Elba Estepona Gran Hotel & Thalasso Spa

Todo estupendo y muy agradable

Celebrated my husband's 60th birthday 🎈 here. Fabulous food, excellent staff & service. Great place to stay. We would highly recommend this hotel & having an indoor heated pool & great Spa means you can enjoy the facilities any time of the year!

The hotel is very well run - hospitable and welcoming. We had a slight problem with leaking a/c and were moved quickly to another room without any fuss (an upgrade to a junior suite - very appreciated),thanks to Laura in Reception; the food in the hotel was very good with a nice choice as to the type of food wanted. The pool was well run - the adult only area was a delight and extremely comfortable. The hotel was clean and comfortable, taxis into Estopona easily available. We will definitely return!

First, the pros (this will be quick as there were not many) - Hotel staff was very kind, helpful and courteous (Laura and Raquel shine bright in this very dismal atmosphere) - Actual suite was quite spacious and had a beautiful view of the ocean. Now on to the cons - Roaches!!!! While they seemed to be contained to the lower level of the property (sadly where the main buffet was located), there was definitely an infestation problem. Needless to say, we were very disgusted and unable to eat our meals on property once we became aware. - Very dated and dirty. We selected the property for its more unique look and feel, but were met instead by very old, worn, and stained decor. - Limited access to entertainment/activities. The pool and beach access close at 6 and there weren’t many activities offered/advertised by the resort. Since the property is not in a walkable area, you have to take a taxi to enjoy any of the local fun. - Bland and inauthentic food. Before discovering the roach problem, we did dine at the resort. Like many all-inclusive hotels, Elba offered bland and tasteless food, as well as limited options that reflect the local cuisine. - Smell of sulfur around the pool area. The smell persisted for some time. All of the feedback I’ve shared here was shared directly with the hotel staff. They said they are aware of the insect problem and claim this is a new issue. No other direct responses were provided regarding our other concerns.

The hotel is very beautiful. Specially I was impressed about their Open landscaped gardens around the pool and other areas. They are amazing. Very clean and nice room with fantastic view towards garden and sea. Staff are friendly, supportive and polite. Fantastic buffet breakfast. Very good massages and Thalasso Spa. I really enjoyed stay in this hotel .

Overall we had a very positive experience at the hotel. The staff are so pleasant and very helpful and the welcome we received when we arrived really set our holiday off to a great start. There were a few minor items that didn’t impact on our experience but could be improved. We stayed in a suite: One of the sinks was blocked, the cleaners would have been aware if this but it was not addressed. We received only one drinking glass in the room. Cleaning was very basic, simple things like refilling shampoo and conditioner was missed. We did love the room though and we had a wonderful see view. In terms of the hotel in general: Sun beds could be upgraded, they are plastic and not overly comfortable. We wouldn’t recommend the spa, we got a poor massage and facial shortly after we arrived. Birds flying into the restaurant, it’s a bit of an issue, you cannot leave food unattended and you may be unlucky if they leave you a gift! There are numerous ways that you can deter birds from partly outdoor restaurants. The hotel should look at this. Quite a few of the reviews, mention the 5 star rating. It is evident from the pricing that it is not a true 5 star so you know this will not be the standard when you are booking. We would rate it a very strong 4 star. Final points, the hotel is right at the sea front but the beach is a stoney beach so not for swimming or sunbathing. Waves can be loud at night but this did not bother us. There is a supermarket and pharmacy across the road, it’s a motorway so you use a foot bridge. You will need a car or taxi to get to restaurants at the Port a few minutes away or to the main centre of Estapona. There are some lovely towns around the area and some lovely beaches but you will need a car to explore. Overall we enjoyed our holiday. We will return to the hotel group but perhaps not the location as we have experienced or now.