HL Paradise Island Hotel

Kerry Fonseca

Was concerned for our holiday after all of the negative reviews. We travelled as a family of 5- 2 adults and 3 kids. The hotel doesn’t deserve all the really bad reviews it gets. It’s mediocre but that’s what you get when you are paying half the price of other all inclusive resorts. We went in without high expectations and so we weren’t disappointed. A lot of the negative reviews also seem to be around the guests at the hotel which is not the hotel’s fault either! The pros - the pools and waterpark are great, we always managed to find sun beds without going out early to reserve them. The water was always clean. The food was good for the price, some of the food eg the salads and desserts were always the same but the mains were different most nights with different themes eg Spanish, Indian, bbq etc. Coffee from the machines was surprisingly good, and all the regular soft drinks are on tap. Snack bar always stocked with food and ice cream much to my kids delight. Can’t really comment on the alcohol as I don’t drink much. Had a couple cocktails, they were extremely sweet but fine. The entertainment team were limited in what they good do but were always trying their absolute best with every activity or show and always super friendly. The water polo was great fun. The reception and bar staff were always friendly and helpful and I felt for them- the way some of the guests treated them was very poor and they had to put up with a lot of abuse. The cons - the rooms are dated but sure you’re only sleeping in the room anyways! There was no hairdryer in our room and the main bedroom, the mattress stank of urine. We were onto reception and they changed the mattress for us straight away. In changing the mattress however they wrapped up my brand new pajamas with the linen although I kept enquiring without housekeeping, my pajamas were gone, never to be seen again 🙄 The water pressure from the shower was very low and all that the cleaning consisted of was making the beds and sweeping and washing the floors. No glasses/ cups were cleaned nor counters cleaned. Overall we had a great holiday. The hotel could improve in many areas but this would drive the price up. Bottom line, if you’re paying a great price don’t expect luxury. But expect a good break away with some fun and relaxation.

Justin Frere-Smith

Absolutely stunning gardens and surrounding areas. The room we gave a 4 star as we were located in room 204, it was just behind the Hotel washer and dryer area or service area so it was extremely loud from early hours of the morning, If you like being awake at 6.30 to 7.00am every day on holiday this is the room for you. No water or coffee/tea in the rooms on arrival and the mattresses and pillows could do with a little upgrade in areas, the views of the ocean from 1-50 or 150-205 the views are stunning. We gave the service a 4 star rating due to lack of staff in some areas, example if it is busy and you order cocktail from outside the all inclusive list you are made wait until the all inclusive drinks are served first even know you are paying for the drink. Found it slightly unusual, the location is about 20 minutes walk from any shopping restaurant location so definitely rent or car, or avail of the bus service from the hotel daily. For me the location was a 4 star due to this. Other than this the facilities were fantastic and the kids had a great time. Would recommend it for family with both younger and teenage children, cool arcade, water park was fab and the food fresh daily.

James Grant

We stayed at Hotel Paradise Island in Playa Blanca with our young family for a week all-inclusive, and overall it was a really great holiday — especially for the price. Everything was easy, relaxed and very family-friendly, which made travelling with little ones much less stressful. The waterpark was definitely the highlight for our kids. It kept them entertained every day and was perfect for younger children, so that alone made the trip worthwhile. Food, facilities and atmosphere were all solid for what you pay, and the staff were friendly throughout our stay. The only downside was the beds — they were extremely firm and not the most comfortable. Aside from that though, we had a fantastic time and would definitely recommend it to families looking for a fun, good-value all-inclusive break.

Jodie Morgan

We have just come back from a week at this hotel with our 3 year old boy and honestly I was so dubious about arriving at this hotel as some of the reviews were so bad and honestly I cannot understand why! Everyone at the hotel said they thought the same, many of us debating calling TUI and trying to change hotels but they couldn’t be more wrong. It’s one of the best all inclusive food I’ve ever had, it was delicious and good variety every night. The staff couldn’t be more helpful - they go above and beyond for everyone. There was staff constantly cleaning and maintenance everywhere. Yes the pools were cold but it’s February so that was to be expected. The room was absolutely lovely, spacious, clean, huge patio and ours was really central to the water park and pool area. My little boy loved the kids club the staff were amazing with him and they all made a huge effort with the kids. I honestly have nothing bad to say about this hotel - is it 5* luxury, no. It’s a perfect family friendly hotel and this is what all the families we met at the resort were saying the exact same thing. Please don’t be put off by reviews as we had a fantastic holiday!

Ian Macleod

This is a difficult review. I stayed on in Lanzarote after a family holiday and booked the cheapest hotel that didn't sound itchy, so should not be too harsh. I arrived 2 hrs after booking a room there and was surprised to know it was all inclusive. Food ranged from dire on the first night (some sort grim of oriental theme), to excellent when service Spanish foods. The drinks are hellish. I went to the bar in the evening once and ordered a neat rum to see what was on offer. It was a strange syrup of about 12%. This was to keep the guests under control as this hotel is so cheap it attracts the kind of people who like to drink as much as possible. The accomodation is dated but beds were comfortable. Sadly there were a lot of Asian iltiger mosquitoes in the room and grounds. This tends to be due to poor maintenance of grounds in the 100m surrounding the hotel, ie it's their fault as they don't keep standing water under control. All in all if you know what you are booking and you get it cheap then go for it. If you are one of the few families I saw turning up in nice walking gear with fresh faces children then avoid as their vocabulary nwill be significantly broader on leaving than on arrival. Clientele are predominantly Irish and french, attracted by the low price...