Hotel Royal Santana

Unfortunately, it was closed.

The lovely weather and beautiful surroundings helped take the edge off, but my final grade is still a big fail. The rooms and shower were very small, and the bed was only reasonable. The TV sat beside the bed. Breakfast was fair, while dinner was minimal and limited to whatever was offered. Dessert was the best part, rice pudding with three raisins or half an apricot and whipped cream. The all-inclusive drinks were okay, although service sometimes took a while. OAD brought a busload of elderly guests, but this hotel is completely unsuitable for them because of all the steps. Of course, the tour operator wants to keep the trip as cheap as possible. Sad.

We tried eating here twice, then gave up and went somewhere else. The buffet technically had a choice, but only one dish, and the food seemed reheated rather than fresh. It had sat in warming trays for a long time, so things that should have been crisp were sticky and the food was only half warm. It didn't belong in a restaurant or hotel. Drinks were poor too: soft drinks made from syrup were far too diluted, and the coffee was very weak. Service also didn't follow the agreed hours. Our travel papers said drinks were available until 10 pm, but service stopped at 9, and even the drinks themselves were low quality. Staff were extremely unfriendly and unhelpful. We complained more than once, but they wouldn't have a conversation with us. The rooms are dated, though clean. That's all this hotel has going for it. Never again for us.

The beautiful surroundings soften the disappointment a little, but for the price, this was sad. I only gave one star because the 'all exclusive' offer was so far below par. I've been on vacation several times a year and have never stayed somewhere this bad. I'd suggest choosing another hotel, since there are plenty around. Breakfast had very little to choose from. Dinner was terrible, so after trying it twice I ate elsewhere in the village. The dining room roof leaked onto the cold cuts, the lids were missing and flies crawled over the food. The meat was too salty, the vegetables overcooked, and I suspect the soup came from a can. I'll leave dessert at that, you can probably cook better at home. I don't know whether the chef was responsible or they were trying to maximize profit.