Hotel Servigroup Torre Dorada

We had a really nice four-day stay, with very good food and a great choice, especially at breakfast. The outdoor pool was excellent, and the hotel itself was lovely. The beach is a long walk away, and getting back up the hill to the hotel in temperatures over 30 degrees wasn't great. I also found it difficult when some reception staff didn't understand what I was saying in English.

For a three-star hotel, this place delivers and then some. We had everything we needed: good food, a lovely pool, plenty of sunbeds, nice drinks at the bar, clean surroundings, and friendly, helpful staff throughout. It's a little out of the way and up a steep hill, but taxis and buses make that easy to manage. We also got some extra exercise walking up and down. We really enjoyed our stay and would definitely recommend it.

The sea views were fantastic if you paid for a sea-view room, and the room itself was a decent size. The bathroom was okay but felt dated. I found several maintenance problems in the bedroom and balcony, including a spiderweb in a balcony corner that housekeeping never seemed to remove. There were other smaller balcony issues too. Breakfast had an okay range, but the restaurant was uncomfortable because of the noise. Guests talking and children were part of it, but waiters also clattered cutlery and trays and spoke loudly to each other. They watched us closely while we ate and cleared cups or dishes as soon as we took the last sip. In hotels I've stayed in, including two-, three- and four-star places, guests usually take their trays to a clearing area and can eat at their own pace without being watched. I understand this is a traditional hotel with many children and older guests, but I don't see why waiters need to stare at people while they eat. Some pool umbrellas were in poor condition, and many sunbeds at the back were broken and couldn't be adjusted. There was hair in the pool, and a young father got in with his baby wearing a diaper. The baby pooped in the water, which was disgusting. Several male guests dived in head-first without looking out for their own safety or the other swimmers. The lifeguard did nothing, which was the worst part. The reception staff didn't know about hiking routes around benidorm or tours to nearby villages, and knew nothing about private car services such as uber or cabify. The strangest thing was being offered a free room for a 15-minute shower after I was told I couldn't pay for late checkout. They rather rudely insisted I give the exact time I'd use this room, though I had no idea where it was or what condition it was in. I refused. I've never been offered this at any other hotel, and several people I know also found the idea of a 'courtesy room for a 15 min shower' very strange.

The pool was lovely, and we enjoyed sitting on our balcony, watching it shimmer at night while distant laughter carried over. The hotel was very clean and had the Spanish 80s feel I love. It's in a peaceful spot away from the centre of the chaos. We loved our seven days here and will definitely be back. Breakfast was fantastic, service was great, and the staff were so friendly. I tried speaking to many of them in Spanish, probably very badly, but they appreciated the effort.