Riu Tikida Beach Hotel
1 week, Departing Manchester on Thu 07 Mar 2013
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We stayed at this hotel for 2 weeks during Christmas and new year we had a fantastic time and I would definitely look to book here again. From the moment we arrived we were treated at royalty and nothing was a problem. However our first night was traumatic as we were placed in a room over the night club. The music went on to well passed 1am, we complained a number of times on the night and followed it up the next day. The moved us to a suite and apologised. The room and view were fabulous. The food was hot and had variety, however if you did not tip the waiter you had to get ur own drinks and plates ha ha. The beach was spectacular and the hotel pool was clean and we always got a bed, owing to me running down aT 7am to put a towel on the beds.
This was booked a couple of weeks before we travelled via First Choice, the only thing we checked beforehand was the that it would be sunny and nicely warm if not hot.
The hotel room was quite reasonable, the bed was comfortable, I am hard to please so it was a plus, the pillows werenot so good. One was big and square, the other standard size, both filled with that unforgiving polyester which keeps it's shape and stays hard, I wish there was a choice of feather.
The bathroom was a good size but strangely, for a modern hotel, there was only a shower attachment on the bath taps without any bracket so a shower meant either turning the water off and on all the time or trying to manage with one hand. A word of caution too, the water pressure is better than a fire hose if you turn it full on, we created a bit of a flood until we got used to it. Personally I was disappointed in the lack of a proper shower. The rest of the bathroom was fine with complimentary toiletries, replaced as needed and a hair dryer. I am not fond of hair dryers that you have to hold down the switch to keep the power on.
All our meals were taken in one very large dining room as in low season I assume they close the others. So plenty of seating, sometimes you are shown to a table at other times you could seat yourself.
The food at each meal was buffet style. This meant that however good the dishes, most were never better than warm except for the soup which was always hot and had a good selection of breads to choose from.
There is no English style breakfast, nearest you get is fried eggs which aren't very fried. There are boiled eggs, a choice of 6 or 8 minutes, solid or very solid. Otherwise dried meats, cereals (ghastly mass produced Kellogg style). Yes there was fruit and some of it was fresh but why oh why tinned pineapple and peaches and melon that is never quite ripe? The plain yoghurt was lovely, served in big bowls.
For lunch and dinner there are 2 or 3 grills which cook an array of meats and fish and some accompanying sauces. These were usually quite good although on one occasion my chicken was still bloody in the middle. Needless to say I didn't eat it. There was a big variety of dishes at every meal, most pleasant, a few really good ones but although they had Moroccan style dishes such as tagine, these were lacklustre and bore little resemblance to authentic Moroccan food. Possibly because this hotel appears to cater mostly for the French who were the biggest section of the guests.
Desserts included several varieties of ice cream, the standard sickly mousse and blancmange style desserts and some rather good Moroccan small cakes and biscuits a bit like petit fours. Occasionally tiramisu and cakes such as chocolate eclairs and carrot cake.
The food is reasonable for mass catering with a few gems from time to time but I quickly got bored of trying to find something with flavour. As a last resort there are a variety of salads, always freshly prepared and with some interesting combinations. The free wine isn't too bad but it is the same at every meal so if you like it, fine, if you don't you're a bit stuck. For sure you won't starve :o).
The hotel grounds are well maintained, nicely laid out and big. A big pool surrounded by sun beds with parasols and dotted here and there they have big double bed style sun beds with pillows which are very relaxing. In common though with most resort hotels, the best beds and positions are hogged by the selfish who pile their belongings on them while they have a leisurely breakfast or lunch, it really is annoying.
The gardens let out onto the promenade and just across there are more sunbeds in a small private area. The beach in front of the hotels is kept pretty clean. The sea is a little rough but seems safe enough, I certainly survived my two dips although bathers were in single numbers.
The promenade provides a safe and pleasant walk in both directions. You can only walk about half a mile to the left then you come to a restricted area which appears to look like a military zone. To the left you can walk all the way to the marina, quite a distance but the route is traffic free apart from one or two cyclists. Along the way there are numerous caves and restaurants and then eventually you come to a few shops.
There are more shops in the marina but they were either closed, empty or small boutiques. Even further on there is the fish dock, we didn't go that far.
After dinner once or twice we watched the entertainment, the usual variety of singers, magicians, bands and tumblers. I believe there may even have been karaoke. Coffee and cocktails are served in there too and the seating is quite comfortable.
The hotel has free wifi but it can be a little erratic and can only be accessed in the reception area. We found mostly that the wifi from adjoining hotels worked best. It isn't available in the rooms which is a pity as it would have made life easier.
The staff in the hotel were unfailingly polite and helpful from the room maids through to the restaurant staff. They all seem to speak English and French.
All in all, a decent hotel in which to spend a short break, nothing bad at all. I am not sure I would like to be there in high season, it is likely to be packed and all the facilities we enjoyed at leisure will be rather more fraught.
The area itself offers little by way of interest, we managed a couple of trips out, the first when we went to an old town in the hills to visit the Souk. The round trip took 3 hours travelling and we spent no more than an hour off the bus. The Souk was unpleasant, browsing is next to impossible as every stall holder is clamouring for your attention and doesn't want to let go of the prospect of a sale, they don't seem to hassle the locals in the same way.
The second trip to the Atlas Mountains was called a trek but was more a pleasant stroll through the landscape taking in the odd feature such as the river and various animals like goats, sheep and donkeys. The sun was warm, it was quiet and the guide knowledgeable.
I am unlikely to return but don't let that put you off, there are a few more places that may be of interest but not to me, like a bird centre and the tourist bus train. Enjoyable but not repeatable from my point of view.Our second family holiday to this hotel. From the moment we arrived the service was warm and very welcoming. We had a duplex sea view room which we would recommend, this allows you to relax on the terrace or balcony watching the magnificent sunsets.
Having booked this blind I was a little anxious when I read some negative reviews, having just returned from a week there I begin to wonder if we are talking about a different hotel ?
This is no Magaluf (if you like that sort of thing) but the promenade and town have bard and restaurants close by if you want to get out and about.
I felt no need to wonder far. A fantastic buffet focused on breakfast, lunch and evening meals, very flexible timings. The quality we lead to believe is focused on the demands of the French visitor which may be greater than us but that of course is no bad thing. Superb wide range of interesting and more straightforward food items, lovely desserts. Lovely smart welcoming restaurant and staff. A new seaside restaurant has opened with panoramic views, I experienced the tail end of the work and it was discreet and responsible, however this does not matter now because it is done.
The room I had was pool view (nowhere near the nightclub) very peaceful, spacious and well laid out. Spotlessly clean, contemporary and traditional mix. No complaints from me.
People have commented this is an older hotel, it certainly does not look tired and the good thing is the gardens and communal areas are nice and mature with lovely plants, trees and flowers.
The staff were superb and sincere, always a smile and a greeting. French is more commonly spoken but that was always the case in Morocco, they all get to know you and converse in good English throughout.
The pool was nice and the heating was adequate. The activities were fun, they have their own chunk of beach. Child friendly but my half term visit was a week earlier than a lot of the UK therefore not many kiddies around to mix with each other.
The weather was great mid Feb, 27 degrees ish by day cooler of course at night but I felt comfortable in jeans and shirt sleeves at night. There is a link to a nearby well regarded golf resort so if this is your thing worth looking into.
Not huge amounts in the way of excursions compared to perhaps Egypt for obvious reasons but some fun trips laid on. Another bonus no time difference and for the distance a quick flight at 3hr 10.
Great value, great food, superb in my mind, life is short and I would like to see as many places as possible, however I will certainly be coming back here without a doubt.
There is a wide selection of food to suit all tastes and whilst the wine is not the best in the world the service is friendly and efficient. Our 2 boys aged 10 and 13 enjoyed the various daytime sports activities and special praise goes to Neza who is a wonderful lady who keeps the children entertained in the day and evening and is an absolute asset and ambassador to the hotel. With 2 visits under our belt will hopefully be returning again and have recommended this hotel to friends and family.
Stayed February 2013, travelled as a couple
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