Punta Carnero Hotel singular

The hotel has a huge deck on the first floor just for guests, and there’s a little path down to the rocky shore that takes only a few minutes. Our room was clean and comfortable, and breakfast was made to order. It’s in a stunning spot right on the Strait of Gibraltar, and a very friendly team runs the place, led by a father and son.

My Dad and I stayed here the night before heading across to Tangier, and the service was amazing. We had to leave before breakfast, so our host, Danel, left some out for us, gave us the taxi number, and advised us when to call so we’d reach the ferry in time. We chatted for about half an hour, and his English was amazing. He told us the place is still relatively new and they hope to attract birdwatchers in particular. There were other birdwatchers staying there at the time. The room was clean, the balcony was amazing, and the restaurant food was superb. We highly recommend it!

The view is great, and the restaurant within walking distance was really nice. This could have been a lovely place if the owners cared more about the quality of the stay. Sadly, we found it extremely disappointing, especially since it was my partner’s birthday. We booked through Booking.com expecting a swimming pool view, but the room didn’t match the description. We were told there had been a mistake in the listing. The cleanliness was very poor: bits of glass, hair, dust, dead flies, cobwebs, and more. I had to raise it with the receptionist/owner, who said they hadn’t checked the room because we booked last minute. We were charged €140 for this, then someone came and did a quick five-minute clean. The bathroom also smelled strongly of sewage. They said WiFi was available everywhere, but it was only usable in one common area, right by the router. You might not mind if you’re there to disconnect, but it’s extremely inconvenient if you work online. I wish they’d told us these things before we booked. We should have left when we saw the state of the room.

The setting is breathtaking, with views across the endless ocean. The service is great, and it’s a lovely spot to stop for coffee, tea, or drinks.