H10 Estepona Palace, Costa del Sol

My husband and I stayed for 4 nights in late October and found lots to enjoy about our stay. We were half board in a Privilege room and on the whole thought the hotel offered good value for money. The Privilege rooms are nice, but the extras - drinks, some snacks in the Privilege lounge, access to the Solarium which offered a a very quiet sunny spot to relax, plus late check-out, 1 visit to the spa etc really made it worthwhile paying a bit extra. The food was generally what we expected from a hotel which offers AI buffet style meals. If youre expecting high quality food this is not the place, but there was enough variety and the basics (fresh fruit, bread, potatoes of various kinds) were fine. My husband was pleased with the variety of meat and fish dishes, and there were always a few vegetarian main course options. I did find the salad section disappointing, especially as it often had a lot of seafood as well as jarred/tinned vegetables. Apart from a couple of baked pasta/veg things and an ok vegetable lasagne, the pasta was poor. The desserts were also poor - variations of cake which were ok, and mousses etc which were virtually inedible! Having said that, the Privilege breakfasts in the Thalassa restaurant were generally good, and there was always plenty of fruit, cheese etc at both breakfast and dinner. Our room was nice and the sea view from the balcony was lovely. As others have mentioned, getting out of the shower is genuinely slippy, so those with mobility issues may struggle. We also found the bed incredibly hard, so much so we barely slept and had back pain after the first night. The staff were very helpful and sent up a mattress topper, however we probably should have asked for 2! This would put us off staying again, though it is very much personal preference. We also had an issue with our balcony door, which they responded promptly to, though couldnt properly fix. All the staff we encountered were friendly and helpful, and along with the seafront location and well thought out communal space, they made the H10 a hotel which offers good value and an enjoyable stay.

We had a wonderful six-night stay here. I think some of the negative reviews are unfounded; this is a 4-star hotel which meets its star rating. We booked a Privilege room on a HB basis. The room had a stunning view; I suspect most rooms do but it helped being on the sixth floor. It was kept incredibly clean - many thanks to whoever services room number 654! Fresh towels daily, turn-down service with chocolates, complementary mini-bar on arrival. Having previously stayed in an H10 hotel in Lanzarote, we also received a voucher for two free cocktails in the hotel bar. The double bed was very comfortable with good quality, clean white linen and a selection of pillows; three each! The only negative was the shower over the bath. Whilst stepping out of the shower and over the high edge of the bath, I slipped and badly bruised my lower leg. We ate our breakfast in the Thalasso restaurant, which is exclusive to Privilege guests. Freshly squeezed orange juice on offer, plus the option of a 'full English' cooked breakfast in addition to a continental selection. It was quiet and calm in this space, and the service was prompt and friendly. I have to say that every member of staff we encountered was an absolute credit to the hotel, from Reception to the pool attendant! Our evening meal was taken in The Alboran restaurant, where there is a dedicated seating area for Privilege guests; however, I don't think this provision offers any particular benefits and the tables are seated very close together. That said, the food was varied and tasty. The Privilege Lounge was clean and comfortable - access to a range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, though a proper coffee machine in this room would help. The snacks in the fridge were limited; often sweet rather than savoury. The main pool area is relaxing with attractive, colourful planting - there were lots of comfortable sunbeds though it was late October. I think it would be a different story in the summer! We did visit the separate sunbathing section reserved for Privilege guests but I much preferred the main pool. This ''exclusive' space needs a total revamp - it is small, congested and located at the far end of a corridor. We also visited the spa during our stay - adequate but quite dark and dated! If you want to explore the area, the hotel can arrange car hire. There are lots of lovely places to visit within a 30-minute drive. Estepona itself is very smart. We travelled to Sotogrande (gorgeous), Marbella, Casares, and the rural city of Ronda. We managed to park directly outside of the hotel or on the waste ground across the road - free of charge. We travelled with Jet2 - be warned that the transfer time is long! We were collected at 06.30 for an 11.30 flight and spent over three hours at Malaga airport. Next time, we will hire a car from the airport itself to avoid this. Would we return? Yes! I think the hotel is well-positioned on the Costa del Sol with superb views across to Gibraltar. Arguably, there are aspects that could be improved (worn corridor carpets, dated facilities in the spa, baths instead of modern showers in the bedrooms) but overall, it is definitely worth its 4 star rating primarily due to the friendliness of the staff who clearly work very hard. I hope the H10 group realise what an asset they are to the brand and reward them fairly.

I have stayed in this hotel many times. The Staff make this hotel, they are always, helpful, smiling nothing is too much trouble. The rooms are always well presented and clean, as are all the areas of the hotel. The views are spectacular at sunset, looking out over the sea. The restaurant has plenty of variety and is replenished at regular intervals. I will always return to this hotel as it is for me a home from home.

Just returned from a lovely month at this great hotel. We travelled with Saga. Our host Christine was great. It was her first assignment and she was very helpful, approachable and friendly. Second time of visiting and just as good. All staff friendly and helpful, all inclusive terms and good variety in breakfast, lunch and dinner in the buffet restaurant. Food also available from the chefs at all sessions with the show cooking. Spotlessly clean throughout, rooms serviced daily. We had a standard room with walk in shower in the bathroom.. All rooms have views over the pool and the sea. Good to see a kettle, cups and saucers in the room. You can walk into town (about 40mins). To the port takes about 20mins. An extended promenade takes you from the hotel to the port, then you can walk from there to the town along another promenade . There is also a bus a few minutes from the hotel into town costing 1 euro 10 cents per person one way. Timings are a bit hit and miss! We usually went on the 11am bus ,arrive at the stop early! Lovely way to spend a month in the sun away from February in the UK! Highly recommended.