Puerto Marina, Frontline apartment in Benalmadena, Malaga

Great location. V clean and had everything that we needed.

Could do with a bit of a refurb. Some things didn’t work. And one of the doors jammed. Very remedial stuff.

The apartment was spacious, clean and in a fantastic location

We did have some issues with the two complex gates as sometimes the fob would not unlock. I think it was more the system rather than the fob itself. Had to use the key to unlock gates, however only one bunch had the gate key on it

The agency that handles the keys contacted us straight away at the airport and kindly offered to let us into the apartment a little earlier than the official check-in time. They ask for your flight number, which means they can keep an eye on your arrival time and arrange things accordingly, which was very helpful. The apartment is well equipped in many ways. There are games, both indoor and outdoor, as well as a good selection of books. The kitchen also has some surprisingly useful extras, such as food clips and small containers. With kids, snacks are everything, so these little things actually made our days easier when packing snacks for the beach or days out. The apartment itself is very spacious, with large rooms and plenty of space for a family. The location is definitely one of its biggest advantages. It's right in the heart of the marina, very close to the beach and Ferris wheel, with a great choice of bars and restaurants nearby. It can be a little busy and lively because of the location, but if you like being close to everything, it's very convenient. Overall, we had a lovely stay and appreciated the space, location and the thoughtful little extras provided in the apartment.

Unfortunately, there were also a few issues during our stay. The air conditioning in the master bedroom broke down on the first night (I started questioning whether it worked at all), so we contacted the agency, who got back to us very quickly. However, unfortunately, they could not arrange the repair until they had received authorisation from the property owner. In the meantime, we were provided with a portable AC unit. Unfortunately, it was extremely loud and difficult to use effectively. Because of the position of the exhaust pipe, we had to leave the doors open, which meant that the noise from outside (there's a nightclub opposite the apartment) came in, on top of the noise from the other AC units. As a result, getting a good night's sleep became quite difficult for the rest of the holiday. With closed windows/doors, the sound does not effect you normally. We contacted the management company several times to explain the situation, but unfortunately, they were still waiting for authorisation from the owner. While we appreciated that the agency responded promptly, the lack of a practical solution was a significant disappointment, particularly given the amount we paid for the week. We would have expected a better level of service and a quicker resolution to an issue that had such an impact on our stay. The apartment itself could also do with a few minor touch-ups, for example, there are some holes in the ceiling of the en-suite bathroom. These are mainly cosmetic issues, but given the price of the property, we feel that some basic maintenance and attention to detail would be expected. Overall, these issues did affect our experience and are worth mentioning, particularly considering the price of the accommodation.