Hotel El Zorro

There was nobody around to check us in, and while we were asleep, someone opened our room.

The lavender fields nearby made the setting even nicer, and the pool was superb for a swim. We found a lovely traditional hotel in a beautiful, secluded spot. The staff were very attentive and even prepared a typical Spanish dinner for us. It would be a perfect place for a romantic break or a family holiday.

With 20 years in the hotel business, I know I chose badly when I booked this disappointing ghost hotel. There was no hot water when I got up, and the place was empty, with no staff or maintenance. It was completely deserted at night. In Barranda in November, no hot water is unacceptable. They should close in the off-season instead of hurting their reputation, website ranking, and getting terrible reviews that tarnish the place further.

We only planned to stay one night, but after coming back to find the building completely abandoned, we fled. The neglect was even more obvious in the middle of the night. We were stunned. I'm furious and feel cheated and powerless, not only over the €60 wasted, but because this place has stolen our holiday and relaxation time. These establishments should be renovated or shut down IMMEDIATELY!!! Thank goodness our destination was just an hour away, so we could go home and sleep in our own house. The room was dirty, like the rest of the neglected grounds. Our double room had two beds pushed together and a bedspread with visible blue stains of who-knows-what. Given the view from outside, we didn't even want to check the sheets. The shower was cold, there was dampness everywhere, and the facilities were completely neglected. There wasn't even a machine to buy a basic bottle of water. The pool had freezing, dirty water under plastic instead of the usual mosaic tiles. The pool furniture was completely broken, if you can even call it furniture. It was blazing hot, but the water was still freezing, I repeat. Two tennis rackets leaning on the ground at a court that looks unused since the 1970s greet you on arrival. The dining room seemed unused for ages, like something out of "The Shining." The woman who greeted us literally said, "I've never seen this restaurant open here." There's a chicken farm next door, and you can notice the bad smell as soon as you arrive at this so-called two-star hotel. One star was missing from the facade and hadn't even been replaced, which says a lot. I don't think the place complies with current regulations. Absolutely NOT recommended if you have heart problems or even a little insomnia. IT COULDN'T BE WORSE!!!! A complete rip-off.