"We stayed as a three-generation, seven-person family at Iberostar Waves Averroes from 7th–14th April 2026. This is a large hotel (250+ rooms) marketed as offering multiple restaurants, bars and a spa. Unfortunately, the reality during our stay was very different.
Several of these facilities form part of the hotel’s core advertised offering.
At no point prior to arrival were we informed that multiple key facilities would be closed.
Facilities closed or unavailable
For the entire duration of our stay, only the buffet restaurant was operational:
• The à la carte restaurant was closed and visibly under refurbishment, with internal scaffolding partially concealed behind net curtains
• The beachside bar/restaurant was completely closed
• The swim-up bar opened only intermittently (approximately 2 days out of 7)
This significantly limited the dining experience. Outside buffet hours, the only option for drinks was the indoor main bar, which cannot be accessed in swimwear or bare feet, and no snacks were available there.
No snacks or basic shopping on-site
Despite the ‘family’ style of hotel, there were no snacks available between meals:
• The on-site snack bar was closed
• The hotel shop did not stock basic essentials (e.g. toiletries, snacks, etc.), instead focusing almost entirely on souvenirs
Guests were effectively required to leave the hotel and walk to a local supermarket to purchase such items.
Spa closed and ongoing building works
The spa was completely closed throughout our stay. There was also persistent construction noise during the day (including the prolonged use of very noisy power tools).
The spa reception area was covered over, with electrical cabling on the floor and limited lighting in the corridor leading to the indoor pool.
Evenings dominated by excessive noise
From around 8pm onwards, the entertainment volume in the bar area was extremely high, to the point where normal conversation was difficult.
If you are looking for a relaxed evening atmosphere, this may not be the right hotel.
Positives
• Staff were consistently polite and helpful
• The buffet food was of good quality with a reasonable variety
Summary
This hotel may offer a better experience when fully operational, but during our stay it was not delivering the range of facilities it advertises.
The number of closed amenities, combined with ongoing building works and lack of basic services, significantly detracted from what should have been a relaxing holiday.
As this was part of a package holiday, the absence of these facilities materially affected our overall experience.
Conclusion
This was a disappointing experience. While the hotel is not new, guests should reasonably expect core advertised facilities to be available, or to be informed in advance if they are not.
At the time of our departure, there was no clear information available as to when the full range of facilities would be restored."
