Sunset Beach Club

We have just come back from an 8 day stay at this hotel as a family with 2 children aged 6 and 9. I’ll start with the pro’s (I can’t comment on the food as we were self catering and didn’t eat at the restaurant)

1. The animation team were amazing - so enthusiastic and friendly, great with the kids and their pool parties were a firm favourite with us! The lion king and shrek evening musicals were also brilliant - we absolutely loved them!
2. We never had sun bed wars - we came down anywhere between 10-12 every day and never had an issue getting sun beds
3. The air con in the rooms was brilliant
4. The hotel and pool areas were clean, tidy and well maintained including the rooms being thoroughly cleaned every day.
5. The supermarket being just across the road was great. When you’ve got kids that hate shopping and just want to be in the pool, the proximity of the supermarket being a short distance away is a must have
6. There are lots of places to eat and drink nearby - the hotel is at the end of the strip of bars and restaurants but we enjoy walking and it took around 15 minutes to get to the strip of restaurants. The bus was also very convenient and only a few euros to get into the marina. Also very conveniently close to the airport
7. Free WiFi in all areas which worked well
8. The games room was a big hit with everyone - we spent a lot of time playing pool and other arcade games
9. Beautiful views from the panorama bar - especially good at happy hour when drinks are 2 for 1

The cons

1. The pool was far too busy - every time I got in I was kicked, splashed, jumped on, it was like being in a tin of sardines just elbow to elbow with other people. My 9 year old is a strong swimmer but when he’s being swam on top of and whacked at every moment it made it really tough
2. We booked a studio with a sofa bed and the sofa bed was the most uncomfortable thing I’ve ever laid on- it had one single pull out mattress and the other half was just laying on the sofa
3. The levels of noise. We had kids running outside our room at 2am screaming and banging - I don’t think I properly slept the whole time I was there.
4. They need more evening kids entertainment. The mini disco was 8:30-9 but after that it was adult tributes - Michael Jackson, Adele etc (aside from the 2 musicals which were brilliant)

Just an honest review of our experience!

This was not a 4 star experience, I would generously say a moderate 3 star at best.

On arrival, there was a queue to book in, people in the queue were other new arrivals, but also, people with complaints and queries, booking in process was long winded. No welcome from the staff. Room was on 5th floor and was basic, dated dated but clean; but situated next to 3 lifts. I went to Reception to ask asked for a room away for lifts but was told no room available. After unpacking we switched TV on in room, and all of the electricity went off in room. I rang reception and Maintenance responded quickly, but he didn't appear to know what problem was, and spoke little English, he informed the Reception desk, we would need to move rooms, advised only room available was next to bar, and wasn't quiet ( as we had requested a quiet room, at time of booking). Another room could be available the next day, so we could move again. We opted to stay in room, for one night and see what was available the next day, Receptionist told us to go down to Reception at 9am the following morning. A portable air conditioner was bought to room, in case any problem overnight, but this had to be switched off, as hose had to go out of doors onto the balcony and the noise was horrendous. As we had been travelling since 3am, we opted for an early night, at 11pm, we were disturbed, by what sounded like a party, in the corridor outside our room, this went on for at least 20 minutes, whilst people waiting for lifts. This recurred at 3am when, we assumed they returned. We also later found out the function room, was just down the corridor. Hardly a quiet room! Following morning, I went to Reception after breakfast just after 9am, to be told to return at noon, at noon I was told to return at 2pm. At 1pm , the Receptionist I had spoken with the previous afternoon, called to ask if I still wanted to change room, which I replied yes and explained I had been down to reception twice and told to return at 2pm. Clearly no communication between the Reception team, each visit to reception involved a wait of 20-45 minutes. I do not consider this good customer service. At 2pm we were given a room key to look at a replacement room on 8th floor, which we checked and agreed to take, we were told to take our time moving rooms, however, the housekeeping staff on level 5, hassled us to move, telling us that Reception was hassling them. Again, poor communication. Once moved room was fine, but experience was stressful.

DINING We booked half board package, and I had asked hotel to be told in advance that I was gluten free. Labelling in the dining room was hit and miss, some dishes were labelled , others weren't, as our holiday progressed, the gluten free choices lessened, and on some evenings, it seemed as though only option was Paella, A dried chewy white fish of some sort, frozen vegetables and frozen roast potatoes. On two occasions cutting into these, the outside was cooked, but middle was still frozen! There was a good choice of salads, but most desserts contained gluten. Gluten free bread was hard and I resorted to bringing my own down to dining hall. The best meals we had as a family in the 10 days, were outside the hotel, in small establishments, who seemed better informed about dietary requirements. Some of the dining room staff were lovely, but we found many indifferent and I gave up asking questions, as they clearly weren't interested in the customers. Evening dining, was chaotic, tables left uncleared, and it felt like being herded.

POOL The Pool area is ridiculously unsuited to the number of guests staying at the hotel. Sunbeds are competitive, which I don't blame the hotel for. However, despite having three pools, they were unusable. I appreciate the smaller pool was geared up for younger children, but mid morning on most days the one pool was taken over by the 'kids club', which again I do get, but kids not involved in kids club then took over the third pool, with all manner of inflatables, and their dive bombing into the pool, with no regard for others, which meant you were unable to swim in there. I think I used pool 3 times and had to just stand at the side as it was impossible to swim or float.

CHILDREN The Hotel seemed, to have many unsupervised children running around the hotel, a sign in the lift clearly states children under 12 needed supervision in lifts, yet daily there were young children unsupervised in lifts. We left pool are one day, due to children playing football around sun beds, with no challenge from staff. And late at night it seemed that children thought it funny to ring doorbell's outside late at night and run off.

HOUSEKEEPING Housekeeping staff, were excellent, really friendly, particularly on floor 8. Very willing to help and the rooms were spotless, they worked exceptionally hard and were happy to work around us. They do the hotel credit! They were also the only ones, to bid us goodbye, on the day we left.

BAR STAFF Again a credit to the hotel, friendly and helpful and bar areas very clean and tidy.

Overall, staying at this hotel was sadly not a pleasant experience, it was stressful and if I would have happily left after a couple of days. The Reception is a shambles, it lacks the level of customer service you should expect at a 4 star resort and communication was poor. A separate enquiry desk, would be better, than lumping it in with booking in and out. Dining and basic quality control and better training around food intolerances is required. I would strongly suggest that the Chefs, try gluten free breads, and pick a better quality option; having a food intolerance is miserable, but it makes it worse, when there is a lack of care and attention, to labelling, offering some choice and quality of the product. And being made to feel a nuisance, because you can't eat something is awful. I would also like to point out that despite, there being an area on the 5th floor for our Tour operator, there was no information as to how to contact him, or what days he was in; as the WI-FI in the hotel wasn't always great, we couldn't access the APP, also for those who perhaps aren't' 'tech savvy' this is exclusion Just a simple notice, with a name , contact details and a timetable of when & where he would be available would be helpful, as Reception team seemed not to know.

Upon arrival there is no where for coaches to park so we were dropped further down the main road and had to drag suitcases along very uneven and awkward paths to get to hotel. Reception area very clean and initial impressions were ok. The outside of the hotel is dated and tired although modernisation has been done in drips to some parts. The staff are always cleaning and it's a fairly clean hotel but no more than a 3 star. Our biggest gripe is the pool area. It is far too small for the amount of guests. Shoehorned in like sardines. Our family came with friends and their children and the kids had been looking forward to this holiday of playing in the pool for a week for a long time, however that kids dream was to be shattered when no fun can be had in the pool. Only rings of a small diameter allowed. No balls, not even a squash ball type squishy ball. Our kids were made to take them out. The lifeguard has a measuring stick and marches over to any excited kid with a ring to measure and disappoint them. Ruined what should have been an exciting week of fun for them. Can't comment on the food as we didn't eat here.