Hotel Palas Pineda

The sea is only a short walk away, which was the one good thing. The evening shows were very poor, and the atmosphere felt more like a retirement home than a holiday hotel, with most guests being elderly. The hotel badly needs renovation. Staff were surprisingly unfriendly, as if our being there was bothering them. Very disappointing. I wouldn’t stay here again.

The staff were friendly and helpful, but overall this was a poor experience. The pool was overcrowded, parking was limited and I couldn’t get a space when I arrived. Internet was bad, especially out on the terrace. Breakfast only started at 8 a.m., and there was no fish. Beer cost 4 euros. There was a lot of noise from the corridor and neighboring rooms. Doors slammed, people shouted and knocked, and the thin walls made a knock at the neighbors’ door sound like it was ours. The room wasn’t soundproof. There was no good morning from anyone, either. Cleaning and maintenance were lacking. For three days there was hair and dust under the table, as if the cleaners couldn’t be bothered to move it. The wardrobe had no doors and was shabby and dusty. One day the room wasn’t cleaned at all, and the bed wasn’t made. The TV had a long, ugly scratch, the fridge was muddy inside and had no shelves, and loose bathroom holders were never fixed. The sink drain couldn’t be closed. The hotel felt like a tourist money machine, with little attention to upkeep. To use the gym, you have to register at reception. It’s a very small room with limited training options, and pointless if someone else is in there.

We came hoping for a few days of vacation as a couple, but the stay didn’t meet our expectations. The buffet was one of the biggest disappointments: repetitive and monotonous, without Spanish favorites like gazpacho, churros with chocolate, or arroz con leche. They did serve paella, but it didn’t taste like paella, more like rice cooked with seafood or meat. We’d hoped to try these dishes at a four-star hotel, but they weren’t available here. There was no fruit at breakfast and only a little at lunch. We’d read recent reviews and felt many other people agreed with us, yet the hotel doesn’t respond to those complaints. They reply to positive comments instead of trying to improve the issues guests point out.

The room was small, and the air conditioner didn’t work at all during our stay. It was August, in the middle of summer, with 95-degree weather and no air conditioning. We complained every day, but they wouldn’t move us to another room. We’d booked two twin beds, and they did nothing to accommodate us. We checked every day and got the same answer: it wasn’t possible. They weren’t accommodating at all. This was a terrible stay, the worst experience ever. I hope you and your daughter have better luck than my daughter and I did. If I could give the hotel zero stars, I would.