Hotel Bahia del Sol

We had a note left in the room for a free bottle of sparkling wine to celebrate our birthday visit, which was a lovely touch. The location was great, just a 5-10 minute walk to the beach and close to lots of shops and restaurants. We’d come back and recommend it to friends and family. The included breakfast buffet was quite good, with a different choice each day. The pool view from the balcony was nice, and the room was clean and spacious. It was advertised as having three beds, though one was a sofa pull-out. Housekeeping was very helpful when we asked for extra towels and linen. The room felt stuffy, and we couldn’t find any air conditioning. Reception said they didn’t have fans to lend us. All the staff we met were really friendly, and even though we arrived just before midnight, check-in was quick and easy. The receptionist told us about a small buffet of snacks for guests arriving after hours, a nice surprise.

The staff, from the waiters and cleaners to reception, were brilliant, apart from the short-haired woman in the bar. The hotel is in a great position, in a relatively quiet area near a large beach and a nice little cove. Buses were easy to catch, fairly cheap, and very efficient compared with the UK. But would I go back? Sadly, no. The smoke was just too much. We’d paid for sea views and were disappointed at first. After a day, though, we realised we’d had a lucky escape. Smoking is allowed in every outdoor area, including balconies. Smokers were all around the main pool and bar, and we had to abandon our balcony a few times. I can only imagine the smoke drifting up to the balconies in the main hotel. It felt like the 1980s. For some reason, this hotel attracts smokers. The Chico part is old but has some charm. Its balconies are dirty, cracked, and falling apart. The lift is dangerous: my girlfriend got her arm caught in the door and ended up with a large bruise. The mattress had collapsed, and we were glad to get home and sleep properly. There’s only one pillow, so you have to lie flat, and no hooks in the bathroom. After a shower, we had to put a towel on the floor to stop it flooding. The food was hit and miss. The main courses were often poor unless the lady chef was cooking. A few times I had to fill up on vegetables. Desserts were often fantastic, except for the cold rice pudding. I enjoyed the pancakes, but unfortunately that was only one morning.

We’re very happy with our stay so far, and still have a few days left. The reception team really helped when noise outside or nearby kept us from sleeping. They were friendly and understanding, and even though the hotel was fully booked, they quickly found us another room. That made a huge difference, and we really appreciated their prompt help. The hospitality has been wonderful and the food excellent. We highly recommend it!

The location is decent, which makes it a big shame that the hotel is falling short on the basics. A four-star stay should be clean, comfortable, and have adequate facilities. At this time of year, this place fails on all three and doesn’t feel like a four-star experience. Our bed was well past its sell-by date, and the mattress was completely shot. I’ve never had such a bad back in my 47 years. The air conditioning in our room isn’t working. Staff said Spanish law means it can’t be turned on, but when I looked into it, that didn’t seem to be true. Daytime temperatures are around 25 degrees, which is lovely, but the building holds the heat at night and the room gets to around 28. Our only option is to leave the balcony door and curtains wide open, which does very little. The rooftop bar and entertainment aren’t available at this time of year, despite being advertised before booking. We did have a band last night, but management told them to turn it down at 8:35 in the evening. The pool needs attention and is so cold because it never gets any sun that even polar bears would avoid it. Not one person has used it this week. This is my first Google review, but I feel compelled to write it. Management needs to listen to customer feedback and staff comments instead of running the place into the ground, which is what seems to be happening.