Hotel Playa Victoria

What impressed us most was how flexible and kind the staff were. They arranged an extra pillow, an earlier breakfast, and dinner for our group of more than 30 without a fuss. We were in town for a swimming competition and stayed at Playa Victoria. The hotel is right across from the beach, with shops, restaurants, and cafes all around, and our clean, comfortable room had an ocean-facing balcony. Falling asleep to the waves was amazing. The hotel isn't brand new, but we had a wonderful experience and would absolutely return. It's in the newer part of town, so getting to the old town means a walk or short drive. That was fine for us, since the long beach right out front more than made up for it.

The staff were pleasant, and the rooms were a fair size. The location was great, though the Wi-Fi in my room was poor and breakfast felt a little pricey.

The beachside location is handy, with amenities, bars, and restaurants nearby, though the food around the area generally isn't very good and the place feels quite touristy. Hotel breakfast was decent, but if you wanted pancakes you had to eat before 9am, and the hot food was more lukewarm or cold. Staff were very polite and helpful. At €330 a night for bed and breakfast, I expected some luxury, but the dated, small rooms didn't have basics like tea or coffee machines, slippers, or robes. Our room had a nice sea view, but it smelled of damp and sweat from the moment we entered, and airing it didn't help. We couldn't get Wi-Fi in the room; the hotel said there was a provider problem. It was full, so we couldn't switch rooms, and because we'd prepaid, we couldn't get a refund to stay elsewhere. The pool is tiny and constantly busy with children and adults jumping in, so a peaceful swim or a quiet sit by it is out of the question. There are only about 20 sunbeds for the demand. Renting two beach beds costs €22, around €10 above average, which adds up if you go daily. The hotel parking is €23 a day and nearly always full in high season. Nearby parking costs around €17-€18 per day, but it's often full too, and some spaces are so tight you can't get out of the car. Cádiz is very crowded in summer, and everything, hotels included, is overpriced.

The room was clean, with a lovely sea view, and the sunset was amazing. The receptionist was excellent, friendly, spoke great English, and couldn't have been more helpful. The food was good, though breakfast service was a different story: one waitress was very sharp and unfriendly.