Sol Don Pablo By Melia

Upon arrival, Sol Don Pablo looks like the more modern of the three hotels that make up the Don Hotels Complex. The hotel entrance is contemporary, with an asymmetrical awning held up by chrome poles and surrounded by LED lighting and stylish waterfalls. Once in the lobby area, however, the decor is much more traditional, with brick archways and mosaic tile along the open concept room. The wood-beam ceilings and tufted black leather sofas add sophistication.

Sol Don Pablo is the largest resort in the complex, and though the Sol Don Pablo draws more couples than families, it's still more family-friendly than the Sol Don Marco, thanks to having the complex's largest pool on-site as well as lots of space and activities. The grounds here are lovely, with terra-cotta tile pathways winding by grassy lawns, bright flowers, and mature palm trees.

The Don Hotels Complex is across the street from the sandy Bajondillo Beach. The beachfront promenade, which spans the entirety of the beach, can take you to downtown Torremolinos' shops, restaurants, and bars in a matter of minutes. Sol Don Pablo is centrally located in Costa del Sol and guests can easily explore the rest of the coast and outlying towns and areas via train or car. Malaga International Airport is a 10-minute drive away. Crocodile Park and Aqualand are both within a 10-minute drive, and there are six golf courses nearby.

Sol Don Pablo has 443 rooms, all with terraces; some have partial or full ocean views, and others face the pool. The rooms are decorated tastefully if not luxuriously, with warm red accents (furniture, curtains, bedspreads), wood furnishings, white tile floors, and headboards with iron accents and large pastoral scenes. They're not as upscale as the lobby, but they're clean and comparable in size to other hotel rooms in the area. Bathrooms have shower/tub combos with rainfall showerheads. Rooms facing the interior of the resort could face some noise issues from the outdoor entertainment that takes place every night.

As one of three hotels that make up the Don Hotels Complex, Sol Don Pablo has access to a range of features. Most notably, the hotel offers eight outdoor pools (including two children’s pools) and one indoor pool that are spread throughout the three resorts. The largest pool is located here, which makes sense, considering that this is the largest resort in the complex. If desired, guests could visit a different pool each day of their stay, or stroll across the promenade to the beach. The pools are surrounded by gardens and there is ample lounge space in each respective pool area.

The full-service Spa Delfinus offers massages and body wraps among other services, as well as a Roman bath, whirlpool, and sauna. Resort spas are not common in the area, making this a major asset for the property. Facilities also include a convention center with 10 meeting rooms and a maximum capacity of 500 people. There is nightly entertainment on the outdoor stage that seats well over 1,000 people, though this can cause room noise for those not attending. The Don Hotels Complex offers an activity center for children age five and up in the summer.

Recreationally, patrons can participate in a variety of on-site activities and off-site activities that the hotel offers. On-site, the hotel has everything from free table tennis, dance classes, and lawn games to a sports pitch for tennis, basketball, and soccer (for a fee). If guests are interested in activities outside of Sol Don Marco, the hotel can help arrange day trips to nearby Mijas, Marbella, Fuengirola, and Nerja. Organized excursions to Ronda, Seville, Granada, Cordoba, Gibraltar, and Morocco are also offered from third parties. Guests can also go horseback riding with a guide along the beach or through the mountains.