STILL HERE! We leave tomorrow after spending a week here.
The hotel overall looks great form the inside,having been a little worried about staying here after recieving the letter which told us that the hotel beach club was not yet finished.Very dissapointed that the facility was not available as the pool area was far too overcrowded and the bar service extremely slow.
The four star rating will not kick in until the staff are more experienced,the beach club open and running and the DUST CLOUDS subsided that go along with the building site!
Good luck First Choice I hoope it becomes a success.

Fantastic hotel, and excellent facilities for children, very clean. Rooms very nice, food very good but glad we only stayed for a week as we where getting bored of it by this time. No where else to eat out unless you get taxi or bus. Supermarket very basic and expensive.
we found the courtesy facilites not very good as only one shower and it flooded the whole of the changing area. We had to queue up. No plugs to dry hair,so felt this was a problem. considering the size of the hotel and the amount of guests that may need to use these facilities they have not thought this one out very well.

Children had a fantastic time-they would like to go back again. Maybe in a couple of years but I miss shops and strolling in the evening no where to walk and not a shop in sight.

Very disapointed about the beach club as it looks like it is going to be fantastic, sorry we missed out on this. Due to be open end of June and I would say it looks like it will be this week we have seen it develop in front of our eyes, they are working very hard to get it open.

we had a great time although many people where complaining about everything they could think of.

Returned on 12th June after one week. We already knew that the Beach Club wouldn't be ready and so were prepared for a little overcrowding around the pool and were not disappointed. Remember to think German and get your towel down early. There are plenty of beds to go round but some poeple a a little way from the pool.

The beach club is progressing and at first my estimate would have been late August to be completed. The rate that things chnaged over the course of the week (I've got start and end of the holiday pictures to post to show you how much work was done in a week), means that my estimate for completion of the Beach Club would be the end of July. Most of the pavements outside have now been laid down one side of the road. Crossing the road is not too much trouble, it's a dual carriageway, not a motorway, with less traffic than on a B road over here.

Noise from the trains is minimal with a 'whoosh' as they go past, there are not actually trains but trams, similar to those used in Manachester, Sheffield, Croydon and Docklands( London). Our room was the closest one in the hotel to the rail track and i am a very light sleeper.

Overall the accommodation was excellent, the rooms are double the size of normal hotel rooms,the bathroom has enough space to swing a full grown tiger and their are 2 showers (over bath and seperate) and 2 sinks. Kitchen areas is in a separate room , basic but fully functional with Microwave, 4 electric hobs, fridge, cupboards, tin opener and bottle opener and 4 set cutlery. The bedrooms have 2 double (4 foot) beds giving 8 foot across. (take some string as they slide apart). This was sufficent to have myself, wife and toddler in it with lots of space to spare. 2 huge wardrobes, one in the bedroom, one in the lounge. The lounge was roughtly 20 feet by 8 feet with a 7 foot wide sofa bed. This had a pull out 'under bed' and a slide out top bed,essentailly 2 singles, ideal for kids or adults. Balcony areas was large , table and 5 chairs, approx. 20 feet by 8 feet. Slight smell from the drains but bearable after 10 minues or so.

Food was not exactly suitable for kids under 4 although we discovered my 2 year old daughter loves pizza. good variety , meat quite fatty, overall edible! Choice of 2 soups, several mains, and several swwets with bread board after. Breakfast was excellent!!!, huge choice. High chairs get taken up quickly.

Pool area very busy, the actual pool is not a long as depicted in the brochure of model with the previously planned areas now becoming a sunning terrace leading to a pay bar and entertainments area. The pool is symetrical a each end 'beaching' into a maximum depth of 0.9 metres. beware that the life guards were pretty useless and although inflatables were banned on the Wednesday, (causing major upset), a little girl still almost drowned on Friday due to the lifeguards looking elsewhere. Thankfully some of us saw her and her mother recognised her screams for help before running the 30 feet into the pool. (unbeleivably some people were still playing 'ball' next to her!!!).
There is a large 25 foot circular, toodler pool which 'beaches' in from one side, and has a maximum depth of 0.4 metres. This came up to the waist of my two year old and so was excellent for her.

The snack bar at one end of the pool was, at times very slow, a one point I thought I was dealing with one of the fish from "Finding Nemo" as the staff couldn't seem to remember who was next in the queue. Generally peoeple waited their turn but a few obviously couldn't wait to get their food orders in.

Snack food a little expensive for self caterers although I was all inclusive. Nuggets and chips, Fish and chips were 5.50 Euros for 3 nuggets and chips.

The piano bar, Mexican restraurant and Italian Restraurant were set around a triangle areas just away from the pool area. The piano bar was frustrating if you wanted a drink within 10-15 minutes although this is mostly the same in all Spanish hotels as there appear to be no go bar staff, it made my local look quick! The mexican was terrible (ask for 8 pancakes straight off) and a complete waste of time, I would rather have gone bakc and paid for the Italian which was excellent. Service though, was slow in both.

Can't really provide an insight into the entertainment as ,with a toddler ,they tend to dictate your evening,. There was a kiddies disco every night at 20:00-21:00 with adults bingo at the end. There seemed to be entertaimnent, Illusionist, singing etc,etc. advertised most nights.

Sports facilites looked good, accessed though, over the main road: Baskball court, footy and tennis. The gym was on level -2 and very basic but usable.

Reps were generally like most reps, only interested in you if you wanted to by an excursion and not interested in your genuine complaints such as 'why ban inflatables if your not going to enforce the parents must supervise children at all times in the pool rule'. (I was very obvioulsy right in the end although I'm glad it wasn't more serious). I was , apprently, in the minority of people asking for a 'Customer Service Report form' (complaint form to the rest of us).

Some snagging in hotel, such a lights fittings stand up types), in the Piano bar, restraurant area were very wobbly and will no doubt come and hurt someone at some point (hopefully not electrocuting them in the process). My shower leaked into the lounge and the drain was blocked and despite reporting these to the reps and Hotel reception on Sunday when I arrived, had still not been sorted when I left on Saturday).

Location was not fantastic although I knew this when I booked. The sign for Fuengirolas is 1km away but I had to walk 5 km's into the town to the shops and it cost 10 Euros back. This is down a long hill but pleasant enough to walk. The first beach is accessed via steep steps 10 minutes way with further beaches right at the bottom of the hill. I can recommend that Scottish Oasis for Lunch on the front between the main bays.

The nearest train station is Carvejal (not quite spelt like that), walkable for 10 minutes down the main road/hill. This then takes you to feungirola or Malaga( note: the reps told me to get off at Maalge RENTRO which was incorrect, go to CENTRO if you want the shops/old town in Malga).

Could I recommend this hotel? Not at the moment although I plan to go back in 2 years when my daughter is a little older and can join in some of the activities. There are a lot of 'annoying' little issues that First Choice/the hotel need to sort out. Next time I'll probably go self catering and hire a car. The hotel shops was not particularly expensive and sold basics. English branded food (Heinz etc) is twice as much as it's Spanish equivialant, but then that;s the same in the supermarket.
Lack of Beach Club serious impaired my enjoyment due to the over corwing in the pool area. Next time the beach club (which looks great) wold be a highlight !

We arrived back form the Holiday Village and I have to say it was one of the best holidays we have ever had. We were extremly worried about the complex before we left and almost cancelled our holiday because of some of the reports we read on this site. We are certainly glad we went. The complex is fantastic! We didnt think that the pool was overcrowded. You did have to get up early to get beds at the poolside, but this wont be a problem once the beach club is open. It will be open in the next few days and of course we were dissapointed that we didnt get to use it as it looks great. The supermarket is very dear in the complex but we used to go to the Miramar shopping mall which is only a few minutes away by taxi or car and is well worth going to for a look around the shops and stocking up in the supermarket. The barstaff are still slow and can totally ignore you if they feel like it. Also, only spanish beer available in some bars which tastes terrible and they cant make cocktails at all! The rest of the staff were so nice and helpful . The indoor pool is great and turns into a giant wirlpool every so often! Thought the entertainment could be better but kids clubs were great. We hired a car which was good value. Certainly a lot cheaper than doing the trips. Well worth going to Mijas and Ronda, both beautiful villages. Also, go to Fungerola Zoo. This is a complex that is improving all the time and we will go back again within the next few months. We think that anyone that goes there will have a brillant holiday!

We have just reurned from a fantastic, fun filled 2 weeks holiday.

We were not sure what to expect when we set off as we received a letter from First Choice 1 week prior to departure informing us that the beach club was not going to be completed in time. We were disappointed with this as it was one of the main reasons for us booking this particular hotel.
Anyhow, when we got there we were very impressed by the outwardly appearance of the hotel and immediately felt that we had landed lucky.

Upon checking in we were happy to find that our self catering room was very well kitted out and was extremely comfortable. We soon found out how lethal the floors were when they were wet (paricularly the bathroom)as all of our kids slipped and fell quite hard on the first day.

The facilities in general were good and the kids club was excellent (an absolute godsend to all parents who were at the point of self combustion towards the end of thier holiday, ourselves included).
Once people realised that the beach club was not going to open on time then they made do with what was available.The pool area is quite large and has plenty of sunbeds for use although, I wish that the practise of people putting towels out at 8am and not actually using the sunbed until lunchtime was banned.

The nightly entertainment was nothing short of diabolical, 3 nights in a row of dancing (Spanish, Classical and ballet)plus an embarrising night with the hotel 'entertainment team' singing and attempting to dance.The resident band/duo could do with rehearsing more songs as by the second week I could have done their routine offhand. The kiddies nightly disco was good although, kids also get fed up doing the same dance routines after a few nights. We feel that more variety is needed.

The hotel is a little bit isolated although we found that the best way of getting around (benalmadena, Torriemolinos etc) was by the local bus service which was very efficient and stopped outside the hotel. We did hire a car for part of the first week and crammed in as much sights as was humanly possible although,I will say that for those of you have not experienced driving in Spain, all you need do is imagine that you are a taxi driver because there are no rules whatsoever when it comes to right of way.If you do this then you will get along fine.

The Staff in general were very good given the pressure they were under although more staff on the oasis snack bar, particularly in the evenings as there is no semblance of order, would not have gone amiss.Maybe this is down to the fact that the Spanish don't queue for anything !!!.When you order food from this bar be sure they know exactly what you want (chicken fajita was served with chicken nuggets in a tortilla wrap).
Ivor and his team at First Choice are extremely helpful and will do all they can to help with a smile on their face. Others have commented that the reps are only interested in you if you are booking excursions with them and I think this is unfair becuase selling trips, car hire etc is part of what they get paid for.

We would visit again but not for the next 2/3 years as there is still a lot of building work to be done.There will be approximately 13 accomodation blocks surrounding the existing one.

We returned last week from one of the best family holidays we've had. The hotel is very impressive and beautifully laid out. The rooms were an excellent size and were able to accommodate a cot very comfortably (not always the case in Spanish hotels).

We also found there to be an excellent amount of wardrobe space. The size of the bathrooms was unbelievable but our little ones did have a bit of trouble slipping on the floor in the bath and shower.

The balconies were also extremely spacious, we were lucky enough to have a view over the pool and sea, which was beautiful especially at night. I think it's worth mentioning at this point that there is little noise from the road running outside the hotel and it's certainly not visible from the main part of the hotel as the hotel is above road level. Yes trains run along the back of the hotel and the view from these rooms is not particularly scenic, but the noise level is limited and you don't notice it after a very short time.

The entertainers worked really hard through the day and the evening to provide a variety of things to do for adults and children. Some people found the mini-disco repetitive, but I'm not sure what they were expecting after all it was aimed at the little ones. My 4 year old daughter loved it, especially Cartoon Heroes (a favourite from a previous First Choice holiday) and Cha-Cha Slide. The kids clubs and kids reps were excellent, we used both the creche and the kids club and both our children had a great time and it gave us all a bit of a break. I'd also recommend Swim Kids as excellent value for money- My daughter gained so much confidence in the water.

All the rep team worked really hard and we found they were happy to provide us with information regardless of whether we were buying trips or not.

The main complaints we heard were about service in the bar and restaurant, yes it was frustratingly slow at times, but I think this will improve in time.

Unfortunately the hotel can't do anything about the manners of some people who would jump in despite it being obvious that people were waiting to take their turn, inevitably these were also people in large groups ordering about 20 drinks at a time. One word about the restaurant, men are not allowed to wear shorts in the evening as the management want to maintain 4* standards. This is fine, although it should be included in the brochure, but we did think it ironic that my husband's smart tailored shorts were banned whilst tracksuit bottoms and cut off training pants met the required standard.

Overall this hotel was excellent and we will definitely consider returning in a couple of years to experience the beach club and hopefully when the area surrounding is a bit more developed.

We would definitely recommend this complex to families of all ages.

We stayed here for one week 20/6 to 27/6,this is a impressive building when you arrive,there is a deposit charge on tv remote and deposit box,the rooms are large clean but tiled floors are slippy,bathroom is massive.

if you are self catering i would be taking some mugs and a tea pot if poss.

the hotel location was poor,if you wanted to go anywhere you had to catch a bus or taxi. room keys can be used as a cash card of up to 100 euro's,but i would advise you to keep reciepts of what you are spending as you may need to check your bill. hotel staff are very good although very pushed to serve people quickly at the night bar outside.

Entertainment,well although the reps and acts put a lot of effort in it is crap.one other thing,the week we went after about 9.00 o'clock when the sun went behind the hill you may find the wind gets up and it drops rather cool and the ladies may need a cardigan

Due to the building work there is a lot of dust about,but the complex is very clean and you will usually see the cleaners out and about.the beach you see in the pics are not the real beach,if you walk 10 mins towards Fuengirola you will see a beautiful beach with agood beach bar called the chill zone, you will have a lovely day there.Just one other comment about the beach club,concidering peoples concerns about this place not being open,the week we stayed it opened and not a lot of people appeared to be useing it,and even if you are AI the restarant and bars are not included in the AI package.

Stayed at the Holiday Village 20/6 to 27/6, and had a wonderful week.

The hotel and rooms were terrific and well fitted out. The bathroom and balcony were the biggest we've ever had. The fridge was stocked with 5 or 6 bottles of soft drinks every day. It was great to have a kettle provided. In previous hotels, the restauarant staff get a bit miffed if you sneak a quick cuppa back to your room.

Luckily (for me anyway) Euro 2004 was on, my entertainment was all okay. From waht I saw, though, the evening shows were not particularly spectacular.

Spent most of the non-football drinking time in the loosely called piano bar. The odd lookingguy who played the piano most evenings seemed to spend as much time watching football in the Adults only bar as he did at the keyboards!!

The Beach Club looked wonderful and opened while we were there. Although as a family we like the warm weather, the lack of shadey areas at the Club meant we stayed most days at the hotel poolside.

The food was plentiful, although we did find that it did not stay piping hot for too long. This was a pity, because the warm food took the edge of a well presented and varied menu. On the day we arrived they lifted the shorts at dinner ban to the delight of everyone!!!!!

You cant take inflatables into the pool (except rubber rings for the little ones). On the whole it was a good decision. The pool itself looks as safe as they could have made it.

The indoor spa bath / jaccusi and sauna was wonderful.

The pool tables in the games room was, I think, an extortionate 2 euros a game, but the crane machine, although costing 2 euros, allowed each child who played to keep trying to grab a toy until they were successful.

The courtesy bus into Fuengirola ran from 10am to 6pm, save for the siesta period. It takes you to the far end of the town, close to the nicer beaches, 10 ins from the Miramar Shopping Centre, and 15 to 20 minutes from the town centre. They could have done with having a stop nearer the town centre for the shoppers among us.

The railway line which runs behind the hotel is the quietest railway Ive seen. The hotel is a reasonable 10 minute walk from Carjaval Station where there are trains every half hour to Fuengirola and Malaga, and for only a couple of euros a ticket.

If anyone want to know about the local area by a local can do far worse that have a chat to Jose M at recetion. He was extremely helpful.

All in all, a great "ley down and let the world go by" holiday.

WOW! we were really dreading going after reading some reviews but I am pleased to report that we LOVED IT! The hotel was beautiful, clean and staff very helpful although at times a bit slow. Considering it is new for them I think they are doing a great job.

The food was fantastic, there was a seperate food section for children with small table and chairs if they fancied things like chicken nuggets and chips. The best thing had to be the proper sausages!

The pool area was not too overcrowded, we managed to get between six and eight sunbeds together without having to get up at the crack of dawn to put towels on them! We didn't have any problems with cut feet however there were a couple of rough patches on the pool surface.

The beach club opened the day before we left however it wasn't completly finished. There were still workmen working around you. It is fantastic though and will be lovely when completed fully.

The hotel entertainment was pretty good. The kids thouroughly enjoyed the reps comical entertainment and regularly danced to the like of cartoon heroes, mimic man and the cha cha slide! Some of the reps were hilarious and they all did well.

The hotel staff were always polite and friendly and would do anything to help. The maid even arranged to have our toilet unblocked before I even had time to report it to reception. (our fault the toilet was blocked, our two year old decided to flush her bikini and it got stuck!)

Our room did overlook the railway but to be honest that didn't bother any of us. There weren't dust clouds and any building works around the hotel were no problem for us.

We did hire a car though so the distance to the beach and shops didn't cause a problem at all. It probably would for those who don't hire a car.

Hotel shop was understocked and expensive so we preferred to go shopping in Feungerola or benalmaden. We drove to a beautiful park in Benalmadena where there are lots of rabbits, cats, peacocks, goats etc and they are all tame!! Yes, the kids can smooth the animals which was great! Definately worth a visit and it's only 5 mins by car.

My only criticism of the hotel was that there was only two washing machines in the laundry, one of which was broken. There were always big queues to get laundry done. I wouldn't normally want to spend my holiday washing clothes but sometimes with toddlers it is essential!!

Overall this holiday was delightful and I would definately go again. I think the hotel staff and first choice reps are doing a fantastic job and I look forward to seeing them all again very soon!

I wish I had not read about all the grumbles before going to this hotel as it ruined the run up to departure!

The hotel complex was brill, food good and recommend all inclusive, health club great, good gym and indoor swimming pool but take note if you are self catering as you will have to pay for these facilities. If you can upgrade to all inclusive it will be well worth it as the prices inside the hotel are relatively expensive.

Rooms great and good maid service, fridge restocked daily with 5 bottles of cold drinks.

The beach club opened during our stay and is absolutely brilliant for your younger kids, and makes a nice change for an afternoon, but could get very hot there.

Could get up at any time for a sunbed, however getting an umbrella is hard after 10.00am, only because some greedy people pinch them all, sometimes 3 at a time when 1 would have done!!! didn't see much of the entertainment as the Euro Footie was on, if you can get away from the kids, the band in the irish bar are fab they play after 11.00pm most nights but beware! your all inclusive expires at midnight!!

Kids clubs are very good, have films at 9.00pm each night for the kids, the cinema shows each day at 5.00pm a mix of good movies for kids & adults, my son enjoyed holiday soccer school so much that he went for the 2 weeks! I would definately go back to this hotel !!!