Macdonald Dona Lola Resort

We had a really enjoyable 2 weeks. Apartment was spacious, 2 bed, 2 bath which was great and better than expected. Yes a little dated but had everything we needed, a balcony plus a small garden and we could see the sea (Margarita 101) air con was really efficient. Quiet pool was lovely and we couldn’t believe you could get a sunbed pretty much any time of day mid August, a huge plus! Location on the beach couldn’t be better and a huge shout out to the guy running beach volleyball, he is a credit to the hotel team, my daughter Chloe loved it and was made to feel very welcome. A huge highlight of the holiday. We also used the gym and spa most days, a real bonus that this is all included. If you have any mobility issues this hotel won’t be for you as lots of steps and slopes but for us this wasn’t a problem. Lots of restaurants literally at the front of the hotel, Enriques and La Estancia were our favourites. Nice staff and reasonably priced excellent food but they are all pretty good along there from our experience and so convenient! Happy hour every day which was nice. We also used the bus to fuengirola and Marbella, they run very 30 mins and a lot cheaper than a taxi or uber! Would definitely return to this hotel.

Visited with family for just under two weeks and had a great time. The room was great for the family with good A/C and had all the basics needed such as a stove, oven, fridge, etc. However the oven wasn’t the best so used the microwave for most meals. The pools were the main letdown as the adult pool was tiny and the main pool was very deep and may not be the best for younger families, though there is a separate pool for toddlers but is also very small. On top of that, guests were only allowed to use inflatables during 12-2pm and 5-6pm which made it quite boring as we were often eating lunch at that time so couldn’t use rubber rings or inflatable beach balls most of the day. The poolside restaurant serves basic foods like pizza and chips but is quite expensive for the quality of food you get. But the 2 for 1 drinks during happy hour in the evening was good. There are also a few restaurants on site that are reasonably priced, for Italian food visit Enrique’s instead of Da Vinci’s restaurant as the waiters there were very rude and the food was much better at the other location. The Irish bar within the hotel was a highlight and had entertainment and karaoke every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday and always had a great atmosphere and wonderful staff that are able to put any sports up on the TV that you want (were able to get my football team’s match on the big screen for me and my dad) The location was the main plus side to this hotel as it is right on the beach front, with activities such as kayaking and paddle boarding only a 5 minute walk away. The hotel is also right next to a bus stop that is really handy for those looking to visit other nearby areas like Fuengirola and Marbella, and the buses are easy to use and super cheap even for families. Local supermarkets are only a five minute walk over the road with reasonably priced food which was handy as it’s self catered. Would recommend for older families looking for a relaxed holiday like ours were, but may be a bit boring for families with young children.

It’s our last night here at the Macdonald Dona Lola Resort and I have to say I’m feeling a little disappointed. I came away on a last minute break with my daughter and 2 grandsons. When we arrived check in went smoothly enough - staff were friendly and we got into our 2 bedroom apartment - everything seemed fine, the kitchen was well equipped and air conditioning units worked well. There are a nice selection of restaurants and a mini market next to the resort. The trouble began after we tried to cook food in our apartment (this is after all a self catering resort). The electricity kept going off which was extremely frustrating. I reported this to reception several times but nothing was done about it. I was told that the system was unable to cope if there were a few electrical appliances on at the same time - so if you are going to cook something then make sure the air conditioning is turned off and open the window instead of using the extractor fan…!? I have previously stayed at the Macdonald Villacana resort in Estapona and never had any problems. The best resort I have to say is the Marriott Andalusia which is also in Estapona…excellent place to stay. The Dona Lola Resort has a nice large pool that overlooks the beach but the rooms are a little tired with no housekeeping and you have to ask for towels to be changed On a positive note the grounds are well kept and the resort is clean and tidy…would I return…possibly.