Side Star Park Hotel

We came as a family of ten, and the staff did everything they could for us. They were friendly and helpful the whole time, and really made the holiday. The hotel was very clean and the food was great. It’s one of the best places we’ve stayed, and we’ll definitely come back.

The main snag was the room setup. There were two adults and our teenage son, and sharing one room didn’t give us much privacy. We were quoted £1,100 for a week-long upgrade, so an extra bed was put in our existing room instead. We managed comfortably enough. The other thing to know is the sunbed towel rule: staff may remove towels left early on beds that are still unoccupied. It’s meant to keep access fair, but it has caused misunderstandings, and enforcement seems to vary. I agree with the rule, though I wish it were applied every day rather than just when staff choose. The pool and beach were clean and well kept, and the weather was very warm during our week. Staff worked hard and gave excellent service. Some reviews complain about gratuities, but tipping is standard in hospitality; we chose to tip people who went beyond what we expected, and they appreciated the small gestures. Food choice could get repetitive, though there was always something available. The location is ideal.

The beach is close by, and the staff were polite. Those were the main positives for us. We stayed June 8-15, 2025, with my wife, our five-month-old baby and my mother-in-law, and the experience didn’t match what we expected from a four-star hotel. The pool music was the biggest problem with a baby. It played very loudly every day, and although the website mentions poolside music as part of the animation program, it doesn’t say it can reach 80 decibels inside rooms. We were in Room 421, and our baby could hardly sleep before the music stopped at 22:00. It didn’t feel relaxing or family-friendly. Our family room had two rooms and four beds, but the air conditioning never cooled it properly at first. We ran it overnight on arrival, then reported it the next morning. A technician said it was fixed and would take the night to cool, which sounded doubtful, but we waited. The room was still hot the following day. After two more visits and a sensor replacement, the AC finally worked, three days into the stay. The electricity also became unreliable. A second technician bypassed the key card mechanism to fix that, which didn’t reassure us. Shower pressure and temperature control were poor as well. Meals were repetitive and bland, and seemed aimed at older guests. The positive reviews from guests who appeared to average around 70 may help explain that impression. Alcohol quality was low, and cocktails varied so much that some were undrinkable. Restaurant service also felt conditional: we noticed we could be overlooked for drinks unless we tipped. There are tipping boxes at nearly every station, including reception, the bar and restaurant, which made it seem like tips were expected for ordinary service. With the unreliable AC, noise, food and awkward service expectations, this hotel didn’t live up to its rating for a family with a young child.

We booked a week with our family at the Side Star Hotel and wished we’d stayed for two. The facilities and food were excellent, and the staff were superb and very helpful. We’ll definitely come back.