Holiday World Polynesia Hotel

Holiday Polynesia has beautiful, Polynesian-themed spaces throughout the property. Inside the lobby, guests walk on a suspended walkway between sky-high tree features while a waterfall spills into the huge koi pond below with lit-up waterspouts. Glass ceilings covered in leaves create a treetop effect. In the garden area, a long enclosure with exotic plants houses turtles and a tall glass aviary is home to colorful lovebirds. The Maeva Buffet restaurant feels like a jungle with tree-like columns and leafy ceilings inside, and wooden arches frame the beautiful sea views from the terrace. Ahima'a Polynesian Restaurant has an upscale tiki vibe with huge rope-covered columns and bamboo-inspired ceiling beams. 

Holiday Polynesia is located in a resort complex in Benalmádena between Torremolinos and Fuengirola. The hotel sits on a hilltop, and guests can take a free shuttle to the bottom of the hill to reach the waterpark. The resort setup is conducive to staying on the property for an entire vacation, but for those who want to venture out, there’s dining, shops, and restaurants on the waterfront promenade at Puerto Marina, a 15-minute drive from the hotel. It’s a 35-minute drive to Marbella Old Town and just a bit longer to Puerto Banús. Malaga Airport is within a 30-minute drive. 

Rooms at the hotel are spacious with separate bedrooms. Decor includes light walls, marble floors, and photographic flower prints. Rooms are furnished with fabric couches, 32-inch flat-screen TVs, wooden dining tables, and kitchenettes with white cabinets. Kitchenettes have stove tops, microwaves, mini-fridges, sinks, and cabinets stocked with cooking and serving ware. Rooms have terra-cotta tiled balconies with gorgeous sea views, some with private hot tubs. Bathrooms have marble floors, modern double-basin sinks, and separate showers and tubs. Note that a central sound system pipes in music to the rooms. 

Holiday Polynesia offers a lot of family-friendly amenities. The hotel has a big outdoor pool and a children’s pool, and all-inclusive packages include entry to the Beach Club, a waterpark with a wave pool, waterslides, mushroom falls, whirlpools, and a play pirate ship for kids to climb on. There’s also a tennis court, basketball court, lunch restaurant, and a pool bar at the Beach Club. The hotel has a buffet restaurant (breakfast earns good reviews), a Chinese restaurant, a Polynesian Restaurant, and a piano bar. A children’s club is available with scheduled activities, and nightly entertainment is provided. There's a fitness center with treadmills and stationary bikes, a hair salon, and a spa with whirlpools, a children’s pool, and a sauna. A big game room with arcade games, air hockey, and pool tables, plus a mini-golf course and a three-lane bowling alley offers more places to play. Wi-Fi is available for a fee, but guests complain the connection is slow and spotty. Laundry facilities are available, and parking is free.