Best Oasis Tropical: my honest review (family hotel with water park in Mojácar)
By Javier Sobrino
Travel expert and founder
We came to the Best Oasis Tropical, a four-star family hotel in Mojácar, Almería, right across from the beach. We picked it because it just opened a new water park and, honestly, the photos we saw online were still showing 3D renders of the project instead of actual photos of the finished park.
So we came with reasonable doubts: is the water park as good as they make it look? What are the rooms really like? Is the food up to scratch? And above all, is it worth it compared to other family hotels in Mojácar, which are basically all the same and cost roughly the same?
There are quite a few family options in this area and picking the right one is hard. Here’s what we found, the good and the bad, no filter.
My quick opinion
We give it an 8.1 out of 10. It’s one of the family hotels we liked the most in Mojácar and it would probably make our top family hotels in all of Almería. The water park really makes a difference, the rooms are renovated and you’ve got the beach right across the road. The food does the job without standing out, and the shows could be better. But as a whole package, the value for money is very good.
In one sentence
The best hotel water park in Mojácar. If you’re traveling with kids, that’s what sets it apart.
The best and the worst (Pros and Cons)
The best
- Water park: the best of any hotel in Mojácar. Water slides with LED lights and a separate kids’ zone. Fun for all ages.
- Renovated rooms: slightly bigger and better laid out than other Best chain hotels. Clean terrace with no AC units taking up space.
- Beach front: walk out the door, cross the road and you’re on Playa de Marina de la Torre, one of the quietest spots in Mojácar.
- Kids’ facilities: water park, kids’ club, splash pool, heated indoor pool. Plenty of options.
- Noise separation: since the water park is outside the main complex, the main pool area stays quieter.
The worst
- Food is fine, nothing more: it does the job, but don’t expect premium items like salmon or steak at the buffet.
- Decaf coffee from a machine: pretty bad. Tastes like instant coffee from a packet.
- Water park is outside the complex: if your kids want to spend hours there, you’ll need to leave the hotel grounds and go with them.
- Weak entertainment: the live music we saw was more noise than music.
- Limited all-inclusive snacks: the between-meals food options are pretty basic.
Check if today’s price makes it worth it
First impressions
As soon as you walk in, the hotel feels good. You can tell it’s been renovated, looked after and is fairly new. I wouldn’t call it boutique, but it has a modern, clean and pleasant design.
The lobby is spacious, with big glass windows and comfortable sofas. The common areas are roomy and well laid out. You don’t get that cramped, old-hotel feeling. Everything is open, clean and bright.
Check-in was quick and the reception desk is noticeably bigger than in other hotels we’ve visited in the area. I imagine that in peak season this means shorter queues. There are also three lifts that work well and don’t feel slow.
The room and bathroom
Room
We liked the room quite a bit. After staying at many Best chain hotels, this one felt slightly bigger, better laid out and more modern.
It has Queen-size beds, fairly comfortable, and plenty of pillows. They’re not the best pillows in the world, but having several options makes it easier to find one that works for you.
There’s also a desk, a luggage rack, a small round side table with a chair and a nice terrace. One thing I liked: the air conditioning is built into the wall. It makes a bit of noise at night, but personally I prefer that to the typical wall unit taking up half the terrace. Here the terrace stays free, with a table and two chairs, no bulky machines in the way.
Our bookings, always paid by us
Like most hotels we visit, we paid for this one ourselves. We didn’t announce that we’re content creators or ask for special treatment. We came as regular tourists to see what the real experience would be like.
We got a corner room with pretty standard views. But keep in mind we booked the cheapest room at the last minute.
Bathroom
The bathroom is well laid out, with a very roomy shower. You can tell it’s been renovated and everything is in good shape. Not a five-star bathroom, but more than fine for a four-star family hotel.
The water park: the standout feature
Here’s what surprised us the most. For us, it’s the best hotel water park in Mojácar. And probably the main reason we’d choose this hotel over others in the area at a similar price point.
It has two clearly separated zones.
The first is the big slides zone. These are slides around 8 to 10 metres high, aimed at older kids, teenagers and adults. Some of the enclosed slides have LED colour lights inside, which really surprised us. It feels like you’re travelling through space as you go down. Not something we’ve seen at other hotels in the area.
They’re not extreme slides, but they have enough speed to be fun. We went down them several times and had a great time. We saw kids at exactly 1.20 m going down again and again, and parents enjoying it with them.
The second zone is for younger children. It has a shallow pool, mini slides, fish, octopus and submarine theming, water jets and a big bucket that tips water. It’s really well designed so little ones can play and splash around without too much worry. Around it there are sun loungers, parasols and a small ice cream food truck.
The water park is outside the main complex
To get there you have to go out through reception and walk about a minute or two. The upside: the noise from kids on the slides doesn’t reach the main pool as much, so the main hotel area stays quieter. The downside: if your kids want to spend two hours on the slides and they’re not old enough to go alone, you’ll need to go with them. Luckily there are sun loungers, parasols and an ice cream truck, so you can wait comfortably.
What’s the price today?
Pools and common areas
Beyond the water park, the hotel has a main pool area with two lagoon-style pools, fairly family-oriented, with zones for swimming, relaxing and being with the kids. They’re not huge pools, but they’re fine for the size of the hotel.
There’s also a heated indoor pool with warmer water, hydrotherapy jets and a jacuzzi-style area. Keep in mind it’s a family pool, so kids can come in too. Don’t expect a silent spa atmosphere.
For the littlest ones there’s a splash pool about 30 cm deep, with parasols that spray water, a small fish-shaped slide and games for toddlers.
The main area has plenty of sun loungers, parasols and a small grassy patch. One interesting thing: some suites have direct access to a semi-private swim-up pool shared between a few rooms. If you book one of those, you can walk straight from your terrace into the pool.
The pool bar-café has an outdoor terrace with shade, a sunny area and a large indoor section that doubles as a show venue when the weather isn’t great.
Food: breakfast and dinner
The buffet is very similar to other Best chain hotels in the area. In fact, you can tell a lot of the products come from the same supplier.
The quality is fine, it’s decent, but don’t expect luxury. You won’t find salmon at breakfast, grilled cod or steak at the buffet. For that you’d need to go to a higher-category hotel.
The food here does the job. There’s good variety, decent overall quality and nothing tasted bad, but there aren’t many dishes that really stand out either.
What we liked most was the wok show cooking, where you pick your ingredients and sauces in Asian style. It has real flavour and is the most interesting thing at the buffet.
Best thing at the buffet: the wok
The wok show cooking is the standout at mealtimes. You choose your own ingredients and sauces, Asian style, and it has way more flavour than the rest of the buffet. The guy making the wok, by the way, was really friendly and professional.
The decaf coffee
The decaf from the machine was pretty bad. It’s probably instant coffee from a packet. If you drink decaf, you might want to order a different coffee at the bar.
As for all-inclusive: from what we saw, it doesn’t particularly stand out for snacks. We didn’t see a big selection of between-meals food, just fairly basic options.
The beach
The beach is right across from the hotel. You walk out, cross the road and you’re on Playa de Marina de la Torre, one of the quietest areas of Mojácar.
It’s a wide, long beach that’s quite comfortable for families. The water is usually calmer than in other parts of Mojácar, though there can be some waves near the shore.
Gym
The gym is fairly well equipped. It has new machines, dumbbells, cable pulleys and various options for working out. It could use a multi-power rack or a cage with a bar, but you can still train pretty much every muscle group. For a family hotel, it’s quite well set up.
Kids’ club and children’s facilities
The kids’ club follows the Best chain standard: big, spacious and well equipped. It has several separate zones: a ball pit, indoor play park, an area for painting and colouring, and monitors keeping watch.
Children under 4 can go in with their parents. Over-4s can stay with the monitors, as long as you sign them in and out and leave a contact number.
Between the kids’ club, the water park, the splash pool, the big slides and the beach, the hotel has loads of options for children. Hard to get bored.
Entertainment and shows
We visited in late May and the shows didn’t blow us away. The kids had fun dancing, but the live music we saw felt more like noise than music.
When live music isn’t very good, I’d almost rather they put on something instrumental or more pleasant in the background. Not a dealbreaker, but something that could be improved.
Staff
We didn’t interact much with the staff, so we can’t really say much. Overall, correct treatment.
I would highlight the guy doing the wok at the show cooking. He came across as very friendly, professional and with a great attitude. Sometimes you see someone working and you notice they stand out from the rest. That’s the impression he gave.
Scores and verdict
| Category | Score |
|---|---|
| Cleanliness | 9 |
| Bed and pillows | 8.5 |
| Bathroom | 8 |
| Breakfast | 7.5 |
| Food (lunch/dinner) | 7.5 |
| Pools | 9 |
| Kids’ facilities | 9.5 |
| Adults’ facilities | 8 |
| All-inclusive | 7 |
| Beach | 8 |
| Staff | 8 |
Average score: 8.1 out of 10.
The Final Verdict
For whom do I recommend it?
Perfect For
- Traveling with kids of any age and want a hotel where they won’t get bored.
- Looking for a hotel with a water park that really sets it apart in Mojácar.
- Want beach front without paying for a higher category.
- Looking for good value for money in a renovated family hotel.
Skip It If
- Looking for an adults-only hotel or a quiet couple’s getaway.
- Gastronomy is a priority for you and you need more than a decent buffet.
- Expecting a five-star luxury experience with premium services and details.
- Don’t like having to leave the complex to accompany your kids to the water park.
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