Santa Ponsa Hotels – Hotel d’Or Punta del Mar Review

Hotel d’Or Punta del Mar Review ***

The Punta del Mar hotel is THE landmark hotel on a headland at the end of Santa Ponsa bay, famed for its expansive views of the ocean from all rooms.

It’s an overwhelmingly popular hotel and you are not going to go far wrong spending your holiday here.  Designated three-star, it’s a real hit with the many people who have written glowing reviews of it.  For example, on Trip Advisor a massive 83% of customer would recommend it, and out of 209 reviews, 149 rate it excellent or very good.  It is ranked top three in popularity out of 40 Santa Ponsa hotels at the time of writing.

Board basis tends to be half-board – and offers excellent value – more of that later.

Santa Ponsa hotels - Punta del Mar

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is it?

The hotel almost floats like a giant cruise liner at the furthest point of the bay of Santa Ponsa, away from the hustle and bustle and in probably the most stunning location of any of the Santa Ponsa hotels.  It’s still near enough to the sandy beach and the centre of the resort too, so you can take the pleasant 15-minute walk initially down the little road in the quiet suburb where the hotel sits, then along the coastal path until you reach the centre.  All very civilised.

Set into the cliff-side, the hotel has an “upside-down” feel!  What I mean is that you enter reception from the road on one of the top floors, and then go down to your room!  Striding into the hotel to check in on my visit a year or so ago, before I got anywhere near the desk I was stopped dead in my tracks by the stunning panoramic ocean views from the picture windows.

It’s not just reception that enjoys such views – the hotel is entirely facing out to sea, so everybody gets a truly breathtaking sea view from their rooms – seeing it for the first time as you walk into your room is a tonic in itself after the flight and transfer.

Incidentally, the airport transfer is quite short as the hotel is about 31km from Palma airport.

What’s the food like?

There is a snack bar for the day-time and a buffet-style restaurant for breakfast and dinner, the dining room being a light and airy room with plenty of windows making the most of that superb sea view.  Breakfast has all of the things that you would expect to find in a decent Spanish four star hotel (but remember, this one is three star!).  You’ll find a good variety of hot and cold dishes – fruit, cereals, full English including eggs cooked to order, croissants and pastries.  In the evening, there is a roast at the carvery and a choice of hot meat and fish dishes, soups, salads, vegetables, pasta dishes vegetarian dishes and a good choice of gateaux and ice creams for dessert to round off your meal.

How do the rooms compare to other Santa Ponsa hotels?

There are 186 rooms here, all with that great sea view.  Each has a balcony (there’s a great “insider tip” on that subject later), heating, air conditioning, a bath and shower, a telephone, and for a small charge you can use the safe and satellite TV.  Note that, being a three rather than four star hotel, things like hair dryers don’t come as standard as you are paying far less for the room, but you can hire one for a small charge – otherwise remember to bring one with you.

What’s outside?

Santa Ponsa hotels - Punta del Mar Views

There is a lovely swimming pool right on the edge of the sea, split into two individual pools on different levels and separated by a waterfall.  There is also a children’s pool.  Go for one of the sunbeds on the far side of the pool and you will be able to relax with a drink from the bar while reading your holiday novel, undisturbed by anything apart from the gentle lapping of the waves on the rocks below.  Needless to say, this ambience is not something that all Santa Ponsa hotels can provide.

Walk down from the hotel and across the rocks and you can take a quick dip in the crystal-clear waters of the bay, especially good the the morning and evening when it is quiet and atmospheric.

Do they have Internet access?

There are two internet terminals in the hall which are on a pay-as-you-surf basis.  There is no wireless internet access in the rooms.  If this is something that you must have, you can try one of the other Santa Ponsa hotels that has this facility, such as this one: Hotel Jardin del Sol, just next door!

Are the hotel staff friendly?

This hotel is not just another run-of-the-mill three-star hotel – it has character, and this is mainly because of the excellent team that runs it.  Reviewers describe the staff here using words like courteous, friendly and hard-working.  Bar staff are said to be up-beat and welcoming, and everyone from the manager to the cleaning staff get a good mention.  Customer service is clearly higher on the agenda here than in many Santa Ponsa hotels, which is a good reflection on this one rather than a bad reflection on the others.

What leisure facilities are on offer?

There is an indoor heated pool and solarium that is open in the winter months, from the start of October until the end of May.

There’s also a decent games room and if you are feeling energetic you can hire a bicycle and go exploring – and around Santa Ponsa there are some lovely little wooded lanes and secluded bays just out of the resort.  Children will be happy to learn that the hotel runs a kids’ club – parents even more so!

There is live entertainment here in the evenings – usually singers and pretty good and easy to relax to.  If you want something a bit more lively, walk down to the square, about five minutes away, where there are free tribute bands on most evenings throughout the summer, and plenty of seating in the café/bars around the edges.  If you take the children earlier in the evening, there is a kids’ disco there, run by a girl called Maria who is a star.

Mysteriously, one guest said that massage and reflexology is available “under the gazebo” – but I have to tell you that I never managed to find even the gazebo when I was there, let alone what was under it!

Insider Tip

“The balconies on the top floor are very private and sheltered, because each one it set into a sloping tiled roof that borders each side of it.  This makes a sloping wall on each side of the balcony, starting at about shoulder-height next to the room and as you walk outwards, getting lower.  If you visit outside the main summer months, this sheltered effect makes the balconies here usable when the guests at other hotels have long ago abandoned their more exposed outdoor areas.  So, for a very private, sheltered balcony, ask for a room at the top!”

Verdict

The overwhelming features of this hotel are its views and its great staff.  Both will add something very special to your holiday and are not on offer in many of the three star Santa Ponsa hotels.  Being three star, it’s priced lower than its four-star competitors, and in many respects if you pay more, you will get more.  However, the Punta del Mar is easily on a par with four star Santa Ponsa hotels when it comes to superb location and excellent staff, and because of this, I’m giving it 9/10.

You can check out the best deals and live availability on this and other hotels in Santa Ponsa here: Santa Ponsa Hotels