Iberostar Waves Playa Gaviotas-All inclusive

Really lovely hotel. I think as close to 5 stars that you can get without paying 5 star prices. We went as a family with 3 children (12,10 and 2) so hoping this review helps other families. We were undecided whether to stay at the Gaviotas Playa or Gaviotas Park (that is the hotel behind which I believe is advertised as more family friendly i.e. it has a bouncy pillow and some small slides for younger kids). Fate played a hand and for some reason Gaviotas Park was booked out, so we settled on Gaviotas Playa. I'm sure we would have been happy at both but the view from Gaviotas Playa is incredible and the pools are set in an oasis of palm trees with the sea as a backdrop. The way the hotel is built means that there is also a degree of protection from the wind. We visited the other hotel, Gaviotas Park, one day and it felt a lot more barren/concrete and my goodness it was windy over there. So for that reason I was quite happy with our choice. The food is excellent. I mean, all Iberostar food tends to be top notch but we didn't get as bored as usual. They display the theme on the wall on the left as you walk in. Took us a week to notice this. The chefs are all really friendly. Chocolate fountain evey night was a hit. The entertainment team are a very good bunch. They work very hard and put a lot of effort in with a lot of comedy along the way. We enjoyed all the shows that they put on the evenings. The shows without them (bar the magic show, which was v good) just didn't compare. We were worried that it wouldn't be kid friendly here but there were quite a few other kids and there was a kids club with some activities they took part in. Definitely not as many kids here as other Iberostar hotels and only a handful of kids took part in kids club but there are other activities during the day by the pool for the kids to get involved in, such as a water carpet, inflatable slide etc. The entertainment team were very good with the children. There was also an option to use the soft play in the star camp with our toddler if I came to supervise which was useful. Rooms were large and clean. Cleaning staff excellent and very friendly. The baby pool and middle pool are heated I think. The other pool was quite chilly. Baby pool was perfect for toddlers. No problem getting a sun lounger either. Plenty to go around. There is a mix of nationalities here. I would say 1/4 were from the UK when we were here. The rest probably Spanish or German. Everyone was super friendly and the staff all speak English. Lots of wildlife about too. Chipmunks on the rocks by the beach. Very cute and friendly. 2 white heron type birds that visit the cafe at the hotel each day provided lots of entertainment too. Really enjoyed it here. Couldn't fault it. The only things that could've improved our stay is more outdoor dining options and outdoor entertainment but I imagine this must be limited due the potential windy conditions!