Hostel Las Palmas I

We stopped here near the end of October, just as the off season was beginning, and the family who owns the business and their staff were incredibly kind. The hotel and service impressed us, but the food really stood out. It was our best experience. I'd recommend it 10/10 to anyone passing through or looking for great food.

I found this place while cycling and paid €45 for a room with breakfast. It was clean and practical, with air conditioning. Breakfast was modest, with meat and cheese. Since I don't eat meat, I was disappointed when there wasn't any cheese the next morning. Dinner was much better, especially the cod from grandmother's kitchen. The stay was a little marred when they asked me to pay twice for the last night. They sorted it out quickly, though they aren't great with receipts. The staff were generally helpful, particularly the man behind the coffee bar. You can find better for a bit more money, but this place was there when I needed it.

The terrace view was hard to beat. We had a top-floor room with a large terrace, looking out at the beach, palm trees, and big tankers and yachts moored with their lights twinkling at night. Rooms on the floor below had much smaller balconies. Our room also came with tea-making facilities and, as a lovely surprise, a bottle of Cava when we arrived. The room suited us well, though some of the decor, especially in our room, is tired. There's also a filtration plant in the distance. Google Maps lists this as a two-star hotel, but nothing else gave us anything to fault. We've stayed in four-star hotels in Spain and the UK that don't compare. We live in Spain, just an hour away, and look for somewhere new when celebrating a special occasion. This place was a gem. It's close to the sandy beach but away from the noise of the local restaurants, which you can reach on foot along the promenade. The staff were genuinely friendly and couldn't do enough for us, even at the end of a very busy season. They seemed to appreciate us trying out our Spanish, and Antonio was especially lovely. Nothing was too much trouble. They really know how to make guests feel special, something the larger chains could learn from. The included continental breakfast was delicious and filling: Tostada, cheese, ham, cake, coffee, fresh orange juice and jams. We ate it on the terrace with the beach and palm trees in view, and a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere. If you order the steak, come hungry! I'll be back, either to stay again or to spend the day at the beach and visit the restaurant and staff.

We made an unplanned stop in Carboneras and the hotel found space for our group of four sweaty cyclists in three clean, perfectly adequate rooms. They even let us keep our bikes on the room balconies. We ate at the restaurant too, and they prepared a special vegetarian meal for one of us. Really good hospitality.