Iberostar Selection Jardin del Sol Suites

Room

We stayed in a Junior Suite with Balcony and Whirlpool Bath. The room itself was very spacious, which was great, but unfortunately it felt dated and tired. The whirlpool bath itself wasn’t particularly inviting as it didn’t appear as clean as we would have expected. There is a lot of old-fashioned wood throughout the room and, compared with the modern communal areas of the hotel, it really feels like the rooms are ready for refurbishment. We were told by a member of staff that there are plans to refurbish the rooms in the coming years, which I think will make a huge difference.

The balcony was excellent – very large, with a comfortable double day bed as well as a table and chairs. The views from the balcony were also fantastic.

Considering how large the bedroom is, the bathroom itself is very small. It almost feels as though some of the bedroom space could have been used to create a larger bathroom. The sink/dressing area outside the bathroom was very spacious, though, and there was a small bin there which was useful for toiletries. However, there wasn’t a larger bin anywhere in the room for general waste which was frustrating as there was no one to put rubbish.

There was also a box of tissues beside the sink which we used within the first three days, but unfortunately this wasn’t replaced or refilled by housekeeping at all for the remainder of our stay.

Maintenance issues

Unfortunately, we experienced quite a few maintenance problems during our stay. On our very first night, water began dripping onto our balcony from what appeared to be a jacuzzi on one of the floors above. Later that same evening, water also started coming through the air-conditioning unit in the ceiling, creating a large puddle on the floor. After reporting this to reception, we were moved to another similar room. While the staff dealt with it, it wasn’t an ideal start to the holiday.

We also had an ongoing issue with the shower constantly changing between hot and cold. We reported this and were told it had been fixed, but unfortunately the problem continued for the rest of our stay. By that point, with the other issues we’d experienced, we didn’t have the enthusiasm to keep pursuing it.

Our room key stopped working a few times during the holiday, the electricity cut out one evening and the telephone in our room also stopped working and had to be replaced.

I also requested an iron and ironing board, as these aren’t automatically provided in the room. The lid for the water compartment on the first iron was broken, so I asked for a replacement, only to find the replacement had exactly the same issue. I’m not sure whether there is a reason for this, but it meant there was a risk of water leaking out while ironing.

Hotel, pool and facilities

The communal areas are a completely different story to the rooms. Reception and the main areas of the hotel are lovely, modern and very clean. The bar and restaurant areas are also really attractive and well maintained.

The main pool area is beautiful, particularly because of the spectacular sea views. The loungers weren’t the most comfortable and the parasols looked old and could do with being updated, but overall it is a lovely area to spend the day.

One of the hotel’s biggest selling points is undoubtedly its location and direct access to the sea. The views are spectacular. I’m not normally someone who is particularly interested in swimming in the sea, but the setting and access here make it incredibly inviting.

Food

We stayed on a half-board basis and thought both breakfast and the evening meals were very good. There was plenty of choice and we generally really enjoyed the food.

We chose not to eat from the pool bar during the day because we felt the prices were very high.

We did have one unusual experience in the restaurant. One evening, my partner saw a chef topping up the barbecue sauce bowl with brown sauce because it was running low. I hadn’t seen this happen and subsequently put what I thought was barbecue sauce on my food, only to get a nasty surprise when it tasted predominantly of brown sauce! We reported this to the hotel the following day.

Staff and service

The staff were one of the strongest parts of the hotel. Despite the number of problems we experienced, they were generally very helpful and friendly, and did try to resolve things for us.

Because of the issues we’d experienced, we were offered the opportunity to move to a room in the Star Prestige section. However, the room itself was very similar to the one we already had and, having already moved once, we didn’t want the hassle of packing everything up and moving again.

Although, the hotel kindly gave us access to the Star Prestige area and, as we were travelling with two friends, they also allowed them access, which was appreciated.

The Star Prestige area is very nice. I’m not sure how much extra it normally costs, but if I returned I would consider it depending on the price. That said, I wouldn’t personally pay a huge premium for it because the normal pool and communal areas of the hotel are already very nice.

Entertainment and atmosphere

There were a few activities taking place during the day and the entertainment staff were enthusiastic and friendly. One slightly strange point was the water aerobics. Apparently music couldn’t be played, so the instructor had to sing the songs herself instead! She gave it her best effort, but it wasn’t quite the same as actually having music playing.

For most of our stay, the hotel had a very relaxed and friendly atmosphere. During the final few days, however, there seemed to be a few larger groups staying. One group of men played their own music fairly loudly from around 4pm onwards. It didn’t particularly bother us, but I could imagine it being annoying for people who have specifically chosen an adults-only hotel because they want a very quiet and relaxing atmosphere.

Overall

There is a lot to like about this hotel. The location is fantastic, the views are spectacular, the sea access is brilliant, the communal areas are modern and clean, the food was very good and the staff genuinely tried their best to help us.

Unfortunately, we experienced too many problems during one stay – the leaking air-conditioning, water dripping from above, shower temperature issues, repeated problems with the room key, electricity cutting out, telephone problems and some smaller housekeeping and maintenance issues. Individually, these things might not have bothered us too much, but collectively they did have an impact on our overall experience.

The biggest issue for me is that the rooms simply don’t match the standard of the hotel’s communal areas. They feel dated and are in need of modernisation and refurbishment.

I wouldn’t rule out returning in the future because the hotel has so much potential and the setting really is beautiful. However, I personally wouldn’t return until the rooms have been refurbished and modernised. Once that happens, I think the hotel could be excellent.

We came for a quiet and relaxing 4 night break! We wanted an all exclusive experience and to be pampered and we chose the club prestige junior suite, with a swim up pool, the seaview was lovely, the staff attentive and friendly, the choice of food comprehensive , and the cleaning staff wonderful! My daughter and I slept, swam and generally chilled, all we needed was available and the app kept us in touch with any news or hotel info we needed thankyou

My wife and I had a lovely 4 night stay here to celebrate our Anniversary. I emailed the hotel prior to our arrival and they put rose petals on our bed and had a chilled bottle of fizz with strawberries and chocolates....a lovely touch. The staff are excellent, all seemed geared towards the guests having a good time on holiday. We stayed in a junior suite on the 2nd floor with a whirlpool bath in the room. The room looked a bit tired and could do with a refresh. The bath itself didn't look the cleanest and not very inviting. The room was very spacious and a full length mirror on one of the walls would have been handy.
The view from the balcony was 11/10. I would say the best view we have ever had from a hotel room , stunning.
Its also the same view from the restaurant and what a lovely way to enjoy your meal with a glass of wine overlooking that beautiful bay. The all inclusive drinks package was excellent, bombay gin, absolute vodka all part of all inc plus other high end drinks were available at a cost. The food was fantastic, the hotplate cooking fish and meat for lunch and dinner , the breakfast omelettes and fried eggs all very good. The choice of food was excellent and we never went hungry. I must say the choice of desserts was fab, one better than another. A lovely stay and would highly recommend.