Hotel Hispania

The location was the one thing we liked. At more than €300 a night, the stay was a huge disappointment. We weren't expecting luxury, but a hotel charging that much as a four-star should meet some basic standards. The food was pre-packaged and didn't taste good. In the room, the beds squeaked and were extremely hard. Booking.com let us reserve a French double bed, but on arrival we were told the hotel didn't even have that type. We also had to pay extra each day for the room safe. I've stayed in plenty of hotels and never had an experience like this. It wasn't worth the price. Even calling it two stars feels questionable, let alone four.

The included breakfast and dinner were really good, and we had no complaints about the service. The hotel is right by the beach, which is nice for a daytime swim, but nights were noisy and the area felt geared more toward younger visitors. The halls and general feel are worn down, like the place was once nice but has aged. Smoking was allowed by the pool, and the roof terrace music felt like a disco. For a quiet adult vacation, it wasn't a good fit. If you're 20-30, it could be a great place; otherwise, you might want somewhere else.

The first night was awful. Insects were all over our room, and reception said they couldn't help and that we could look for another hotel. It was late already. Four hours later, someone came and told us to leave the hotel and sit out on the street while they sprayed the room with insecticide. The price was high, especially since I'd paid for two meals. Then at lunch I found out drinks weren't included, not even water, and had to pay extra. A really disappointing stay, and the worst experience I've had.

The location is right on the beach and near restaurants, but the area is very touristy, with promoters outside trying to pull people in and drunk Germans yelling. Two girls checking in told us their beach things and towels had been stolen, so be careful. We were charged extra for several things. The safe already in the room cost €3.50 a day. Beach towels required a €20 deposit each, and when we checked out, we were told another €20 cash deposit per towel was needed to use them before our flight. We explained we'd already paid, but they said in Spanish that we didn't understand them. I understand Spanish and knew what they said. The younger staff seemed to run things poorly; a middle-aged woman from Cuba was great and very helpful. The room was okay, but the beds were very hard and squeaky, and it seemed dirty. Staff were quite rude. I called before arriving to ask about soap and shampoo, and they laughed at me. There was one combined soap and shampoo bottle, which I wouldn't expect at a “4 star” hotel. AC barely worked, and even after saying the water wasn't safe to drink, they didn't provide complimentary water. The wellness spa cost extra, the fitness room was very outdated, and the pool was small, tucked into a corner. I wouldn't recommend staying here.