El Palace del Puerto

One thing to know: check-in and check-out are handled at "El Palacio de los Leones," where the property is managed. The owner was very friendly and happy to share advice and stories about the house and the port. The beds were comfortable, and the huge bathroom had a wrought-iron bathtub. The decor is old-fashioned but elegant. The smaller room's windows look onto a shared stairwell, so I wouldn't open them if you want privacy. It's a quiet place in a fairly central part of the port, near the main church and not far from the bullring. Restaurants and bars nearby give the area a lively feel, but at night we couldn't hear anything and slept well with the windows open or closed.

The concept is lovely, and the rooms look beautiful. Our bed was very comfortable, and the location was good, with public parking close by. Getting the keys meant going to a different address. We never met the manager, so I messaged her on WhatsApp with a few questions about parking and the iron that was supposed to be in the room. She read my messages several times but never replied. There's no lift, noise carries from other rooms, and the bathroom has no door.

The decor is lovely and the beds are good, but there isn't a room cleaning service or even a proper cleaning option, just a basic broom. They don't change the sheets or towels either, so if you're a clean person spending a week at the beach, you'll be using the same ones the whole time.

Everything in the room and throughout the house was spotless and carefully looked after. The bed was huge and comfortable, and Elena was really kind and attentive. If I come back to El Puerto de Santa María, I'll definitely book here again.