Hotel was very good and staff very efficient. Stayed on the half board option, it seemed like most people stayed on all inclusive which includes some drinks but not all. Food was excellent at breakfast and dinner, with a huge amount of choice and good quality and something different every day. The rooms were also great, cleaned every day and despite it being busy in the hotel it was very quiet in the rooms.

Entertainment in the hotel was orientated towards children and finished early (around 11pm each night). There were also activities in the pool every day but a few hours each day at lunchtime when the pool was empty. It did at times get very busy round the pool in the late afternoon but there were some gardens at the edge with sun loungers where it was a lot quieter. People are also stopped from reserving loungers which was followed quite strictly and a great idea.

Having arrived at Seville airport and travelled back from Faro I would recommend car hire if you are flying there and want to get around. It is a train and bus journey/40 minute taxi ride from Huelva and around 70euros in a taxi (45 mins) to Faro which we didn't expect.

The local town is only 10 mins walk away. It is a very small town but there are quite a few bars and great seafood restaurants. Don't expect any big shops/ department stores but there are little supermarkets and it was not full of tourists which was a nice change. The beaches are fantastic and mostly sandy. There is one around 10 mins walk from the hotel over a wooden walkway and through a small nature reserve which goes on for miles east along the coast. The beaches further along the coast are accessible by car and bus.

All in all it was an excellent, albeit different holiday which put a different perspective on the southern Spain break.

It's truely good hotel. Big, well equipped rooms, nice poolside, short walk from a very wide and long beach. Everything is ok until you hit the streets. Isla Cristina is probably the dirtiest town in Europe. Papers, bottles and other rubbish are everywhere. Locals (there are no many tourists in Isla Cristana) sit in bars and throw everything at their feet. The next thing is that Isla is rather unsightly and boring place. Nothing to do, lack of places to go for a walk, nothing to see... In conclusion - great hotel in poor place.

Barcelo Isla Cristina is a good quality hotel, The All Inclusive Service is similar to other spanish all-inclusive, from 08h30 to 23h30m and not every drinks are on the All Inclusive. But it has a good variety and the food on every meals is of good quality. The pool is quiet until around 11h30m, then the children start coming, and if you don't like children...it can be stressing!!
It is a good option for family vacations!

Our stay (one night, Saturday, with a baby and a toddler, in an apartment) got off to a bad start when we had to wait two hours to check in. To be fair, we got there early, but hoped a room would be free. We had been told from 12, but we didnñt get in till 1pm - my husband stood and waited while they checked other people in - we were both seething by the time we finally got to our room. Then we saw that the shower hose had a hole in it, and one of the clear perspex boxes in the fridge door was broken.

That, along with the blind that was broken, was enough for me to call and complain. The asst manager was professional and knew how to deal with an annoyed guest. My other big moan was that before booking, I rang to check they had room service, as this is very handy with 2 small children - and much less stressful. I was told they did, but then when we arrived, they said I could take a plate from the buffet up to the room. Yeah, right. Other irritants: loud thumping music by the pool at 5pm, overcharged us at the pool bar, overcharged our room bill, and no cold water on Sunday morning.
On the plus side, the apartment was large, if not brilliantly equipped compared to some hotel apartments iñve stayed in; the restaurant staff were lovely; breakfast was good; there´s a nice walk around the lagoon reached by a wooden bridge - though it´s not the cleanest beach.,