Just back from HDA

I have just returned from a week at HDA. I had not visited since December 2010 and had not been during the summer for at least a couple of years. I visited with my girlfriend and four year old son and we stayed in a jointly owned townhouse on phase 3 that we have owned since June 2006. My parents used to have a detached villa on the resort but finally gave up due to lack of progress with the resort and sold up in August 2009.

We had pretty much mothballed the townhouse as there was hardly any holiday rental potential and the rents from long term rentals were so poor is was almost not worth renting the place out. We decided that this year we would use the house for a summer holiday as we are paying a considerable amount each year for the mortgage, service charge, water and electricity etc.

We were very disappointed with the resort in general. The whole place seems to be slowly decaying. The childrens' park near the Spaniard Inn had been vandalised and was strewn with rubbish and broken glass. All the fountains were either empty or not working. There were huge expanses of compacted dust in some parts of the resort and these are slowly being eroded by the wind and rain and forming huge gullies. Numerous pavements have been dug up and left unrepaired. About 2/3rds of the houses in our communal area looked derelict and are slowly being reclaimed by nature.

The communal swimming pool had numerous tiles missing and a dirty tide mark along the waterline. The pool floor was covered with dead wasps and flies. The resort seemed to be empty apart from a few Spanish families.

We eventually cracked and booked in to the hotel at La Manga for a few days. The contrast between both resorts is incredible.

I am well aware that the global recession has hit and HDA has suffered badly but we are paying about 1800 Euro per year in service charges and the resort seems to be going rapidly downhill.

Could I please encourage anyone with an interest in this resort to complain to the management about the standards that are not being maintained around the resort.

It is so sad to see a resort with such great potential and many millions spent on infrastructure such as the hotel and Spanish Village being left to decay. The new management of the resort must be made to realise that they have a responsibility to the owners who have invested in property here and not to leave the place to decay until the next property boom arrives ( if ever! ).

 

 

Unfortunately I have to say I agree completely, I purchased in 2007 and was in HDA for one week this Aug. The resort was deserted, tiles missing from the communal pool, tiles missing from the outdoor area around the Spanish village, our house was the only one of nine occupied in our section while we were there.

The academy area was deserted, both machines for dispensing golf balls were out of action for 3 days and nobody there to help as the pro shop said it was nothing to do with them. The course was deserted from mon-fri. Fuente Alamo was also fairly empty and no real options for eating out. 2 similar properties to ours have been recently sold for half the price. The Hotel has obviously been finished but whoever was supposed to run it have pulled out.

The Spanish Village and La Oasis were also deserted.

sorry for not beoing more positive

 

This seems very different to when we were there in May. The golf range had lots of people playing the 6 hole course and the main course also had lots of golfers.The Spaniard Inn was buzzing.Whats happened? Is Glenn Billington still at the Academy?

Hi Everyone

I have just come back from my apartment at The Oasis (El Oasis) following a glorious week in the sun. 

Even though I appear to be the only resident at The Oasis, at present the maintenance of the place may have been slightly reduced.

Our pools (all 4) are all maintained, the grounds are beautiful and our apartment in particular is fantastic.

In respect of the other points referred to I would disagree.  The gardens and communal areas are being maintained everyday, the gardeners and maintenace staff are highly visible. 

The Spainiard Inn offered great food and entertainment as we are now used to.  Celina Deans was brilliant outside in the courtyard one evening and the place was rocking.

The hotel should open next year to coincide with the new airport at Corvera.

If anything is ever needed, Peter Whitehead (Sales) is always on hand at the sales office and Jordi and Cornelius are on a mission to promote Hacienda Del Alamo in general.

The problem with empty apartments and villas is a problem not just relating to our resort.  People who entered in to purchasing property a few years ago have now found that getting a mortgage for a second property is a huge problem and it is only really cash buyers at present in the market.  When the banks start lending again and confidence in our own country gets back to normaIity I am sure people will feel confident again on splashing out. 

To conclude I would also love to see more shops, restaurants and bars in the Spanish Village but this recession has a great deal to answer for.  Even so I am sure in the next 12 months should see some movement.

Remember Hacienda Del Alamo is our resort and life is what you make it.  The negativity I would say is really unfounded and not welcome.  I have been round quite a few resorts including La Manga and nothing really compares.

Kindest regards 

 

 

This message was last edited by garry riding on 06/09/2011.

This message was last edited by garry riding on 06/09/2011.

Hi Gary,

Glad you had a good time.You are always positive and like you I think  that HDA is by far the best. I really like La Manga but my friends have villas there and they are set in the hillside but wringing with damp and also La Manga went into liquidation this year as did most of the other resorts round and about.

Hacienda didn't

 

 Its good to read some positive comments. We were staying at our house on phase 1 early in July and the negative posts certainly weren't represenative of what we found. I was worried things had taken a turn for the worse!

 

We have owned our place since 2004 and have spent many happy holidays there since. Friends and family have also loved it.

My husband is there at the moment for a golf holiday, so I've asked him to check out the resort and report back!

 

 

 

Hi Shandy,

Could you report back to the forum your husbands views on HDA.

Would it be possible to ask him if he has heard any news about the driving range.

Cheers

Hi all
I'm over on Wednesday for 5 days with some mates to play golf and drink the spaniard dry .....

Although some areas in august needed a little attention the overall look of the resort was good

I agree with Garry and Ricky ... Be positive and make this resort the best around rather than moaning all the time.

Who do we e mailed if some areas of the resort need attention as I have tried margarita and marta in the office but they do not respond ?

Thanks

Hello There

I would just like to add that myself and my wife own two properties on El Oasis, friends of ours were staying in one of our apartments a few weeks back and we had god positive feedback regards the standard of maintenance and housekeeping taking place . In fact my mate actually asked the gardener to come back and cut the grass a bit later as it was 8 in the morning and he had indulged a wee bit too much the night before. They both said that they enjoyed the solitude and peace and quite. 

They also went to the spaniard Inn a few times and attended the Hog Roast which was a huge success by all accounts.Well done the proprieters of the Inn.They are remaining positive and making things happen on the social scene. 

We live in pillar de la horadada and so will often drive up to the resort during the week or weekends and I have seen various numbers of people using the facilities more and more and that is regarding the tennis ,golf and rugby, I even got watch a game of rugby there during the winter and voluntered my south african body for duty but sadly they had a full quota!!

Whenever we are at the resort there is always staff out doing the gardening and maintaining the pavements .street lights etc.etc.

So all in all things are happening and we need to remain positive as I truly believe that things will get much better over the next few years and it can only be good with Corvera airport and now Paramount theme park.  I will remain positive and look forward to the future of good times.It cant always be bad!!

        

Just back from HDA following our golf trip.
Resort was looking good and the golf course in fantastic condition.

The driving range was open and quite busy Inc the small drinks bar.

Thanks to all at the Spaniard who yet again excelled and really looked after us all ,morning and night ,,!!

Interesting reading everyones accounts.  It is encouraging to hear the positives.  We went in the summer last year and are looking to book for next summer.  Was so impressed with the attention to detail and the overall appearance.  The golf course was stunning and great fun.  La Manga beaches and Mazzaron were great and not more than 30-40 mins drive which was definitely worth it. 

The only thing that put us off is the flies.  We went in late June 2010 and found the amount of flies quite irritating.  One of the owners we rented from said that they usually sprayed form the air at the beginning of the season and that we may have been a bit early, or due to the financial climate they may have omitted to do it. 

We want to book again next year with friends but would be reluctant if the flies are still a problem.  Does anyone have any comments or experiences to share about it.

Hi,

The flies are a problem all over the area and our friends at La Manga Club have the same problem.

When the flies start hatching they always spray  from the air and this does the trick.

Unfortunately in Spain this does happen.I have just got back from the Costa Del Sol and the flies were really bad.