Sounds like nothing has changed at the Orion in the two years since we stayed their. Why is there always a smell of petrol in the corridors and stairs? The food was inedible, not fit for human consumption. Large pieces of plaster were falling off the walls and ceiling in the bathroom on a daily basis. When we checked the fire escape it was completely blocked by old doors, ladders and numerous other things. Despite numerous meetings with the Thomson rep including completing a complaints form, the standard of the hotel does not seem to have changed at all from what people are saying.

On first impressions my girlfriend and I thought what a lovely looking hotel. Staff were not very helpful when we first arrived but it was 6am so we imagined they were tired. When we eventually got up to our room we couldn't believe how basic and small it was. Our promised garden view was a view of a bush. Not the best of starts but we accepted what we had booked and thought we'll just get on with it. We had a few hours kip and then were greeted by Tony, the eccentric barman. He sat us down and he explained everything we needed to know. This was the start of our holiday. All the staff were great even if they did sometimes get lost in transalation. Tony and Uri the other main barman couldn't do enough for us, they were very helpful when we needed to ask something and great entertainment throughout our stay. My girlfriend celebrated her birthday whilst we were there and Tony actually drove me to Gumbet to pick her up a birthday cake. The chef cooked us a superb meal and Tony even made us a few cocktails on the house. All in all I would recommend this hotel to anyone. Yes the rooms are small and basic, but you're not on holiday to stay in your rooms. The pool was lovely and always clean, the food at the hotel was superb and very reasonably priced. The cocktails were lovely and beer, water and soft drinks always cold. This hotel is great for couples, but not one for the kids. With friendly staff, clean pool and great food and drink - what more do you need?!

Bitez is a great chill out resort, away from the hustle and bustle. There are many restaurants and bars. The beach is great, water clear and shallow and the weather's beautiful. They're aren't really any lively bars. Your best bet is Temple Bar if you want entertainment. Gumbet however is only 10ytl in a taxi and thats where you want to be if you like your lively bars and clubs. We went there 4 nights out of the 14 we stopped in Bitez.

Overall this holiday was superb and my girlfriend and I will be back for a week in May 09.

Chris and Sarah in Nottingham.

My partner and I stayed for a week: 7th July until 14th and what can I say... it worst the worst week off my life!
We arrived Monday afternoon to be overally greeted by Hotel staff to take our bags, who spoke no English. We had to fill out some forms in the very small reception area and then we were shown to our rooms.
Upon arriving to our room, I wasn't sure what to think and thought maybe I was just missing my home comforts. Their was no toilet roll, room looked like it hadn't been cleanned, and the bathroom was so dirty. The shower looked like it had never been cleanned, as well as the toilet, and bathroom sink! I decided that I could live with it as I had no intention to be living in my room.. I was on holiday! Day by day it was one thing after another. We had to pay for air con but I felt I was being ripped off as their was no sign displaying the price.
Breakfast was an experience, bread, hard boiled eggs, salad, jam etc... It was ok but most days I didn't even get a chance to get any breakfast! I would arrive for breakfast at 9am to find hardly any food left and it was certaintly not being replenised! So two days in a row I had no breakfast even when we had paid for this service!
On Wednesday night the hotel arranged a bbq night, both me and my partner thought we would give the staff a chance to entertain us. What can I say, it wasn't a bbq, the food was just brought out in metal trays and cleared away straight after serving people a very small portion of food!
Thursday night was another experience, we came back from having dinner to discover our room had a cock roach. I had to tell a member of staff that spoke no English about the cock roach. When he came to my room straight away he moved us to an alterative room, which we stayed in for the rest of the holiday. But this room was just as dirty, if anything worse... Bathroom was very dirty, plug sockets and light fitting hanging off walls.
I could write so more problems that both me and my partner experienced in this hotel. Even the Holiday Rep confessed that they are aware of major problems with the this hotel... says it all really!
My best advice is do not stay in this hotel, it was like staying in faulty towers for a week. I just couldn't wait to get home to the UK...
Please feel to contact me directly if you want to ask any questions...

Arrived approx' midnight Sat July 5th 2008--Departed approx 8pm Sunday July 6th 2008..............

Arriving at almost midnight, tired, in need of sleep, we expected to be put in a first floor room with a view over the pool, which we had booked eight months earlier.

We were guided into a reception building to fill in our details. No-one spoke English, and all they seemed interested in was getting our £4 per night payment 'up front' for the air-con, and ditto for the safe. (£112). When I refused and told them I'd 'sort it out' tomorrow, we we're taken to a ground floor room, (not first floor). I told them "first floor", but due to their lack of understanding, and my tiredness, I decided t leave until tomorrow.

The room was very small, (no room for a chair), the bed linen was stained and dirty and appeared to have not been washed since the last occupants. We were 'greeted' by a number of inch long beetles, which were coming and going from a great gap behind the toilet. The cupboard doors were falling off, the toilet seat hinges had rusted and the seat was 'hanging on' by one hinge.

The shower cubicle was filthy, and the bin for soiled toilet paper had no lid, (and was left all day unemptied). Discarded crisps were in the bedside drawer from the previous occupant. The air-con sounded like a clapped out Ford Fiesta and the bathroom mirror looked to have been cleaned with an oily rag !. In a nutshell, the room was filthy.

In the morning, I opened the curtains for my view of the pool, to be greeted with another room's balcony approx ten feet away.

We obviously let our 'concerns' be known to our rep, and it later transpired that two other couples who had also arrived around the same time as ourselves had also registered very similar complaints.

Full marks to our travel agents' management who 'bust a gut' to get all three couples moved elsewhere that day as they totally agreed with us that the rooms were well below the standard required.

It may be that the 'situation' has now inproved, (as we were told that work was due to be carried out), but I can only say that the night we spent in the Orion is an experience I never wish to repeat and one my wife and I will never forget.

As for Bitez, nice place but a little quiet !.