Iberostar Selection Albufera Playa

“Incredible Iberostar”

As a family we had the best time at this hotel. It was the first time staying at an Iberostar hotel and we were not disappointed, in fact I would say it exceeded our expectations. Our first impressions of the hotel was a modern hotel situated in a great location if you want to be close to a love... more

As a family we had the best time at this hotel. It was the first time staying at an Iberostar hotel and we were not disappointed, in fact I would say it exceeded our expectations. Our first impressions of the hotel was a modern hotel situated in a great location if you want to be close to a lovely beach. Kurt greeted us and made our check in fun, informative and friendly. Our room was a double room with pool view and was again decorated with a modern feel and was clean with a lovely big bed for my partner and I and a sofa bed for my daughter. The bathroom was spacious and with a large walk in shower. The room also comes with a fridge, tea/coffee making facilities and wardrobe (we could have done with more drawers and hanging space but we survived). It had a lovely terrace that looked on to two pools and had a table and chairs plus 2 Sun loungers which was a great space. The plus for my daughter was the entertainment staff and the activities that were on offer. The hotel app allows you to view each day/nights activities. Big shout out to Mario (super Mario) who was amazing as he really put in a huge effort to make my daughter’s holiday fun and even gave her a little gift on her last day. The other entertainment staff were fantastic too and put so much effort to the shows they were a part of. I tried some of the fitness classes and again staff were excellent (Mar was so friendly and professional). The pools are great, inflatable dome is a huge hit. The water mat, bouncy slides and foam party they add on select days is another fun touch. You do need to put towels down before 10am to guarantee a sun lounger but late afternoon you could get one too. The rooftop pool and bar is a fabulous chilled area where kids can go too. It has excellent views of the hotel and beech and has lovely sunbeds, swings and self service drinks area. The food in the buffet was delicious and had a nice variety. The drinks promotions on arrival was a nice touch (cava, sangria and Corona). The waiting staff were always friendly and attentive. TIP - if there is a queue then it’s usually for people wanting outside seats so if you want inside we just highlighted this and got a table straight away. Entertainment at night was typical singers, bands, quizzes and a market. These were all good. Nice touches - waiting staff coming round pool area with ice cream lollies, fruit stall at pool area, water coolers around each floor to get fresh water 24/7, self service drinks areas for water, juice, slushes and alcohol, 24/7 cafe for snacks and soft drinks/tea or coffee. Being able to use facilities of the Iberostar selection park hotel too. Downside - partner wanted to use jacuzzi and sauna in spa but both weren’t working. He did report this but nothing happened.

less

“Highly recommended”

It was an amazing experience, and everything exceeded our expectations. The staff, especially the reception and entertainment teams, were professional and friendly. The hotel is well-managed, and we were impressed by the attention to detail. The cleanliness throughout the hotel was outstanding. T... more

It was an amazing experience, and everything exceeded our expectations. The staff, especially the reception and entertainment teams, were professional and friendly. The hotel is well-managed, and we were impressed by the attention to detail. The cleanliness throughout the hotel was outstanding. The facilities, food, and drinks surpassed our expectations. The entertainment activities and programs were enjoyable, though we would appreciate if they extended beyond 11 PM, especially on weekends. Overall, the Iberostar Selection Albufera Playa hotel is highly recommended for a relaxing vacation, whether as a couple or with children, due to their excellent facilities and numerous activities for kids.

less

“Wonderful summer getaway with kids.”

Perfect hotel for families with children, we had lot of fun in the swimming pools, and beach is just a few steps away! Sea and the beach are marvelous. Sand is fine and white, sea was warm and tourquise, with just the right sized waves. Food was very good, especially the tematic restaurants (a bi... more

Perfect hotel for families with children, we had lot of fun in the swimming pools, and beach is just a few steps away! Sea and the beach are marvelous. Sand is fine and white, sea was warm and tourquise, with just the right sized waves. Food was very good, especially the tematic restaurants (a big thank you to Tolo and the team in Martinete for expert recommendations). Our rooms was kept clean - many thanks to Agui. Beds are more comfortable than average. On the other hand there are beds right next the entry door to the room and all the noise from the corridor disturbs. There is also a lot of electric appliencies lights - blinking fire detectors make you feel like at a disco in the middle of the night. AC also has a shining screen that lights up the room unnecesserily. Overall though very good experience, nice evening program ending at a reasonable hour, as expected in a family friendly hotel. Excellent management of potable water, with carafe in the room and fountains spread across the resort - always at hand and environmentally friendly. Many activities available also outside the resort. We are certainly coming back.

less

“Great property, but some things missing”

Our usual vacations are in the Caribbean, so that is the basis of our expectations and comparisons. Some things may just be a difference of European vs. American preferences. The Albufera Playa and Park share amenities, but we were told the Park side is more “family friendly”. The property is fan... more

Our usual vacations are in the Caribbean, so that is the basis of our expectations and comparisons. Some things may just be a difference of European vs. American preferences. The Albufera Playa and Park share amenities, but we were told the Park side is more “family friendly”. The property is fantastic for families with kids. We stayed on the Playa side which was still dominated by families. Roughly 90% of the tables in the restaurants were families with kids. Lots of activities and a kids club. The beach is a shared public beach. It’s also top-optional, which is interesting for such a kid-oriented property. Two beach chairs and umbrella rented for €15 per day. Things we liked: Beautiful property. Food was very good - the buffet restaurant had good variety at all meals and the specialty restaurants were tasty. Service attitude at the front desk was very pleasant. Check in was pleasant and efficient. Lots of diverse pools. Water refill stations in the buildings were sustainable. Staff handing out ice cream bars in late afternoon was a nice treat. Beds were comfortable. Movie night was fun with headphones to be able to listen in different languages. Lots of daytime and evening activities available. Skybar was a nice area. Staff offered a welcome drink upon arrival at every meal. Disappointments: Towel hut was only open during limited hours and never had clean towels when we went. We ended up with the same towels all week unless the front desk had some. Pools were only opened from 10-6, way too short for summer. No poolside drink service and the one bar was all the way on the opposite side near the kids pool. No washcloths or loofah. How do you scrub sand out of your skin? No amenity kits or irons in the room. Our upgraded sea-view room mainly had a view of the parking lot. Killed about 2 dozen sand gnats (or something similar) within the first 15 minutes in our room. Immediately after check in, we were unable to book reservations at most of the specialty restaurants for the entire time of our stay. The concierge was later able to get us in. No ice at drink stations. Would be nice to have an adult-only pool, or designate the pool in the Skybar rooftop as such. Also, that pool is less than 1 meter - should be deeper. Having a pool built for small kids in the area designed for adult lounging was a mismatch. Overall, we liked more than we didn’t, but some things like the pool towels, washcloths and poolside service cheapened the experience and for the price paid, was very disappointing. Most of the disappointments are fixable, so hopefully the management will adjust.

less