Elba Estepona Gran Hotel & Thalasso Spa

We booked the presidential suite on the 6th floor for a family holiday. The room was in a state of disrepair and generally looking dated/tired (it needs a refurb). The food is average at best (which should not be the case at a 5-star hotel). The staff were very friendly, though - but that does not offset the poor state of the room/hotel facilities.

This was the first time I actually had to file complaints about a hotel. Awful experience. The room (we had the presidential suite) smelled like cheap cigars, there were ashes all over the place and stains of booze. Definitely not cleaned, our bath did not work. Everything is outdated, there's birds flying into the buffet, sitting on your breakfast. This might have been a nice hotel 30 years ago. My son's gift for his grandmother "disappeared" from our room!! When I asked management about this , she said she would come back to me but never did. On top of all that, they billed us for drinks and food we did not consume. The overpriced spa is worthless, and when the masseuse thought I was sleeping she stopped her session. This hotel is worth ZERO stars, stay away from this terribly managed thieves hole, it will ruin your beautiful vacation.

People who work at this hotel are some of the nicest in hotel industry. Every interaction with them was very pleasant. Great room service and the same goes for the restaurant, reception, spa etc. A big thank you to them! But the rooms are not adequate at all. There was a moldy smell in our room, and when we left and reopened our luggages, our clothes had that moldy smell too. And it wasn’t just our room, our friends staying on the same floor had the same smell, only it was even worse. I hope they can upgrade the rooms and bring it to the level of service the hotel staff provides.

We had a fantastic time at Elba Estepona. All of the staff were incredibly friendly, we loved talking to the staff in the lobby bar (Yasmin & Nicoletta) super friendly and professional. The standard of food from the Roma & Andalus restaurants was extremely high- and even the snack menu in the lobby bar does not disappoint. Very large portions, super delicious. Highly recommend this hotel and we will definitely be looking to book again in the future. Even had a nice surprise bottle of Prosecco for my partner’s birthday.

Staying at Elba Hotel was honestly one of the highlights of our trip. The whole resort is right by the beach, which gives you that true holiday feeling from the moment you arrive. The pool has a stunning sea view — we could have stayed there all day just relaxing and taking it in. Our room was spotless, comfortable, and well looked after. The staff were absolutely brilliant — friendly, kind, and always ready to help with a smile, which made us feel completely taken care of. What made the evenings special was the live music in the lobby most nights. The atmosphere was warm, relaxed, and full of good vibes — it really added to the overall experience and made every night feel memorable. And breakfast was simply amazing: fresh, varied, and full of delicious options to start the day right. We do wish that spa access had been included in the stay, but even though we paid separately, we enjoyed it so much that it was worth it. We already miss being there and would happily come back again without hesitation. A truly beautiful place with great energy, amazing service, and memories we’ll definitely carry with us.