Awesome concept! Definitely worth returning!
Look at the size of this place!!! When the lock-down restrictions of 2020 were beginning to lift, like everyone else, we were anxious to get out after several months of lock-down. Still unable to travel outside of Germany, and craving some sunshine and palm trees, this felt like a great alternative and only a few hours from home (located between Dresden and Berlin).
I'm going to going to share our own experience, which won't begin to cover all the family (and specifically children's) activities available, so I'm going to also direct you to their website to see the possibilities.
Please keep in mind that my intent is to share our experience in hopes it may better prepare you if/when you choose this destination; it is not in any way intended to be critical of Tropical Islands Resort! Overall, we love it and we are already planning a return trip! I'm including a link to my real footage to compare to what's on their website.
“There's an Amazonian area outside that has a lazy river, sand volleyball, a snack shop and Tiki bar, loungers and rent-able cabanas. With appropriate weather, this is probably my favorite part!”
PROs:
Year-round sandy beach and palm trees - what's not to like?!?
Lots of loungers, bars, places to eat, spa services, souvenir and gift shops, and a tropical rain forest!
No cash exchanged; upon check-in you receive a wrist band pre-loaded with $ to make purchases ANYWHERE on the property! There are stations in the dome where you can scan your wrist band to determine whether it needs to have more cash added.
In addition to the beach-setting inside the dome, there's an Amazonian area outside that has a lazy river, sand volleyball, a snack shop and tiki bar, loungers and rentable cabanas. With appropriate weather, this is probably my favorite part!
Many lodging options - both inside and outside the dome! From small unique rooms built into the dome structure and wigwam style tents on the sand right inside the rain forest to camp sites, prefab style homes and luxury tents for "glamping" outside the dome. The bus runs frequently between the camping/glamping area and the dome. (Below you will see a sample of the rooms/tents inside the dome, and some of glamping accommodations, all of which have A/C and at least a small refrigerator. Some even have a small kitchen.)
CONs:
We weren't nuts about the food anywhere on the property. However, in their defense, it was the first week of re-opening after the lock-down and they probably weren't back up to their normal par.
Communications were lacking; their website indicates English-speaking personnel, but we only found three people who fit that bill; again..........maybe not up to speed after lock-down.
Lack of signage!!! This is a biggie for us. Can't blame the lack of signage on COVID; they've been in business for 13 years and should have this perfected! Sufficient signage could easily reduce the long lines at the one and only "Information Booth"!
GOOD TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO - and recommendations
GOOD TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO - and recommendations
Loungers are first come first serve; just like at the real beach people get out early to reserve loungers with beach towels and then go to breakfast, or some even leave their beach towel on the lounger for the weekend to make sure they have a lounger reserved!
If you forget to bring beach towels, you don't have to spend big $ to purchase at the gift shop; you can rent them at the Information Booth! Guidance via signage would have been helpful; didn't know this until check-out day when we saw others returning their rented towels!
If/when you rent a locker (also from the Information Booth) don't assume (like any normal person would) that the number on the fob they give you correlates to the number on the locker! You will be walking for hours looking for THAT locker!!! :) The number on the fob means nothing.....it will give you access to ANY locker that's not already occupied! (Again...where's the signage providing that kind of guidance?)
If "glamping", ask while making reservation for a grill. Most decks in the glamping area have them, but some don't.
Take a cooler and ice! It's not secret that ice is a hot commodity in Germany and this is no exception. There are no convenience stores or gas stations around the corner where you can purchase it. If you don't take it with you, you will learn to do without it:)
If camping/glamping, take your own food to grill! Their website references "a Culinary Tour"......uhhh.....not so much! If you're fine eating burgers, wings, and fries for the duration of your visit, then you're all set. The Tropical Garden Restaurant is supposed to be the "jewel among our restaurants" with multi-course, international cuisine, steak and seafood, etc., but they were never open during our 4-day stay in spite of them allowing us to make (and pay for) an advance reservation!
Take your own bar soap (they absolutely do not provide it!) and your own TP (not provided until we walked back up to reception area to request it).
Pack a couple plastic storage containers in your beach bag.....they do not have any To-Go containers at any of the restaurants and since there's no convenience stores around, you may be wanting those left-overs for a late night snack if you're outside the dome.
Don't overpack! This is not The Greenbriar! If you don't take anything other than a swimsuit, coverup, shorts and flipflops, you will not feel underdressed. And the only place you will be overdressed is in the sauna where clothing is not permitted:) Jewelry/Makeup not recommended! However, EVERYONE must be covered for dining......swimming attire will not suffice!
For anyone who smokes, there is an area inside the dome designated for smoking, but both rooms (right across from each other) are much like those horrible smoking rooms that used to be in the airports! It's much more refreshing to just step outside the dome's front door (very easy to get right back in) or even better, there's a huge smoking area in the Amazonian outdoor attraction!
Overall, we loved it. Yes, it was a learning experience the first time, which is why I'm hoping our experience will improve yours! I forgot to mention that aside from having only one Information Booth for everything inside and outside the dome, while distancing everyone is 6' apart making that a VERY LONG line!
We found this to be a very good value for the cost!
It's on our list!