Magic Natura Animal, Waterpark & Polynesian Resort

The zoo and water park were the real highlights for us. We went at the end of May, so they weren’t too busy, and the kids loved the animals, slides, and paddling pools. The dining staff worked hard and cleared plates quickly, although getting a table could be incredibly difficult because the restaurant was so busy. The resort itself left us disappointed, and we wouldn’t stay again. Our lodge felt tired, especially the bathroom and outside areas, and there wasn’t enough outdoor seating for all five of us. With three children aged 13, 8, and 8, the youngest had to sleep in the living room, which wasn’t ideal. The hotel pools and loungers were also very worn. Reception staff often didn’t seem well informed and just sent us to the hotel app, which wasn’t intuitive. Many staff didn’t speak English, so asking for things or sorting out basic issues was difficult. Housekeeping dropped off at the end: our mini-fridge wasn’t refilled and towels weren’t changed on the last day. Pool bars shut at 6:00 PM, and the bar staff were slow and seemed inconvenienced by drink orders, though they moved quickly to pull the blinds down at closing. The website says rest hours start at 11:00 PM, but the evening entertainment was loud until midnight and easy to hear from our lodge, making it hard for the kids to sleep. The holiday was just okay, saved by the excellent zoo and water park, but the noise, cramped lodge, tired resort, and frustrating service made for a poor hotel experience.

Cristian and Sandra from the entertainment team kept everyone smiling and gave the kids loads of attention. The other staff, from the bar and cleaning teams to the dinner servers, were lovely too. We stayed in the all-inclusive-plus Polynesian lodge with a hot tub, which was just right for our family of four. The tub was especially welcome on the two rainy days, and the orange wristband was a nice little extra. The food was brilliant, with nothing to fault. The kids had plenty to do, and we could check the daily activities in the app and simply turn up. Entry to Terra Natura and Aqua Natura was a big hit with them. I really recommend the Magic Robin hood medieval show. Our oldest left her bag there, but the reception team at Magic Natura and Ellie in customer services went out of their way to find it and tell me when I could collect it. We’d highly recommend this for families and will definitely return.

We upgraded to Ultra and booked everything in the app on day one. That gave us access to the three themed restaurants, a meal out in Benidorm, the medieval banquet and the pirate show. We went during term time, and although I’d seen some negative reviews, we didn’t run into anything bad ourselves. The zoo was fantastic, the setting was gorgeous and the staff were all friendly. We’ve just come back from a week with the family and loved every minute.

The kids loved every minute, and there was always something to do without leaving the resort. Our all-inclusive stay covered the waterpark and zoo, and both were fantastic and worth what we paid. The staff were really friendly, and everything was kept clean. Our original room wasn’t available, so they gave us a free upgrade, which was great. We’d definitely come back.