Whenever we travel abroad we try to stay in a Riu hotel if at all possible and if you've stayed in one you will know why.

The Riu Ferrara is everything we have come to expect. The standard of the accommodation is excellent and the staff, who are extremely friendly, can't do enough for you. Everything to make your stay unforgettable really has been thought about.

The choice and quality of the food is unbelievable. Even the fussiest of eaters would be able to find plenty to their liking.

The entertainment in the hotel was of a pretty good standard although on most evenings we preferred to take a stroll down the promenade (to walk off the effects of the evening meal as much as anything else!). During the day there are plenty of activities taking place such as volleyball, water polo, rifle shooting, tennis etc. but it is all low key and nobody tries to get you to join in if you don't want to. Basically, it's on offer but you can take it or leave it as you wish.

The hotel complex can only be entered, from the promenade, through a locked gate operated by your room key. Although the resort is a friendly place this did give you peace of mind if you wanted to leave your stuff by the pool whilst you wandered off somewhere.

I would definitely visit this hotel again and would have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone else.

The hotel was really lovely and very attractive. The pool was the best we've ever been in - a very large freeflow pool. It took ages to swim around it and the temperature was great. There were plenty of sunbeds and free towels (a small deposit was required, which you obviously got back at the end).

When we first arrived we were shown to our room and it stank of cigarette smoke. We asked for a non smoking room and we were soon moved.

We can't really comment on the food as we were self catering - we ate at the poolside snack bar once and it was very nice.

We had clean towels everyday and the sheets were changed every other day. Overall our room was very clean, however I'm not sure that underneath the bed had ever been cleaned! The maid had a tendancy to leave the balcony sliding doors open - we complained to reception and it was soon dealt with. Our bathroom, kitchen and balcony were all massive. The kitchen was very well equiped and toasters were available with a small refundable deposit. The air conditioning was the best we've ever experienced. You didn't need your keycard to operate it, which was great, so when you came back after a day of sunbathing the room was lovely and cold. The wardbrobes were really big with plenty of hangers. The had a slight dispute about the safe. We could operate the safe with our keycard so we thought it was free. When we checked out we were told that we owed

The hotel is what one would expect of a 4star hotel.
The food was excellent. But as it was buffet style felt a bit like a relay race with two small children (there again that may be poor organisation).

I would not hesitate to stay self-catering as there are numerous restaurants along the promenade and very reasonably priced you can get an excellent menu of the day for 6 - 8 euros.

The one bedroom apartment was a bit tight for a family of four with sofabed (very comfortable) up all the time.

The location of the hotel is perfect, right on the front.
Do not venture to this hotel however during the halfterm week in May unless you like Irish Dancing.
The hotel hosts the "European Irish Dancing Championships" every year during this week. The consequence; a nice little earner for the Hotel and the organisers of the competition but for other guests a two star hotel instead of a four star hotel.

I think I'll go back when its a 4 star hotel.

This hotel was immaculately presented with an army of cleaning staff working very hard each morning before guests awoke (I only saw them because I went for a run each morning).

The food was very good (always buffet style), presented well, you can go back for more as many times as you like.

I only scored a 4 on the location because Torrox is fine for a relax holiday but there is not much else to do there - we therefore went into Nerja a lot.

This is a "nice" hotel - without any lager louts.

The staff here were fantastic on the whole but we had a problem with the chambermaid who left our room door wide open when we were out on a day trip. She also kept leaving the balcony door unlocked - we were on the ground floor. Even though we tried to get it resolved with the manager, it kept happening.

The kids entertainment was OK with a "mini-kloob" running during the day but the entertainment staff were not up to providing entertainment for adults (a bit like Butlins circa 1960). The stage acts were ok but not up to a 4 star hotel standard.

The gym was naff, with a few pieces of outdated equipment. Given that it is in the same room as the heated indoor pool it was like doing a workout in a sauna.

Perhaps it was because we went at Easter and before the season started proper but we did expect a little better entertainment given that there is nothing else in Torrox apart from restaurants and quiet bars.

Having said all that we know what to expect and this would be a good place for a weeks hols - but not two.

The 1 bedroomed apartment accomodation we stayed in was excellent, spotless clean and was large in size in terms of the three main areas of the accomodation - bedroom & bathroom (including a hairdryer), lounge & dining room and kitchen. The balcony area was also very spacious and had a good sized clothes rail for drying clothes on.

Good location in a very safe area of the Costa Del Sol and the grounds of the hotel were extensive and aesthetically pleasing during the day (good colour contrasts and based on a Moorish theme), at night the grounds were well lit.

Our only negative comment about the hotel was the outdoor swimming pool which was freezing (Spanish water temperature which felt colder than the water out of the cold tap!).

We travelled last week to Torrox and stayed at the Rui Farrera. We had chosen the holiday with the help of previous visitors who had reported on this page The hotel and apartments were supurb. We had a beautiful 1 bedroomed apartment , very comfortable and spacious with a lovely large balcony.

The kitchen was well fitted and the bathroom well appointed. We had maid service every day .

The hotel staff were invariabley helpful and pleasant and my friend who had a birthday was surprised with a bottle of champagne and a basket of fruit without any prompting from us,( they check the computer for b irthdays )

We did not use the daytime activites as we had a hire car and toured the area but the Flamenco show midweek was excellent and the two evenings of floorshow and dancing were greatly enjoyed. We did`nt do so well in the quiz but we certainly had a good time .

Welcomed by champagne and organge juice at reception. In line with the hotel's strong customer focus and excellent staff. Agree with comments elsewhere that this is more like a 5* than a 4*.

We stayed in a 2 bedroom apartment (no 2043) for 2 weeks.

Apartment was more like a number of hotel rooms in standard - ie very high! Tiled floors. 2 bedrooms. No 1 = large master twin room with built in wardrobes (lots of hangers)and dressing table plus bedside tables, phone. etc. No 2 = small double room (really 1 and 1/2 beds). We used this for one child. It also had a large built in wardrobe.

Very large and well furnished lounge. Double Sofa Bed was comfortable and we used for second child.

TV channels (about 20)- mainly Spanish, German, Italian and Fench, but Sky News, CNN and BBC World Service (not always in English!) all available.

Excellent kitchen with good crocckery and utensils. Take your own tin opener, and bottle opener/corkscrew.

Good coffee maker. You might want to take your own kettle if you like tea.

Large balcony with both a sea and a mountain view. Clothes drying pull out rails on the balcony wall.

The restaruant is first class! Buffet meals at breakfast and dinner. Staff are excellent, very welcoming and clear emptry plates really fast. Chefs are very friendly and on view cooking the hot items.

Breakfast: Huge buffet.

Choice of a about a dozen cereals plus hot and cold milk.

Choice of 3 or more fruit juices.

Choice of Tea or Coffee.

Huge Cold buffet of meat, cheese, fruit and lots more.

2 Toast machines - make your own and as much as you want.

Choice of at least a dozen types of bread - cut it yourself.

Hot breakfast buffet: Fried, Boiled, Scrambled Eggs. All cooked fresh. Bacon, sausage (tends to be German types). Baked beans, tomatoes, etc.
Plus pancackes and syrups.

I guarantee that you will overeat!

Dinner:

Choice of 3 soups. Very Large cold buffet, includes smoked salmon, avocado, air dried ham, etc.

Excellent and varied paella every night.

Choice of 3 or more hot fish dishes. Always a roast carved for you - pork, beef, gammon etc.

Alawys a chicken, a beef, a pork hot dish. Plus vegetarian (and good choice of vegetables and potatoes with main courses).

Choice of 4 pastas every night plus a choice of pizzas.

Dessert: Lots of fruit, ice cream. Cakes, etc. Big choice of cold deserts.

Large chooice of cheeses and biscuits.

If you don't like several items every night then you are very choosy indeed!

Bar costs: Wines 12E to 50E plus per botle. Beer about 2.40E for large beer. Coke, etc is 1.70 euro. Cocktails are 4E to 7E.

Evening entertainment is good if you like holiday camp type stuff (we do). Certainly packed out every night so it's popular. The entertainers run the kids and adult clubs during the day - also popular.

Pool is large, clean and well tended by the life guards. Note no inflateables allowed when it is busy.
Lots of sun loungers amd umbrellas - but booked by people with towels from 0800 onward - then they appear about 1030. I think we british were the worst!
Hotel tries to stop it, but doesn't want to offend. So book sunloungers at your own risk!
Pool Towels are 10E deposit for 2 and you can then chnage the two towels each day.

Beach is good and mostly sandy - just across the promenade. Sun loungers and umbrella re 3E for 2.

WE had a great holiday and think anyone who books here will also have a great holiday.

Top trip was Gibrlatar.

Stayed at this hotel in July 04 and in my opinion is easily worth 5 stars. The evening entertaiment was the only let down for me which I thought was very poor and repeated weekly so if you stay 2 weeks you will see everything twice! The hotel staff are very helpful and friendly, food excellent and cleanliness first class. Standard rooms a little bit on the small side to sleep more than 2, I managed to get upgraded to a 2 bedroom suite for free, so worth asking!

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