Has any stayed at Hotel Isla Bonita in Playa Las Americas, Tenerife?

Question

just about to book an all inclusive holiday in the hotel above, just wondering if any one has been there and what was it like?
its also our first time to tenerife and overall whats that like?

Answer 1

Honestly? Please don't part with any money until you have read the reviews and made up your own mind.
I have sold the Isla Bonita many times with great success over the years, I have even been with my own children for a week- that was six years ago when it was a lovely accomodation with good food and entertainment. However, things have changed so much since then. The Isla Bonita is not of the same standard as it used to be.
At one time it was an excellent 4 star hotel and was hard to beat for a great all inclusive holiday. I'd say that over the last 18-24 months it has gone downhill a lot.

Until I retired last year I hadn't sent anyone there for a few years as I considered it too risky, that is that the reports from other holidaymakers were becoming far too mixed for my liking.
My philosophy has always been that if you have a lovely comfortable home here, why would you want to holiday in anything else than you have at home and pay through the nose for the priviledge?

That said. If you get a real bargain, you can go expecting a two to three star (it's rated as a 4 star officially) and you're not looking for anything too luxurious with basic food & drink, then you'll probably be ok. But please don't pay over the odds for it.
Another complex which you might also like to consider is the Villa Tagoro- should be cheaper and about the same standard- You can probably get a superior apt at Villa Tagoro for same price as standard suite in Isla Bonita.

Or, you could consider the H10 La Nina or The H10 Palmeras. They are both doing all inclusive now- and worth thinking about. Look on www.medhotels.com for the best rates and book your own flights- I promise it will save you a lot of money.
Taxi transfers are easy enough to get direct from Tenerife airport. It's just a short transfer and so many people now do their own taxi transfers as it's so convenient.

Heres some reviews on Isla Bonita for you: (Good and Bad)
from trip advisor today

"We visited this hotel on an all inclusive basis as a party of four adults and two children in October 2006.
First impressions on arrival were poor, the hotel was a concrete 5 storey building obviously well past its best. However nothing could have prepared us for the rooms that we were allocated. Basically these were in the basement (under ground level) of the hotel. The corridor approaching the rooms was littered with dead cockroaches was poorly lit and more like a prison than a holiday venue. We stayed one night in our alloated room before our rep managed to have us moved to a higher floor. There was a problem with the smell of drains in the room, there were cockroaches in the bathroom and bedroom and the bed was infested with mites.
The public areas were faded, the dining room had holes in the ceiling and the pool area was crowded and worn. In relation to the food long queues formed at busy times as the self service buffet operated from one side of the dining room only. The quality of food was better at lunchtime than in the evenings and there were fewer queues. Generally the food was not of good quality and was repetitive.
The entertainment provided in the evenings was dire.
The reception staff were unfrendly and generally unconcerned (even when faced with a pillow case full of dead insects!) Staff in the dining room and providing the bar service were more friendly and helpful.
The only saving grace was the lovely tenerife sunshine and the fact that the hotel is in a good location - so we were able to get out and about and away from it.
If you are looking for a good 4 star hotel in Tenerife try the Bitacora. This hotel is 2* + at best.
This is the only holiday I have ever taken where I have felt compelled to complain both in resort and on my return home. Strangely the holiday company (JMC) are now claiming there was no insect problem in our room - despite their representative taking the trouble to have us moved and then signing our written complaint in resort."

And heres a better one :-)

"I have stayed at the Isla Bonita 4 times now and have never had reason to complain.
The staff are always on hand to help - yes maybe sometimes they are a little grumpy, but wouldn't you be if you were working a minimum of a 12 hour shift day after day?
There is always plenty of choice for food which is always hot. The chefs will cook their speciality dishes to your taste.
We booked direct with the hotel and got a loyalty discount of 10% of the cost of our booking. They also paid for the taxi transfers from the airport - I dont know of many hotels that will do that for returning guests. We were also able to book the same rooms next to the pool area that we have previously used.
I am now in the process of booking again as my children love it there."

As you can see... two sides of the coin with very different experiences- it's difficult to know who to believe, but I personally would not stay there.

Tenerife is a good place for a holiday, it's very varied and with good weather, theres sure to be something for you.
Please don't waste your hard earned cash on The Isla Bonita without checking that you can't get better accomodation for at least the same price. There are some lovely hotels in the area, with the newest ones being really quite luxurious.

If you are looking for the Ultimate All Inclusive Tenerife Experience then theres only one hotel worth looking at and it's The Bahia Principe Tenerife with it's lovely rooms and great facilities it really is a great place for a holiday, but if you can't quite stretch to that then try at to get good value for money- I fear that The Isla Bonita unless it's really really cheap is not going to give you that.
The Melia Jardin Del Teide is nice, as is The Dunas Paraiso-both of those are nicer than Isla Bonita.

Sorry to be brutally honest, but that is my opinion.

You can e-mail me if you like and I will help you decide on whats good and whats not.
I hope that whatever you decide to do, you have a great holiday!

All the best!

Answer 2

This link has two reports about the hotel but before you book check out other hotels in the area.
http://www.realholidayreports.com/reports/reports.asp?page=1&id=114&hotel_id=20549
Good luck
Anna

Answer 3

if u prefer a marvelous night out and are not homophobic, pass to the yumbo centre in playa del ingles, theirs sum super drag bars that are an extremely good night out, its a gay friendly place yet packed with familys. Im goin in april and cant wait!

Answer 4

could that answer be any longer!!!!

i feel heres not much left to say after all that