The HSM Canarios Park is an all-inclusive value hotel and a favored haunt of European (mainly British) tourists looking for a value vacation where they can lounge by the pool and enjoy unlimited food, drinks, and sunshine.

Only open from May to October, the hotel gets packed in peak months and it shows -- especially in the pool areas. Expect to bathe with large crowds and to be surrounded by guests who make use of the unlimited alcohol to start drinking before noon. Some guests have a pesky tendency to leave the plastic glasses that drinks are served in littered around the pool area, but otherwise, despite its heavy traffic, the hotel is clean and pretty peaceful.

Located at the entrance to the Calas of Mallorca, this hotel is in a quiet part of the island surrounded by nature that was developed expressly for tourists in the 1970s. Though not overcrowded or overdeveloped, there's still a very touristy feel to the area and its surrounding establishments. There is a shopping mall located a 10-minute walk away, filled mainly with souvenir shops that are only open during high season. Also within a 10-minute walk is the hotel's main beach -- Cala Antena -- a small, beautiful cove with tranquil blue waters and a few rocky areas with good snorkeling. Otherwise, there isn't much else to explore on foot -- just a large expanse of dry shrubs between the hotel and the water. Renting a car is recommended for exploring the rest of the island, especially since the beautiful town of Santanyí is only a 30-minute drive south. The airport and central Palma are both an hour away.

The decor of the rooms at the HSM Canarios Park is exactly what can be expected of a budget hotel. There are tube TVs, white plastic chairs on the balcony, no-frills bedspreads, and faded artwork on the walls. There are tubs and hairdryers in the bathrooms, which are completely white and very clean. There are overhead fans, but no air-conditioning. Though the land between the hotel and the ocean is quite dry and scrubby, it's completely flat and unfettered by other buildings, adding an air of privacy and isolation to what can otherwise be a very crowded hotel.

When it comes to entertainment and sports facilities, the HSM Canarios Park does not skimp. An arcade, mini-golf, playground and a kids' pool all make the hotel kid-friendly, while tennis courts, a sandy area set up for volleyball, and a soccer pitch are popular with active adults. There's a packed entertainment schedule with activities ranging from bingo to dance classes, and it's easy for kids to make new friends during the many games organized for children in the pool area.