Επισκέπτης Χρήστης
6 Ιούλιος 2023
The holiday was one of those 'what do you have for the week after next?' decisions. With much of our travelling over the years being of the visiting family in distant places kind, we wanted a holiday that we didn't have to work at. Rita in Cill Dara Travel in Newbridge, Co Kildare, came up with a TUI week away in Picafort, Mallorca. The hotel was the Grupotel Gran Vista, which turned out to be an excellent choice. Flights on TUI's own planes from and back to Dublin were on time and pleasant. Connection and direction at Palma Airport from the TUI reps was excellent, and the transfer to Picafort, though some 90 minutes long, was comfortable on TUI's own coaches service. Our hotel was at the end of the route, which gave us a chance to see something of the other properties in the area. It turned out that the Gran Vista is likely at the top of the list, largely due to the extensive landscaped grounds, with good sun and shade and several pools, two of them very much geared to families with young children, which turned out to be a large cohort of the hotel’s guests. Our room was compact but well laid out, with ample storage for two people's needs, a balcony overlooking the garden-pools area and a view of the sea and some mountains. Everything was spotless and rooms were serviced every day. One big plus — unlike many hotels we have been to, there was good lighting both in the corridors and in the rooms themselves. Staff in every area of the hotel were efficient, cheerful, and friendly. Our stay was bed and breakfast, though we had some good lunches in the Bistro terrace and a couple of evening meals in the main dining room. Food was excellent, with lots of choices in a large self-service area. The local TUI rep, Alice, was patient and helpful with advice on a trip, and we took her suggestion of an afternoon on a wooden boat, the Capo *****. An older and much slower option compared to the high-powered RIBs trips also on offer. With just 12 of us on board, it turned out to be a most enjoyable time, the 1950s boat having a good story, and a fascinating captain when he got talking about his own career around the world as a professional diver. There was opportunity to swim off the boat while anchored off Formentor Beach, a really pleasant interlude, which wouldn’t have been possible on the ‘adventure’ RIB excursions. Captain Albert's explanations of the buildings along the coastline were informative, interesting, and imagination-boosting. Picafort itself is rather less crowded and frantic than other resorts along the ribbon of Alcudia Bay. Formerly a fishing village, a single pedestrianised 'tourist' street leads down to the beach and sea front, along that front are the usual cafe-restaurants and some shops ... the more interesting walk is along to the right, eastwards to beyond the port, after which there's a well laid out cycle- and walk-way. An hour over coffee on Sunday morning at a little cafe overlooking the bay there was really pleasant. A churc
Μετάφραση