Iberostar Waves Playa de Muro

We had wanted to try an Iberostar hotel for a long time and were genuinely excited about this stay. We chose the hotel expecting a high standard, especially because it is marketed as a family-friendly resort. Unfortunately, while the hotel looks beautiful and impressive at first glance, once you start looking beyond the main areas, there are quite a few things that do not match the image or the price. The good Let me start with the positives. We arrived around 12:00–12:30 on a Saturday, when there was a large number of guests checking out. Our room was not ready, which was completely understandable. The reception staff offered us drinks and chocolate while we waited, which was a nice touch. The food was genuinely very good. Everything we tried was fresh, tasty and reasonably varied, and we had no complaints about the quality of the food. The housekeeping team was also excellent. Our room was cleaned properly and on time, and when we asked for the room to be cleaned earlier because of our baby’s nap, the ladies were very accommodating. They deserve recognition. Unfortunately, this is where most of the positives end. Children’s facilities was the biggest disappointment The hotel is advertised as a family resort with numerous children’s areas. There are indeed plenty of them, but the condition of these areas was shocking for a hotel of this standard. Broken toys, dirty equipment, worn-out furniture and dirty carpets were common. The carpets in particular looked dirty and smelled unpleasant. The children’s club had exactly the same problem: old, tired and poorly maintained equipment. We understand perfectly well that children’s areas get dirty and that toys can break. That is normal. What is not normal, in our opinion, is leaving them in that condition. The contrast was particularly noticeable because the hotel clearly puts a lot of effort into cleaning the main public areas. Reception and other common areas were cleaned frequently, so it was difficult to understand why the children’s areas appeared to be almost forgotten. And then came the most worrying incident. We found pieces of broken glass inside the children’s area near the bar. I immediately reported this to the staff. Nobody came to clean it, so we had to remove the glass ourselves because our child was playing in the area. For us, this is not simply an issue of something looking old or untidy. Broken glass in an area specifically intended for children is a genuine safety concern. I have attached photos so people can judge the condition of the children’s furniture and facilities for themselves. The children’s water area was one of the things our little one actually enjoyed. However, even there we noticed poor cleaning. Cola was spilled on the tiles near the sun loungers on our first day, and four days later the same area was still visibly dirty and sticky. The room upgrade was a mistake Another major disappointment was our room. When booking the holiday, I deliberately selected a room overlooking the interior/courtyard because we were travelling with a small child and wanted to avoid the noise from the evening entertainment. At reception we were offered an upgrade to a sea-view room for €220 instead of €440, so 50% off. We asked specifically whether the room would be quiet, and we were assured that it was far enough away from the entertainment area. It wasn’t. Our room was directly facing the entertainment stage. Every evening we had loud music and heavy bass coming into the room until around 10pm. On Saturday it continued until around 11pm. The noise was so loud that we could clearly hear the bass even with the windows closed. This was particularly frustrating because we had specifically chosen our original room type to avoid exactly this situation. We discovered the problem only in the evening, after unpacking and settling our baby down. At that point, with a small child and all our luggage already unpacked, we simply didn’t want to spend the evening arguing with reception and trying to move rooms. The sea view itself was also rather underwhelming — the sea was partially visible through the trees. So in hindsight, we would absolutely not pay for this upgrade again. The room itself was surprisingly basic For the price and the reputation of Iberostar, we expected something much better. The room was quite ordinary and actually felt rather tired. Some of the furniture clearly needs refurbishment, and the bathroom and shower were also showing their age. The bedding and towels were clean, but some had holes in them, which is simply not what we expected from a hotel of this category. The bed was another problem. It consisted of two separate beds pushed together, and they constantly moved apart whenever we moved during the night. Not exactly the comfortable hotel experience we were expecting. Overall This is a hotel that looks much better in the photographs and at first glance than it does once you start paying attention to the details. The main areas are attractive and well maintained, the food is good and the housekeeping team was excellent. But the condition and cleanliness of the children’s facilities, the broken glass incident, the lack of response from staff, the poor maintenance of parts of the room and the misleading information about the room location seriously affected our stay. For us, the biggest issue is the gap between what we expected from Iberostar and what we actually experienced. If this were a budget hotel, some of these things might be easier to overlook. But for the price we paid and the reputation of the Iberostar brand, we expected considerably more. Would we return? Unfortunately, no. If you are travelling without children, some of these issues may not affect you as much. But if you are choosing this hotel specifically because it is marketed as a family-friendly resort, I would strongly recommend taking a close look at the condition of the children’s facilities before booking.

Great hotel for families , good food , direct beach access ( which is a beautiful beach by the way ) , numerous pools , good location with good transport links. The standards that you associate with Iberostar. A solid 4 star hotel . I would definitely reccomend and would come again.

We love Katy 🩵 Great aqua aerobics session! Fun, energetic, and well organized. Katy was fantastic, friendly, and motivating. Definitely recommend it to everyone!

We have a fabulous time! our room overlooked the pool and we could see the sea through the trees. The food was delicious with plenty of choices. The staff were also very helpful. I unfortunately left my coat in the room I believe it must have been on the bed as I checked out. I remembered this about 2/3 hours, told the staff on reception but they said they couldn’t find it. I was asked to leave my details, which I did and they would get back to me. I have also sent emails on my return home but as yet I haven’t heard back from them.

We recently stayed here for 7 days in August as a family of five (mum, dad, three-year-old, and grandparents) on an All-Inclusive package booked through Jet2. Overall, it lives up to its 4+ star rating, and we would likely return. Transfer & Location The location is brilliant, right on Playa de Muro beach. The sea is lovely and shallow, which is perfect for little ones. While it isn’t the absolute best section of the beach, staff clear it every morning, and watching the sunrise on a clear day is highly recommended. The street side has shops, restaurants, and a supermarket right outside. We went with a private transfer from the airport which took 50 minutes, while the Jet2 return coach took just 45 minutes as we were the last pickup. Rooms We had two single-person rooms and one family room. The family room had great separate room and bed space for the three of us and came with an unrequested sea view. On arrival, two rooms were on the ground floor next to communal toilets and the main road. After complaining, reception relocated us immediately. We experienced a few room issues during the week (ants, a broken safe, and a temporary water leak from the bathroom ceiling), but staff acted instantly and resolved everything without issue. Rooms are clean and modern, equipped with fresh towels, bedding, a hairdryer, and basic toiletries. Food & Drinks Dining: Standard buffet options with nightly themes. We missed having an inclusive à la carte option and couldn't find English sausages at breakfast, but the ocean-view BBQ area for lunch and dinner was lovely. The food truck for fast food on your sunbed and the healthy poke bowl/smoothie corner were great touches. A 24/7 coffee shop offers quick pastries and snacks. Ice Cream: Buffet ice cream is included, pool bar ice lollies feature 3 free options, and wider menu items are 50% off for AI guests. Drinks: This is where the 4-star rating felt slightly questionable. Cocktails were premade, watered down, and sugary. The wine wasn't fantastic, though soft drinks, standard beer, and refillable water stations throughout the property were fine. Pools, Sunbeds & Amenities The main pool features a shallow splash section for toddlers. While the splash park was a bit babyish for our nearly four-year-old, she loved the bouncy dome slide. The playground area was a bit basic, but by the pool, there is a fantastic shared area where guests leave inflatables, goggles, and buckets and spades for others to borrow. Sunbed rules against reserving between 8:30 and 10:00 AM were respected; we easily secured 5 beds with umbrellas around 9:00 AM daily without issue. Towels require a refundable €20 deposit. Entertainment & Activities The animation team really sets this hotel apart. Downloading the Iberostar app is a must to keep track of daily schedules, which start with morning yoga or Pilates on the beach. Though our little one was too young for the main kids' club, she loved the daily drop-in arts and crafts (tie-dye, hat decorating, sand bottles) and the nightly mini disco. Evening entertainment was fun, featuring quality external acts and quizzes. Overall, a well-maintained, easy-to-navigate hotel with outstanding, responsive service.