Hotel Playa Santandria - Adults Only

The hotel is right on the beach, with a sea view from the balcony. There are coastal walks nearby, reached by steps. I haven’t tried the bus or taxi into the main town yet. Reception gave us a warm welcome, and the room was spotless, with daily service and a fridge. The restaurant attached to the hotel is run by another firm. There are other excellent restaurants close by, but book ahead in high season. I’d come back.

I can’t comment on the rooms, as we only ate here one evening, and I regretted it. The woman serving us was deliberately rude from the start. We felt unwelcome and were spoken to very badly throughout what was an unpleasant meal. I noticed other people being treated similarly, as if they had to apologize for being there or had the nerve to ask for food and drinks. The prices are very high, which I wouldn’t mind if the food were good, but the quality was poor. With service like that, we left feeling the place resents tourists and only puts up with them to rip them off. I don’t recommend it to anyone. It’s a shame, because the bay is so beautiful. Go to the cafe bar directly opposite instead, where the staff are friendly and welcoming.

The rooms were nice and clean, the bathroom had good water pressure, and the staff were very friendly. They also provide beach towels, and breakfast included fresh orange juice. Still, I expected more. The elevator was extremely loud. Even with four rooms between us and it, we could hear it and feel it vibrating day and night. I imagine it’s even worse in the rooms closer to it. The Cala out front wasn’t very nice: the beach was dirty, the sand was rock hard, and the water was murky. Ducks were living there and leaving droppings on the beach. Also, the balcony always smelled of cigarettes because someone nearby was constantly smoking. Maybe only non-smokers understand how unpleasant that is.

The room is the important part, and it was great. Some rooms have recently been refurbished, with lovely balconies and views, so I’d highly recommend staying here, but make sure to get a refurbished room. The sunsets alone are worth five stars. The beach out front is a bit dirty, and Menorca has plenty of nicer ones. A good beachside restaurant or bar would have helped too, as the hotel is a bit simple.