Gavimar La Mirada Club Resort

With its arched entrance adorned with traditional tiles and pretty flowers, this hotel's exterior makes a rather quaint impression. Stepping into the lobby, however, it's clear that the style here is on par with too many of the area's resorts, with dated tile floors, ceiling spotlights, and seventies-style furnishings. While some of the interiors are drab, the three buildings that comprise the hotel do have a charming, traditional Balearic design characterized by gleaming whitewashed facades, shuttered windows, and exposed wood beams. The grounds are pleasant and well tended, with pine-scented gardens and terra-cotta tile paths meandering past manicured lawns dotted with palms, cacti, and other local flora. This, in part, might explain why this Gavimar outpost remains more popular than its sister property in Cala d'Or, the Gavimar Cala Gran Costa del Sur. Still, the hotel's pool isn't always able to handle the property's own capacity and remains busy throughout much of the day. British, German, and French families make up the majority of the clientele here, while couples visit outside of school holidays, so expect to see lots of frolicking kids being semi-supervised by their lounger-bound parents in high season.

The hotel is located in the tourist district of Cala Egos, south of the popular resort town of Cala d'Or. The neighborhood is almost entirely geared toward the vacationing crowd who descend each summer, and is practically closed over the winter months. There are plenty of bars, restaurants, and souvenir shops within a short stroll of the hotel, though the atmosphere is quiet and serene, with minimal noisy nightlife. Calo d'es Pou Beach is just a two-minute walk away and is a pleasant but small stretch of sand that can get busy at peak times. A train-shaped resort bus can be caught just across the road and connects to various other parts of the area, including Cala D'Or center -- a 15-minute bus ride or five minutes by cab -- and Cala Ferrera. Palma de Mallorca Airport is just under an hour's drive away, while it's a bit longer to Palma's quaint Old Town.

The hotel offers an array of room types, including double rooms, suites, and apartments. Decor is generally rather dated, combining matching blue-and-yellow fabrics with tile floors and simple wood furnishings. While mostly well maintained, some interiors show signs of wear, and overall, the spaces are due for an overhaul. Layouts are generally spacious, with entry-level rooms offering 30-square-meter floor plans (323 square feet). Every room features a balcony or terrace with tables and chairs, while some add sun loungers and open to small gardens, plus a few even have sea views. All units have simple kitchenettes with electric ranges, fridges, and cookware. TVs are either 32-inch flat-screens or old tube units, and come with a few English-speaking channels (including one for kids). Other features include air-conditioning and safes, though there are fees for the latter. Bathrooms are functional, and include shower/tub combos, wall-mounted hairdryers, and basic toiletries; metal-clad ceilings make them feel downmarket and grout may need a deep cleaning in some rooms. Wi-Fi is available for a fee, though it's free in suites, which also get a welcome bottle of Cava. Daily housekeeping is provided in rooms and suites, but only occurs thrice weekly in apartments.

All meals are served buffet-style in the hotel's only restaurant; most guests agree that breakfast is the best of the three meals, with plenty of variety of hot and cold items. Lunch and dinner tend toward international favorites rather than Spanish cooking, with some child-friendly dishes, theme nights, and live cooking. A snack area is also open during most of the day, and there's a manned bar, as well as self-service stations offering wine, beer, and sangria. All food and local drinks are covered in the all-inclusive plan. Although there's just one swimming pool, it is larger than average for the area, with two levels and a separate kids' pool. Despite its size, there are often not enough poolside sun loungers, though extra sunbeds can be found on a spacious sun terrace. The area hosts plenty of poolside activities, as well as an entertainment stage, which means it can get noisy (and the entertainment can be hit or miss). Other child-friendly facilities include a mini-club and playground. Besides a fairly modern fitness room, archery, and volleyball, there's nothing in the way of spa or health facilities.