Reviews of Doramar Apartments, Benalmadena, Spain

Doramar

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

Self Catering

Date of Holiday:

Nov 2008

Tour Operator:

Booked Independently

Submitted By:

doone

Comments:

Just back from the doramar was a bit worried coz it was so cheap but it was great. The room was clean and the shower was fantastic! The staff were great.The evening entertainment was really high standard. I will certainly be going again. Right in the heart of everything.

after reading online reviews we...

Overall Rating:

8/10

Board Basis:

Self Catering

Date of Holiday:

Sep 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr P Taylor

Comments:

after reading online reviews we were a little apprehensive on arrival but had no need to be. as far as budget accomodation goes these apartments must be near the top of the scale.they are clean, maybe a little small, comfortable and ideally situated for a great holiday.

the staff are helpful and friendly and the bar downstairs serves good grub and stays open til late with live entertainment most nights. you have to be realistic in your expectations and consider the cost. You dont get 5 star luxury at this price.

Well done to all staff at the doramar, keep up the good work!

myself and a friend were very...

Overall Rating:

7/10

Board Basis:

Self Catering

Date of Holiday:

May 2008

Tour Operator:

ulookubook.com

Submitted By:

Mr C Wilson

Comments:

myself and a friend were very pleased with the doramar , at that time of year was quiet but all in all the staff were friendly at reception and the girls and the owner of the bar at the poolside were a good laugh , location was good near most things apartment clean . i would not hesitate reccomend the doramar to friends ,the entertainment at night in the bar was a bit like phoneix nights with stan the karaoke man. we could only lasted an hour in the bar and left to the older holidaymakers and hit the bars down 24hr square and the marina which is very nice. also a good bar at the top of hill for the footie the sky sports bar would return , for what we paid £180 for 7 nights from manchester it was ok

Just returned from a six night...

Overall Rating:

8/10

Board Basis:

Self Catering

Date of Holiday:

Jun 2008

Tour Operator:

Booked Independently

Submitted By:

Mr Lee Haywood

Comments:

Just returned from a six night stay at the doramar apartments, first impressions when we pulled up to the building were OMG! The reception area was not much better either very old fashioned BUT we were pleasantly surprised at the apartment itself very clean, spacious (for two) and comfortable. The walls were a bit thin though and apartments seemed very close together at our end of the corridor and it did get very noisy at times(usually 4-5.30am). The road is a bit noisy all night if you are at the front of the hotel.



Beware of the 50 euro/40 pounds deposit although this does enable you to get free air con and is returned without quibbles at checkout. This is a budget hotel after all and this is reflected in the fact that you dont get the room cleaned or the towels changed unless you are prepared to pay extra for the privelidge! The pool area is very small and can imagine very busy at peak season and yes you have to pay for sunbeds(2 euro per day) this only seemed to be collected in the morning so if there are free beds in the afternoon they will be free! There is also a very strict rule enforced that only food and drink purchased from the hotel bar can be consumed around the pool area. The bar had nightly entertainment but unless you are over sixty i doubt you would enjoy it!

Well worth the money - the...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

Self Catering

Date of Holiday:

Apr 2008

Tour Operator:

TravelRepublic

Submitted By:

Mrs E Harrison

Comments:

Well worth the money - the apartments were lovely and clean and very friendly staff - who could speak English - Yes they are placed on a hill but so is Benalmadena - just one problem there is no balcony, which in the summer months would be an asset. The pool side could do with modernising but everywhere in the apartments was clean and the downstairs entertainment was great - you can also use the facilities of the Hotel Sirroco opposite, which has 3 swimming pools.

There was a 50euro deposit which...

Overall Rating:

1/10

Board Basis:

Self Catering

Date of Holiday:

Apr 2008

Tour Operator:

Lastminute

Submitted By:

Miss C Rogers

Comments:

There was a 50euro deposit which we didn't know about when we checked in. Didn't see anything about a laundry service except the weekly linen change. No one on the desk spoke english after day one. The air conditioning smelt like it was being fed from the bar, the windows didn't shut properly, the kitchen sink leaked when we first used it, the shower screen leaked everytime you had a shower.

The tv room, bar and disco are all one room. There was barely enough room to walk between the beds it was that tight, and i wouldn't recommend it for couples as the sofa bed doesn't even fold in to a double. And you could only get two spanish channels on the tv. Loads of point.



I would not reccommend this to anyone but i do love the area. It's not a beach and suntan type of place. It's much better when you find some haunts and get to know people. If you're looking for a package type holiday i'd go further afield.



The people in the EL Dorado are lovely though. The bar staff are very friendly and efficient. Baraoke and Jason Oliver are really worth popping in to see. Barry and Kath welcome you in like friends everytime you go in and Jason has a great act.



A handy bar to know for lunch is The Albatros run by Jim and Alan. If you head to the sea front, turn right and carry on until you come across a road called Avenida de Telefonica. It is very steep, and known as Cardiac hill, but they are only halfway up and so friendly. The food is such good quality that we ate there every day after we found it. And in the evenings they do bingo and a quiz as well.



I have stayed in the area before and i would recommend the Bali hotel.

i read reviews on the doramar...

Overall Rating:

8/10

Board Basis:

Self Catering

Date of Holiday:

Apr 2008

Tour Operator:

Booked Independently

Submitted By:

Miss E Croot

Comments:

i read reviews on the doramar before i went and they were very mixed, so i knew id have to see for myself.

im 18, and i loved it. The hotel is a bit scruffy on the outside but the rooms are nice and quite spacious (well for two of us), the staff were friendly, especially the late night ones opening the doors for us at silly o clock in the morning!

however the downsides were that there was a charge of two euros a day for the sun loungers and they only gave you one loo roll!

but on the whole it was great, everything is in such great distance - the port and the beach are a ten minute walk away and the 24hr square is within a few minutes!

all in all i really enjoyed it !

It was my first visit to Spain...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

Self Catering

Date of Holiday:

Feb 2008

Tour Operator:

Booked Independently

Submitted By:

Mrs SJ Saxton

Comments:

It was my first visit to Spain and i was a bit apprehensive, but i was very pleasantly surprised. Absolutely love Benalmadena and WOW that Marina is something else!! The standard of the Doramar is really very good, our room was very clean and spacious and the bathroom was lovely, with constant hot water unlike Greece or Turkey, where it's usually cold water or nothing. The Kitchen area was good, with Kettle, Toaster, two ring Hob and a full size Fridge. We also had a side view of both the mountains and the sea which was lovely! It's only just a short walk to the beach which was also good and is also on the bus route to all the surrounding places you would want to visit. Mijas is absolutely Awesome and the views are breathtaking, well worth a visit! I would certainly reccomend the Doramar to anyone who was visiting Benalmadena.

read the reviews and expected...

Overall Rating:

8/10

Board Basis:

Self Catering

Date of Holiday:

Jan 2008

Tour Operator:

Lastminute

Submitted By:

Mr B Carpenter

Comments:

read the reviews and expected the worse but i feel it is just being picky. Apartment was spotless, bathroom was lovely and rooms clean. Towels and sheets provided. there is a safe in the room but to get a key it is 2 euros a day. Kitchen is built onto living room, only 2 hobs for cooking, could have done with a grill or oven. Entertainment was substandard but we did not expect any more. Area itself is full of english pubs and cafe's, so just felt like a warm england! 24 hour square was full of clubs but due to the time of year it wasn't very busy so we were constantly pestered by people trying to get us into their club. They made offers of 2-1 drinks and a free shot but when it comes to paying for it, it really isnt much difference from what you'd pay during the day.

Overall it was a good holiday with no hiccups, dormar is a great place to go, unless you expect 5* treatment(which some people do).

Just arrived back from 7 night...

Overall Rating:

6/10

Board Basis:

Self Catering

Date of Holiday:

Jan 2008

Tour Operator:

hays travel

Submitted By:

Mrs DH Hughes

Comments:

Just arrived back from 7 night stay at Doramar apartments .



Very, very basic; like something out of the 1960's. Room was clean, bedding had cigarette holes in it! The pool was filthy dirty! Entertainment lounge was like a very smoky old workingman’s club! Run down area, very noisy at night time with cars.



Lots of drunken older English people shouting and fighting, making it uncomfortable in the early hours; in other words this holiday was like Blackpool in the sun! Also there’s graffiti everywhere! No smoking ban lifted, be prepared to get a chesty cough as chain smokers in all bars and restaurants.

On arrival we were informed that...

Overall Rating:

3/10

Board Basis:

Self Catering

Date of Holiday:

Oct 2007

Tour Operator:

on the internet

Submitted By:

Mr J Muldoon

Comments:

On arrival we were informed that an eighty pound or one hundred euro deposit against damage was to be paid on our room. Which was not mentioned when we booked the holiday, lucky we were not on a tight budget.



The apartment was fresh and clean and kept that way if you did it yourself, a maid service was provided but you had to pay. There were no complimentary soaps or shampoos etc. One loo roll was to last for the duration, fresh sheets and towels were provided every seven days or sooner if you wanted to pay.



The pool area was overgrown in areas with grass growing between paving flags and the sunbeds had seen better days, giving the whole area a scruffy and neglected feel.



Entertainment was provided in the El Dorado bar in the lower floor of the block, from 9.30pm to 12.30pm, with bingo, karaoke, disco and live singers on show. It could be noisy when the late night/early morning revellers came back but that is not the fault of the hotel but inconsiderate guests.

Read the reviews and thought...

Overall Rating:

8/10

Board Basis:

Self Catering

Date of Holiday:

Sep 2007

Tour Operator:

Booked Independently

Submitted By:

Mr A M Bates

Comments:

Read the reviews and thought oops but was pleasantly surprised. Room was spotless and big enough for me, the wife and a ten year old. Bar staff friendly and pool clean but deep. Sunbeds 2 euros but had big thick covers on them which were well comfy. One complaint, the double glazing was crap and if roadside didn't block much noise. Overall well happy.

This was the first holiday...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

Room Only

Date of Holiday:

Jul 2007

Tour Operator:

Booked Independently

Submitted By:

Mrs K Menzies

Comments:

This was the first holiday abroad for our children so we wanted somewhere that we thought the children would like - and indeed they did! We arrived and were greeted by very friendly staff, we had to wait about an hour on our apartment being ready but we just went for a drink in the downstairs bar - where the staff were very freindly the whole of the holiday.



The apartment itself was very clean, T/V, fridge, 2 single beds which we pushed together and the settee in the living room which had a pull out underneath which was great. We paid for the sun beds every day as the children really enjoyed themselves at the pool - the beach was just too hot for them (and us) in July!



The Marina is a fabulous place to eat, drink and feed the 'big' fish. Our daughter spent every night on the children's bungee which was 6 euros and made her holiday. There was plenty of bars, shops and restaurants available for us to eat in and we chose a separate one each day to eat in. The Mad Ass and Jolly pirate next door to the apartments were great Irish bars which had lovely food (and a pool table which our son spent all his time in!) and Guinness and Budweiser on tap which was fabulous.



Overall we had a fantastic time - we cannot say how much we enjoyed this holiday. Benalmadena is a fabulous place for adults and children alike and we are now looking at going back next year again.

I and 2 friends (aged 26, 33,...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

Self Catering

Date of Holiday:

Jun 2007

Tour Operator:

Greatlatedeals.com

Submitted By:

Miss D Trafford

Comments:

I and 2 friends (aged 26, 33, & 39) have just returned from a 7 night break at these apartments.



These apartments were far better than expected. They look a bit dodgy from the outside but inside are really nice. They were very clean.



They looked to have been re-furbished fairly recently, the decorating looked new, as did the bathroom and kitchenette area. Just a couple of minutes walk down the hill to the beach.



The beach is ok. Sunbeds have thick pads on - perfect for sleeping off a hangover. Sea is cold and the sand is rough at the shore so take some flip flops or jellies if you’re planning on going in the sea.



The size was ok, adequate for 3 adults but if there was going to be 4 of you staying I would probably recommend 2 apartments. They were not huge. But if you’re not bothered & you don’t spend much time indoors on holiday they are fine. There was a power shower and no problems with plumbing.



The pool was clean but small & there was hardly any room round it and very few sunbeds - which you had to pay 2 Euros each to use. There is a deposit to pay on arrival either Euros or sterling returned on checking out. There is also a luggage room for people with late flights.



If you are arriving early be warned - we could only check into our room from about 1430hrs as it was not ready. Not nice when you've been up all night.

It costs 25-30 Euros to get a taxi from the airport and there is always loads - we waited only about 5 minutes when we arrived.



There was entertainment each night in the lower ground floor bar which you could hear a bit but it stopped about midnight-ish anyway - just as we were off out.



The apartments are in an excellent location for the square which is open till about 6am - there are several bars and a couple of nightclubs. It usually gets going after midnight.

Linekars is quite good but gets very hot at times. Mango's is mainly R&B music. There was a new pub/club due to open on the square soon.



There is also a lap dancing bar which I went in with some boys one night that sold all sorts of flavoured vodka. No idea what the women were like though cos I can’t remember.



I would definitely recommend Benalmadena for a holiday for any groups of singles (men and women), stag do's, hen parties, couples, families - everyone really!! There is a good mixture of ages here - not just 18yr olds. I felt safe walking about on my own at night and also getting taxis on my own. The square is busier & better at weekends if you're thinking of a short break.



I've been to Benalmadena 3 times now and will definitely be going back again. It's such good fun.



Enjoy!

We decided to go on a late deal....

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

Not Specified

Date of Holiday:

May 2007

Tour Operator:

Booked Independently

Submitted By:

Miss Linda Chamberlain

Comments:

We decided to go on a late deal. Can't fault the hotel. Ok for a couple no good for families.



Entertainment excellent, food from the Jolly pirate next door, excellent area very friendly.



It is self catering big time, you throw your own rubbish, make your own beds and supply your own loo roll. If you want extra towels you are charged unless you can make the weekly supply last, but a great place.