Iberostar Selection Albufera Park

Family holiday with 2 children under 5 and it was great. Hotel must be edging toward that 5th Star v soon. Multiple well kept pools, range of restaurants, amazing kids club, coffee shop, barista made drinks, ice cream shop, lovely beach w direct access, space to relax always, wide range of entertainment including specialist workshops, fitness classes. Made us question the cost when paying for that famous Greek brand with I, when you have it all here. Lovely staff and hassle free service, whole family felt in good company and came back refreshed.

Pretty Good, could be great. Good points:

• clean.
• fantastic staff across the board.
• good room size and fantastic air conditioning.
• rooftop pool is superb. Just less than a metre deep so our 7 & 5 year olds could stand up. Never felt too busy, incredible views, lifeguard at all times, self service to beer, wines, fizz and soft drinks. Our favourite spot during our stay.
• animation/entertainment team fantastic with kids and put on some really fun evening shows for the whole family to enjoy.
• the Spanish and Greek restaurant food was lovely.
• bellboy helped us with our luggage as we had 8 cases to shift around the hotel. Super polite and friendly.
• on the beach, although no designated area or hotel sun-beds. 20 euros to hire two and a parasol for the day.
• housekeeping service is fantastic. Beds made, room cleaned, rubbish removed and fresh towels every day.
• 24 hour star cafe on the playa side came to our rescue multiple times. Lovely sandwiches, cookies and drinks.
• 30 second walk to a supermarket.
• fresh, filtered cold water station on every floor.
• clearly laid out activity/entertainment schedule via hotel app.
• the kids club was superb. Our two daughters used it 3/4 times during our 10 night stay and loved it. They even got to be in one of the evening shows on the main stage. Staff were so good with all the kids.
• indoor pool was nice for a quiet hour or two away from the madness of the main outside areas.

Things we felt could be improved:

• buffet restaurants very samey. The apple juice felt artificial in flavour and our kids wouldn’t drink it. Normally love AJ. Felt chaotic at times, having to manoeuvre and squeeze past people constantly. Staff perhaps overly keen to take away plates and cups once empty.
• main pool area felt super busy! A little chaotic at times and very slippy in all places. The pool with the bouncy pillow was chaos. Wouldn’t be surprised to hear of multiple injuries as too busy and not properly policed.
• cocktails were rubbish. Mainly pre-made from what we saw and didn’t taste great.
• not a lot within walking distance when considering the 35 degree heat in August. Plenty of other hotels much closer to the centre.
• bedroom pillows are terrible. Super uncomfortable and offer very little support.
• can only book restaurants once checked in. We booked on day one and first available slot in any of the 4 bookable restaurants was 6 days later. Noticed that when we did eat at them, there were multiple tables free throughout our dining experience.
• Albufera Park and Albufera Playa essentially operate as one hotel with all facilities/services open to guests of both.
• usual sun bed warriors leaving towels for hours. In the end we just started throwing them off as hotel did nothing.
• onsite laundry room doesn’t have anywhere near enough machines for guests from both the park and playa hotels. 3/4 washing machines and 2 driers. Clothes left in for hours after cycle complete. In the end we had to just take them out and leave on top of the machine so we could use it.

Overall, We really enjoyed our stay as a family of four. Would we go back? Probably, but not for 10 nights.

We had an absolutely fantastic stay from start to finish. From the moment we arrived, the staff were warm, attentive, and always happy to help. Nothing was ever too much trouble, and any issues we had with our room were dealt with immediately and professionally, which really showed how much they care about their guests' experience.

The facilities were exceptional, especially for families with young children. There were so many swimming pools to choose from, and our toddler had the best time splashing around and exploring them all! 'Froggy Pool' was a highlight for her and she could of spent all day in there.

The rooftop pool / bar / seating area was a superb place to relax especially in the early evening before our meals. One evening a full moon party was put on up there and it was fantastic.

The food was another highlight of our stay. The buffet offered an excellent variety of fresh, high-quality dishes every day, and the onsite restaurants were equally impressive. Every meal was delicious, with plenty of options to suit all tastes. We ate at the Greek and the Spanish restaurant which you have to book via the app which was easy enough but book them as soon as you get a room number!

The hotel itself was spotless throughout. The rooms, pools, restaurants, and communal areas were all maintained to an exceptionally high standard, creating a comfortable and welcoming environment.

One of the standout parts of our holiday was the amazing entertainment team that worked from 7am to late. They brought so much energy to the young kids in the resort. My Child is nearly 3 years old so much of the entertainment started post 8pm so she could only go to the 'disco' which was more of a Hotel Kids Club sing along (do not expect any current pop songs) but she enjoyed the starfish that appeared at the end. We would need to come back and then would be old enough to enjoy some more of the kids club opportunities.

One thing we particularly appreciated was the hotel's commitment to sustainability. Their efforts to reduce plastic use and operate in a more environmentally responsible way were evident throughout the resort. Maybe bring a water bottle with you so you can fill up water throughout the day (they sell some nice bottles to fill up though).

The beach is about a two minute walk from the hotel and its a lovely sandy beach that is perfect for a quick visit or a few hours with the hotel being so near for toilet or drink breaks.

One thing to note was that we we're moved from our original room location after a few days due to some noise issues and our child being in bed earlier than other kids in the hotel. The staff handled it amazingly and we we're moved to a room similar in style and quieter the day after. Thankyou everyone on the front desk for listening and resolving our problems in a friendly kind manner!

Overall, this was one of the best hotel experiences we've had. Excellent service, fantastic food, amazing family-friendly facilities, impeccable cleanliness, and lovely family friendly vibes.

Location is about a 45 minute taxi and would recommend booking a taxi with young kids rather than airport bus transfers provided by travel companies.

We would not hesitate to return and highly recommend it to families looking for a memorable and stress-free holiday!!