Magic Rock Gardens - Benidorm, Spain     

My friend and I have just returned from the Magic Rock and having read all the reviews prior to booking and after, we knew what to expect, including being dumped at the back of the hotel. Fortunately it was day time so someone was on reception. We went 24hr AI and found the restaurant food to be quite edible. Sometimes the snack bar food was boring and tended to cater for kids mostly and was quite often leftovers from lunch, but it was OK. The snackbar bar only served soft drinks and beer - the poolside bar only opened twice during our 6 day stay but had all drinks. Yes we did miss having a balcony a great deal and the extra room in the bedroom didnt justify not having a balcony in our opinion. Very often, late afternoon. there would be no glasses around the pool and also no glasses after midnight - there have been and continue to be lots of complaints about this but the hotel dont seem to have taken this on board. As said previously, the most frustrating thing is that there was never more than one bar staff on at a time, I'm sure that's a hotel ploy to make you go outside the hotel for drinks, especially in the evening. The night before we left, 40 or so men arrived for a stag do and it took them over an hour to check in and even longer to get served at the bar. This didnt bode well, and as we knew another 37 blokes were arriving the following day, we dreaded to think what might kick off with no glasses, no bar staff and lots of men just out for a good drinking session! There is a larger bar in the smoking area, which we were told was open 5-8pm each night - this bar only opened twice during those times whilst we were there. There was only two of the staff that seemed to tolerate the "Brits" Duncan behind the bar and one other spanish waitress (cant remember her name) but she was always smiling and would have a laugh with you. We coped with cardiac hill by getting a taxi home at night, about 5 Euros...........Word of warning...........one of the guys we met there walked home alone and was mugged on his 2nd night. He was quite drunk and they took his wallet and his mobile phone. He had no idea who attacked him as they came up from behind him and strangled him to the floor. Luckily he wasnt hurt as he didnt fight back - just be aware not to walk anywhere alone at night! We enjoyed our stay at the Magic Rock but we put that down to the crowd we met and the laughs we had. If you dont expect too much you will enjoy this hotel.

Stayed here for 5 nights in may and must say we got what we payed for, my friend and i stayed half board the room was cleaned every day, was a good size and there was plenty of hot water. As for the food it looked ok and there was plenty of choice shame there wasn't any balconys. The hill was a bit tough on the legs and when it's hot it's hard going would not recommend for disabled, people with children in pushchairs or the old and infirm. Staff where freindly and sometimes had to put up with a lot from people who forgot they were only doing there jobs. Got a bit of a smell now and again from the sewers. Overall had a good time just the hill is a big let down.