Hotel ILUNION Calas De Conil

At check-in I was given what they called an upgrade, but the room was right beside the pool and smelled strongly of chlorine. I asked to move to any other room, even if it wasn't an upgrade, and they refused unless I paid more. This was in October, during low season, when the hotel clearly wasn't full. The way they treated guests was very poor. I don't recommend this hotel.

It's a modern, clean, spacious hotel, with lots of outdoor areas and plenty of sunbeds even in August. Access to a sandy beach is by steps, and the hotel is very kid friendly. There was entertainment from 10 p.m. until midnight, which could make things a little noisy outside your room. You may need the hotel parking on August weekends, though otherwise there was street parking. For food, you can choose the 45 euro buffet or a restaurant with a limited, fish-focused menu. I couldn't tell what other services were available because the only room guide was a book about the senior staff, which was weird. The hotel is in an urbanisation, so you can't walk straight out to bars and restaurants. My tip for management: ask the cleaners for advice on smiling and giving guests a warmer welcome.

I had a nice long weekend with my family overall. The hotel is pleasant, the facilities are clean, and the staff were helpful, especially in the restaurant. Saturday and Monday were calm, which made for a lovely quiet break by the pool. Sunday was a different story. A large group came in on day passes to use the pool and have lunch, and they were very rowdy. The noise made it hard to relax, and the pool area felt crowded. They took over a big part of the pool, which made us uncomfortable. Apart from that, I enjoyed the stay and would consider coming back, perhaps when day visitors aren't expected.

Those sunsets are hard to beat, and the beaches, walks, setting, staff, and hotel have all been excellent on our visits. We’ve stayed here several times over the past three years and plan to keep coming back. It’s fairly isolated, so having a car is probably necessary. There’s a lunch buffet, but no snack menu.