Occidental Torremolinos Playa

Where do I even begin, everything about this hotel is perfect. The food, the service, the rooms, the caring of the place, the prices. Everything down to the last minute detail. Everything is so well organized. Every night there is a show on a big scene for kids and after that for adults. The pools and water slides are taken care of and cleaned every morning and the gym is always clean with amazing ventilation and air conditioning. Your room is cleaned every morning and you are given new bedsheets, towels and toilet paper every time. The food is always top notch, there wasn’t a single day in our 10 day visit where I had any complaints at all about it. They mow the lawn twice a week and water the plants and grass every morning. They even mop the ground outside. And I definitely think it’s worth to mention Jose, Antonio, Sara and Maria, who work in the lobby. They are incredibly patient and help you with everything you could possibly need. They are all also fluent in many different languages, making communication a non problem around the place.

The hotel is very aesthetically pleasing and well-maintained. It covers a large area, so even with many guests, it never feels overcrowded – a big plus. Rooms are spacious, comfortable, and well-equipped. The staff is very helpful and friendly. The location is also great – close to the airport, which makes transfers quick and easy. You can see planes taking off all day long (some might find it noisy, but I found it interesting). The beach is just a short walk away, with sunbeds available for €10 each. There are two pools on-site – one opens at 9:00 and the other at 10:00. Several bars around the hotel serve proper branded alcohol, so everyone can find something they like. Now, the downsides – the food is the biggest disappointment. It gets repetitive very quickly, and after a few days you really struggle to find anything new or exciting. There’s hardly any taste of Spanish cuisine, which is a shame because the hotel has so much potential. The pool rules are also a bit confusing. Inflatable toys are banned – only small kids' rings are allowed, and lifeguards do enforce this strictly. That’s fine, but it was a bit surprising. On the other hand, the "no reserving sunbeds" rule is completely ignored. Technically, towels should be removed after 30 minutes of no use, but no one does that. So if you go to the beachside pool after breakfast, you may not find a spot, even though half the sunbeds are empty – just covered in towels. Another downside is that people are allowed to drink in the pool – even just standing near the edge – which leads to a mess: lime slices, peanuts, and plastic cups floating around. Room doors also slam loudly – there’s no soft close mechanism, so in the mornings and evenings it gets pretty noisy. Lastly, the animation is very weak – there’s not much going on, it's hard to know where or when things are happening, and there’s very little engagement, especially for children. But the biggest issue by far is smoking. In the evening entertainment areas, there are clear signs saying no smoking, but they are completely ignored. You go to enjoy the animations with your children, and there are always a few people blowing cigarette smoke all around, with zero consideration for the kids playing nearby – and no one from the staff does anything about it. It really ruins the atmosphere and is very disappointing for a family-friendly hotel. Overall, I’d still say the hotel is a good choice. It’s a solid base for exploring the area, with great potential. A relaxing place to recharge. But the food and the lack of smoking enforcement are serious drawbacks that need to be addressed.

The location is good, and the reception staff is polite and helpful. The room we were given was clean. While a bit small for three people, we were comfortable. Every aspect of the facility is clean and tidy. Breakfast is good, but other meals generally feature pork products. Unfortunately, the sea wasn't very clean during our stay, so we couldn't swim. From what I observed, this bothered many people. The pools were inadequate. There were insufficient seating areas in the evenings. A hotel like this should offer free parking to its guests.