Globales Playa Estepona

A great resort for families and couples ...just do your homework before you come regarding the area and the hotel itself, then you won't be disappointed.

We enjoyed a very chilled week here, booked with TUI with the slight upgrade to a Suite. Allocated room 505 in the Formentera Block. Excellent value for the price we paid. Wonderful sea and mountain views, overlooking the water park but the noise of the flumes wasn't disruptive. ( only active 10am to 6pm ) I'm not sure if I'd describe it as a suite, a large enough room, comfortable bed, spot on bathroom with walk in shower. Good storage and an extra bed to dump stuff tucked in the corner. A perfect base to relax in.

The last review from Blackie captures most of what we experienced during our stay. We booked and ate in the Beach Bar every evening, bar one, much quieter and an excellent themed menu every night. Just remember to book the day before. We never ventured up to the main restaurant for breakfast, preferred a slow wake up and brunch in the Beach Bar ... just added a jar of Aldi jam ( just up the road ) and it met our needs. Both dinner and brunch by the sea were wonderful. We ate lunch in the main restaurant, never disappointed with the food but busy. We never had any issues with the quality of the food on offer, it's a very Spanish / European hotel so don't come if you expect English dishes. There's a constant supply of burgers, hot dogs and chips if that's your preference.

The Formentera block is right by the beach bar, perfect location as the complex is huge and it's a good walk from reception.

The Splash Pool and flumes are amazing, clean and well supervised. Perfect for all ages – the wave pool wasn't working while we were there. If you have kids and want a one centre, hardly leaving the complex holiday don't think it can be beaten. Our kids would have loved it, never a shortage of sun beds in September. The beach is as described by others, good sand for kids, rocky to get in the water, but great to walk along and watch the sunset.

Not much more to add...other positive reviews capture the complex, we'd certainly come back again knowing what to expect. Take some of the negative reviews with a pinch of salt...we all have different needs and expectations.

Comments for the hotel: Almost annoying enough to lose a review point, but the overall holiday was a 5 so we'll reflect that. Sort the lifts out in the Formentera block, only one of the two worked for 3 days..no out of order signs up! The one that worked set the alarm off and dropped if there were more than 3 people in ( said 6 was ok ) ...not good. You need instructions for the aircon in the room... and contact numbers for reception. No use having a phone without a number for reception !( 9 ) Sort the room cards out...ours failed twice..once only one card, the last night both. It's a long walk back to reception from the sea! We'd kept them separate away from mobiles as instructed. Just niggles now we're home...keep up the good work!

This complex is off a main dual carriage way and has 6 seperate blocks holding circa 1400 guests. When we went it had about 1000. FAMILIES: it has 2 splash parks and lots of activities for children and toddlers. The Caberet Bar also gives reasonable familiy entertainment each night. Location is remote so note where this is located if you are expecting to go out. The All Inclusive option is 'okay' and this is where my review has two halves, but I do want to say how hard the catering and cleaning staff work endlessley cleaning up after people(some who were very disrespectful of facilites and thoughtless taking and leaving piles of food). The main restaurant by reception barely coped with the 1000 people that were there, especially at breakfast. As there is no coffee or tea in the rooms, you have to queue with the crowds to get a morning coffee, and getting tea is hopeless!...and then find somewhere to sit and drink it. I read the catering has attracted many comments in previous reviews about temperature and taste, and I can say food was mostly tepid at every sitting, unless you stood for a fresh batch. There were so many flies and I think they can do better to cover food that is stood. I have had better salad bars at other Globales (Majorca) so was disappointed at this basic offering.

The Beach bar doesn't open until 10.00am and this is where the management could make a breakfast coffee and tea station from 07.00 with just pastries so there is a chance to have a quiet, relaxing morning coffee by the sea away from the masses queuing for the machines, eggs and toast - it would also aleviate the crowds and seating. COUPLES: We booked a junior suite and was given room F605 in the Frontera block by the beach bar. This room is tiny and you barely have room for your case and to move by the bed. I banged myself three times! The bathroom is also tiny with a small hairdryer that kept overheating and stopping. We would not call it a suite and we were very disappointed, and squashed! The balcony was huge with two sun loungers, table and chairs with views over the splash park and sea. It gets the sun from 1pm to sundown, so nice to sit and watch(very happy). The Beach Bar roof solarium opens from 10am and has cabanas on top that are in need of maintenence.(TIP:bring some kitchen cleaning wipes to clean before you use them and dont wear white!) It is lovely to sit up there and listen to waves roaring in over the pebbly beach. The bar opens again at 7pm for evening food but you must book the day before(TIP: go to reception after breakfast to book especially for Saturday where queues were unmanageable.)

EXTRA COSTS: You have to pay €11 a day for the safe which we thought was too expensive and greedy. Cocktails on AI are sugary and you have to buy premium ones circa €8. check all extras (towels etc.) so you understand. BEACH: Direct access from the hotel. Sandy at first but entering the sea is over big pebbles and you need solid beach/ water shoes to get in safely. It can be windy and rough, good for windsurfing.

Overall our 4 night stay was okay, but we wouldn't come back due the 'Junior Suite' being a tiny room and the morning coffee/tea farce each morning, and tepid food.
But lots of people seemed to have a good time.