Albahia Hotel

The pool was spotless and well looked after, with loungers, big umbrellas and palm trees for shade. The hotel itself is modern inside and very clean, and the retro building has three floors, I think. There are tennis courts and a couple of bars nearby, plus the hotel's own bar with very reasonable prices. Our room was roomy, clean and had a lovely sea view from the balcony, which had a little table and chairs. It was too hot to sit outside after the morning. The bed was comfortable with two soft pillows. The air conditioning cooled the room in about 10-15 minutes, and it switches off when you take the key card out. There was a kettle and coffee, and the bathroom had good shower pressure, shampoo and shower gel. A small hairdryer was fixed to the wall. Breakfast was a fresh buffet with fruit, bread, cereal, yogurt, tea, coffee and the usual Spanish breakfast choices. The airy dining area had amazing views, and the fruit was especially nice. It's about a 45 minute walk into Alicante on a hot day, along a flat, pleasant route if you take your time. You can also walk along the coast and through the tunnels. The bus stop is about a five minute walk uphill to the main road, and buses 21 and 22 go past. Two tickets cost around £2.50. We paid €10 for a taxi one evening. The nearby area has retro apartments built around the late 1950s and early 1970s. I think they're amazing, though they're not to everyone's taste, and this isn't a lively city area. I'd definitely come back and recommend it. If you don't want to walk or use public transport, you'd need somewhere closer to the city.

The sea views were beautiful, and there was a tennis court. Getting into the city was easy on one bus, with the stop near the hotel. It felt very safe and clean. We asked for ice to take to the room and an iron, and both were brought without any fuss. A few things could be better. Lunch cost more than at fancy restaurants in the city centre, and the bathtub had no plug, so we couldn't have a bath and had to shower. Check-in didn't start until 4 pm, even though our plane landed at 9 am. After a long trip, we wanted to shower and lie down, but couldn't. Housekeeping was cleaning rooms even when there was no green tag on the door, so perhaps they could focus on rooms for arriving guests instead of cleaning for people who hadn't asked for it. Still, 5/5, I'd recommend it.

Our room was lovely, with a balcony and nice views, and housekeeping did an amazing job keeping it clean each day. The reception staff were helpful and lovely too. The mattress wasn't the most comfortable, but that wasn't what spoiled the stay. We'd been impressed with the hotel until we tried the restaurant midway through. Only two tables were occupied, and we hoped to sit by the window. A young man came out of the kitchen and pointed us to the only tables we could use. One had no chairs, another was already taken, and the only other option was beside a pillar. We sat where we could, but he came over abruptly and asked, "What do you want". He didn't seem pleased we were there, so we got up and left. That was our only real fault with the place, but that one person made us feel like a nuisance.

Our room and the lobby were immaculately clean, which made the rest of the place feel all the stranger. The location had an Alcatraz-on-holiday vibe. Dinner was a disgrace to Spain. The fish came with no carbs at all, and there were no potatoes in any form. The starter was always too greasy, and the dessert portions were too small for kids, let alone a grown man. We were gobsmacked and disappointed. The owners seem very stingy. Go if you want to lose weight. A big hello to BAKETABLE, the young fella with the renaissance moustache who served us dinner. BAKETABLE is a lovely, decent person. We love you, Baketable!