Hotel Sol Pelicanos/Ocas

We have just stayed here as a family of three with another family of three. Would recommend for people going to Benidorm with children. 1- The animation team are absolutely FANTASTIC and work very very hard. The shows are second to non with amazing costumes. The water aerobics is the best I’ve ever seen in any hotel and stayed around the world. There is always something for all ages. A lot of it is in Spanish so hard to understand but you get the gist. 2- The pool doesn’t open till 9 and people wait in line, however there are plenty beds they will throw your towel off if you don’t return after an hour which personally I think is a great idea. Fred the pool manager is a bit miserable but he runs the area well. If you want a brolly you need to be down early. There is only one bar for all the pool and swim up bar is not included in all inclusive I understand other wise people would sit there all day but I think another bar is needed for the amount of people and how far from some areas of pool it is. The only criticism I have is the smell of drains is bad, we sat in 3 locations and the smell can’t be escaped. 3- The two drink per person rule is a difficult one. This rule means queue goes quick as your not waiting on someone getting 10 drinks however for people with children it means two trips for a juice or pop. 4- hotel is very clean and they are on it all the time. Room was a little cramped with pull down bed for son but it did the job. We reported shower not working and requested more pillows and it was dealt with straight away. 5- The food is good, not a lot of choice but what there is is very good. You have to get meal times right or you will be waiting for tables and it’s busy but 9-15 for breakfast is good time and 8pm for tea is good. The sausages for breakfast are lovely like a Richmond 😋 6- all inclusive is worth it but upgrade when you get there works out a lot cheaper. The gold all inclusive is a bit of a Swizz as cider is included with this but is same price as a beer. 7- It was my birthday while we was away and got a lovely card and bottle of fizz with two champagne glasses left in the room. Overall a very good hotel and an enjoyable stay. Would return and would recommend for family’s. Fantastic entertainment, good food. Plenty lifts very clean and good location for a walk out, shops, tabbaconist Bars and beach.

Having been to Benidorm before in a 3* hotel, I’d managed my expectations of what this hotel would be like. However, it exceeded all expectations. The pool area is by far the best thing about this hotel - it’s absolutely beautiful. Sun loungers were not as much of a challenge as I thought considering it is peak season. We liked our lie ins so didn’t see the queues that apparently formed early on, but was always able to scoot round and pick up a couple and move them together. This is the first hotel I’ve stayed in where the staff actually monitor the sun beds and if they’re not used for an hour, the towels are removed so they can be used by people who actually want them. Initially when I read the reviews, I was disappointed inflatables weren’t aloud in the main pool. However I am really pleased this rule was in place as it meant you had plenty of space to swim about and enjoy it, not once feeling overcrowded. The rooms were lovely and clean, beds comfortable and air con did the job. The cleaners did a fantastic job every day, leaving fresh towels and a spotless room to enjoy. We were really lucky to have a sea view and a view of the pool area. I know a few people have mentioned the lifts; we personally didn’t really find them an issue. Occasionally you may have to wait a few minutes (which is preferable to 10 flights of stairs). If you don’t want to cram in like sardines, just wait for another! Food: Breakfast was very good. They’ve pretty much got everything you can think of. It’s just as good as any 4* we’ve been to. Lunch/dinner is ok. There’s the usual pizza/burgers etc and a paella of the day, along with fish/meats/sauces pasta veg etc. I always found something I liked. Desserts were delicious and plenty to choose from - it’s not helped my waistline one little bit! We didn’t go all inclusive but probably would in hindsight as the drinks are quite expensive. The staff are friendly and work incredibly hard. Thank you Sol Pelicanos- it was a pleasure.

Just arrived for a 2 week holiday first time to Benidorm. When booking there was no option of room with it or without balcony just family room which is what we wanted. Upon arrival today we find we have a fairly small room with 2 windows that’s it no balcony. When questioned with staff they were less than helpful and couldn’t care less. This hotel is completely over rated and not worth the money. Not looking forward to the next 2 weeks here 😞