Malaga Nostrum

I’d never have found the hotel in that industrial estate, but I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it for the hospitality. A red weather alert had advised travelers to stay off the road, so I stopped spontaneously. The room was spotless and I got an incredible welcome. Jack cheerfully helped me sort out the TV options, and the restaurant staff were thoughtful and friendly. The food was outstanding and great value.

The restaurant was fabulous, and I had a delightful conversation with its manager, Jose. The quality of the service and attention from the staff reflects his standards. The hotel is conveniently close to Malage airport, with updated, comfortable, elegant rooms. Staff were attentive, friendly, and professional.

I felt distressed and unsafe at Hotel Nostrum Málaga Airport. It’s on an industrial estate beside a casino. As a traveler who doesn’t speak Spanish, I didn’t know what the area was like beforehand, but it soon seemed to attract disruptive guests and feel unsuitable for families or women traveling alone. I arrived around 3pm after being awake all night in hospital and clearly asked for a quiet room. Instead, I was put in a noisy twin room above the reception atrium. It smelled musty and unclean. During the day there was no food or drink except overpriced vending machines, no minibar, and almost no toiletries beyond cheap-smelling wall soap. After they refused my cancellation request twice, I asked to change rooms. The next room was a little better, but its large window had no curtains or blinds, so daylight came straight in when I desperately needed sleep. Later, two men suddenly banged violently on my door. I thought someone was trying to break in and called reception right away. They told me a heavily intoxicated guest was being restrained with a staff member and kept falling against my door. Afterward, the corridor had broken glass, food, and what looked like blood scattered around (photos attached). Nobody checked on me or followed up. The next morning, a receptionist casually mentioned that staff had discussed it in their WhatsApp group. The lack of professionalism and safeguarding was shocking. The hotel felt poorly managed, understaffed, and unsafe.

The room had a decent amount of space and plenty of wardrobe storage, and it was generally clean. Still, there was sometimes a bad smell from the bathroom drain. The heating didn’t work on our first night. We were told to wait until the next day, when it was eventually fixed. The hotel is close to the airport, and with a car the city center isn’t a long drive. Breakfast was a letdown, with almost no variety. Just one staff member was working in the restaurant, so food containers were often empty and we had to wait a long time for refills. In my view, this fell short of what a 3-star hotel should offer and didn’t meet expectations.