Hotel Ambassador Playa I

We'd already booked again for next year before writing this. The staff couldn't do enough for us, and when we asked to change rooms on arrival, they sorted it within 20 minutes. There's a good range of fresh food, replenished often, and the pool area was clean with lots of sunbeds. The hotel is in a great spot and kept very clean, with daily maid service and towel changes. Highly recommend.

The food was very mediocre, nothing exciting, and the few times my husband and I ate there it was cold, so we went elsewhere. The pool area is lovely, with plenty of loungers, and the recent makeover looks good. Check-out was easy. It's also a fantastic central spot for bars and shops, and there are walk-in showers. My pictures show the view from our balcony and the room.

My partner and I weren't staying at the hotel, but went to the spa for a couples full-body massage. It was amazing. The place was very clean, and the staff were professional, polite and welcoming. The spa has a steam room, sauna, ice room, infrared showers, and a pool with plenty of different jets. I'd really recommend the spa if you're after a massage or spa day.

The food was the biggest letdown for us. Breakfast was passable, but most meals lacked flavour and some things weren't cooked well, so we ate out for most meals. The noise was another issue. We knew it was on the main strip, but the soundproofing wasn't great. Our room was right above The Western, and the only upside was people-watching. I'd choose the other side of the hotel. There were good points too. The hotel itself was clean and modern, the pool area was nice, and the Explora bar attached to it had friendly staff and good entertainment. Reception and the cleaners deserve five stars. Most staff were lovely. On the second night of someone below us blasting music at 4 AM and moving furniture, we reported it at reception and they dealt with it. It seemed several people had complained. It's fine if you just need a bed for the night and some time in the sun by the pool. If you want a quieter Benidorm stay and don't want to have to find places to eat, I wouldn't recommend it.