We have just returned from a 14 -night stay at TUI Blue Sensatori Biomar and, sadly, this wasn't the five-star experience we had been looking forward to. We booked this hotel based on TUI's premium branding and, in particular, its reputation for catering for guests with allergies. Unfortunately, it fell well short in several important areas.
The biggest concern was our child's severe nut allergy. Before travelling, I emailed the hotel and was reassured that the buffet generally avoided nuts. This simply wasn't the case. Nuts featured at breakfast, lunch and dinner every day, and on the Asian-themed evening our child could safely eat nothing more than plain boiled rice. We ended up leaving the hotel and paying to eat elsewhere.
Whilst the restaurant staff were friendly and tried to help, the allergy procedures were not what I would expect from a hotel promoting itself as allergy-friendly. Tables were wiped using the same damp cloth throughout service, creating an obvious cross-contamination risk. Parents of children with serious allergies should be aware of this when booking.
Our second major concern was food safety. On 30 June, lunch at Green & Grill (family side) included raw, bloody chicken being served to multiple guests. We showed this to the chef, whose response was simply to shrug his shoulders. That was genuinely shocking and not what you expect from any hotel, let alone one marketed as five stars.
The à la carte restaurants were another disappointment. During a 12-night stay we only managed to secure two bookings despite trying repeatedly. If dining variety is one of the reasons you're choosing a Sensatori resort, temper your expectations.
Entertainment on the family side was also poor. It was obvious that the adults-only section received the better acts, while the family side relied largely on the entertainment team. The whole resort felt like two completely different hotels. The adults-only side looked and felt close to a premium resort, whereas the family side was noticeably lower in quality. In our opinion, the family section is much closer to a good three-star-plus hotel than a genuine five-star resort.
Housekeeping was inconsistent. Some days our room wasn't serviced, and around the pool, towels and empty glasses from the previous day were often still there first thing in the morning, attracting ants.
Another thing future guests should know is that the pool surrounds are extremely slippery. We saw numerous toddlers, including our own, slip over during our stay. Non-slip swim shoes are definitely worth packing.
The single biggest negative, however, was the mosquitoes. We have travelled extensively and have never experienced anything like it. They bite day and night, even through clothing. Every member of our family (apart from our baby, thankfully) came home with at least 30 bites each. We tried strong insect sprays, plug-in repellents, wristbands—everything—and nothing made any difference. For us, this alone would be enough reason not to return.
There were positives. The staff were friendly and hardworking, the rooms themselves were comfortable, and the resort is well suited to families with babies and younger children. However, I would say it's much better for children under the age of seven. Older children may find the entertainment and activities quite limited.
Overall, we left feeling that this hotel doesn't live up to the five-star standard or the Sensatori brand. Had it been marketed as a good four-star family hotel, our expectations may have been different. Instead, we paid a premium price for what turned out to be a very average experience with some genuinely concerning issues around food safety and allergy management.
Unfortunately, we won't be returning.
