A Little Bit Of Luxury In The Costa Del Sol (Aleysa Playa Aparthotel (Benalmadena, Costa del Sol))

Member Name: chrisandmark

Product:	Aleysa Playa Aparthotel (Benalmadena, Costa del Sol)
Date:	13/09/06 (155 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Lovely rooms, relaxing atmosphere, local to Benalmadena

Disadvantages: Restaurant was disappointing and expensive, children aren't well catered for

The final two nights of our holiday to Benalmadena this year were spent at the Aparthotel Aleysa which is a huge apartment block located just outside the town centre.

This is a four star apartment block which boasted of all the mod cons in their travel agent blurb so despite the fact that the rates were higher than we’d anticipated, we decided to treat ourselves. Costing 116 Euros per person, per night the bill on a bed and breakfast basis for our stay converted to approximately £310. I checked in with high expectations.

The apartment block as a whole is gorgeous. It has a very old Spain feel and look to it and when viewed from outside at night it’s simply magnificent, floodlights are angled to show off the beautiful architecture of the building and it looks very pretty indeed.

The inside of Aparthotel Aleysa is just as good, the public areas are plushly decorated with an almost regal feel in terms of décor. There’s a lot of gold and red going on, mixed in with sparkling glass and shiny marble surfaces. The comfortable sofas placed at strategic positions throughout the reception area are perfect for those who would rather wait for the check-in queue to go down before getting their key.

When I arrived in our room, I immediately saw just why the Aparthotel Aleysa has been given four star status. It’s one of the prettiest and most comfortable apartments I’ve ever stayed in. Each room comes as standard with air conditioning, decent sized TV’s with satellite (and surprisingly a decent picture, no hotel snow here!), mini bar, direct dial telephone, a large kitchen including microwave and coffee maker, a good radio and the ever present hair dryer.

We hired a safe during our stay which is designed to slot into a cavity in the wardrobe. This is a fabulous idea. I stayed at a hotel in the UK recently and hired a safe – when it arrived in the room it was so light that a thief would simply take the safe rather than mess about opening it! Here, using a simple allen key-type device I could cement the safe into the wardrobe and the only way for a burglar to get it out would be to take the heavy wardrobe with him.

Our apartment had huge windows making it seem very light and airy, while the thick blinds provided could be pulled across to shut out some of the fierce Spanish sun. The balcony was a good size and equipped with a table and comfy sun loungers, we were on the third floor and our balcony caught the sun beautifully. The decoration in the apartment added to the sense of tranquillity, pale yellow and blue were used to give the room a calm and fresh atmosphere.

The ensuite bathroom was without fault. I thought it was quite small compared to other apartment blocks I’ve stayed in, but what it lacked in size it definitely made up for in grandeur – I’ve never stayed at a place with a bidet as standard before! The shower stall was easily big enough for two (nudge, nudge) and the entire room was kept spotlessly clean thanks to the brilliant crew of cleaners who start at the crack of dawn and are working until all the rooms are done.

The restaurant of the hotel is the only problem I had really. The buffet breakfast is delicious and includes everything you could want to eat for your brekkie and more – croissants, porridge, cereals, sausage, bacon; you name it it’s there. After breakfast, however, it all starts to go downhill. Lunch and dinner are extremely overpriced for this area of Benalmadena and because the Aparthotel Aleysa is going for the healthy option, it seems that salad and some kind of steamed fish is the order of the day. Not for me, thanks, I’d rather walk the few metres into the town and order paella or even lamb chops and chips – keep the rabbit food for when I get home! An average light lunch cost around £9 while an evening meal can set you back up to £21, and that’s before you’ve hit the bar…

The calm pool area more than makes up for naff food, however. I spent most of my two days here just catching the sun on one of Aparthotel Aleysa’s ultra comfortable sun loungers, honestly the cushions were eight inches thick and gloriously soft and squishy. The pool itself is spotlessly clean with no litter or empty glasses lying around, the water’s cool and very inviting after an hour or two of sunbathing. The waiter service at the poolside is fantastic; guys and girls wandering around the pool area just waiting for you to give the tiniest gesture that tells them your glass is empty.

Children are allowed to stay here, although I didn’t see (or hear!) many kids during our stay. I get the feeling that while children and families are catered for, by way of a children’s menu and cots in certain apartments, they’re not exactly welcomed. There’s no entertainment or clubs laid on for kids and I reckon my seven year old would have been bored to tears if she’d been with us! It was lovely to stay in a sophisticated adult environment, although without the added bustle of kids around it did seem a bit too quiet for my liking. Relaxing though.

As I said, Benalmadena town is literally a few minutes walk along the Marina from the apartments so you won’t be stuck for something to do. As we only stayed here for the final couple of days of our holiday I was happy to spend my time relaxing with a book and my ipod, but if you’re planning a lengthier stay then you can easily walk to the market, go to the beach or even book a day trip to Gibraltar. You won’t be bored in this vibrant area of the Costa.

All in all, I had a great time here. The apartment which had cost me so much money was fantastic, staff are efficient and helpful, the apartment is central for Benalmadena nightlife and the bed was comfortable. Which is always a bonus.

Aparthotel Aleysa Playa
Adva.
Antonio Machado 54
Benalmadena, 29630

Summary: It's expensive, but well worth it - just walk into town for dinner!