Hotel Tropical

There are plenty of shops nearby, and it’s a convenient spot for an overnight visit to Loro Parque, with just a short walk to the train station for the park. The street outside can be noisy until around midnight. There’s no air conditioning or fan in the room, only a window that opens. The room has all the essentials. Breakfast starts at 7:30 a.m., which suited me, and the selection was quite good, with lots of fruit and four kinds of cooked eggs. For coffee, I’d suggest making a double espresso with milk from the counter instead of using the machine. A good place for a short stay.

This place is dirty and full of cockroaches, and I’d never recommend it. The music and singing next door were really loud every night until midnight, so sleeping was impossible even with earplugs. The live cables hanging out of walls in several places are dangerous, and management showed no interest. The reception setup is bizarre: two hotels share one desk, the entrance is almost impossible to find, and check-in always takes ages because there’s only one person at the desk. The room card was so difficult to use that I went up and down the stairs and lift six times to get it changed. In the end a cleaner showed me how to make it work, and it wasn’t easy. The TV screen was peeling and the remote didn’t work, so I couldn’t use the TV I’d paid for. Jose Luis and Ana were unprofessional, rude, ignorant, and unfriendly. Marco was professional, kind, and friendly. This very dirty hotel needs to be investigated as soon as possible.

I’d always wanted to try Tropical, and I love its old-style Canarian feel. The location is top ten unless you’re looking for a workout, since plenty of hotels are up the hill. The staff were friendly in a Spanish way, without fawning. I asked for a top-floor room and got the nicest one in the hotel, with splendid views over Plaza Charco and the rolling Atlantic. I’d guess six or maybe nine rooms have views this good. The rooms facing inward might be a bit grotty and have no view, but they’re quiet. There’s loud music in the plaza from 21 to 00. I loved the evening buzz, but used strong earplugs on the few nights I wanted to sleep early. Keep an eye out for wild parrots in the palm trees if you’re lucky. There are occasional cockroaches, but the cleaning staff and janitor do what they can to keep them away, and I had no problems. It’s a widespread issue in Spain. The cleaning service is more than excellent. Avoid leaving crumbs, unrinsed cans, or other food scraps around, and you’ll be helping.

The room was old, which I don’t mind, but the lack of cleanliness was awful. There were loads of tiny insects on all the tables and cabinets as soon as we arrived. We showed reception a photo and reported it, and they said they’d deal with it. When we got back, the room smelled of disinfectant, but nothing had been cleaned. The bugs and dust were still there, the floor was sticky, and there were large stains under the mattress. I’d rather sleep on the pavement than here, and I don’t recommend this hotel.