Jude Bootes
Just spent 5 nights here at Don Marco and it did not disappoint. Fabulous hotel, part of the Sol Torremolinos complex along with the Don Pablo and Don Pedro. It's right on the beach front and about 15 mins from the airport.
You get access to all of the facilities at all hotels which was an unexpected bonus.
Lots of pools and plenty of sun loungers. We always found some no matter how busy it was.
Staff also placed notes on beds after towels have been left there to say they will be removed after an hour as reserving sunbeds isn't allowed. This meant no sunbed wars or mad rush at 7 am .. just a lovely chilled walk to one of the many pools, choose a free sunbed and relax. Perfect!
Food was decent. We only had breakfast and it as you'd expect for hotel buffet.
We had a lovely modern room with a view over the gardens, entrance and pool.
There were 3 lots of entertainment on every night so something for everyone as well as a kids disco at the Don Pablo.
It's a family complex but the Marco is the adults recommended one and has adult only pools and a chilled restaurant/bar for breakfast.
Staff were all really friendly and helpful too.
Lovely holiday here and we'd definitely return.
Stu Lockey
Massively impressed by this resort. I had very little in the way of knowledge of the place at the point of booking and had done very little research either. The fact that you can use all of the facilities from the three hotels is a huge bonus. Location, staff, rooms, facilities all excellent. Will 100 percent return. Thanks for a lovely stay.
Conor Moynihan
Fantastic resort hotel, amazing balconies on the top floor rooms, more or less right on the beach. Our first time in a resort hotel, and we barely left we enjoyed it so much. Buffet breakfast was good, great variety even if the sausages etc weren't to my liking 🤣
Will definitely be back, a great place for a relaxing sun holiday
Karl
Second time staying on the complex, booked the XTRA top floor room but unfortunately air-conditioning wasnt good, after 3 trips to reception the girl moved us to another smaller beach front room, staff were very helpful and offered us half board as an apology which was appreciated.
We dont eat buffet food but tried it one evening only to find the beef and fish was completely under cooked and left. This hotel is the best facilities and rooms in the area breakfast is decent but would not recommend the restaurant.
Steven V
The hotel itself is excellent - the staff are kind, welcoming, and attentive. I felt genuinely well received during my entire stay.
I stayed for one full week, and overall my experience was positive - which is why, under different circumstances, I would have gladly given this hotel 4 stars.
However, I need to speak up about something important. One evening, a so-called “African” show was presented to guests. As a French guest - and more importantly, as a Black man - I found it deeply uncomfortable and offensive.
I took the time to calmly express my concerns to the front desk, and the person I spoke with was understanding and promised to pass along my message to the entertainment manager. But I never received any kind of response. No follow-up, no acknowledgment.
That silence is what disappoints me most — not just the show itself, but the lack of recognition that my discomfort mattered. As a result, I feel invisibilized as a guest.
That’s why I am choosing to give this hotel 2 stars, not out of anger, but out of principle. Because if someone stays for a week, raises a serious issue respectfully, and receives no answer, then something is fundamentally wrong.
Here's what I tried to express:
What I saw on stage was not a celebration of African culture. I was told it was “Kenyan,” but there was no Kenyan flag, no traditional music, no cultural references. What we saw were Black men, shirtless, performing exaggerated and primitive movements, to a soundtrack that sounded more like a cartoon version of “wild Africa.”
To me, this was not entertainment — it was a racist colonial fantasy brought to life. It played into harmful stereotypes: the happy, simple-minded, physically strong Black man, always smiling, always there to entertain white tourists.
In France, a show like this would not be acceptable. It evokes painful memories of colonial exhibitions - when Black people were put on display in human zoos to satisfy Western curiosity and reinforce ideas of exoticism.
Africa is a vast, rich continent with over 50 countries, each with unique languages, traditions, and artistic expressions. What I saw had absolutely nothing to do with any of that.
I may have been the only French guest — maybe even the only Black guest - in that hotel, but I am still a paying customer like everyone else. And that night, I felt like I had been transported back to the 1930s.
I’m not saying this to accuse anyone personally. I truly believe you can do better. There are ways to highlight African talent and culture with pride, authenticity, and dignity - instead of reinforcing outdated, harmful stereotypes for the sake of tourist amusement.
And in fact, this was clearly proven during the same show: some of the best parts featured the same performers in modern sportswear, doing impressive acrobatic work with no artificial “tribal” music or imagery. Those acts stood on their own merit. Which only confirms that the added “African” theme was not about art - it was about spectacle, and it didn’t belong.
I didn’t speak out because I wanted attention. I spoke out because staying silent would have felt like complicity.
You may choose to keep running this show - but after what I said, you can no longer claim you didn’t know.
My Booking
