Hotel San Fermín by Dorobe

The Wi-Fi was really, really poor. In my room it felt impossible to stream videos, and even WhatsApp messages sometimes wouldn't send. Reception was about the only place it seemed to work, maybe the bar too. I booked five nights alone at the last minute in early November. The atmosphere was friendly and the staff lovely, and there were always plenty of sun loungers. You can take drinks to them and smoke there. The grass by the pool is real, so there were quite a lot of flies around, though that's just something to be aware of, not the hotel's fault. There isn't any entertainment, which may not suit young children. My room was modern and lovely, and housekeeping did a great job. The shower pressure was AMAZING. There's a bathroom hairdryer, but no styling nozzle, so don't expect a salon blow dry. Some of my plugs were loose, though a few worked, so I didn't bother reporting it or asking to move. The bed was very, very firm, and I woke up a bit sore each morning. The air con was confusing without instructions. At first I couldn't get it working, but reception explained it only works with the balcony door closed. After sitting outside for a while, I noticed the outdoor aircon (?) would turn on. That's nice during the day, but at night when it's chilly it gets really cold. There's a mini fridge, tea and coffee station with a few coffee portions and tea bags, plus a carton of water. The food was decent, and I enjoyed what I got from the snack bar, which had lots to choose from. The dining area is modest in size and can get quite loud, so if you're on your own, headphones or earplugs might help. I'd ask for a pool facing room. The balcony gets sun from around 2pm and has gorgeous sunset views. Other rooms get morning sun but are in the shade by around 11am.

We went bed and breakfast because we like trying other restaurants, and the breakfast had loads of choice. The hotel and grounds were spotless and cleaned regularly. A shower head problem was fixed right away. The ants in our room were a different story: they treated it, but the ants came back two days later because there was a gap in the corner. We killed quite a lot before they built up, so it wasn't a major issue, but disinfectant was only a short term fix. It will happen again for the next residents unless they do something more permanent. That's why we gave four stars instead of five. We had a week at the San Fermin in mid-October and were lucky with the weather, 27° minimum and 30° one day. There was plenty of space and sunbeds, two pools including one very large one that's great for swimming, and a nice snack and drinks bar. We ate at the restaurant the first night and liked the food and choice, for €18 per person. We also enjoyed the walk along the beach to the marina and found decent cocktails at a reasonable price. We upgraded to a pool view and think it's a must. The vista is much better, the atmosphere is nicer, and the sunsets are lovelier. The location was excellent for restaurants, with masses of choice for British and Non-British places. We prefer the Non-British type, and the food we tried was excellent. Our night in Mijas in the mountains was fantastic and our favourite meal of the week. An UBER was about €17 each way. Book a restaurant there, as they WILL get full.

The hill up to the hotel is quite steep, so it could be tough for anyone with mobility issues or who isn't expecting the climb. The pool was also freezing, much colder than we thought, and we didn't swim as much as we'd hoped. Still, my partner and I had a wonderful three-day October break. The hotel felt welcoming and well maintained, and our room was clean, tidy and comfortable. Dinner was a real highlight: everything we tried from the menu was delicious, with plenty of variety, fresh tasting ingredients and quick, friendly service. There were always sunbeds free too, so no need to rush down or fight for a spot. We did have a couple of housekeeping issues. No towel was left one day and it took longer than expected to sort out. We also found someone else's underwear at the back of the wardrobe, which wasn't pleasant and made us wonder how thoroughly the room had been checked. Even with those hiccups, we had a memorable short break thanks to the atmosphere, food and comfort.

The food was plentiful and nicely presented. My one small gripe was the British bacon and sausage. Whoever ordered it clearly hasn't been to a UK café, but we survived. The staff were so friendly I felt like family by day two. The hotel was spotless, the gardens looked as if they'd been trimmed with nail scissors, and the air con worked better than my fridge at home. Rooms were cleaned and towels changed daily. Big thanks to Veronica on reception for arranging a late checkout until 4.30 pm for just €20. It was worth every penny to skip the mad suitcase rush. We had such a great time that we've already decided to come back in January. Can't wait!