7 days at the Caribbean Village, Agador.
On landing at Agadir airport we were quickly disembarked and coached to the main arrival terminal. It was here that we waited in a queue that never seemed to end. People were becoming frustrated as immigration officers looked at every page of everyone’s passport before stamping them and allowing the people through. It took us nearly an hour to get through and in some ways reminded me of entering the USA.
Finally we collected our luggage and met with the holiday rep who directed us to the appropriate coach. The transfer took about half an hour to the Caribbean Village.
On arrival it again took what seemed like an age to be checked in and given a room key.
Bedroom:
We were first shown to a room that had unmade beds and stained mattress covers. On complaining we were immediately shown to another room that had been properly prepared. The room was ‘L’ shaped which made a pleasant change from the usual oblong. The 2 single beds were comfortable and there were 2 bunk beds for children. The walls were paper thin and every noise in the adjoining rooms could be heard. Doors go out onto a small balcony where there was a table and 2 chairs. However the iron work on both was quite rusty. The television supplied many stations in English including ITV and BBC. The shower was of the walk in type but only a small soap was supplied. No shampoo or shower gel as you get in many hotels now. The shower itself was very powerful and there was never a shortage of hot water. The toilet was in a separate unit and also had a bidet.
Outside amenities:
There are 4 swimming pools situated in different parts of the complex. The main pool was having the concrete slabs around the edge renewed at the time of our visit. However once this was completed no one cleaned around the top of the pool where cement had run down the tiles. Also some of the tiles were missing which did not create a good impression. The other pools were smaller but all looked good. Sun beds were not a problem as they were in always good supply. They were metal and getting rusty but with the supplied mattresses on them, they were very comfortable. There was also an ample supply of sun umbrellas. Also available were tennis courts and mini golf. The animation team tried to get people involved in the various activities but if you said no thank you, they left you alone. In general the amenities were good. There is a large Amphitheatre which is used for shows.
Food and Drink:
This is the down side. There is a main self service restaurant and 6 speciality restaurants which at first sounds wonderful. However the standard of food leaves a lot to be desired. Breakfast consists in the main of salads and rolls. Cheese and meat dishes on the buffet were not being replenished unless someone asked for it to be done. You can have fried eggs or an omelette but not scrambled, poached, hard boiled etc. No sausages and no bacon. As most guests were from, France, Germany, Scandinavia and the UK it is not unreasonable to expect the complex to cater more for international tastes. Again lunch and dinner in the main restaurant left a lot to be desired. Lack of choice, luke warm and badly cooked seemed to be the main complaints of most people. Having said that the soups were delicious but you don’t want to live on soup for a week. The waiters who cleared the plates and tidied the tables however were always smiling and welcoming. As far as the speciality restaurants are concerned they all have a fixed menu so you cannot select what you want. We found the Japanese, Moroccan and Steak House to be very good. The Chinese was good but not enough of it. The fish restaurant was a complete disappointment. We didn't try the Pizza. There was never a shortage of drink both non alcoholic and alcoholic. Service at all the bars was quick and courteous.
Conclusion:
This was a late booking to find some winter sunshine. The sunshine was fantastic. 7 days of blue sky, all day, every day with temperatures in the low 20c’s. The complex is huge and was a mixture of good and not so good. The amenities are excellent with tennis, badminton, bowls, min golf etc. It has lots of potential but it really does need refurbishing. If it was refurbished and the food improved it could be a great resort. Whilst appreciating it is only a 3* the food should however be a lot better. Would we return? To Agadir yes, but to this complex no.
