My friend and I have just returned from our stay in Ibiza at the Mare Nostrum. Having read some of the other more negative reviews i was a little nervous when we arrived, but i guess like anything else, everybody has different opinions!
The hotel was fantastically clean - our room was cleaned and towels changed every day (apart from a couple of days when we were very hung over and 'accidentally' locked the maids out - although even then they usually came back later on whilst we were out), and the standard of cleanliness in the rooms and around the pool and public areas was great. The room itself was great for what we needed - just a place to sleep and get ready! The decor was all relatively modern and well kept.
The staff were very friendly and helpful, and we had no problems at all with them. we felt well looked after and i didnt particularly feel that we were in the minority as English tourists as some people have suggested. There was a good mix of people there - it wasnt exclusively an 'English' hotel or a 'German' hotel - there was a mixture of all nationalities and ages - some younger people like ourselves, there for the nightlife, some families, some older people, couples etc, and everyone seemed to rub along pretty well!
The food was a bit of a worry before we went - we went half board so that we wouldnt have to worry about feeding ourselves when we were there, and from some of the reviews i was a little worried, but there was no need. The food ( admittedley we never actually managed to get up in time for breakfast!) was lovely - we were very impressed! There was a great selection of freshly made and local salads, seafood, meat and poultry, plus lots of vegetable options - potato gratin, patatas bravas, stuffed courgettes etc on different nights. There's also a seperate counter to the main buffet which each night had a different type of meat or fish being cooked fresh on a skillet by a chef, with lovely accompanying sauces, fresh pasta along with freshly made sauces ( a different one every day), and a roast meat of the day - lamb/ pork/ beef etc - which was GORGEOUS!!!! really nicely cooked. There were a couple of things that appeared such as french fries and nugget type things, but if you go on holiday to eat rubbish English food like chips and turkey twizzlers then i guess you get what you deserve!!! In my experience everything was well cooked, well presented, restocked regularly, plentiful and extremely tasty. There was always something that we fancied, and we always came away feeling that we had had a good meal. There was also a good variation between each nights selection, so you didnt feel like you were eating the same thing all the time. There is also an extensive choice of desserts, including ice creams in a variety of flavours, fresh pastries and local cakes, plus lots of lovely fresh watermelon and choice of fruit. In short - really good food and good value for money.
Although we missed breakfast we sometimes ate from the cafe next to the bar which serves a variety of light meals (omelettes, pizza etc), and which we found relatively cheap and very tasty too.
Although the hotel is a short walk (10 - 15 mins) from the bars etc this has the benefit of being nice and quiet and not directly under the aircraft routes.
I would definitely visit this hotel again, and really enjoyed our stay there.
x

Having stayed at the Mare Nostrum before I knew what to expect, however I had 6 other friends with me (they are used to 5* and villas) and they were suitably impressed!

The staff were always very helpful and polite even when I had lost my room key for the third time and even when I had lost my room! This was after a fabulous "We Love Space Opening Party" and my friend had also lost his phone and our concierge was most understanding of our predicament.

Breakfast was superb, this being the only meal that we ate each day. My only complaint would be that it could start at 7 am instead of 8.

Everything that we needed like Bora Bora and Space was within walking distance (if you were wearing suitable shoes, which I wasn't) but even so only a cheap taxi ride away.

The hotel wasn't just full of party people like us, but families and even some oldies but everyone rubbed along well together.

I would definately go back to the Mare Nostrum (as soon as possible cause I love Space) and recommend it wholeheartedly!

We had visted the Hotel Mare Nostrum from between 1993 and 1998 and had, had some fanstic family holidays with Thomson Holidays, so we though after seeing the changes they had made we would go back for another with Direct Holidays (Biritsh Tour Operator in hotel for 2006) at the end of September 2006. Well never again we wanted to come home after the second night, the cosmetic changes made i.e up dated bedrooms, new bar area and swimming pool area these were all good. However the standard of food has gone downhill, on our second night we had chicken from the buffet but when you cut into it it was still pink raw in the middle, the burgers liked like they had just been dipped in and straigh out of the fryer. When we mentioned this to the hotel all we got was this is the new way of cooking chicken. So from that night on we eat out each night instead of fearing food poison and are in the process of claiming the money back from Direct Holidays.The biggest concern was that Direct Holidays are advertising this hotel as a family hotel wth good family entertainment day and night. The only entertainment we notice was the entertainment staff (all Italain unable to speak any English) sitting around chatting up the young Italain girls or stuffing there faces with food. The other thing is that the Italain tour operator in this hotel is advertising it as a 18-30 style holiday so be aware if you are planning to take young children to this hotel it might we wise to change unless you want them to witness typical style 18-30 antics.

Having read the "Holiday from Hell" I was not looking forward and quite nervous to arrive at the Hotel Nostrum, however both me and my friend were pleasantly surprised by the standard of the hotel and the room.
My friend and I were firstimers in Ibiza and wanted a relaxing sunny holiday but also to try the clubs. The place and the hotel accommodated us for this. NIce pool, (Italians didn't bother us), staff nice, good breakfast, clean room which was cleaned everyday. You have to pay for use of the room safe though. The hotel is 5 mins from the beach, which leads onto places like Bora Bora, Space, etc, and is also close to Ibiza old town with the club Pacha. Outside the hotel is the bus service which we found just as good as a taxi in that you can get to Ibiza old town and then San Antonio for 2 euro regularly day or night. This suited us perfectly.
My only criticism is that there was just one member of staff named Vincente who when we first arrived proclaimed we didn't have a reservation despite showing evidence we did, this turned out to be due to the hotel booking it under the wrong name, however no apology was given, and this "charming man" made it out to be my fault. Also any time he was on (nights) he refused to book taxis, or if he did (to go to the airport on the last day) it was done resentfully. Apart from this member of staff all the rest were friendly and extremely helpful.