Al-1204 Estepona - Apartment - Alcazaba Lagoon

A great family day out, and a fantastic place to bring kids. The amenities are amazing and it’s reasonably priced. The prawns on the lunch menu were the best I’ve ever had!

The setting is pleasant, though nowhere near as impressive as advertised. What made the visit uncomfortable was the staff’s attitude. The woman at reception was cold, unfriendly, and frankly rude, and the staff overall acted as if guests were beneath them. At the entrance restaurant, service was among the worst we’ve experienced. The waiters seemed uninterested, paid no attention when we looked confused or tried to catch their eye, and took an unreasonably long time to bring overpriced, mediocre pizzas. Everything else felt unnecessarily expensive too, even a simple bottle of water. The bartenders in the smoking area were the one bright spot, genuinely kind and friendly. We left La Alcazaba Vive Lagoon extremely disappointed and can’t recommend it.

The white wine was the one thing I actually liked. The rest of the food was a letdown: the margarita pizza was incredibly greasy, and the hamburger had a strange sweetness for no reason. The spaghetti bolognese was nothing like the original recipe. When I ordered chicken, they brought me a whole bird that was overcooked, with terrible pico de gallo.

We came to Vive lagoon this morning for a day at the man-made beach with my pregnant wife. They let us in despite there being no beach sunbeds left. Several other people in the same situation as us moved to an area where there were plenty, then we were told that area was closed. The alternatives were a seat in the cocktail bar or a lounger in the pool area. The website doesn’t mention the limited number of sunbeds or suggest arriving early. If it had, we would gladly have come at 1100. Instead, at 1315 we were told we should’ve arrived at 1100 to get one of the few sunbeds and avoid disappointment. The business should make the limits clear before taking €15pp, and the receptionist could improve her demeanour. She was pretty miserable. Enjoy the €30s. I hope the receptionist falls over, grazes her elbows, and it stings in her next shower.