Iberostar Selection Albufera Playa — Hotel in Muro

A wonderful all round family holiday. ||We have just returned from 10 nights at Albufera playa and once again iberostar has delivered a fantastic holiday. ||We like iberostar hotels because we find the hotels always to be clean and the variety of food to be perfect - especially for our daughter who has a dairy intolerance, we never feel we struggle to give her a full diet. ||We arrived to albufera park way before official check in time, our room initially wasn’t ready but we logged onto the app and within the hour, we had a notification that it was. We personally feel we had one of the best rooms in terms of position. We were in 7456 so right at the top of the hotel at the very end with a lift to one side and the maids room to the other. It just meant we could play music or be silly with our little girl without worrying about being too loud and disturbing the neighbours. |The rooms are basic but they were spotlessly cleaned and well maintained. Our wardrobe had a dodgy shelf. I never told reception as I forgot but it was fixed while we were there without having to ask. The quality of shower products were good too. ||We went to Mistral restaurant the most as this was the buffet restaurant. Elena made a huge impact on our daughter, she was lovely and gentle with her and always made a fuss of her. She really stood out of all the service staff at the hotel to us in a positive way. |They try really hard to offer specials and lots of choice and you would never go hungry. Asian night was our favourite with sushi, spring rolls and duck. |The pizza is delicious and we couldn’t have a meal without a slice! Sometimes the labels for food was missing but someone was always there to ask so it wasn’t ever an issue. |The bbq restaurant was also great for somewhere different to break up meal times and we had most of our lunches here. |Meal times were always busy at opening times so we always got there 5 minutes before to ensure we got a table where we wanted to be.||The restaurant booking system for the alacarte restaurants needs some worked the Mexican restaurant was so quiet when we went and the Spanish restaurant was the same yet we could not get in each restaurant once and I feel that was because we stayed beyond a week. ||Maritime (Spanish) was great, Tolo served us in here and knew his stuff. He recommended some great dishes we wouldn’t normally go for but we loved. He was attentive and knowledgable and we had a great meal here. |Kykonos was definitely our favourite food wise, mainly because we like Greek food this was probably the busiest of them all. |Nopal was also great food and service too. It was nice to try something different. ||The pool area was always clean and there was always sunbeds. We were always there early as our daughter woke early and although no ok e is going around removing towels, people were respectful to not reserve sun loungers beyond an hour or so. ||The grounds were immaculate. Lots of wild flowers and perfect hedges. A lot of work has clearly gone into the hotels maintenance and it made it lovely to wander around. The toilets were constantly being cleaned and tables cleared. |The beach is a very short walk directly from the hotel out onto white sandy beaches. The water is clear and shallow so perfect for little children too! ||The entertainment team were amazing. The best I think I’ve seen in a hotel. Everyone clearly loved doing what they were doing and their attitudes were infectious. Their energy levels never dropped and they worked really hard, something was always going on for all ages. Their energy levels were something else! The shows were great and the frozen show was really special for our daughter! The evening entertainment was so good and everyone went to embrace it! It was the kind of hotel where we would leave our iPad and iPhones on the table or sunlounger and not worry about anything happening to them, but we had to hold onto our chairs for the evening entertainment as everyone wanted to be there!!||The hotel is really directed at families. It was busy while we were there, I would struggle to cope with how busy it would be in school holidays but we would definitely be back outside of them again! ||Minor criticism:|We tried to contact reception through the app but no reply, I think the app could have been utilised better.|The room needed a facecloth or flannel.|All spirits used to be included with iberostar (grey goose, belvedere) this time there was a fee for the premium brands. However, again, if this is what is needed to keep the cost down and the standards high, I don’t think it is too bad! ||Thank you iberostar...

Our recent stay at the Iberostar Selection Albufera Playa in Mallorca left us with a mix of experiences, but unfortunately, the negative aspects overshadowed the positives.

One of the main selling points of the Star Prestige experience is the personalized service, which was sorely lacking during our visit. Upon arrival, we were surprised to find that we had to check in at the standard reception rather than the advertised private check-in area. The private reception was not staffed, leaving us feeling unwelcome and neglected. Additionally, we were disappointed to discover that late check-out was not available, despite the promotional claims. The rooms were fully booked, rendering the advertised benefits misleading and frustrating.

The housekeeping service was another area of concern. Upon checking in, we found the tissue paper box to contain only a single piece of paper, which set a disappointing tone for our stay. Throughout our time at the resort, the cleanliness of our room and bathroom left much to be desired; the daily service was subpar, and despite leaving the “bed sheets changing” tag on the bed, it was clear that the sheets had not been changed during our stay. Such negligence is unacceptable in a resort of this caliber.

Room 5332, which we were assigned, did not offer the side sea view we had anticipated. Instead, we were greeted with a view overlooking the pool, which was a letdown given the promotional imagery that had attracted us to this specific room type.

One particularly comical yet frustrating experience involved the pool towels. After being informed by reception that we needed to collect towels from a nearby station, we were told on two consecutive days that no towels were available due to a broken washing machine. When we sought assistance from the reception, we were simply sent back to the towel station without any proactive help. It was only after recounting our predicament that the receptionist offered any assistance, which felt absurd given the circumstances.

Despite these numerous challenges, we did find some enjoyment in the resort's culinary offerings. The food in the restaurants was delightful, and our dinner at Mistral was a highlight. However, the outdoor seating was plagued by mosquitoes, which detracted from the overall experience. We also noticed cleanliness issues with the dishes and utensils, which were not adequately washed. An incident that stood out was witnessing a staff member's unkind behavior towards a stray cat that wandered into the dining area. Instead of treating the animal with kindness, the waiter attempted to scare it away, which was disheartening to see. Additionally, during breakfast, the chef refused to allow us to take sunny-side-up eggs, insisting we stick to fully cooked options, which felt overly restrictive and unnecessary.

On a positive note, the resort's entertainment team provided lively and engaging shows each evening, which helped lift our spirits. Dancing to the energetic song “Madre Tierra” was a highlight of our stay and showcased the enthusiasm and talent of the team. The entertainment team truly brought joy to our evenings, providing a much-needed reprieve from the frustrations we encountered throughout our stay.

Fortunately, on our final night, we had the chance to speak with Margalida, the guest service manager. She listened to our concerns and expressed her commitment to addressing them with the management team. Her willingness to support us during our stay was a much-appreciated gesture amid our frustrations.

In conclusion, while Iberostar Selection Albufera Playa has the potential to be a wonderful resort due to its stunning location and culinary offerings, our experience was marred by significant service shortcomings and cleanliness issues. I sincerely hope that management takes our feedback seriously and implements improvements to enhance future guests’ experiences. Until then, I cannot recommend this hotel based on our stay, as it did not live up to the expectations set by its four-star rating and...

Check-in

We were greeted with a glass of cava at check-in — such a warm jest that instantly made us feel welcome 🥂

Room

Instead of a regular key card, they give you a small plastic chip attached to your all-inclusive wristband — genius idea! Super convenient for going to the beach or pool without worrying about losing your key. The safe was spacious enough to fit both of our both our MacBooks, passports, wallets, and jewelry with room to spare. The entire hotel felt extremely safe — we left our MacBooks (later on) and other valuables in the room all day, and everything was always untouched. That we appreciated a lot!

Housekeeping was outstanding. Mariam was the best! So professional, sweet, and attentive — she made the room spotless every single day and always with a smile.

Main Restaurant

Star Prestige guests have their own area in the main restaurant where drinks are served by waiters and the wines are from local vineyards.

The pizza was absolutely incredible — honestly better than what I’ve had in many Italian restaurants. I ate it every single day, gained three kg, and have zero regrets 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼 Fruits were always fresh and sweet, and the cakes actually tasted amazing — not the generic all-inclusive kind.

Our waiter Guillermo was a gem — funny, and full of local recommendations. He told us about nearby wineries (and we even visited one!) and the history of the island.

À la Carte Restaurants Greek “Kyknos”: Simple food, but nice and genuinely kind staff. Spanish “Martinete”: Great food, wonderful service, and awesome live music and dances. Mexican “Nopal”: Fantastic food, drinks, and atmosphere — definitely our favorite.

Star Prestige Rooftop (Adults Only)

Peaceful, stylish, and quiet — with stunning views and super professional staff who make everything feel effortless.

Common Areas

Smoking is allowed only in designated zones (loved that!). The pools were a bit cold but clean. At the beach, sunbeds belong to Alcudia municipality, so you have to pay €21 for two — not great.

There’s also a beautiful natural area right next to the hotel — perfect for morning walks or runs.

Entertainment

The evening shows were amazing — different themes every night, great live performances, even some open-air cinema.

The animation team was fantastic: Teddy and Adrian are hilarious — they’ll get you laughing even when you’re tired and don’t plan to join in. Alexandro ran super fun archery and airgun competitions during the day.

The only downside: too many kids screaming everywhere. It would be awesome if they offered adult-only evenings every other day so guests could unwind in peace.

Pros Beautiful, freshly renovated rooms Super safe environment — we left valuables out with no worries Perfect location near the beach Pizza 20/10 Fantastic entertainment and activities

And most importantly: the staff. Every single person we met worked so hard, always smiling, always kind, and genuinely caring. They deserve every bit of praise — and honestly, they all should be paid very well for what they do.

Cons TOO MANY loud kids (felt like a daycare 24/7) Pre-mixed cocktails (mojito, piña colada) were pretty boring — though the pure drinks were great Cold floors in the room — slippers would’ve been a nice touch. They have the tiniest gym that I’ve ever been too. The hotel is sooo huge, why not expand it a liiitle bit 🙁

Sooo: an amazing hotel with outstanding staff, delicious food, and a genuinely warm atmosphere. You can really feel how much heart and hard work the personnel puts into everything!!!

That said, it’s definitely a family paradise. The staff handle the crowds like absolute pros, but as a couple without kids, we found ourselves spending most of the time in the adults-only area just to escape the constant background noise of children from morning till night 😅.

So if you’re traveling with kids — this is your dream spot. If not… maybe save it for when you have some of your own...