Tandem Pórtico Alicante Suites

Alvaro met us at the garage and helped with our bags, and he also told us about las Hogueras de San Juan. Mario made check-in easy, then returned my call and messaged on Whatsapp to answer my questions. We felt looked after. I loved the hotel's design right away, and the rest was a bonus: welcoming service, cold air conditioning, a washer and kitchen, room for three, comfortable beds, and a lovely queen-sized futon as the sofa bed. The location was excellent too. One of my favorite hotel stays in recent memory.

The private terrace was the best part of Room 5 Atico. It gets sun all day, and the sunbeds were very comfortable. The bells from the four churches nearby were soothing, though they stopped after 8 pm and started again around 5 am. The suite itself was clean and well equipped when we arrived, and the lift opens right at its door on the top floor. The staff were consistently polite and charming, and we were given two cocktails as an apology. Getting there took some figuring out. Check-in is at Eurostars Portico Alicante, about 75 metres around the corner, while the suites entrance is just off the cross street above Restaurant Casa Demus. The signs were poor, and no staff member came to guide us. Street entry uses a pre-programmed card. The lift reception smelled bad. The shower wasn't properly sealed, and water spread over the tiled floor into the hallway and bedroom. We considered this a health and safety issue. We went to reception three times before anything improved, and even then it was only slightly. We wondered why there was a mop and bucket in the bathroom; later, we understood. Extra towels helped soak up the water, but we still had to clean it ourselves. Maintenance came on day four and tried to reseal the shower, with little or no improvement. The problem spoiled our holiday and our impression of the stay. We stopped complaining because it was embarrassing. Later, we found other written reviews describing this as an ongoing shower problem. The bedroom was small, tight, and short on clothing storage. It might be fine for two or three nights, but we stayed eight, and had to use the clothes airer for trousers and shorts. The bed was comfortable, but anyone bothered by cramped space should be aware. The bathroom itself is small but adequate for two; we wouldn't recommend it for three. Kitchen facilities were enough for two, with good fridge space, but there were no instruction booklets for the washing machine, microwave, or induction hob. We don't speak Spanish, so instructions would have been helpful. The small dining area has a table and chairs, plus a bed that converts to a couch. The large TV had only English news channels as far as we could tell, with no streaming connection or instruction booklet. Air conditioning is advertised, but the unit to the right of the TV was hard to read and came without instructions. It worked very poorly; the roof fan was better. The renovated old building gets hot at night. With the windows or balcony doors open, street noise was extremely loud, going on until at least 3 am. There were also mosquitoes in the humid nights, so bring spray from May through the end of summer. Restaurant smells from the surrounding streets may bother some people, though you get used to them. Street cleaning and clubbers shouting continued through the night. The shower issue would stop us returning, despite the pleasant staff and terrace. We visit Alicante City and Villajoyosa often each year, so it's disappointing to say this about accommodation in a city we usually enjoy.

The rooms were clean and very well maintained, and the location was spectacular, just steps from everything you need. The booking photos don't show the place with complete accuracy, though.

Step outside and you're right in the lively old town. The suites are clean and spacious, with fantastic beds, and the location couldn't be better. We arrived a bit early, left our luggage at Hotel Eurostar Portico Alicante, around 50 metres away, and went to explore. They called when the room was ready and had already brought our bags over. Every request was taken care of, and the service was truly exceptional. Simply wow, highly recommended.