Rural Costa Salada

The view, the sound of the sea, and the friendly staff were highlights. The hotel is in a beautiful, quiet spot, and the clean, well-designed grounds made for an enjoyable stay. For what we paid, though, several things fell short. The mattress wasn’t very good, and the food was poor. The dishes sounded appealing but were badly cooked and presented, with cheap or not-fresh ingredients. There aren’t many places to eat nearby, so another restaurant means at least a 15-minute drive. One evening the restaurant had a DJ playing house or techno, much too loudly and completely at odds with the atmosphere. Everyone chose to eat indoors to get away from it. We felt sorry for the DJ, but the music really didn’t fit. We also booked a massage and were disappointed. The woman was nice but very esoteric, and what we received was an oil application she described as Reiki or energy work, rather than the traditional massage we had ordered. The hotel could be great, but lovely views and location aren’t enough on their own.

Our room looked lovely, but a few things were frustrating: the bathroom door wouldn’t close properly, there was only one pillow each with just one spare, the kitchen wasn’t equipped enough for proper cooking, and construction was happening in the next room on Christmas Day. We also didn’t find the staff especially friendly. My partner greeted several people on a walk, including a host, and nobody responded. We paid over £250 a night for the room and pool access. Other facilities, including the sauna and hot tub, cost extra, even though the listing made it sound as if they were included. When we asked, they let us use the hot tub for free because the infinity pool, which was meant to be heated, wasn’t. The tub itself was cold at 32C, rather than the 37-40C it should be. Free water refills were available, but we had to go down the hill to the restaurant and back up to get them. We also misunderstood the Christmas dinner timing and missed it. No date was given, and they only specified the time two hours beforehand, so we assumed it was happening the next day. The restaurant meal we had instead was excellent. The place is peaceful and beautiful, but for this price it wasn’t what we expected. For context, where we stayed earlier that week was half the price and included a sauna, hot tub, sea views, breakfast, and a complimentary bottle of wine. I hope this helps anyone considering it.

We left without staying, but they refused to refund us even though the property wasn’t as advertised, and nobody helped with our luggage. We chose it because we expected a heated pool, but it wasn’t heated. The staff insisted that it was and then said they wouldn’t do anything. The room was cramped, dark, and nowhere near worth the price. Terrible experience. There are better hotels nearby with heated pools. We went to one that cost less, was much nicer, and had a great time.

The natural setting really is magical, and the staff were generally friendly and helpful. Caroline, the yoga teacher, was especially wonderful. But during our four days, we felt the rest didn’t justify what we paid for the views. In January the rooms were very cold, with no way to heat them, and I came down with a cold. The restaurant played the same few songs loudly on repeat. The spa manager and front desk sometimes gave conflicting information, and guests have to contact different people for food, spa, and general questions. When it rained, we were told the sauna couldn’t be used. They only heated it after we insisted, even though cold weather is exactly when you want a sauna. The front desk had invited us to a “special yoga class” the day before. Because it was too cold for the patio, the class was held where a party had taken place, and at 9 the mess from the night before was still there. We ended up doing yoga in a corner. The teacher handled it very professionally and was lovely. At checkout, we mentioned the problem, and the receptionist said something like yoga is about your inner state. That may be true, but I’d expect better from a hotel in this price range. To be fair, they refunded the class fee a few hours later.