We noticed that you're using an unsupported browser. The Tripadvisor website may not display properly.We support the following browsers:
Windows: Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome. Mac: Safari.
Contact accommodation for availability.
There are similar hotels available.
View all
Daniel
London, United Kingdom

NOT A FIVE STAR! NOT EVEN A FOUR!

1.0 of 5 bubblesReviewed 20 Aug 2024via mobile
This Hotel is a three star hotel at best. It certainly should not be advertised by UK Travel Companies as the English language skills here are seriously lacking. We arrived with two young children and 4 cases at 11 at night and no one helped us with our cases despite the fact that you come through the door and have to go down around 12 large steps to reach the reception. After a slow check in where we were given a map and little other knowledge of the hotel we took our own cases to the 11th Floor. The so called 5 star room consisted of a double bed with just a sheet for cover and a very battered pull out sofa bed for the kids. All the bedding was stained as was all the furniture and the net curtains on the door leading to the balcony, which hadn’t been swept for at least a week.

We were tired and slept. At 0900 we went to the buffet. The lifts are very small and there are people waiting at every floor so it takes a long time to get down to the lower floors. The buffet was carnage. None of the staff spoke any English and the food was of a quality that you would expect in a prison. Getting out was comical. A queue of 20 deep awaiting the lifts, the stairs are quicker.

The facilities are mostly closed, the apps aren’t user friendly and the WiFi isn’t any good if you need a decent connection for business like myself. By 1400 on our second day we had left and found another hotel a couple of hours drive away on booking.com. This was four star and I’m on my way as I write this. I guarantee it’s 10 times better. STAY WELL CLEAR
Date of stay: August 2024
Trip type: Travelled with family
Problem with this review?
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Magic World Resort, Director General at Pontiana Thalasso Hotel, responded to this review
Responded 21 Aug 2024
To this day, the entire Magic family continues to work to modernize the resort. These have been months of intense work and, despite the efforts of the entire team, there may be services that have not met their expectations and that is why we are redoubling our efforts so that their experience is not affected. We have had problems beyond our control on the part of the contractors, supplies from outside Spain that caused delays due to force majeure. On the day of your arrival at the establishment we give you a welcome letter, where we inform you about Formula 24 and Post 24 Formula for situations similar to the one you tell us, and so that during your stay you can inform us about any deficiencies you find and can be solved while enjoying your holidays.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Nearby Hotels
R 1 557
R 1 496
Fully refundable
No prepayment needed
  • Priceline
    R 1 496
  • StayForLong
    R 1 507
  • Vio.com
    R 1 496
2.9 km from Pontiana Thalasso Hotel
Free Wifi
Beachfront
Property building
R 1 181
  • Priceline
    R 1 181
  • Agoda.com
    R 1 183
3.0 km from Pontiana Thalasso Hotel
Free Wifi
Restaurant
R 2 360
  • Booking.com
  • eDreams
  • Vio.com
0.1 km from Pontiana Thalasso Hotel
R 1 574
  • Priceline
  • eDreams
  • Agoda.com
0.2 km from Pontiana Thalasso Hotel
Apartamentos Danesp-Playa de les Amplaries Marina Dor- Frontales al Mar
R 4 133
  • Priceline
    R 4 133
  • Agoda.com
    R 3 950
1.0 km from Pontiana Thalasso Hotel
Apartamentos Parada
R 1 279
  • Priceline
    R 1 279
  • Agoda.com
    R 1 281
2.6 km from Pontiana Thalasso Hotel
Vista principal apartamentos
R 2 464
  • Booking.com
  • Priceline
  • eDreams
2.7 km from Pontiana Thalasso Hotel
Pets Allowed
R 9 854
  • eDreams
2.0 km from Pontiana Thalasso Hotel
  • Algotels
  • Expedia.com
  • Booking.com
1.3 km from Pontiana Thalasso Hotel
Free Wifi
Pool
View more hotels in Oropesa Del Mar
Reviews (85)
Filter reviews
85 results
Traveller rating
55
6
3
5
16
Traveller type
Time of year
LanguageAll languages
Traveller rating
55
6
3
5
16
See what travellers are saying:
Selected filters
Filter
Updating list...
1 - 6 of 85 reviews
Reviewed 12 August 2024

First of all to be v honest here this is the only bad review we have ever given a hotel in over 20 years going on vacation.
We booked this hotel under adult only, and to our amazement by the end of out 7 day trip we musta been the only couple there that DIDNT have kids with plus everything around the hotel is designed for kids but we just got on with the holiday. The shower was a disgrace the head kept falling off the glass in the shower was all sealed off with silicone and u can only shower into the corner of it because if you showered the normal way all the way gushes out on the floor. So every shower we took we had to cover the floor in towels.
The food for a all inclusive package deal was v average. No steak no chicken fillets over the 7 days just pasta chips vegetables dried pork fatty lamb and the odd over done kebab. The bar was worse 20 mins to get a drink and my wife had to come get me because 2 of the bar staff were making fun of her in Spanish. The spa which was advertised clearly as and v modern was closed all week it was never open. The 1 good thing was the swimming pool which was next door again the staff were 100% as rude as youl get. We're a nice irish couple v friendly we have never written a bad review before but take this as gospel. It's not a 5 star hotel it's not even a 2 star and as for adult only well if this resort is adult only we musta being in a bad dream.

Room tip: The bed was like lying on a sheet of plywood I cudnt add that in in our review because we had so much bad experiences to fill in.
Date of stay: August 2024
  • Trip type: Travelled as a couple
    • Value
    • Location
    • Sleep Quality
    • Rooms
    • Cleanliness
    • Service
Thank Kevin J
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Magic World Resort, Director General at Pontiana Thalasso Hotel, responded to this reviewResponded 13 August 2024

Dear visitor,

As you know, to this day the entire Magic family is still working to modernize the resort. These have been months of intense work and, despite the efforts of the entire team, there may be services that have not met their expectations and that is why we are redoubling our efforts so that their experience is not affected.

We are surprised by your comment, as our buffets offer a wide variety of options, including salads, hot dishes, paellas, pastas, fish and meats, as well as a diverse selection of desserts in each service. We strive to provide a complete and varied dining experience tailored to all our customers.

We have had problems beyond our control on the part of the contractors, supplies from outside Spain that caused delays due to force majeure.

This 2024 season only the Exterior Spa will be opened, with the Interior Spa being closed for renovations. We will open this part of the inland spa in 2025 with many new features and surprises.

On the day of your arrival at the establishment we give you a welcome letter, where we inform you about Formula 24 and Post 24 Formula for situations similar to the one you tell us, and so that during your stay you can inform us about any deficiencies you find and can be solved while enjoying your holidays.

Kind regards

Management Team Hotel Balneario 5

Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC
Reviewed 12 August 2024

Totally mis-sold by On The Beach.
Definitely not a 5* hotel, do not be fooled by the misleading pictures and available amenities.
As everyone has commented on other reviews, the rooms are dated but comfortable.

The are three night clubs on the ground floor area at the rear of the hotel which open about 23:00 and are still going strong about 05:00, so don't expect any sleep if you leave you patio door open.

The hotel has one bar on the 3rd floor. The roof top bar is on the roof of the hotel next door and to be honest, it's not worth the bother. The Aloha bar is a 10 minute walk from the hotel.

There is one main buffet restaurant, the rest of them are scattered around the area and you need to book and pre-pay on the APP.

The outdoor pools are not connected to the hotel and you have to leave the hotel to access them. These pools also close for an hour at 14:00 each day so you have to leave the pool area completely.
The indoor spa pools are currently closed for refurbishment. They are falling to bits.

The food is good quality but it is repetitive and if you don't like fish or seafood, it will be a struggle to find something to eat. Remember, this is a Spanish resort for Spanish people.
Not many people speak English so expect to use Google Translate.

Room tip: Expect a lot of Spanish tourists.
Date of stay: July 2024
  • Trip type: Travelled with family
    • Value
    • Location
    • Sleep Quality
    • Rooms
    • Cleanliness
    • Service
Thank Venture55770561180
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 29 July 2024

We didn't realise until we arrived that the resort was 90% Spanish holiday makers. We tried our best to use what we could with Google translate and to be fair we got by quite well. At the end of the day we went to Spain so just expecting the staff and other guests to understand English is a little naive.
When we arrived at the hotel sadlt our room wasn't readhband had to wait an hour for it to be cleaned, and had to request a cot for our 1 year old.
The food was nice, took us a little while to get our heads around what to do and where to go as it wasn't made clear when checking in. Eating is located on floor 3, which we could have figured out if we'd paid more attention to the buttons in the lift.
The magic land pool was nice, pretty busy at times but thinned out rapidly around lunch time. If you go to lunch around 1 and head back to the pools after you'll likely have plenty of choice with sun beds.
Our room was nice but a little dated in comparison to the rooms on the website but it seems the whole set up is being slowly renovated and was likely hit hard during covid.
We didnt venture into any of the other hotels in the complex but believe you could eat in any of them. We also didn't realise that this isn't a standard all inclusive where you just stay in your hotel, the pools and other hotels and entertainment span across a whole estate. We went to the aloha beach bar for nightly entertainment and enjoyed the parade which occurs a few times a week. There's also a road called music street which seemed to have several nightclubs on it but we never heard a peep from these and also never saw them open. But with a 1 year old in tow we weren't out partying until the early hours anyway 😴 it was a pleasant first family holiday but we'd unlikely return in the future for another holiday. In comparison to the UK holidays we'd described it as similar to a Spanish centre parks.

Room tip: Pools don't open until 10:30/11 so no running down to claim beds super early. Food times also state the busiest times within the timeslots
Date of stay: July 2024
  • Trip type: Travelled with family
    • Value
    • Location
    • Sleep Quality
    • Rooms
    • Cleanliness
    • Service
Thank Hayley S
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Magic World Resort, Director General at Pontiana Thalasso Hotel, responded to this reviewResponded 30 July 2024

Dear Guest,

Receive a warm greeting from all Magic World Resort staff. We thank you for the words you dedicate to us, as they are the best gift we can receive and encourages us to continue improving every day. It is a pleasure to know that you have been able to enjoy with your family with us and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for sharing your opinion with the rest of the users of this network of travelers.

Sincerely,

Hotel Balneario Management Team

Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC
Reviewed 6 July 2024

What a shame! We were so looking forward to this holiday booked through on the beach and marketed as a 5 star hotel! We went all inclusive and then even stupidly upgraded to ultra all inclusive when we got there. Main points are the entire thing is supposed to be a resort of hotels and types of children orientated entertainment. But for some reason they have night clubs pounding music till all hours of the early morning directly downstairs from this apparent 5 star hotel! The food was good first couple days then completely fell of became incredibly poor quality and repetitive. Most of the people we encountered were very unhelpful and rude, this is with the exception of Salma in the Magic Sports hotel and Anna in the Italian restaurant! You are both truly wasted in this place.

Our first day there a group of very young men about 12 of them stole my 4 year olds beach ball and destroyed it and then started behaving like animals in the splash park so none of the actual kids could play, multiple people complained and the staff just stood there staring at them! Funny though cause when a 5 year old didn’t anything wrong they would started aggressively blowing their whistles.

We were given little to no information on how things worked, where things were or what our package included. What we did know about we were unable to book due to unavailability which when we upgraded we were assured we would have no problems with! We were supposed to also have our mini bar replenished which only happen once in 7 days!

Cleaners destroyed a cupboard door in our room and just left it leaned up against the wall with screws coming out of it!

Cleaners will also come in to your room whether you put up a sign asking them not to or not!

Don’t bother visiting Magic Land it is truly the worst place ever and should be shut down.

There are broken tiles and random building materials strewn around the streets.

A random Spanish man walked up to me and my child who was I had I my arms and blew cigarette spike directly in to his face.

Pretty sure there was no alcohol on any of the drinks we ordered and I swear this as fact as I am a light weight and couldn’t get tipsy even after multiple drinks!

Nothing will be translated for you if you are English and you will be made to feel like you are not wanted there by everyone from the staff to the other guests! I have never experienced anything like it in my life.

I will be complaining directly to the hotel and on the beach as this holiday has been seriously miss-sold!

We made the very best of it as we could but it we had to literally do the same thing everyday like ground hog day!

Date of stay: July 2024
  • Trip type: Travelled with family
    • Value
    • Location
    • Sleep Quality
    • Rooms
    • Cleanliness
    • Service
1  Thank Maureen M
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Magic World Resort, Director General at Pontiana Thalasso Hotel, responded to this reviewResponded 22 July 2024

Hello, we're sorry for the bad experience you had at Magic World. These have been months of intense work and, despite the efforts of the entire team, there may be services that have not met their expectations and that is why we are redoubling our efforts so that the guest experience is not affected.

Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC
Reviewed 28 November 2024

Date of stay: August 2024
  • Trip type: Travelled with family
    • Value
    • Location
    • Sleep Quality
    • Rooms
    • Cleanliness
    • Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
View more reviews