Checkin Bungalows Atlántida

We had a disappointing stay at Checkin Bungalows Atlantida in Los Cristianos. The three pools were nice, and the food was good with a decent variety. Still, the hotel looks far better in the bright, modern online photos than it does in person. It feels very worn and outdated, and needs cosmetic renovation. Our first room looked nothing like the advertised pictures. The receptionist initially refused to move us, saying the hotel was fully booked, although it didn’t seem to be. In the end, since we were travelling with our one-year-old, they gave us a more suitable room. It wasn’t filthy, but the housekeeping was superficial: hairs on the floor, a dirty toilet, and cobwebs in the corners. The terrace looked neglected too. I was surprised there was no proper soap dispenser, tea or coffee setup, or minibar, even for a 3-star hotel. The photos and advertising set expectations much higher than the reality. It’s not a terrible hotel, just quite misleadingly presented.

Very dated, with loads of steps. They started painting while we were there in May, though really it ought to look nice all year. The food was mostly pork or fish, with some salad and desserts. Breakfast was the best meal, but it was always burnt.

Betty and Lottie were just fabulous, brilliant at their jobs, and made our holiday. Sebastian, who I believe is new, was very pleasant too, as were all the other staff. They were the friendliest people I’ve ever encountered. We had a lovely holiday thanks to them. Our room was small and basic but clean, and there were lots of steps, so it’s not ideal if you’re less mobile. The daytime and evening activities and entertainment were great. I liked the food and the variety, though a bit more fruit would be nice. The pool area had a good atmosphere. It’s small, but there was always a sunbed available. My one complaint is the public toilets. They don’t lock, were always dirty, often had no toilet rolls, and there aren’t many of them. That really needs fixing to improve the place. Thank you from Karen, Grant and Annielise

The location was the one good thing about this hotel. It’s close to the beach, with some very nice restaurants nearby, and we ended up eating there instead. I’d paid for half board, but there was no way I was eating at the hotel again. When we arrived, our room had dead and live cockroaches. Reception said all the rooms were the same and couldn’t guarantee a move, though they did give us a cleaner room. Breakfast was stone cold, and dinner was the same. I woke up feeling very unwell the next morning with symptoms of food poisoning from the restaurant food. The maid never came once during our stay. I had to ask reception for clean sheets, and they didn’t even put them on the bed, unlike at other hotels I’ve stayed in. I was happy to fit them myself, but it felt like the staff didn’t care and didn’t want to be bothered. The toilets by the pool and outside reception were unclean. There were no other toilets, so we couldn’t go swimming on our last day because we had nowhere to change.