THE HOTEL FILES The dossier before you book
The cove at Cala d'Or, Mallorca
Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

Independent hotel intelligence

Don't book the brochure. Find out what the hotel is actually like.

We investigate recent guest reports, local sources and the details buried in reviews, from sunbed wars and building works to beach access, food, noise and hidden extras.

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Open case files

3 hotels investigated so far. Scores are provisional while our methodology is finalised.

Case #000001 · last investigated 2026-08-16

Hotel Gran Sagitario

Cala Santandria, Ciutadella, Menorca
86 Hotel Files score
STRONG CHOICE provisional
  • BestNo sunbed wars, immaculate 2021 build
  • WatchDoor-slam wake-ups from 7:30am
  • MixedGreat cooking, cafeteria dinner room

22 claims on file · 2 guest-verified · sources in 2 languages

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Case #000002 · last investigated 2026-08-16

Barceló Illetas Albatros

Illetas, Calvia, Mallorca · adults only
78 Hotel Files score
GOOD, WITH CAVEATS provisional
  • BestSeafront position, Palma 10 min away
  • WatchExtras: parking, water, Bali beds
  • MixedQuiet evenings, lively DJ pool days

20 claims on file · 4 guest-verified · sources in 3 languages

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Case #000003 · last investigated 2026-08-16

AluaSoul Mallorca Resort

Cala Egos, Cala d'Or, Mallorca · adults only
82 Hotel Files score
STRONG CHOICE provisional
  • BestCove & snorkelling
  • WatchSunbed race & AI small print
  • MixedBuffet: praised in English and German, harsher in Spanish

24 claims on file · 0 guest-verified · sources in 3 languages

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What we investigate

The question every file answers: what do I wish I'd known before I booked?

Sunbeds

Do you actually need to get up at 6am? The hotel says there are plenty. Guests start queueing at 07:15.

Beach

Sand, rocks, sea access, crowding, and what the photos don't show. "Beachfront" is sometimes doing heavy lifting.

Food

Not whether a buffet exists: whether guests still like it on day five.

Noise

Entertainment, corridors, road-facing rooms and early-morning door traffic.

Hidden extras

Safes, loungers, water, parking, deposits and the all-inclusive small print.

Location

What "10 minutes from town" actually means, in 31 degree heat, uphill.

Swimming & snorkelling

Sea conditions, entry points, jellyfish patterns and what guests actually encounter.

Building work

At the hotel and next door, including the winter renovation season.

Compare the files

Put two hotels head-to-head. Demo preview using our two Mallorca files; comparison tooling is coming.

AluaSoul Mallorca Resort vs Barcelo Illetas Albatros
Beach accessAluaSoulExcellent: the cove is at the doorBarcelóGood: rock platforms; sand is a 15-20 min walk
SnorkellingAluaSoulExcellent (bring swim shoes)BarcelóGood, sea access off the rocks
SunbedsAluaSoulWatch: 8am race for prime spotsBarcelóWatch: front row gone by 10am
FoodAluaSoulStrong buffet, four a la cartesBarcelóGood; extras bill grows
Town accessAluaSoulCala d'Or is a taxi awayBarcelóPalma 10 min by taxi, bus outside
EveningsAluaSoulNightly entertainment, no stageBarcelóQuiet bar, DJ pool days
The verdict. The AluaSoul wins for the cove, snorkelling and food. The Barcelo wins for Palma access and the shorter transfer. Neither escapes the extras bill.

There is no single "best hotel"

The best hotel depends on what annoys you, what you love, and how you actually spend a holiday. Tap what matters to you.

How we know

Not an AI summary with a nice font. A repeatable investigation.

  1. Recent guest reports
  2. Multiple languages
  3. Official information
  4. Local sources
  5. Cross-checked claims
  6. The hotel file

We don't hide uncertainty. Every material claim is supported by evidence, attributed to the hotel, contested, or marked unknown.

3hotels investigated
66claims on file
6guest-verified corrections
3source languages

Live figures computed from the files on this site. We'd rather show small real numbers than big invented ones.

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AluaSoul Mallorca · 11-17 September · 4 adults

Beaches · snorkelling · restaurants · boat day · relaxed pace

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