Sol Marbella Estepona Atalaya Park

I don't normally leave reviews but felt I needed to do so in this instance so others are aware before parting with their hard earned money.

Just come back from a week all inclusive and these are my experiences.

I agree with other reviews this is not a 4 star hotel, its more of a 3 star.

The name Sol 'Marbella Estepona' is a blatant misrepresentation, it is a 45 minute drive to Estepona and 25 minute drive to Marbella. The hotel is in the middle of a residential area in Isdabe with nothing around it.

The food was consistently cold at every meal time, unless you were lucky enough to be at the serving area when the chef was putting freshly cooked food out. For example if you go to dinner at 8:30pm your food will have been sat there in trays since 8pm going cold.

At breakfast time there is an obsession with frying eggs. If you stand at the egg station waiting for an omelette (the only hot thing in the restaurant) the chef seems to be more interested in frying 20 odd eggs and ignores you.

At dinner if you are English forget being offered bottled water, unlike our French and Spanish friends who seemed to have bottled water in abundance. In the 7 days we were there we were offered bottled water only once. On our last night I had to get up and ask one of the 3 staff talking near the door, one of which gave me a dirty look and begrudgingly brought one bottle over (despite their clearly being 3 of us).

The bars and drinks were fair but for some bizarre reason the Lobby Bar closes at 10pm so if you want a late drink your only option is to sit in the outdoor entertainment area rammed together with other families like battery hens, watching low quality (and very loud) acts.

There are 2 pool areas the 'main pool' which has a family party vibe with loud music in the afternoon and the 'piscina tranquila' the 'quiet pool'. Don't let this fool you the quiet pool is nothing of the sort, kids dive bombing in the pool and running around the edge, others floating on rubber rings shouting to their parents, who for the week we were there seemed more interested in their mobile phones and vaping rather than looking after their kids. The life guard is disinterested and lets kids do what they want. One kid was told off by his mother and he started using what can only be called industrial language back at her (he was around 10 years old) much to the disgust of everyone in the area trying to sunbathe and relax. This was not a 'quiet pool' by any stretch of the imagination.

We were expecting so much more from this hotel with the write up and photos, but will not be going back.

We stayed here on a family vacation (2 adults and 2 kids under 10), and the experience completely exceeded our expectations. The resort easily delivers an upscale 4-star experience, offering a fantastic environment for a well-rounded trip.

The Room and Comfort We had originally booked a "Big Family" room, but upon check-in, the front desk offered us the option to switch to a room that, while slightly smaller, had a much better layout. It turned out to be a genuine upgrade. The room was spacious, super comfortable, and featured a massive balcony with side ocean views of the Mediterranean. It came with two single beds and a pull-out sofa bed. Both were extremely comfortable and made for a great night's sleep. The soundproofing was very good (we had very peaceful nights), and the AC consistently kept the room at the perfect temperature. A special shout-out to the daily housekeeping team, who did a flawless job and were incredibly kind. The attention to detail and care they showed with the kids' teddy bears, neatly arranging them on the bed after cleaning, made a huge difference for our family.

Facilities and Dining The resort grounds are large and very well maintained. There are two pools: a quieter one perfect for relaxing, and a larger main pool where all the entertainment activities take place. There are also football and basketball courts, a fully equipped gym, and plenty of green spaces. The pool areas are kept spotless, with an abundance of loungers and shade (both umbrellas and natural shade from trees), meaning we never had to deal with the typical early-morning "chair-reservation race." No matter what time of day we went, we always found available spots. As for the food, the selection was varied and of great quality, featuring daily themed dinners (Spanish, Tex-Mex, Japanese) alongside plenty of meat, fish, and vegetarian options, as well as a wide selection of fruit, desserts, and ice cream. The Wi-Fi worked seamlessly throughout the entire property.

Entertainment and Kids Club The entertainment team was simply top-notch! For adults, they offered everything from wellness classes like Yoga and Pilates to more high-energy activities like water polo. For the little ones, the Kids Club was magnificent. The staff showed incredible patience and care with all the children, effortlessly handling language barriers in Spanish, English, or through gestures!!😂. The activities were super engaging: floating bouncy castles, pool dances, water basketball, and awesome interactive games like treasure hunts and the "ice cream thief hunt," where the kids wore handmade cardboard costumes to search for clues around the resort.

Staff and Location The entire staff was remarkably polite, attentive, and always ready to help with a smile. The location is prime, right on the beach with unobstructed views of the Mediterranean Sea, and less than an hour's drive from Málaga Airport. While the immediate surrounding area is on the quieter side, the resort itself has so many amenities and activities that we never felt the need to leave.

It was a phenomenal vacation.

A huge thank you to the entire Sol/Meliá team for making it so memorable! We will definitely be back.

I was nervous about going, I had booked for my parents and family and just before we arrived there was a flurry of bad reviews. I went with low expectations, but I need not of worried. It was all excellent. There was always something delicious to eat. Branded drinks, great beer and wine. No complaints from me and I am quite fussy. Large family rooms, comfy beds. Beautiful gardens with parapets, spacious pools and plenty of sun beds . Good vibes from staff, Esther the yoga teacher bought great energy to her classes. Keneya in the restaurant was lovely and always helpful.