be enough staff. I also found it quite strange that the all-inclusive drinks menu isn’t readily shown unless you specifically ask for it, while the chargeable drinks are advertised everywhere. It would be much better if the all-inclusive options were clearly displayed as well, so you actually know what is included without having to ask.
My tip would be to take your own larger cups — the staff were more than happy to fill them, meaning you could get a decent-sized drink and avoid having to queue again so quickly!
For me, the entertainment was the biggest disappointment. As this is marketed as a family resort, I personally think an 8pm start for the mini disco is too late, particularly for families with younger children. Our 3-year-old never made it to the mini disco, which meant she also never stayed up for the main entertainment.
I did take my 11-year-old to one of the evening shows, but it wasn’t really for us and we left shortly after it started. Having said that, there was one member of the entertainment team who I thought was fantastic. I didn’t catch her name, but she did a lot of the poolside activities and the disco. The effort and energy she put into getting everyone involved really stood out and made a huge difference.
The location is great, and the bus to the beach is really handy. The on-site shops are useful when you need something quickly, but they are definitely overpriced. I’d recommend going down to the beach to shop, even for basic items, as you’ll get much better value.
One final thing I found frustrating was the sheer number of paid extras, particularly in the evenings. It felt like you couldn’t walk anywhere without coming across hair braiding, inflatable pool orbs, trampolines, bouncy castles, arcade games next to the entertainment, etc. Of course, they’re optional and nobody is forcing you to spend money, but when you’ve already paid a significant amount for a family holiday, it can feel like there’s a constant stream of opportunities to spend even more. I think the resort could reduce these or at least spread them out a little more.
Overall, we had a lovely family holiday and made some great memories. The pools and slides were fantastic, the apartment was spacious, the air conditioning was excellent and the resort was much less crowded than I had feared.
There are definitely things I think could be improved — particularly the entertainment timings, flies, bar staffing, housekeeping and the number of paid extras — but overall we had a great experience.
Would I return? Probably not, but that’s mainly because I like trying different places rather than returning to the same resort. Would I recommend it for a family holiday? Yes, particularly if your children love pools and slides!
nelsbels142026-09-03
