Originally Posted by
kahuna613
I just checked out of an 8 night stay at the Iberostar Pinos Park on Mallorca today. This was my first time staying in an all inclusive hotel, but we opted to stick with breakfast only. Overall, I quite liked the hotel. Status was recognized, but there seemed to be some confusion about what tiers get what. They told me as diamond (I am actually platinum) that I get a food and beverage credit of 14 euros. I need to check my folios to see what they actually did as it was one seven night stay followed by a separate reservation for one night.
The hotel is definitely not new by any means, but pretty well maintained and very nicely landscaped. The location is fantastic, among pine trees right on a beautiful cala (cove). We booked a sea view suite with cash.
No a la carte meal option apart from 1-3pm at the pool bar and very bad/expensive restaurants nearby. We did the math for half board (which is just lunch or dinner) or full board which is all inclusive and for us (two adults and a four year old) it added up to about the same as going off hotel, unless you are drinking a ton of alcohol. Kids under 7 (I think?) eat for free on the meal plans. The food at the buffet and the pool bar was quite good. The breakfast buffet had a lot of variety changing from day to day.
There is a sandy beach directly at the hotel (Sa Font de sa Cala) and a rockier smaller one (N’Aladern) a couple in minutes in the other direction. A glass bottom catamaran motor boat that plies the coast stops directly at the hotel several times a day.
There is a kids club with very nice international staff that organizes all sorts of activities. Decent shady playground in the back of the hotel next to the bar and stage for evening shows (2045-2145 nightly). The noise might be a problem if you are intending to sleep before 2200. Tons of included activities for adults as well, all of the schedule is available in the Iberostar app.
There is a main pool area inside the U shape of the hotel (not particularly large, three separate pools with more child suited depths) and a children’s pool area in the back by the playground and mini golf course with some small slides.
You are a three minute drive to the pleasant town of Capdepera with its well preserved castle. An hour drive from Palma airport. Cala Agulla Beach is about ten minutes away by car and was lovely.
A not insignificant number of restauran/cleaning staff speak no English, and since the majority of the guests are German will keep aiming for German. Everyone working there was very friendly.
I should be getting 80000 pts for two four night stay promotion, plus 8000 for four two night stay promo. I paid with my IHG Chase visa but it’s not clear if you earn 26 points per dollar spent at Iberostar?
I'm also a platinum, we get 600 pts or $15 (at a fixed value at €14.16 this month, or?) as a welcome amenity. I think I heard $20 for diamonds.
At one of the all inclusive ones, after making sure the discount at their store purchase won't apply, so I opted for 600 pts. There were a lot of confusion among staff, they seemed to be dealing with an elite opting for a discount, although we're near the end of the promo period.
I got bonus points posted for 'stay 2 nights' and the targeted 'stay 4 nights' bonuses, but not the 600pts, so I just sent a missing points inquiry. I came here to take advantage of '40k for every 4 nts at Iberostar, max 80k', it's still too early to tell if they'll post or not.
At another Iberostar, I opted for the base b&b option (no meals option unavailable). I opted for a $15 discount, but so far I've been getting it every night which is unexpected and awesome.
While my Chase statement hasn't been generated yet, so nothing is certain yet, but my Chase online account has been showing them as IHG spends.
I've got impressions that they still aren't used to handling IHG elites, so I imagine this rich promo has a purpose to send many IHG members their way, especially its elites to Iberostar as a limited time introductory offer.