I have stayed at the Sahara Sunset Hotel in Benalmádena, Spain more than five times so I have first-hand experience with the resort. I definitely recommend staying at Sahara Sunset but I’ll go over my true thoughts including both pros and cons in this honest Sahara Sunset review.
Honest Review Of Sahara Sunset
Sahara Sunset Pros
Location
The location of the Sahara Sunset hotel is one of my favourite things about this resort. As I’m sure you know, your location when you travel can really impact your experience and enjoyment of your trip. In my opinion, Sahara Sunset’s location is incredible.
It’s off the main street that can be busy with traffic but close enough to the mediterranean sea that you can easily get to the beach promenade to walk and enjoy the beach. Some rooms at Sahara Sunset will even have a view of the sea because it’s located further up the hill.
There are lots of restaurants and coffee shops in and around the resort so it’s easy to find places to eat. There is also a large grocery store close if you’re looking to do some cooking in your unit.
It’s also really close to a bus station and not far from the train station in Arroyo de la Miel, so you can easily get to other towns and cities in the area.
Apartment Like Rooms
Another thing I love about Sahara Sunset is that the units are more like apartments than simply a hotel room. Most of the rooms have a living room, kitchen, dining, patio space, etc. So far I have found that these units are the best layout and the most spacious. They have the traditional amenities that you are used to at home so it’s easy to settle in nicely. It’s nice that you can grab groceries and cook in the unit on the nights that you don’t want to eat out. The extra space and kitchen is also great if you’re staying for a longer time.
Staying at Sahara Sunset gives you all the amenities of a resort but you also feel like a local in that you have your own apartment and can come and go as you wish.
It isn’t one big tall building there are multiple four story buildings throughout the resort so it truly does feel like you have your own apartment.
Secured Resort
Sahara Sunset is a completely enclosed and secured resort. There are gates and doors surrounding the resort that you need a card key to enter. I definitely have always felt very safe at Sahara Sunset in Benalmádena, Spain. There are a few sections of the resort that you can access your room from the street so those sections don’t have a gate. I have never felt unsafe in the area.
Resort Amenities
Indoor & Outdoor Pools
There are a few pools within the resort. There is one main pool that’s close to the restaurant and main activity centre but there’s another one that you can access, especially if your room is closer to it. Sometimes in the winter months, this other pool is closed. It doesn’t really matter though because it’s too cold for most of us to swim.
Depending on what months you are at the resort how busy the pools are will vary. The pools are not heated so in February and March, there will be a few people (usually kids) in the pool on warmer days. Lots of times when the sun is out even in the winter there will be people around the pool sunbathing and hanging out in the lounge chairs.
There is also an indoor pool to enjoy year round. Please read more about this in my Sahara Sunset Review Cons list below.
Ping Pong Table & Mini Golf
They have a ping pong table set up right near the main pool which is fun to play. They also have a mini golf course that wraps around a section of the resort. This is definitely a bonus, especially if you have kids. My nieces enjoyed playing when they stayed at Sahara Sunset before my wedding in Benalmádena Pueblo.
Gym & Spa
There is a gym and spa at Sahara Sunset which is really nice. I’ve booked many massages at the spa and have always been happy. The masseuse is incredible and very professional, the room is warm, and the treatments have always been high quality. When I’ve visited in February, they often have offers like book three massages and get the fourth free.
I talk more about the gym in my Sahara Sunset cons list below.
Recreation Activities
Sahara Sunset does a great job of hosting various activities throughout your stay. Make sure you check the calendar at the bottom of the stairs just outside the lobby. This will give you all the details on what activities are planned. Some examples of activities that they’ve had when I have stayed here are Spanish lessons and pizza making classes.
Restaurant & Live Music
Right next to the main pool is the restaurant. They have a great outdoor patio area and lots of seating inside. In terms of food, they have lots of options to choose from that’s comparable to your typical restaurant. I was impressed with the selection from burgers and fries to a Thai food dish.
Diego works at the restaurant and if you’re lucky enough to be there when he’s working, he’s such a great person with the best personality. He’ll make you feel like family and genuinely seems to enjoy his job.
Usually on Wednesdays and Sundays they have live entertainment in the evening which is really fun to go to. We’ve seen lots of musicians play, and even went to a flamenco dancing performance. And yes, Derek & I ended up being volunteers to try a few flamenco dance moves.
Drinking Water Tap In Room
Another thing I really appreciate about Sahara Sunset is that it’s very eco-friendly. They have a full ‘Save Water’ Campaign. As part of this program, they have drinking water taps in every unit. This really helps because we always buy bottled water in Spain. This allows you to just fill up your own water bottle and saves so much plastic and saves you money because you don’t have to buy water. It’s surprising how much I appreciate this feature but it’s just so convenient!
Grocery Store & Fresh Croissants
If you’re in need of snacks, wine or beer, fruit and veggies or fresh croissants in the morning – they do have a grocery store on site. I wouldn’t go here for a big grocery shop but it’s super handy to have this place for picking up a few things.
Washing Machines
Some of the rooms have washing machines so if you are staying for a long time, you can try to request a room with the washing machine. This helps so much so you don’t have to use a laundromat. If you do need a laundromat, there is one close by which we have used many times.
Cleaning Services
They do offer cleaning services every few days where you can choose to have your bed sheets changes, your unit cleaned and tidied and get new towels if you’d like. This is a nice feature especially if you’re staying for an extended period.
Well-Maintained Resort
The resort is always clean and well-maintained.
Sahara Sunset Review: Cons
Main Floor Units Can Smell
It can be attractive to get a room for Sahara on the main floor, but we have done this a number of times, and every single time there seems to be a sewage smell. This isn’t a consistent smell all day and night long. It will just hit you at certain times and unfortunately we aren’t sure if this is a Spanish thing or whether this is simply something that happens at Sahara Sunset. We have found that rooms on off the main floor, don’t have a strong smell. So if you have the option to request and you were able to climb stairs, this might be something to consider.
No Elevators
Another con of Sahara Sunset is that there are no elevators to get to your rooms. If you do require wheelchair accessibility or no steps you will need to request a room on the ground floor or one that they recommend for you.
Perks For Members Only
I have stayed at Sahara Sunset five times in the last four years and every time before our last visit you were able to use the gym completely free of charge which is typical for most resorts.
Unfortunately, the last time I visited and stayed at Sahara Sunset in February and March 2024 the gym was no longer available to use for free unless you were a member. It cost €4 per hour to use. In my opinion, this is absolutely not worth it. The gym is tiny and that seems wildly over-priced. I recommend heading to the large recreation centre and full gym in Arroyo de la Miel if you would like to workout.
Another disappointment was that you had to pay for towel at the pool and you could not use the indoor pool and hot tub without paying €10 per day. If you are a member you would get access to this. This was quite disappointing this past trip when we realized all of these things were no longer available to us without a fee. On a rainy morning during our last visit we could see that they had a bucket of umbrellas for guests to use. I asked if I could have one and they said they’re for members only. It got a little bit old that we kept hearing that over and over. It made us feel annoyed because we are still guests and still paying to stay there. This was new and wasn’t like this any other time we visited so I’m curious what it will be like when we’re back in February 2025. We understand certain things can be exclusive to members but in my opinion, it seemed to go too far.
Showers Only
If you like having a bath to relax on vacation, they don’t have bath tubs. Or, at least in all the rooms I’ve stayed in at Sahara Sunset did not have a bath tub.
No English TV or Smart TVs
I have never watched so many ski races in German or game shows than I do at Sahara Sunset. In all honesty, this has become part of our experience and it’s kind of funny now. So if you’re looking to continue watching your Netflix show, I don’t want you to be disappointed. I’m hoping they eventually upgrade to smart TVs that allow us to connect our devices easily.
Not Budget Friendly For Longer Stays
I do want to note that if you are staying for a longer period of time, like a month, there are lots of other options in terms of apartments to rent for quite a bit cheaper. Often you get an even better rate when you book for 30 days. If you are not on a budget or staying for a week or two, Sahara Sunset is a great option.
This is my honest review of Sahara Sunset in Benalmádena, Spain. Despite the cons, they don’t outweigh the pros and our desire to book our stay at Sahara Sunset year after year. I’ll continue to update this review with new details every time I visit.
