Chatur Playa Real Resort

Overall we had a great holiday. I was nervous about this hotel having seen some of the reviews but it really wasnt as bad as I was expecting. We arrived just after lunch and headed straight to our room which was on the top floor of the family block. First impression walking in was a bit disappointing, there was a dodgy free standing aircon unit on the floor that had certainly seen better days, it worked but we had to keep it in the living area with hose going out of the balcony door and we had to empty a bucket every few hours or it overflowed onto the tiled floor but honestly, we just got on with it. The decor was tired (bright orange kitchenette) but it was clean and very spacious for just 2 of us with the biggest balcony I've ever seen! Beds were comfy, WiFi worked fine from lounge area and balcony but didnt reach the bedroom, TV streamed Netflix and YouTube etc just fine. You dont go on holiday to stay in the room though do you?

As others have mentioned the sunbeds round the pool were hit and miss. Very few adjustable ones and some that are broken so early bird caught the best beds. The pool itself was nice enough, with one side definitely warmer than the other, but for late sept both sides were warm enough. One thing I would say about the poolside was that as the day went on it was filthy, there were bins everywhere but all around the sunbeds were half empty drinks cups and food waste where people had just left it all there. They definitely needed more cleaning staff on duty but the state of the pool area was more of a reflection of the guests than the hotel itself.

Food was basic but we managed to find something good to eat every day. The poolside snack bar was best avoided but main AI restaurant was fine.

We found all staff to be pleasant, friendly and chatty. The bar was basic, we found it shut at 11pm prompt with not even the option to buy drinks after that time.

Hotel entertainment was pretty bad (magician was more of a comedy act) but then given the time of year, we were not expecting there to be any entertainment at all.

It was a short 5 min walk to the nearest supermarket, bars, restaurants, and a club across the road. Its 10mins walk to fanabe beach where we had some great nights.

I think given the area is quite an expensive part of Tenerife, this was a budget hotel but you get what you pay for. If you want a basic, clean, hotel in a good area, then its fine. If you're expecting a luxury break, with all the entertainment and you dont want to leave the complex, dont go there.

Not a 4-star experience – some good points, but plenty of room for improvement

In my opinion, this hotel is not worthy of a 4-star rating and is in need of a refurbishment. However, there are some positives worth mentioning too.

Pros:

• Pool area: The main pool and children’s pool are a great size, with plenty of space. There was no fighting for sunbeds, and I believe one side of the pool is heated during the winter months.
• Italian à la carte restaurant: This was fantastic! The food was lovely, with a good choice of dishes included in the all-inclusive package, as well as some options available for a small additional charge.
• Room size: The rooms are a great size, almost like having a separate lounge and bedroom. I also appreciated having a bath, as we were travelling with our 2-year-old.
• Location: The hotel is in a lovely area, within walking distance of some great bars and restaurants.

Cons:

• Cleanliness: In my opinion, the hotel was not particularly clean. The bathroom area in our room did not appear to have been properly cleaned during the eight days we stayed there. On one occasion, there was also a dead cockroach in the bar, which was still there the following evening.
• Noise and entertainment: The hotel hosted a rave night that continued until 4 am. Unfortunately, we were staying in a room directly above the area where it was held, and the noise and bass from the music kept both us and our 2-year-old awake for most of the night. Guests were not warned in advance that an event of this nature would be taking place so late. The usual entertainment could not be heard from our room, and the event also meant that certain areas of the hotel were cordoned off. For the two days leading up to the event, the entertainment was moved to areas that were not suitable while preparations were underway. Multiple guests complained during the night, but the hotel staff did not seem interested in addressing the situation.
• Broken glass and lack of concern: The morning after the rave, I stood on a piece of glass near the area where the event had taken place. I went to the bar to alert a member of staff and showed him exactly where it was. He picked it up, but there was no apology or even a question about whether I needed first aid. This was particularly concerning given that families with young children were staying at the hotel.
• Theft from our room: We also had a vape go missing from our room, which we believe was taken by the cleaners. I reported this to reception and requested a ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign because I no longer felt comfortable with staff entering our room. The receptionist simply made a note of it, with no apology, and we never heard anything further. Although the vape may not seem like a particularly significant item, it cost us €50 to replace. More importantly, it is unsettling to think that someone may have gone through our belongings, especially as it had been tucked away underneath my clothes. Since then I had put do not disturb on the door which didn’t make a difference because the cleaner came in anyway!
• Safety around the children’s pool: On our first day, my partner cut his foot on one of the many damaged or uneven tiles in and around the children’s pool. Thankfully, it was not our 2-year-old who was injured, but that is beside the point. The lifeguard provided a plaster but showed little concern about how the injury had happened or the condition of the tiles.

Overall:

There are some good things about this hotel, particularly the spacious rooms, pool area, Italian restaurant and location. However, these positives were overshadowed by the lack of cleanliness, concerns about safety, the noise from the late-night event and the way our complaints were handled.

What disappointed me most was not just the issues themselves, but the apparent lack of concern from staff when we raised them.

Personally, I would not return.

This hotel was fantastic. I was concerned because of the mixed reviews but wow. The staff were extremely helpful, the rooms were so clean (cleaners went above & beyond), the facilities were fantastic. The hotel was close enough to shops/beaches and everything was a cheap taxi ride away. The all inclusive food was AMAZING, so much choice, so much meat! We didnt have any complaints about this hotel.

The only recommendation I would give, the mattresses were a bit hard. This did not affect our holiday but could do with updating them.

Honestly, i would go back to this hotel again. Brilliant!