Alua Calas de Mallorca Review: All-Inclusive with Kids (Ex-Sol by Meliá)

We stayed at Alua Calas de Mallorca for four days at the end of the 2019 season, in October, with Damian (6) and Marc (3, still learning to swim). Back then the hotel was called Sol Calas de Mallorca and belonged to Meliá’s Sol brand. Today it’s Alua Calas de Mallorca Resort, part of Hyatt’s all-inclusive collection. Same building, same cliffs, same pools, new name. If you’ve been searching under the old name, this is the same hotel.

We paid for this stay at a discounted rate through a Meliá contact from my hotel-industry work. It was not a sponsored stay.

Quick verdict

• Good for: families who want to stay put: all-inclusive, pools, a kids’ club and evening shows, with calas on foot.
• Not for: anyone planning to explore Mallorca without a car. The location is remote.
• Best thing: the staff, especially in the kids’ club and the evening entertainment.
• Worst thing: getting there. The public bus from Palma airport took us 3 hours with two small children.
• Would we return? Yes, with a rental car.

Where is Alua Calas de Mallorca?

On the east coast, in the small resort of Cales de Mallorca (municipality of Manacor), on the cliffs above a string of calas: Cala Antena, Cala Domingos and, further along, Cala Murada. The village is very quiet. That’s lovely if you want a rest and limiting if you don’t. There’s little to do outside the hotel without a car, so we spent two of our four days hiking the coast paths.

Getting there: rent a car

This was the worst part of our stay, and I’m putting it near the top so you don’t repeat it. We didn’t rent a car. The public bus from Palma airport took about three hours, with changes, a 3-year-old and a 6-year-old. By car the same trip is around 1.5 hours. Rent at the airport, or book a private transfer. For four days, it’s worth it for the transfer alone.

Our family room

We had a family room on the 9th floor, and the view is the thing I still remember: cliffs and sea from the balcony. The room was very clean and spacious, with air-conditioning, plenty of storage, a modern bathroom and a 32″ flat-screen TV. Towels were changed daily. We arrived at 9 am, and although check-in is at 3 pm, we had the room at 1 pm. With two small children that’s a big favour, so ask.

All-inclusive food and drinks

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are buffets in the main restaurant, which has views over the cliffs and the sea. Between meals, the snack bar covered burgers, pizza, hot dogs and chips, which is exactly what a 3-year-old wants at 4 pm. Drinks are included at the bars. There was different fish and meat every day, and options for vegetarians and allergies. The restaurant only opens at set times, so with small kids the snack bar is what saves you.

Pools at Alua Calas de Mallorca

When we stayed there were four pools: big ones with a deep end and a small children’s pool. Today Hyatt lists four outdoor pools (two for children) and one indoor pool, open 10:00–18:00. Two things nobody tells you:

• Pool towels need a €10 deposit (what we paid in 2019).
• In October the water was cold. The kids swam anyway, and I didn’t. If you go at the end of the season, the indoor pool is the reason to choose this hotel over its neighbours.

There was poolside yoga and pool bikes during the day.

Kids’ club (Astro Club)

At the end of the season there were only 6 or 7 children in the club, which turned out to be an advantage: the staff were amazingly kind and gave each child a lot of attention. On the first day the boys refused to go. By the last day they were asking to. That’s the best review a kids’ club can get.

Today it’s called the Astro Club and starts at age 4. Hyatt’s pages disagree on the top age (12 or 16), so ask when you book if you have a teenager. Marc, at 3, was below today’s minimum age, so check the rules for toddlers before you count on it.

Evening entertainment

Every night there was a kids’ show first, then one for adults: flamenco, magic, live singing. We missed the Mamma Mia night. The team had real enthusiasm, and by the end of the week my two were on stage “dancing like superstars”.

Beaches near Alua Calas de Mallorca

There are two calas within walking distance. The closer one is about 5 minutes away, down steep steps, which isn’t great with a pushchair or a tired 3-year-old. The other is 10–15 minutes away with an easier path. Both have sunbeds and facilities. Even in October they felt crowded to us, so we went back to the pools and the coast paths instead.

What we liked and what we didn’t

• 👍 The staff, the kids’ club, the evening shows, the room and the view from the 9th floor, early check-in, a buffet with plenty of choice.
• 👎 A 3-hour bus from the airport. A quiet village with little to do without a car. Cold pools in October. Steep steps to the nearest cala.

Is Alua Calas de Mallorca good for families?

Yes, for a family that wants a stay-put, all-inclusive week and has, or rents, a car. I’d book it for kids aged 4 to 10, who’ll use the club and the children’s pools, in June or September, when the water is warmer than in our October. If you want to explore Mallorca’s villages and mountains, stay in the north instead (see Mallorca with kids).

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Alua Calas de Mallorca: FAQ

Is Alua Calas de Mallorca the same hotel as Sol Calas de Mallorca?

Yes. It was Sol Calas de Mallorca, part of Meliá’s Sol brand, and now trades as Alua Calas de Mallorca Resort in Hyatt’s all-inclusive collection. It’s the same building on the east coast of Mallorca.

Is Alua Calas de Mallorca good for families with kids?

Yes. It has four outdoor pools including two for children, an indoor pool, the Astro Club for kids from age 4, and family shows every evening. It works best if you have a car, because the village is quiet and remote.

How far is Alua Calas de Mallorca from Palma airport?

Around 1.5 hours by car. By public bus it took us about three hours with changes, so rent a car or book a transfer.

Are there beaches near Alua Calas de Mallorca?

Yes, two calas on foot: one about 5 minutes away down steep steps and one 10 to 15 minutes away on an easier path. Both have sunbeds.

Are the pools heated at Alua Calas de Mallorca?

There is an indoor pool. The outdoor pools were cold when we stayed in October, so if you travel late in the season, the indoor pool matters.