|
Explore Venezuela |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Hesperia Isla Margarita |
Doug, Julie and Sophie
|
| May 2006 |
|
|
Just returned from our holiday at Margarita, we stayed at Hesperia Isla Margarita, rooms were spacious and clean with hairdryer in room, pool towels provided and bottled water lest in rooms. The food was really good always a good variety to choose from. The people in and out of th hotel were really friendly and always helpful.
While in Margarita we took two trips with marcos tours and had a great time, we did a snorkeling trip which was very good and also a island tour, he took us to a number of beaches and different sights we would recomend you did this in the first few days then you can re-visit them if you wish. Marcos speaks good english so you can understand. This is his email address if you are interested in doing any tours with Marcostours: marcostours@yahoo.com
We also did a trip to the angle falls which was amazing , the scenery is wonderful we visited in the dry season and it is still worth doing for the sights alone.
This is one of our best holidays.
If any questions we are happy to answer them just email: thebrewsters@supanet.com
|
|
|
|
| Hesperia Isla Margarita |
Sam & Scott
Canada
|
| March 2006 |
|
|
We just returned from a fantastic 1-week vacation at the Hesperia Isla Margarita resort. Given the mixed reviews about this resort, we really didn't know what to expect, however we were extremely satisfied with this resort. This is our 3rd trip to the Caribbean and our first trip to Margarita Island. Our other 2 trips were to Dominican Republic, Sirenis in Punta Cana & Sunscape in La Romana. This is our first review - we have found reviews so helpful in our vacation planning, so we thought we'd share our opinions.
We booked our vacation with Go Travel Direct. This is our 3rd time using them so obviously they do a very good job. Only 8 people from Ottawa/Montreal went to this resort this week so our group was small (it's usually about 30-40). Our rep didn't stay at our hotel but showed up for an hour or so everyday. He was very friendly and knowledgable and did a terrific job. Now for the resort...
Check-in: We arrived at the hotel at approx. 5:00 pm and walked right up to the check-in counter. The entire process took about 5-10 minutes. I guess it all depends on the time of day and how big your tour group is. Every other resort we've been to has had a long check-in and from the reviews I expected a long check-in here as well. I guess we were lucky.
Rooms: The rooms are huge and very nice. The view from our room was amazing - ocean view with sunsets every day. This was a standard room -we couldn't have asked for anything more. The plumbing in the washrooms was not great - take short showers and use toilet paper sparingly.
Food: The food was quite enjoyable at this resort. We mostly ate at the buffet but did try the a la carte restaurant once and the pasta restaurant once. The a la carte restaurant (Vandelvira) was very quiet, I guess most people eat at the buffet. The food at this restaurant was good, but very small portions. My entree was King Prawns and it consisted of 3 shrimps on 3 pieces of fruit! You do also get an appetizer and dessert but these were pretty small as well. Not that you would ever go hungry at this resort. The pasta place (Fogon) was good too - standard pastas and sauces, and the lasagna is very tasty. Our favourite meal of the day was breakfast by far because we loved the freshly made omelettes and smoothies - they were excellent. We also tried the beach restaurant (Caney) a couple of times - the fish & chips are delicious and just the right size for lunch. Now for the bad news, unfortunately I did get sick at this resort and it lasted about 48 hours. However, no one else in our group got sick so perhaps I just have a weak stomach. Luckily, it didn't ruin our trip. Just make sure you bring the standard medicines.
Pool: The pool was alright. We've seen much nicer but we knew that when we booked. There was a handyman doing maintenance on a shower stall all week. The noise was noticeable every now and then but one learns to block it out. There were always plenty of lounge chairs and shade, except for Saturday which was busier than any other day. There seemed to be a big conference going on all week and I think these people got Saturday off so both the pool and the beach were packed. Lots of activities at the pool if you like that sort of thing. The Bingo was fun.
Beach: The beach was just alright too. It's no Punta Cana! The water is pretty rough as other reviewers have said but we liked that about it. About 5 minutes from the resort beach is a small strip of beach that was totally secluded. My husband and I went there all the time because it was like having our own private beach. There were no chairs here so we just used our towels. The waves were better here than at the resort and depending on the day, you could body surf. 5 minutes further from this "private" beach was the Dunes Resort and it's very long beach. We walked here but didn't stay - looked nice though. To get to these 2 beaches, just head past the 18th hole on the golf course. There are paths to both beaches. Definitely worth checking out.
Shows: Our room was overlooking the theatre so we watched the shows from our room. The shows seemed a little weak and we don't really expect much. There were no musicals and no Michael Jackson, just dance shows. The Animation team do try hard though and are very hard working.
Hotel Staff: We were very impressed with the staff at this hotel. Everyone was very friendly and very efficient. We're used to laid back staff in Dominican but this was not the case in Venezuela. I also noticed that most staff speak english first, although Spanish is obviously their language. We have absolutely no complaints about the staff and this definitely made our trip much more enjoyable.
Spa: I thoroughly enjoyed a half-day package at the spa which included a massage, facial and face mask. The spa is beautiful and my esthetician was very good. The cost was $100US for this package - I thought the price was quite reasonable. A massage was $45US. I did have to exchange my money into Bolivars beforehand.
Tours: We went on the Jeep Safari tour and had a great time. We booked this tour through Go Travel and it cost $40US/person. Originally we had to cancel because I was sick but Go Travel and the Safari tour company allowed us to postpone our safari to the end of our trip - we were very grateful for this. This is a very full-day tour. It starts at 9:00 and you don't get home until 7:00. Lots to see and do although the majority of the day is spent driving. You get to see the whole island on this tour. The off-roading was pretty cool. There are a lot of tours offered in Margarita and at really good prices.
Internet: There is a small computer room here where you can buy Internet time. 15 minutes is $1US. The hotel also has wireless internet in the lobby so we saw many people using their laptops here. We didn't see this advertised anywhere but our tour rep told us this was the case and he would bring his laptop here.
Overall we loved this resort. I don't think we'd go back to Margarita Island, only because we'd like to try other places. We would definitely recommend Margarita Island though for sure and the Hesperia Isla Margaita.
|
|
|
|
| Hesperia Isla Margarita |
Janet/Rob/Carol/Kent/Chris/Paul
Ontario, Canada
|
| March 2005 |
|
|
We are a group of 3 couples in our early 40’s who recently vacationed at the Isla Margarita. Overall we were very impressed with the resort and would recommend it. We did find it a bit on the quiet side. We really recommend that they have a bar open in the evening outside. Everything seemed closed in here. A lot of Europeans and some Canadians.
AIRPORT: Very quick once you arrive. Girls & Guys both get frisked which was a little surprising. Luggage came fast and reps are waiting once you go through customs. Ride to the resort was about 40 minutes. Going home luggage does get selected at random to be opened. Employee walks around with a marker board listing about 10 passengers names and then you go to an area where your suitcase has been put aside and you watch while it is searched.
RESORT: we arrived at night and check-in was fast because there were only the 6 of us. Only complaint was that we had e-mailed the resort ahead of time asking that we be on the same floor and we were all placed on different floors. Chris & Paul opened their door only to find a family in their room. The front desk then assigned them a 2 bedroom suite. We asked again to be put on the same floor but after 2 days of being told to come back at different times we gave up and stayed where we were. You need to keep in mind that there are language barriers with the staff – depending on their jobs – front desk speak English but serving staff may have difficulty communicating. Venezuela is also a smoker’s paradise – smoke anywhere you like. The setup of this resort is similar to a hotel – 4 floors of rooms like a hotel. Lobby is beautiful but we wished it would have had doors that open to the outside so we could get fresh air.
ROOMS: Spacious, clean, huge bathroom, 2 twin beds together or 1 king size
FOOD: buffet, pasta restaurant El Fogun, 1 a la carte restaurant that you need reservations, beach bar/restaurant. Even the pickiest eater should be able to find something to eat. We were very pleased with the quality. We did find that sometimes the food at the buffet could have been a bit hotter. We ate at the beach restaurant for lunch most days or outside at the El Fogun – they had burgers/hotdogs/bun & coldmeat/French fries etc – very good. At night be would go to the buffet and see what the theme was and if the food didn’t appeal to us we would go to El Fogun and have pasta cooked to your specifications. We never made it to the a la carte – heard it was good just not filling. Service was good – our suggestion was that they have 1 server just filling coffee/tea at breakfast because we seemed to have a problem getting refills because the staff have so many tables to wait on.
BEACH/POOL: Pool was nice but we spent all of our time down at the beach. The beach was a 2 minute walk from the resort. Clean, sandy and we had fun going in the ocean with its waves. It is a public beach but the resort provides chairs for its guests. Never really noticed any locals, there are about 4 huts that sell jewellery but no one hassles you – prices weren’t bad.
MONEY: We took American $ and didn’t have a problem using it. We did exchange some over into Bolivars but remember that you can’t change it back if you don’t spend it. Our Conquest rep was able to help us with exchange. Per couple we needed $108 US or $215,000 Bolivars to leave the country – set that aside once you get there because they do not take credit cards or any other currency. Taxis will only take Bolivars – vendors will take either usually. The stores at the resort will take both and their prices aren’t bad
TIPPING: We brought lots of $1 to tip and we found that you didn’t get better service if you did. We tipped when we thought appropriate and if we liked the service. Bartenders seem to pool their tips. Our rep told us not to tip taxi drivers they get enough – the maid is someone that needs it. We left her $20 US for the week.
BARS: We always bring thermal mugs with us – otherwise you get a little plastic cup. Drinks were good but they give you local brands if you want brand name liquor you have to pay at a cost of approx $6 US – get used to the local brand it’s cheaper. Bars open at 11 and located in the lobby, at the beach, at the pool and in the disco. The disco stays open until 1 but it is very smoky.
SHOPPING: Resort provides a free shuttle to Porlamar to the mall. Beautiful mall about 35 minutes away. We took a cab from there to 4thAve & Santa Marino – designer stores a little disappointing –we didn’t really find any bargains. We made another trip in and went to an area where only pedestrians can walk down the street – again not the shopping deals like we thought – got some Roxy watches for $18 US I am sure they are a knockoff. The best shopping was at the flea market – tons of vendors and good prices.
SIDETRIPS: We booked a jeep tour through our resort and it was well worth the money. Our driver’s name was Gustavo, he spoke English and we enjoyed his company. We normally book sidetrips on our own but our resort seemed to be isolated so we went through our tour company and paid $50 US per person. It was the whole day and you see the island. 2 of us stayed a week longer and we did the snorkelling tour and enjoyed it. Another road trip to do on the side is take a taxi over to Playa El Agua. Beautiful beach and a lot of vendors.
|
|
|
|
| Hesperia Isla Margarita |
|
|
|
We stayed at the Hesperia March 2005.
I will start with the negatives:
Check-in was horribly long.. took approx 1.5 hrs. Once we recieved the keys off we went. The room was okay, was in need for some renovations especially in the washrooms ie.. tiles were very dirty, tub staining through out etc.
Restaurants - We ate mostly at the Buffet restaurant - excellent food, wonderful service ( try the fried bananas..... the best) and the waiters actually remembered our names, it was kinda nice!
Pool/Beach - the pool was very nice, had staff fixing/maintaning all week long, didn't intefere. The beach was alright, not what I'm use to - the water was rough, wouldn't suggest small children swimming - I didn't allow my 9yr old to swim, he used the pool and if you walk right next door to the other resort the beach is wonderful!! Nice and calm.
We went into Polomar shopping , Leather bags, shoes etc.. great prices! I kick my self for not buying more!
The weather is perfect - HOT!! the island is beautiful, the hotel is surrounded by mountains - breath taking!
I would highly recommend this vacation and will return one day!
|
|
|
|
| Hesperia Isla Margarita |
|
|
|
We stayed at the Hesperia Isla Margarita from January 26th to February 2nd.
We would rate the resort at 4 stars...
First, the negatives: (the 3 star portion)
Check-in was a nightmare!! We were a party of 6 (2 kids 4 adults)... Upon
arrival to the check-in desk, they told us that we had been upgraded to a
suite - TOGETHER. We tried to explain that we didn't want to spend the week
in the same room as my husband's parents (& they didn't want to spend the
entire week in the same room as the kids & us!). They kept trying to
persuade us to take the room together... We spent 2 HOURS in the lobby
waiting to be given separate rooms (as we had booked & paid for)... they
kept saying they were full (they weren't), etc. We saw a few other guests
with similar check-in problems.
Finally we were assigned rooms on the 3rd floor. My in-laws opened their
door to a beautiful, large room... We opened our door down the hall to see
an older couple changing their clothes!!
After another 15 minutes of waiting in confusion, with the help of the
Sunquest Rep, Sylvia (who is wonderful), we were given room 2002, a suite.
The size was fantastic & we were thankful for the upgrade. However, the
standards are definitely not what we are used to at 4 & 5 star resorts.
There are some badly needed renovations. It's like they started things but
just didn't fnish. Nothing structural.... but, for instance, when they
installed the tiles in the bathroom they didn't bother to wipe off the
excess putty, so it's all over the tiles & it makes the whole bathroom look
dirty. Like I said, nothing structural, but just leaves you with the feeling
that no care was taken. If we had paid for the suite upgrade, it would have
bothered us more.
Pool area - same thing. Huge potential... but needs work. Tiles are peeling
off the sides of the pool & need repair. The small pool is set up for a
waterfall/sprinkler attraction that doesn't work. Many of the lounge chairs
have seen better days & need to be pitched...
Restaurants are average. Buffet food was good but with very limited
selection. Would have liked to have had more salad bar choices, hot
vegetables & more "kid-friendly" foods like fried chicken, pizza, fries... Some days fries were available on the menu at the beach bar & we took
advantage of this... There was pizza at the one restaurant most days, but
some days it had corn & other vegetables on it & my kids wouldn't touch it.
They survived, though.... thank goodness for pasta & bread!!
Now for the positives: (the 5 star portion)
The staff at the resort (with the exception of the front desk staff) were
fantastic! They knew our names after the first day & greeted us with smles &
enthusiasm. We rarely get involved in any hotel activities while
vacationing, but we did here. The kids did not go to the kid's club as they
had a great time at the pool each day, but we did go over to have a look &
were welcomed by the staff there who seemed very friendly. There is a "mini disco" each evening that we attended only once, but my
daughter had a good time...
The island is BEAUTIFUL... the scenery surrounding the resort is awesome.
The weather was perfect (super hot!!!!). The beach at the resort is pretty
rough (too strong of an undertow for smaller kids - lots of fun for the
bigger kids!) but the beach on the other side of the golf course has an area
with a man-made breaker that is calmer... The best of both worlds nice &
close...
We did the Jeep tour offered through our Sunquest rep... We had a good time
but next time we'd just book with someone on the beach (lots of people did)
so we can choose where & when to go...
They are working on upgrading the resort. The front facade was being painted
& numerous gardeners were pruning & planting. I hope they continue this work
on the inside.
Upon leaving the island we heard a few "horror stories" about other's hotels
- cockroaches, sicknesses, very poor food, etc.... We didn't hear any of
these stories at our hotel...
We will return to Margarita Island & would definitely stay at the Isla
again.
|
|
|
|
| Hesperia Isla Margarita |
Cynthia
Toronto Canada
|
| January 2005 |
|
|
Myself and three friends have just returned for a week's holiday at Hesperia Isla Margarita. Just getting off the plane into warmth started the week off right.
We were accompanied from the airport with a Sunquest Rep who was helpful and friendly throughout the week.
The check in process though acceptable , access to our rooms was slow . We went for lunch and finally got into our rooms after 4 p.m. This left time for a swim and relaxing before our first evening of dining and entertainment.
The pool area is fabulous . There is a smaller pool for the children and a huge one for adults which is delightful. The beach area though very inviting was one we did not frequent. It was too rough to really swim in safety so we opted for the pool. The beach however does have a few local merchants selling their wares and we got to know "Charlie" at the first one who sold jewelry made from local stones, pearls etc. He was fun and for costume jewelry his product and prices cannot be beat.
We went on an island tour one day with a company I found on the web - www.casatrudel.com/crusin-n-style.htm . In an air conditioned Ford Explore we were given the grand tour by Marcella and Steve Tinsman - former USA residents who have lived there for 5 years. They adjusted the day to suit our interests and we felt we had seen and heard about the island and the country from a different perspective. They also took us to places where they do not receive a "cut" for the items we purchased. This is not the case with most tour groups. It was a wonderful experience and highly recommend their service to any and all.
The food at the resort was varied , well presented and terrific.We had a chance to try new things and yet there was always something for everyone even the most finicky eater. We all gained a pound or two this week!
The rooms over all were fine and clean . They were big as were the bathrooms but the bathrooms need work - big time! They are tired and show years of wear.
This resort is trying to renovate as was seen around the outside but the rooms definitely could do with a face lift.This needs to be a priority.
I took advantage of the spa and had a massage one day - that was super and much needed.
A concluding comment:This is a smokers paradise and it happens everywhere - in the airport, in restaurants, lobby of the hotel etc.So go prepared - especially if you are allergic or have a breathing difficulty.
It is a beautiful resort and the week was worth it. Margarita Island now is added to the list of places visited to be remembered fondly.
|
|
|
|
| Hesperia Isla Margarita |
Family of Four
Toronto, Canada
|
| January 2005 |
|
|
Our Family of four (two kids under 12) just returned from the beautiful
Island of Margarita Venezuela. We stayed at the "rated" five star hotel
Hesperia Isla Margarita. In total the trip was a wonderful experience for
our family.
The hotel was what one would expect from the typical five star rating
throughout the Caribbean. Don't expect to benchmark against five star
hotels in Canadian or American cities. It does benchmark against other
Caribbean ratings and has a beautiful 18 hole golf course next door with
caddies and very readily available tee times.
The hotel is somewhat isolated. By isolated we mean not in an area that
is hotel and resort row by row. This was actually quite pleasant, if you
enjoy this kind of privacy. However there are regular trips to the
main centers and always taxi availability on call.
Our trip was an ALL INCLUSIVE package. The FOOD was wonderful.
There was plenty of selection every day. The kids particularly liked the
every day availability of freshly made hotcakes / pancakes in the main
dining room. We did not eat at the al a carte, no need, given the selection
and the casual need and flexibility with the kids.
The POOL area was terrific, lots of lounge chairs, lots of help from the
pool staff. TOWELS were a little slow in the morning and not plentiful
through the day...but you always got towels with a little wait time. There
is not a swim up bar, but terrific service from the bar adjacent the pool
area.
We toured the SPA area which looked very comforting, along with a
gymnasium for the fitness focused.
The ANIMATION TEAM was outstanding. They constantly had a little
action on the go for young and old alike. Bingo at 3pm every day was
quite popular ! We also found that things ran on time, all the time.
The ROOMS are a little tired but once again very expectable comparatively
speaking. The air conditioning was on in the hotel and the hotel complex
is contained rather than open air lobbies. Some days it hit 30 degrees,
we were thankful for the air conditioning. Windows open up in the rooms
if you really need the fresh air.
BATHROOMS were massive, showers lots of pressure and hot water,
lots of room and a deep tub for a good soaker at the end of a long day
of touring.
The beach is a five minute walk from the pool, down an interlocking
brick path. The BEACH was semi private. Don't expect totally privacy because
all beaches in Venezuela are public. However, we quite enjoyed the
company of local beach goers. There were plenty of LOUNGE chairs
from the hotel as well as a really friendly private operator and his crew
with lounge chairs, tented chairs and plenty of cold drinks available.
The sand was wonderful, however the wave were constantly rolling. We
didn't see a calm day, but there wasn't a day that the whole family didn't
enjoy the surf either.
The BEACH RESTAURANT was great. The food was not extravagant,
but very practical for snack throughout the day. Bar service was also
extended, although with some infrequency, on the beach from the hotel
beach restaurant.
The evening shows were somewhat repetitive. NEW YEAR'S EVE was
an outstanding display of service and hospitality with white table clothes,
candle light, wine, champagne and a buffet to blow away all buffets
including a shrimp Xmas tree. It was simply spectacular...a New Year's
eve for the family to long remember.
MERCHANTS in the hotel and at the beach prices were very reasonable
and no haggling on price.In fact, no need to haggle - one finds pricing
quite reasonable.
We did an ISLAND TOUR in a jeep one day with four other people. It
was wonderful and we would highly recommend it to others. We started
up the mountainside, followed by lunch at the far west end of the island,
followed by a swim in gentle surf, a walk along a virgin beach and then
a round up with sunset. There were lots of opportunities to buy trinkets
and souvenirs along the way.
LANGUAGE is very Spanish oriented. Take your Spanish / English
dictionary to have more fulsome conversations and enjoyment of the
wonderfully accommodating staff.
We'd rate this hotel and vacation FOUR ++. We were delighted with
everything from check in, to first dip in the pool, first wave on the beach,
to last meal and a fond farewell to our hospitality staff at check out.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
