We stayed in a fabulous apartment on this resort for ten days in August 2011. It was the perfect family holiday from beginning to end! We found the apartment via ownersdirect.co.uk the one we stayed in was 1449, Ajedrea 5, Phase 1 and I would highly recomment it. There are many to chose from on the resort and this one was a really good find! The apartment was very spacious, well equipped and extremely clean. We thought it was in one of the best positions on the resort. It was nice and quiet, overlooking the 14th green, with views down the golf course to the other side of the resort and also over lemon groves and typical Spanish countryside with mountains in the distance. The huge shady balcony was just perfect during the hot midday sun, as it was on the 2nd floor, it was high enough to get lovely cooling sea breezes which made it very comfortable.

Inside, the owners have provided everything you need for a great holiday, the kitchen and bathroom is well equipped and there is even pool and beach stuff to borrow. The air-conditioning in every room was very welcome. There is big flat screen TV and freeview, and DVD, really useful for the kids! The closest pool was lovely, one of the best ones on the resort with lots of space to put your deck chair and 3 different areas to swim and play in.

The whole resort is very well kept and clean tidy and not too busy, even in August. There were always grounds people tending the golf course and the gardens. The shop is reasonably priced and convenient and the restaurant foods was good.

It’s a very easy journey in a hire car from Alicante airport and the resort is within easy reach of the lovely beaches of the Mar Menor. You need to have a hire car to make the most of your stay.

We will be coming back to this resort and would definitely want to stay in this apartment again!

We stayed here for 11 nights in August, the weather was hot, but there are plenty of lovely pools to swim in. The whole complex is very well looked after and we felt very safe (you had to go through their security point everytime you went in and out of the complex). The onsite supermarket was very well stocked. The onsite restaurant/bar was very good, the restaurant was reasonably priced and there were various entertainment evenings. Our family enjoyed this holiday very much.

I chose this area as a result of good previous reviews. We also rented an apartment direct from the owner and it was just as lovely as the brochure suggested. The whole complex is huge but we were lucky enough to be central to the one supermarket, which was very reasonably priced. I wouldn't attempt to come to this complex without a car as it is really a long way from anything. The local town of Sucina will give you a taste of real Spain, and we were told to try out Rosario's in the town for a tapas meal. It's the kind of cafe I'd have driven straight past if it hadn't been recommended, as you sit at a table out at the back of it on the street..............but the tapas meal was so good, we returned. You have to try it!
My husband and son golfed and thought the course was good, but we found a green fee deal at a new golf and country club which only opened last year, Las Colinas. It is like a 5* new complex and they fell in love with this one, it's a 20 minute drive away, but well worth a visit. They thought it was one of the most immaculate courses they had ever played on.
We all preferred the Med beaches as the Mar Menor was teeming with jellyfish,during our stay they were really trying to fish them, but apparently it is a yearly problem. Six beaches were shut because of it.
We reckon the whole complex was only about 10% full at the time we stayed, so the pools were never crowded and there was never a problem booking golf. Some areas had very few people staying there. Would we go back.........Yes, we began to really like the place!

Hacienda Resort in general

At the entrance to the resort you are greeted/checked by the security personnel and your car number plate written down so that they can recognise you as a “resident”. Our apartment was very near the gates and clubhouse but all the surroundings are lovely and so clean – very spacious. Every day there was always someone working on the shrubs/bushes, either cutting or mowing, weeding etc.

Apartment

Our apartment was spotless and we rented from the holiday lettings web site direct with the owner. We had one of the corner balconies and have to say we choose wisely because towards the evening, ours seemed to be the only balcony that had sun on it.

The swimming pool was right beneath one side of the balcony and for the first ten days was very quiet, however the last few days when more families came it was very noisy and I think I would have to think again about the location of the apartment.

I used the outdoor gym a few times and it was sufficient for what I wanted – the weather seemed to get hotter and hotter as the days went by and my run and gym workout fell by the wayside.

Food

We ate in the Cason restaurant a couple of times and were not impressed. First of all we had lunch there which was mediocre although my husband’s toasted sandwich was quite disgusting. I had a Spanish omelette and certainly didn’t expect a potato omelette. I thought Spanish omelettes included onions, mushrooms and all sorts of veg but I guess I was wrong! We ate dinner there one evening with both of us having starters, main and a dessert. Not good. Whilst the food was oaky I felt for the price it was dreadfully overpriced. Needless to say, we didn’t eat there again. I also felt the service was not very good. In fact one evening we just had a drink there to finish off the night having been into Sucina and went to the bar to order a coffee and liquor and brought it to one of the tables. A couple arrived and eventually were given a menu – 15 minutes later no sign of a waiter to take their order so they left and I cant blame them. The prices are not cheap and I really do think that they need to sort out their attitude and the chef!

We also went to the Peraleja Golf Restaurant for a meal having looked at the menu whilst enjoying a well deserved drink after our round and deciding to eat there one evening. Although we were the only ones eating (we tend to eat quite early, about 6.30) the food was superb albeit pricey but worth it. For a glass of cava and extremely large g and t plus a bottle of decent red wine and three courses came to 130 Euros.

Golf

Onto the golf, we played the Hacienda, Torre and El Valle courses – preferring the El Valle one although I think the Hacienda one was immaculate – tee boxes to die for. Torre was good and most of the greens were like carpet – the only thing we didn’t like was the fact that a few of the fairways are made up of gigantic bunkers. El Valle is like a desert course and out of all three the most interesting. We also played at the Peraleja course adjacent to the Hacienda and much preferred this one although it was not so nicely maintained as the Nicklaus’ ones. It was so much more interesting. Each hole was different whereas I felt that the each of the Nicklaus courses (although very different in the layout) several holes on each course were samey in that I thought I had already played a hole.

Sucina and out and about

The local town and in my opinion is a long walk is very Spanish. We ate here a couple of times in La Verda (sp) and also an English café/restaurant called Ems and for the price (which was reasonably cheap) wasn’t bad. Good wholesome food. Sucina is a small place without about half a dozen bars/restaurants all reasonably priced and also a very good supermarket.

We also went to a Indian called Alhambra near La Torre which was excellent. A little bit more expensive than our curry houses over in the UK but very nice with a more than extensive menu.

Las Alcazares – about 25 mins drive has a pedestrian zone with numerous bars and restaurants and although we never went in the evening the day time restaurant we ate in was fine.

We took a trip down to Cataghana and had a pizza on the front and a boat ride which as excellent value for money.

We also spent a few hours in Mar Menor – don’t make the mistake of thinking you can drive to the end of the resort and hop over a bridge or two back to the main land!!


I have given this resort 4 stars since I believe the restaurant lets it down.


If any one wants any more details please feel free to PM me.