Hotel Convento Aracena & Spa

The staff were really helpful, and the original building is lovely. There's a swimming pool of a decent size, and the town centre is an easy walk away. The restaurant food is good, though quite pricey for what it is.

The room keys kept stopping working. One female receptionist was helpful and gave us extra keys, but the male receptionist was patronising and blamed us for keeping them near phones or magnets, which we hadn't done. That same man rudely stopped a friend at reception from saying hello, even though another staff member had said she could. When we pointed out the mistake, he didn't give a proper apology, just a snarky remark. I also forgot my child's swimming costume and called the next day. They said nothing could be done until the day after that, and there was no lost property service or follow-up from the staff.

The old converted convent has a rustic feel, with a maze of corridors leading to the rooms. The rooms are nicely appointed, with a lovely bathroom and shower, and the large bed was very comfortable. I didn't use many services, but my interactions with staff were okay. Breakfast was very mediocre, nothing special, so I ended up skipping it and just having coffee. The gym was tiny; I got a better workout doing calisthenics in my room. The air conditioning was locked and couldn't be adjusted, so turning it off was the only option.

The receptionist didn't open the door for us and spoke through a glass window, which felt unwelcoming and unprofessional. We were told the hotel was fully booked, though we could clearly see rooms available. I've stayed in hotels all over the world, and my experience at Convento de Aracena was the most disappointing I've had. I strongly advise against trusting this hotel. For genuine hospitality and a warm welcome, I'd recommend the nearby Barceló Aracena Hotel, just a mile away. We were welcomed there, got exceptional service, and had a stunning view, all things we felt were missing at Convento de Aracena.