Iberostar Waves Malaga Playa

Philip Clifford

A well-presented hotel. Our rooms had recently been refurbished, staff appeared to constantly be cleaning and were always helpful. The restaurant food was generally quite good, though some things let it down. Pieces of frozen-solid avocado at breakfast; soggy, defrosted chopped vegetables as ingredients at the omelette station; some near-cold items in the "hot" buffet. The main issue we had was because our rooms face the pool area. The evening entertainment takes place in the outdoor bar area, and continues until almost 23.00 each night. On our last night, a Saturday night, it sounded like there was a nightclub on the other side of my balcony doors. Very inconvenient if you are wanting to get up early for days out or heading to the airport. Sometimes, after the entertainment has finished, groups of people continue to drink and be merry (or raucous) on the outdoor seating. If you like an earlyish night to bed, see if you can request a room that faces away from the pool (ie towards the car park or surrounding area). I'd say the hotel is well-located on the seafront, with cafes and restaurants nearby. There is a free car park adjacent, and good road links to local and further-afield destinations.

Kristina Walsh

Style over substance I think is the best placed description of this hotel. Our recent stay at Iberostar Waves Málaga Playa left much to be desired for, particularly for a resort of a grand brand like Iberostar. Minibar Mystery... The room’s minibar was empty throughout our stay, not even a bottle of water on arrival! For a property that claims premium all-inclusive service, charging for mini bar refill was somewhat cheeky. All-Inclusive… Until You Check Out!! Access to all-inclusive facilities was abruptly cut off the moment we checked out, despite still being on the premises. The all-inclusive bracelets were snapped off us albeit us staying on the premises only an hour after check out, which left such a bitter after-taste, made the whole experience feel transactional and not hospitable. Unsafe Pool Surface! The pool area was dangerously slippery. My child fell multiple time,at least a dozen! Wet floor signs were present, but unless one mastered teleportation, there was no safe way to navigate the area. The tiles should really be slip safe and not smooth like an ice rink. No preventative measures, no staff concern—just a hazard waiting to happen. Water Park.... The water park rules prohibit adults from accompanying children up to the slides. My child, excited but nervous, was left in tears. When I tried to support him, I was repeatedly whistled at by a lifeguard—as if I were misbehaving, rather than parenting. It was humiliating and deeply frustrating. Worse still, one child in our group fell on the steps and hit their head. The lifeguard didn’t notice—he was too busy policing adults near the slides to actually look out for the children using them. The resort may photograph well, but the reality is a rigid, impersonal experience that fails to meet the needs of traveling families. We expected warmth, flexibility, and relaxing holiday but all we got was a checklist of restrictions and rules. Won't be in a rush back...

Alexandra Boscenco

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Amazing stay at Iberostar! We had an All inclusive holiday for 2 weeks . The food was delicious, and the people were so kind and welcoming. The entertainment team deserves 10 stars — they are truly the best! 🤩 Crazy Alex, Raquel, Elena, Paula, and the fun Ton made every day special with great activities for kids, constant smiles, and so much positive energy. I really hope the manager sees how much joy they bring to guests and rewards them with a well-deserved bonus! 💫

Timmy Simons

We recently stayed at Iberostar Waves Malaga Playa and overall had a very pleasant experience. One of the biggest positives is that the hotel is well prepared for guests with reduced mobility. There are reserved sunbeds by the pool and reserved seats in the restaurant for people with disabilities, and even a special chair at the pool that helps guests get safely into the water. The staff were always very helpful, and we really appreciated their attentiveness. The animation team was a highlight of our stay. A special mention goes to Alex, who was not only very friendly but also incredibly funny, and to Angela, who was always kind and caring. They really made our holiday extra special. The evening shows were also of very good quality and a lot of fun. The lifeguards kept a very close eye on everything at the pool – maybe a little too close at times, as they could be quite strict – but it’s clear they take safety seriously. In general, all staff members were very friendly and hardworking. On the downside, the surrounding area has very little to see or do outside the hotel. We also found it disappointing that the minibar was not included in the all-inclusive package and came with an extra charge. At mealtimes there could be some waiting to enter the restaurant, and once inside it was often quite noisy. That said, the restaurant staff worked very hard and service was excellent. Overall, we would rate the hotel 7/10. The facilities are very good, the staff is kind, and the entertainment team – especially Alex and Angela – added a wonderful touch to our holiday.

Jacob Wilson

This is my third Iberostar stay and the dining experience does not meet expectations. I would suggest NOT dining at the buffet. You corral in line waiting for food only to be pointed toward a table with no wait staff or personalization. This experience feels like a cafeteria not a premium restaurant. The food was lacking, with multiple dishes duplicated and a minimal selection overall. It seems they cater to kids with the majority of food being French fries and pizza. There were broken and dirty dinner plates stacked at the food bars. No cold plates were available at the salad bar, and the sangria and Malaga wine were empty during my entire diner.