OLA Hotel Maioris

A lovely terra-cotta tile footpath leads through pleasant gardens to an ancient olive tree, marking the entrance to the Ola Club Maioris. Inside, the lobby is fresh, clean, and bright, with swathes of polished gray marble, crisp-white walls, and coordinating soft, modern seating. A large interactive touchscreen takes the place of the usual untidy clusters of tourist pamphlets, adding to the streamlined if slightly clinical atmosphere. The property was built in the mid-'70s, but completed a full renovation in 2017. Previously garish pink paintwork has been whitewashed over, with glass paneling added to the cube-like balconied facades to give the building a genuinely contemporary look. Hallways are spotless, with a few remnants of the original hotel and the occasional antique curio on display. The all-inclusive property is spread over three interconnected blocks centered around a sunny pool terrace dotted with palm trees. British families make up the bulk of the clientele (though during our summer 2017 visit there were several French guests) so expect kids splashing around, especially during the school holidays. 

Set in one of the more remote developments built along the rocky eastern stretch of the Bay of Palma, few will consider the location of the Ola Club Maioris one of its strong points. While the setting is perfectly pleasant, surrounded by pine trees in the quiet residential neighborhood of Puig d'en Ros, there's very little in the way of local nightlife except for a couple local restaurants. There is a rocky cove about a 15-minute walk away, though most prefer to take the regular free shuttle bus to sandy El Arenal beach, about 15 minutes away. Free twice-weekly buses also run to Palma, which is a 30-minute drive, as do frequent public buses. The location does mean fairly easy access to Palma de Mallorca Airport, less than 20 minutes away by car. 

The hotel's 240 guest rooms were all updated in 2016, with wood-effect floors and paneling, functional modern furnishings, and marine-themed photo artworks; the effect is bright and contemporary, if a little generic. All rooms open to glass-fronted balconies, with the majority overlooking the pools and some that look out to the garden or street, but none have sea views. Pool-facing units tend to be noisier, and some balconies are also prone to noise from the neighboring hotel's entertainment. 

Amenities are decent enough, with mini-fridges and flat-screen TVs ranging from 32 to 39 inches (and an impressive selection of more than 70 channels) as standard, but there's a charge for the digital safes and no kettles. In-room Wi-Fi is available and free of charge, though the signal is not video-streaming quality. Air-conditioning is seasonal, and some guests have found it a bit hit and miss. Bathrooms are modern and clean, with spacious walk-in rainfall showers, wall-mounted hairdryers, and hotel-brand toiletries. 

There's also a pair of Suites, offering extras such as robes and slippers, Nespresso machines, stocked minibars, and better quality bathroom toiletries. 

Most the hotel is centered around the spacious sun terrace, with two swimming pools, both quite deep, and one with a whirlpool section. Loungers are modern, comfy, and abundant, meaning no early morning scrabble. There's a splash pool for kids and a small water park (new for 2016) with waterslides and jets, plus more surrounding sunbeds for parents to keep watch. Little ones can also be kept entertained with a daily kids' club for ages four to 12, with older children also catered to during high summer season. There's also more adult-oriented animation, such as aqua-gym, Spanish lessons, and volleyball, plus two tennis courts and a small fitness room (though no spa facilities).

All meals are served in the hotel's dining room, which remains one of the more dated areas of the hotel and prone to crowding -- though an update and expansion is earmarked for 2018. There's an omelet station at breakfast and show cooking for lunch and dinner (with twice weekly themes), but reports suggest the food quality can be poor, and there's no a la carte options. A poolside snack bar opens between meals, with self-service beer and wines, plus ice cream and slushy machines for the kids. There's also a main bar with plenty of seating, though there can be lines at peak times. Evening entertainment is usually live music, but also includes magic and snake shows. 

The Ola Club Maioris is a fully all-inclusive hotel, with buffet breakfast, lunch, and dinner covered in the rate, as well as a range of snacks available between meals, including ice cream. The plan includes all drinks, with Spanish beer, machine-dispenser cocktails, and generic wine and spirits, plus branded soft drinks. Water is also available at meal times, and tea and coffee is served at the bar. Buses to El Arenal run six days of the week, to Palma twice, and Es Trenc beach once a week. Kids' club, Wi-Fi, entertainment, and sports are also all included, though there's a fee for changing pool towels