I have just returned from staying at the Elba Sara hotel for a week with my husband ands 2 other couples. The hotel is located in a quiet part of the resort but does sit next door to a small shopping centre which includes a spar which has good deals on food and drinks and also has a 10 pin bowling alley which is 3 euros a game and also a cinema complex.
The hotel is spacious, very clean and the staff were friendly.
The bedrooms were of good size with most being sea views. The bathrooms were also a good size. The only downside about the rooms were that the beds were rock hard and there wasnt any tea making facilities. There are tvs but only the news channels were in english.

Food
The breakfasts were lovely, catering for all. The evening meals were disappointing. Most evenings the food was cold. There didn't seem to be enough staff working either as it took them a while to clean the tables. I would also recommend that guests get shown to tables by staff or be allocated tables for their stay. One night we found it difficult to find a table for 6 people as the larger tables were taken up by 2 our 3 people who could of sat on smaller tables that were available.

Pool

The pool area was very clean with plenty of beds and nice grounds.

Overall we enjoyed our stay but wished the beds and evening meals were better.

Would not recommend the all inclusive package due to the food.

I also like to add that there is some entertainment in the evenings but mostly for families with children or the older generation which is held around the lounge/reception area of the hotel.

When we arrived at the Elba Sara we was welcomed by Sarai who was very polite and shook everybody's hand, as we have been so many times we got given the biggest suite in the hotel. We was amazed at how much effort was put into this. The room itself was breathtaking. Every single room faces the beach and the Atlantic Ocean.If you want a bit of peace and want to drink you should go to the Lobby Bar and meet the staff. If you have children make sure that you ask waitress Judith to order your drinks or clean away the plates because when my daughter eat all her dinner she got some sweets, every working staff can help with almost everything. In the restaurant their is a wide choice of food but makes sure you use the microwave because some of the food is not boiling. I got to sleep really easily but planes do come over the top of you. The pool is massive and their is one for babies whick has a slide and a waterful in and one with bubbly sun beads in and a freezing cold pool for adults, they also have a jacuzzi. Mini club is open every day of the week and the staff are well trained and i see children coming back and they look like their having fun. Nighttime entertainment is amazing. There is also no need to bring a laptop because their are laptops there. The staff were prepared as we had a fire drill and a doll was hid on one of the floors and staff took a streacher up and rescued it as if it was a real person.

Lovely hotel, lovely staff and lovely food. We visited 21/1/12 to 28/1/12. Thomas Cook rep Iain excellent.

Just come back from a long weekend at the Elba Sara.

Room was lovely - clean and a good size

Pool - fab - cold, but it was January :)

Food - fine, plenty of variety

Booze - cold and plenty of it.

We paid £190 for four nights all inclusive (per person), with lowcostholidays.co.uk (Use Quidco too). I thought it was a bargain, and I definitely got my moneys worth.

Would I go back? Yes too right - it was great.

On the plane going over there were a number of stag parties - thank goodness, they didn't stay at our hotel!!

The only downside was some men who came in late (3am), every night, and were very vocal about it - trust me, by the fourth night, I didn't half shut them up!!