Las Villas de Amadores

The one positive was that, after a few days, we could move to a more spacious two-bedroom apartment. The staff made an effort, but the first four days of our holiday were stressful instead of relaxing, and I wouldn't recommend this place. We'd booked a sea-view apartment after speaking to a very nice woman who handled the booking. We were assured a one-bedroom would be spacious enough for two adults, a toddler and a baby, but it was tiny. The sea could only be seen from a corner of the balcony, not from inside the apartment. The apartments are very worn down, and the kitchen wasn't fully equipped. For two weeks we had two bad knives, one cutting board and barely enough dishes. There's no dishwasher. We found mice under the balcony deck. Staff said they'd put down traps, but nothing happened. The water from the shower and sinks came out boiling hot, which is dangerous, especially with small children. The pool and the whole area were outdated and worn. Cleaning was okay, every other day, but some parts of the apartment were still found dirty and left that way, as shown in the photos. The accommodation is a long way uphill. It might count as walking distance if you don't have kids or are sporty, but that wasn't us. This is NOT four-star accommodation, even by Spanish standards. At best it's three-star, and more like two-star.

The apartment was clean and tidy, with the basics we needed, comfortable beds, neat decor, a great view from the balcony and a lift down to the car park. There's a small shop inside with essentials like milk, bread, water, drinks, toilet rolls and treats, plus a snack vending machine on the first floor. We haven't tried the pool and bar yet because we've been too busy at the beach, but I'm sure they're as nice as the rest of the place. A very pleasant young woman greeted us and explained the apartments and area. She was at the desk every day, weekends included, if we needed anything, and always said hello when we passed. The big centre is about a ten-minute walk, depending on your pace, with great bars, live music, restaurants, lots of shops, two supermarkets, a kids' play area, impressive mini golf, a doctor's surgery and a chemist. There's a regular shuttle into town for the brand-name shops in the new mall, and taxis down or back up the hill cost about five euros. We first visited for a late New Year holiday. We'd walked past many times while staying in the villas at the top of the road.

We had a pleasant stay, but unfortunately we won't book again. We were here in 2016 and returned because that visit had been positive. This time the car could still be parked in the underground garage, and the staff were nice and helpful. But over the past nine years the complex has deteriorated considerably. We only got cleaning twice in one week and had to ask twice for clean towels, which were torn. The kitchen is run-down but functional, with very few cooking utensils. The bathroom is spacious but the refurbishment looks rushed and shoddy. The bedrooms are neat, though neither has air conditioning, which could be a problem in the hot summer months. The curtains let in a lot of artificial light, so it constantly felt like daytime. The living room was nicely equipped. During our visit the elevators barely worked, if at all. The website information isn't complete. The pool bar was closed, there was no lifeguard at the pool, and the minimarket seemed to be a vending machine, at least we couldn't find a shop. Reception has limited hours, which didn't bother us. People playing table tennis made the rear area noisy, and with no 24-hour reception there was no supervision. The place has beautiful views.

A lovely apartment with good views, and a quiet retreat if you're after some peace. There are lots of hills, so it's not suitable if you don't walk. The reception is only open from 9 to 3.30, which isn't ideal.