Bali

Firstly great location in Benalmadena. Close to the beach, not far from marina and a 15 minute walk to Arroyo De La Miel for the Train Station. However, I found the hotel a bit run down. Alot of it seemed very old and dilapidated. The staff compared to other hotels in I've experienced in Spain weren't as friendly. They gave the impression they just wanted interactions to be over as quickly as possible, seemed a bit miserable and uninterested. There was a lot of building work going on around the pool areas, with one pool not available. I found the pool areas quite dirty. Also the kids pool did not open until 11am, which if you like a morning by the pool with your kids, that is not going to happen. The buffet for both breakfast and dinner was basic, with not much of a change in choices. The 'hot food' as mentioned in previous reviews was quite cold. Rooms were 2pretty standard Costa Del Sol 3 Star. The usual hard beds and paper thin pillows. The rooms were also cleaned promptly each day. There are good luggage lockers available for €2 (a 2€ coin required) if you arrive early or late. The hotel can also be a bit 'lively' at night, so if you don't like having to walk through a noisy area this place won't be for you as the bar is in the dead centre of the hotel and is unavoidable. If you want a cheap base to get out and about around Benalmadena this does the job. However in the future I'd pay the extra €20-30 a night for somewhere a bit nicer. It was around €90 a night over the Easter holidays here, from my experience it should have been slightly cheaper.

A special mention to the housekeeping staff, who did an excellent job every day—our room was spotless and always felt fresh and welcoming. The breakfast staff were also fantastic: friendly, attentive, and kept everything well-stocked even during busy times. The location is great, with easy access to the beach and beautiful surroundings. However, the hotel is situated on a fairly steep hill, with quite a few steps down to the beach. It was manageable for us with a light stroller, but something to keep in mind if you have mobility concerns or heavier equipment. Next time, we would probably consider staying in one of the hotels closer to the beach area to avoid the steps. The rooms themselves are nice and comfortable, though the bathroom felt a bit dated. A general upgrade or refurbishment would really elevate the overall experience. Overall, a great stay with truly hardworking and welcoming staff.

Absolutely blast! Hotel very welcoming, even hospitality manager Virginia checked on us couple of times personally. Food range and evening entertainment, perfect for families, quiet enough comparing very busy as was booked up during our visit. Very close to the beach and promenade and Puerto Marina. Very nice staff also, clean and spacious room, will come back again

Good points The room was clean and the view was good. The entertainment around the pool for the kids was good (which was good as we visited early April so the pool was pretty cold). The food was OK, a very British menu, which I didn't mind, but if you are travelling to Spain for Spanish food you will be disappointed. The location of the hotel is pretty central so good there too Bad points The pool staff were very grumpy with the kids. No inflatables in the pool, even when it was empty, and the guard was quite rude. No diving in the pool, even though its about 2m deep, again quite rude telling people. The sun loungers are old, worn and quite uncomfortable. The parasols are fixed and don't collapse, so if you want to be in the sun or shade you will spend all day moving your sunbed to be in/out of it. Oh, and the pool doesn't open till around 11:15 most days and closes around 17:30. When I say closed I mean they actually fence it off each day The shower in the room was quite dangerous, getting scalding hot randomly. Be careful with kids, and no extractor fan or window in the bathroom, which was strange. Overall If you are wanting a cheap and cheerful place to stay then this is fine.

The Bali is a very friendly hotel in a good location. It isn't the Ritz and doesn't pretend to be but everyone seems to be having fun. My 10 year old son really enjoyed the children's activities and had the best time. We've stayed here several times before and would not hesitate to return.