IBEROSTAR Playa Gaviotas

Norman is great so funny great activities good time had by all

We have recently returned from our 1-week holiday with our grandchildren, who are 7 and 9 years old. This was their first foreign holiday.

The flight was OK, typical low-rent quality (Jet2). The food was average, and the staff the same. The passage through passport control, etc. at the airport was pretty swift, and the coach transport was high-quality. The journey to the hotel takes about 90 minutes which is a bit of a drawback after such a journey.

Check-in at the hotel was great, and the interconnecting rooms were set up as we asked, with two twins and a very large double overlooking the sea and pool, each with a balcony.

The rooms were perfectly adequate but showing their age a little in places with chipped paintwork, etc., but perfectly functional. A special mention to the cleaning staff who were always friendly and industrious! Take a look at one of our photos for an indication of their attitude to their work!

The only slight downside was that it was essential for us to go and put our towels on a set of four loungers next to the pool so we were later able to watch the children playing in it when they were allowed to (10 am to 6 pm). This had to be done before breakfast started (7:30 am) to get them before they were all snaffled! If we hadn't needed to keep an eye on the children (e.g. if they were older), then there were plenty of loungers away from the poolside.

The main hotel public areas are well furnished and decorated. They were working on refurbishing the Coronas bar whilst we were there and we were concerned about the noise beforehand. But the work was being carried out quietly, and we hardly noticed it.

The standout factors that made this holiday so good were:-

1. The number and quality of the staff. 99% were genuinely happy in their work and were always friendly and efficient, especially in the Atlantico restaurant.

2. The quality of the food was very good. Part of the joy of all-inclusive is that the grandchildren can find and try foodstuffs that they may not have tried before. And if it turned out that it wasn't to their taste, they could leave it, and the plate would be whisked away from the table within minutes without any judgment (the hotel has an amazing food waste policy which is worth researching). Occasionally, one of the dishes might include some meat that was tough, but the choice was so wide that every meal was a joy. If some item was not quite right, we just went and chose something else. A special mention to the fresh bakery items - especially the chorros every morning!

3. The children's activities were numerous, and each leader was gentle and kind to the children with no pushiness or pressure applied.

4. Snacks were available regularly throughout the day (as if we weren't eating enough at mealtimes!) with waffles and crepes, etc. available plus icre cream, etc. Staff regularly circulated the pool areas with trays of drinks, both soft and alcoholic, plus ice cream lollies for the children. It was quite amazing.

We were slightly anxious that the holiday would be spoiled by rowdy children and tanked-up adults! But the reverse was the case. The hotel had a restful ambience and all the customers - young and old - were well-mannered, quiet, respectful of each other.

The facilities throughout the hotel were amazing, and everything had been well thought out to make sure their customers' needs were met. For example, we needed to check out of our room at midday but were not being picked up by our coach until 5:30 pm. We were allowed to use the all-inclusive facilities (lunch and snacks, etc.) after check-out and were even allocated a courtesy room where we could change out of swimming costumes and shower before our pick-up.

Honestly, the hotel was very hard to fault

Very good experience overall – recommended, with a few areas for improvement

We stayed for 7 nights at Iberostar Waves Playa Gaviotas and overall had a very good experience. It is important to evaluate it for what it is: a solid 4-star all-inclusive resort rather than a 5-star luxury hotel.

Positive points: • Staff: Extremely friendly, polite and helpful throughout our stay. Definitely one of the hotel’s strongest points. • Location & beach: Excellent location in Jandía, directly in front of a beautiful, long sandy beach. • Rooms: Comfortable, very clean and well maintained. Interestingly, our second room, supposedly a lower category, actually seemed even better and had a bidet. • Food variety: Huge buffet selection, particularly salads, vegetables, fruits, grains and fish. Plenty of good options for those who want to eat healthy. • Overall facilities: Good common areas and competent evening shows. We also had an excellent experience with the restaurant manager, who showed genuine hospitality.

Areas for improvement: • Sunbeds: The towel-reservation situation is frustrating. Many sunbeds were already “reserved” by 8 a.m. The hotel should manage this much better. • All-inclusive operation: Despite plenty of staff, some processes could be better organized. At times there was no ice, the drinking water by the pool was warm, and unnecessary queues formed. The buffet offers great variety, although some dishes lacked flavor. • Teenagers/young adults: We missed more activities and social interaction for guests around 16–20 years old. The evening shows are good, but not very interactive.

Also worth knowing: beach sunbeds/umbrellas and some activities are charged separately.

Overall, I would recommend the hotel. Great staff, location and variety. Not a premium 5-star experience, but a very good 4-star all-inclusive resort.