Melia Benidorm

I'll start with the positive the pool. Big and spacious, not too deep so the kids could swim around in front of our sunlounger, the entertainment team really make an effort with the aqua mat, inflatables and aqua gym. Really seems to be the attraction and the main reason for the popularity of this hotel.

That is where the positives end. The canteen (definitely not a restaurant) is the worst I have ever been to and that says a lot. Referenced to feeding time at the zoo and that is an understatement!! Queues reaching the lifts at key times, not enough tables for amount of guests, which leaves you wandering around endlessly waiting for a table. The Spanish dont seem to understand what a queue system is and will routinely barge in front of you, weave in and out and when challenged pretend that they don't understand. We where half board but by the end of the holiday we had had enough of the same repetitive food and being involved in a royal rumble style fight to get food. This really needs to be addressed and we will not return due to this issue.

The sunbed situation is quite comical, it became one of our highlights watching the stampede in the morning at bang on 9am only to saunter out at 9.30am and grab some sunbeds close to the pool. They did have someone who started to remove towels from certain sunbeds, however this was targeted at only non Spanish guests, we had a Spanish family next to us who we didnt see until 11am, whilst an English family had been down all morning, nipped to get some food and the towels had been removed on return. It needs to be all the same rules or nothing at all.

All in all very very average stay, if it wasnt for the pool and the kids enjoying it then would score this stay zero marks.

If you’re the type of person who doesn’t like large crowds, hustle and bustle, and endless queuing, then this hotel probably isn’t for you.

The hotel is absolutely massive and is the complete opposite of a boutique hotel. At times, you really do feel like just a number rather than a guest.

The hotel was refurbished back in 2017, and unfortunately, it’s now starting to look a little tired and rough around the edges.

Queues are a constant feature of your stay. You queue for breakfast, dinner and evening meals. You queue at the bar. It feels like you queue for everything.

Mealtimes can feel like going into battle. You have to wind your way through the madding crowds, searching for a table, only to finally sit down with food that is by then half cold.

We also had an issue when we needed an extra blanket. We called room service and were told someone would be with us within 15 minutes. That didn’t happen. After chasing it up several times, we eventually got some help. Also house keeping wasn’t up to standard for me. They didn’t replenish the milk or towels each day, we had to ask for more plus the coffee cups didn’t get changed so we had to wash them ourselves.

The pool itself is spectacular, but again, remember that you are sharing it with hundreds of other guests. If you miss the towel rush in the morning, which starts at 9am, you may find yourself lying on the grass like we did. Yes, you can pay several thousand pounds for your holiday and still end up lying on the floor!

To sum up, the hotel certainly has its good points, and the pool is fantastic. However, I think the sheer size of the hotel is also the cause of many of the problems I’ve highlighted. If you enjoy large, busy resorts with lots going on, you may love it. But if you prefer somewhere quieter, more personal and relaxed, I’d definitely look elsewhere.