Mar Calma Hotel

Maria was wonderful, helping us out and recommending two really good restaurants. The service was great, and the hotel is in a very good spot, right by the beach and on the main street with bars and restaurants. The room was good, though we could hear the doors of nearby rooms opening and closing. Cocktails at the bar were tasty and inexpensive, and breakfast was excellent too. The chocolate croissants were especially good. Highly recommend this hotel.

The staff weren't especially friendly or welcoming. At breakfast, the same woman was there each morning, but we never got a hello, a smile, or any kind gesture. Another issue was arriving after check-in hours: the hotel was locked, and you had to call to be let in and get an envelope with your room number. That's a problem if you arrive without a phone or service. The location is both a big plus and a serious downside. You're close to the beach, shops, and town square, but bars right below make it extremely loud at night. My husband and I aren't light sleepers, yet we struggled to fall asleep most nights until 3 or 4 a.m., when the noise finally eased enough to sleep. Mornings weren't better: garbage trucks sounded like glass being slammed in our ears, then doors and conversations woke us up through what seemed like very thin walls. We enjoyed the town, but probably wouldn't book this hotel again.

The staff were friendly, and the location is close to everything important. Still, this was disappointing for a four-star hotel. At night, music from the hotel's own ground-floor bar blares through the hallway, and there's a strange cleaner smell throughout the hotel and in the rooms. The rooms and furniture feel dated and lack charm, and they don't look like the pictures. By usual standards, I don't see how this merits more than three stars.

The location is right in town, with lots of bars and restaurants close by. We brought our bikes for the 312, and the hotel was very accommodating. Breakfast at Cafe 1919 on the opposite corner was fantastic. If you're a light sleeper, check which room you get: the side facing the Irish bar can be very loud.