HYB Eurocalas

For such a sizable resort, the HYB Eurocalas has a discreet arched entrance that's surprisingly easy to miss. It's tucked behind an attractive display of palm trees, colorful flowers, and volcanic rock. Stepping inside, however, the scale of the resort complex becomes more apparent, with a busy reception area bustling with guests. During our stay an understaffed front desk struggled to field the seemingly constant flow of check-ins, check-outs, enquiries, and complaints. At almost 400 rooms and apartments, this is actually one of the largest all-inclusive hotels in the area, trumped only by the nearby 454-room Club Cala Romani. Accommodation is spread over five blocks, each named after a Balearic island and ranging from the broad, four-story Formentera to the high-rise, 12-floor Cabrera. Previously part of the Hotasa chain, the hotel joined the HYB brand in 2015, which subsequently carried out a raft of renovations: updates to all rooms, revamp of poolside terraces revamp, and beefing-up of kids' facilities. And it's families with small children that overwhelmingly make up the clientele, who mainly hail from Britain, France, and Germany. The result is a fun and often frenetic, super family-friendly resort whose indoor spaces can get congested -- mostly with over-stimulated kids -- though grounds and gardens are just about large enough to rarely feel overcrowded.

The hotel is located in the Cales de Mallorca area set on the island's southeast coast. This purpose-built resort destination welcomes thousands of vacationers during the warmer months and practically closes down over winter. While there's little but other hotels in the immediate surrounds, a scattering of restaurants, bars, and shops are within strolling distance. The nearest beach is Calas Antena, which is a about a five-minute walk, followed by lots of steps down to a narrow strip of sand -- which can fill up quickly. The hotel also offers a free shuttle service to the larger Calas Domingos beach, about 10 minutes away. Just outside the hotel are two stops, one for the regular bus service that connects to destinations across the island, and the other for a tourist bus that ferries guests around to local resorts. Farther afield, the charming and vibrant city of Palma is around an hours' drive, and Palma de Mallorca Airport a little less.

With the renovations of all 397 rooms and apartments completed in 2016, interiors have been transformed into something more befitting of the 21st century. Furniture is minimalist IKEA-style, with natural-looking wood veneer floors (previously tiled), and smooth white walls (formerly yellow and lumpy). Rooms, however, have maintained their floral-pattered bedspreads, blue sofas, and sea-themed artworks. All rooms are air-conditioned and open to furnished balconies, most offering superb sea and mountain views (from around the third floors upwards). Amenities have also been updated and include mini-fridges, electronic safes (for a fee), and 40-inch flat-screen TVs -- though we struggled to find any English-speaking channels (there are probably a couple). In-room Wi-Fi is charged, can be prone to dropping out, and is not strong enough for streaming video. Apartments add basic kitchenettes with electric hobs and microwaves, as well as TVs in lounges and separate bedrooms. Bathrooms are all clean and contemporary with walk-in showers, fluffy towels, and decent hotel-brand toiletries. Hairdryers are provided. Rooms with sofa beds are also available. 

Given that the hotel hosts upward of a thousand guests at a time, it might come as a surprise that it only has one restaurant serving all meals. While certainly spacious with a total of five buffet-service tables, the dining room gets very busy. It's especially crowded at breakfast when finding a table can be a struggle and queues for cooked-to-order eggs can be long. Food is generally good quality, however, and constantly refilled by attentive catering staff. Service at the separate bar is also efficient and friendly, and despite the numbers there was little queuing for drinks on our visit (and plenty of brightly colored sugary slush for the kids). There are a total of four swimming pools, the main one being a huge freeform affair that tiers down to a more child-friendly section, including waterslides. Most of the daytime animation takes place at the main pool. Row upon row of sun loungers as well as a strip of (rentable) Bali beds means no early-morning towel reservation is required. There's also an impressive mini-water park, as well as two kids' clubs for various ages. Evening entertainment takes the form of mostly amateur productions, including a mimed Grease tribute act. Sporting facilities include tennis, five-a-side football, and basketball courts, though there's no gym or spa on-site (these are planned for 2017). Parking is free on-site. 

The all-inclusive plan covers buffet breakfast, lunch, and dinner, including themed nights. Snacks such as ice cream and cakes are also available during set times. A range of branded soft drinks and locally produced alcoholic drinks are also covered and served until midnight. Self-service wine is available during meal times. In-room Wi-Fi is not covered, though it is free of charge around the reception area. Also not covered are internationally branded alcohol, bottled wine, and bottled water. A small charge applies to some of the kids' club activities.