Elba Estepona Gran Hotel & Thalasso Spa

Todo estupendo y muy agradable

Elba Estapona is a lovely hotel with excellent staff (special shout out to Nicoletta and Nicole who are just delightful people) , and we had a great stay but the following points need to be addressed to meet the five star rating: Hotel rooms need to be updated including paint work, furniture and USB charging points need to be fitted - which is now common place. TVs need to be updated to allow guests to access Netflix’s etc. Also, some British channels would be great as you currently can’t access any. The Swimming pool is great, very warm and a great size but it has tiles missing, black mould and algae in the grout and the bridge is just old, wonky and a slip hazard. The outer section of the dining area is a haven for birds and they peck at any of your food if left alone and a warning should be made to guest to not leave food uncovered. We however really enjoyed sitting outside. The sun loungers round the main pool are old and are not comfortable- once again, not what you expect from a five star hotel and they should be updated. We stayed on an all inclusive basis and at first we were delighted to not wear wristbands but everytime you ordered a drink, or sat down to eat you have to say your room number and the waiter has to input it to a PDA which takes time and ends up being a right palaver. It would be better to give all inclusive guests a card or a wrist band to show. It was great to use the spa facilities and we loved the sauna and steam room but also this needs to be updated as it looks very tired and some of the spa showers didn’t work and the igloo wasn’t cold and rarely had any ice. Upon checkout we were told that we could use the spa to shower / change before leaving but the showers in the spa are open with no screen/ door. The lack of privacy was not expected and should be addressed to meet the five star rating. All inclusive includes a ‘free minibar’ according to the leaflet provided upon arrival but we were shocked to be charged for the Pringles and Cashew nuts. The leaflet needs to be more clear and reception staff need to provide clear instructions as we questioned this during our stay. We walked into Estapona a couple of times and took a taxi too /€7 - what a lovely town. Having said all of the above we still enjoyed our stay. The food was excellent - great variety and quality, the beds were comfortable, the spa is great and the overall vibe of the hotel is relaxing and friendly.

The food range, freshness and availability was excellent. The rooms were clean and the spa was luxurious and fun. The gym was adequate. The beach access and availability of sunloungers with permanent umbrellas so close to the sea and hotel was definitely a massive plus and the winning feature in my opinion. I think a regular shuttle service to the town which is a 40-50 min walk would enhance the experience. The drinks were expensive which was a shame after paying such a premium amount to stay there. The pools were gorgeous. The children's club was fantastic. The staff were fun and my children loved all the activities. Excellent for families. It was open until late and meant parents could relax whilst the kids played. The pool games and Olympics were great fun especially when our family won GOLD.

This hotel provides first class customer service! Every member of staff seemed to go all out to provide help and support with any issue! overall this provides for a wonderful atmosphere which made our stay a relaxing and superb experience. The rooms are spacious and extremely comfortable, with consistent and efficient service from the housekeeping team! The restrictions offered excellent food with plenty of options .. nothing was too much trouble and when we asked for alternative options as a result of intolerances there was no issues and flexibility to ensure our needs were met. I must also commend the activity organisers who struck the right balance with all. Thank you and we are planning our return trip!

I can only say that this hotel just kept giving from arrival at reception with a very nice Cava to wonderful staff , the most beautiful views , our room (s should I say omg stunning) the food and service second to none it was our 25th anniversary and the reception treated us like royalty with a little spa surprise that we had not expected the restaurants were fab as were the lovely staff the warren of hallways to our room was a trek but each corner has something to look at not to mention the beautiful architectural ceilings

Just returned last night from the hotel after a week with my friend. The hotel was quiet even though it was busy. No pounding music during the day at the pool, no scraping of plates and movement of trolleys in the main buffet (both which were bliss). Good selection at breakfast including freshly squeezed orange juice, Nespresso coffee (both of which I have had to pay for in other hotels as a supplementary item), and of course cava. We booked half board but usually eat out a few times in the evenings but we enjoyed the choice and ambiance so much (langostines, fresh fish and steaks cooked to perfectio, to paellla with crabs) that we ate mostly at the hotel. The staff were fabulous, we noticed that everyone made eye contact and smiled and greeted you. A special thanks to Christina in the Andalusian a la carte restaurant and Javier, who was always smiling whilst greeting guests and helping with luggage. Our regular cleaner was fantastic and unfortunately I cant remember her name but it began with an A. The hotel is spotless with traditional styling which we loved and the beds were comfortable and we slept well every night. We like to travel when children are back at school so we can have some peace and quiet so this week has been perfect for that. The manager is very visible which was good to see and we spoke to him on our last day to thank him and the staff for a super week. If you want rest and relaxation and tasty food then this is a great destination. Can’t wait to return.

We are just back from a week in this hotel and overall we’re very disappointed ! ! I would rate it as no more than 4. Star The hotel was dated and definitely lacked attention to detail that you would expect from a 5 star hotel The staff however were superb !

Great hotel and staff! Unbeatable value for money. Beautiful views and location! Great buffet and a la carte restaurants. Prices of a 4 star hotel with the best quality of a luxury 5 star. Amazing Spa with a really nice staff too. Totally recommend.

We have just spent 10 relaxing days at this hotel. The room was spacious & clean so no complaints there at all. Reception staff, waiting staff etc. were all faultless. A very nice pool, obviously looked after well. Entertainment was good if you are happy to while away a couple of hours in the bar with singers - which we were. A la carte restaurants were good but not a great deal of choice on the menus. House wine very nice & gluggable. Now for the negatives - as a 5* hotel we had certain expectations which weren’t met. Sun beds are very basic & there is no pool service. Nowhere to sit outside just to enjoy a drink if you didn’t want to lie almost flat due to the limitations of the sunbeds. We didn’t use the spa so can’t comment. No little shop to cover the basic bits & bobs. No porter to deliver your luggage. The buffet is inconsistent - & repetitive. It could be much better although, to be fair, there is plenty of salad, veg & fruit to choose from. Hot breakfast items were warm at best but lots of cold options. Overall, we have enjoyed our all inclusive stay but have upgraded to a la carte most nights. Free parking is a bonus as this is not in the centre of Estepona. Would we return? Maybe, but on the understanding that this is not a 5* experience but a fairly decent 4*.