A striking palm tree mosaic stretches the height of the Buenaventura's facade and sets the tone for this large, vibrant 724-room hotel. The lobby has a similar cheerful vibe with pieces of modern art, large murals, and a pyramid-esque water feature. Outside, the pool area has gardens brimming with tropical plants, busily patterned thatched-roof huts, and rock formations. There are multiple pool sections and dining areas, but there aren't always enough loungers for guests. Still, the enthusiastic and professional animation team keeps the young families, couples, and groups of vacationing friends busy throughout the day and into the evening.

The hotel is located close to the center of the popular resort of Playa del Ingles, near the southern tip of Gran Canaria island. While the immediate surrounds is largely other hotels, it's only a 10- to 15-minute walk to the main retail, dining, and nightlife district centered around the Yumbo Centrum shopping mall. The resort's famous stretch of beach is a 10-minute walk away and offers a range of water sports, as well as a popular nudist section. The nature reserve of Maspalomas, with its spectacular dunes and lighthouse, is around a 10-minute drive away. Gran Canaria Airport can be reached in about 20 minutes by car.

Well-maintained rooms are simple but cheerful, thanks to pale yellow walls, wood or wicker furnishings, and Joan Miro paintings on the walls. However, the colorful motel-style comforters, low-quality furniture, and tube TVs are undeniably dated. All do feature sliding glass doors that open to furnished balconies or terraces -- most overlook the pool areas and views may be blocked by trees, but some higher-category rooms have distant sea views. Guests will have to pay to use most of the in-room amenities, though, including mini-fridges, safes, kettles, and Wi-Fi. Beige bathrooms have shower/tub combos, wall-mounted hairdryers and toiletries.

Like most area resorts, bed-and-breakfast, half-board, and all-inclusive options are available at IFA Buenaventura. A well-reviewed buffet breakfast is served in the hotel's main Moroccan-styled restaurant, but it can get very busy at peak times. The restaurant is divided into three buffet sections and extends to an outdoor terrace. A self-service, canteen-style restaurant is also available, while bars include two traditional-looking pubs and two poolside drinkeries. Food choice can be repetitive but quality options are varied.

Entertainment is the main focus at this hotel, so the terraces around the main pool are often busy and loud with activities facilitated by the high-energy animation team. The deck includes multiple sections of pools, including a few splash and hydro-massage pools. All the activity can make the space feel crammed, however, and there have been reports of lounger shortage. Evening entertainment -- which can be noisy and last until late -- includes live shows, karaoke, and tribute acts. There are also a kids' club, several tennis courts, and a simple spa offering massages and fish pedicures. The gym is well-equipped with cardio and strength-training machines, as well as free weights.