Sierra Luz

Cortegana.

The views are unmatched, the courtyard is lovely, and the food was excellent. The staff deserve a round of applause too: they seemed to be doing everything, from serving tables to handling reception, and still kept smiling. The location is great as well. The room and bathroom both feel old. Most of the lights were out, and the wardrobe was badly assembled, with drawers that wouldn't open. The bathroom is adapted for people with reduced mobility, which is a plus. Reception was often unattended. My biggest letdown was the pool, which looked like it belonged in a 90s horror movie. I wish the place got the care and upkeep it deserves, because it could be amazing. The café is open to the public, so most people in the courtyard aren't hotel guests. We couldn't try the restaurant because it was closed for a communion celebration, and children were running and playing around the courtyard. Worth bearing in mind if that would bother you. Better maintenance and a little more exclusivity for guests would make this a perfect 10.

The room itself was quiet, and the heating kept it comfortable. The bathroom was a little dated. But our booking through Smartbox turned into a frustrating experience. After driving 2 hours and 20 minutes, we got a call just before arriving saying a storm had caused room problems, the hotel was full, and we'd have to change dates because they couldn't move us to another room. When I complained at the hotel that they hadn't called three hours before check-in, they acted as if nothing had happened and said they'd already sorted it out. There was nothing wrong with the room when we got in. Service could be slow because the receptionists were also waiting tables. The restaurant is open to anyone, which can make it noisy and leave guests waiting, which didn't seem fair. Also, the app described our booking as a double room. Going with my partner, I expected one large bed, but we found two small ones.

The staff were friendly, and the bar was decent. Breakfast got pretty noisy with a horde of tourists, though we understand that may be unavoidable. We came for the weekend with a Wonderbox voucher and seemed to get the most run-down room. I got locked in the bathroom for half an hour. The beds were awful, and when we asked to have two put together, they made several excuses not to. After the bathroom incident they moved us to a slightly better room with a double bed, which turned out to be two beds pushed together. The rooms badly need a facelift.