Alvarito Playa semi detached

It’s a quiet, lovely area, and there’s a quaint beach about an eight-minute walk away. Food choices nearby are limited and not especially memorable, but the local bus to Marbella centre costs €1.20 and gets you to plenty of options. The hotel staff are friendly, and the cleaners do a particularly good job. The rooms are comfortable but far too small for a family of four, especially if you need space. This place is very geared toward younger children, and some rules feel more focused on safety than fun. No inflatables are allowed in the pool, and the lifeguard stays close without smiling, which can feel uncomfortable. Entertainment is poor, and on many evenings there’s nothing happening at all. English kids may find it hard to join daytime clubs because of the language barrier, as most guests are Spanish. It’s clean and friendly, and you get what you pay for. If you’re not all-inclusive or need room to spread out, I’d skip it.

The location was our main drawback. The hotel is a long way from Marbella centre, even by bus, and the nearby highway is quite close. There wasn’t anywhere nearby to go for an evening drink, though a supermarket and a pharmacy were close at hand. Our room was cozy and had a nice view, and we liked the food. They didn’t have gluten-free bread or cakes out, but the waiters helped me choose what I could eat. They also had gluten-free bread or cookies in storage when I asked.

The beach is beautiful, and the rooms were cleaned every day. Breakfast was excellent too. But families with young children should know that the hotel charges £180 for a balcony room, which seems outrageous when you need somewhere to dry towels. The beach is private, and a sun lounger costs €6-€12 each time. It’s a long walk from the hotel, even though it’s stunning once you get there. There’s no rep to explain what’s around, and staff don’t volunteer much information. The country is very expensive, and taxis cost around £20-£25 each way. Some drivers deliberately take longer routes for more money, and they won’t take five passengers, so larger families may be stuck at the hotel, need two taxis, or take the bus. The bus service is good, with most places about 20-30 minutes away. About 99% of the guests are Spanish, and they don’t mix with English guests. I also saw a couple with three small children miss their transfer and flight. The hotel initially did nothing to help, so I stepped in and insisted the hungry, crying children be given food. My friend offered to pay, but the manager eventually let them eat for free after we pointed out the food would mostly be thrown away. They had to pay for two extra nights, and staff and management kept saying, “it’s your problem, not ours.” It was late in the evening, and they needed reassurance in a crisis. The service felt very unhelpful and unprofessional, and they seem to go out of their way only for Spanish guests. If you book, don’t say you weren’t warned.

We couldn’t make the trip because of corona, but they cancelled our reservation without charging us, even though the terms didn’t require it. That was really kind, and we appreciate it. We’ll definitely stay there when travelling is possible again.