AHOI! Urban Beach Hotel

The beach is right on the doorstep, with about 10 miles of beautiful clear water, and the hotel is tucked down a side street with amenities on every corner and the main strip a five-minute walk away. The room was basic, but what else do you need if you’re not spending all day inside? The bed was really comfy, the room was clean, and the sheets were clean with the bed made every day. Towels were clean and changed most days. There was loads of hot water and a really powerful shower, and the air conditioning worked well. It wasn’t noisy at all, even though I thought the younger guests might make it an issue. I brought earplugs, ha ha, but didn’t need them. We also had a small balcony for drying wet towels. My daughter and I booked at the last minute and didn’t expect much. The whole four-day trip cost £299, including flights, so I can’t complain. I’m 56 and my daughter is 27. She’s a great traveller, and I just went with the flow. All I asked for was somewhere near a beach. This small hotel was a smasher. It wasn’t the Ritz, but who wants all that snobbery? Reception staff were five-star, and check-in and check-out were five-star too. The one thing I would’ve liked was a kettle and tea bags, but then again, I’m old and like a cuppa in the morning. In my view, it’s a good hotel for short stays.

I picked this hotel because I had a lot of luggage and an early flight, and it looked like it was only a few stops from the airport. I regret the choice. It takes almost 45 minutes to reach your main destination, not counting bus delays or traffic. The ride is uncomfortable too, with just one bus every half hour and so many tourists and locals packed in like sardines. If you’re on a budget and travelling with little luggage, you might like it.

I’d happily stay here again. The shower was fantastic, the hotel was clean, and nights were quiet. We had breakfast for three days and liked the range of choices and the friendly restaurant staff. I’d been concerned after reading some reviews, but our stay went well.

The breakfast was quite decent, and the staff were helpful and very polite. But I’d only stay one night. The rooms were in awful condition, damp and dirty, with the most uncomfortable beds I’ve ever tried. It’s close to the beach, though there’s construction going on in the neighboring building.