Taburiente

The only real plus was the excellent location beside a beautiful park. The lobby looks right for a 4-star hotel, but the rest of the property didn’t live up to that level. It seems more focused on appearance than function. We asked for a quiet room and got a very small one with a tiny window facing the courtyard. It was quiet in that way, but right by the elevator, so people passing kept waking us. The room was unbearably hot even in January. The beds were extremely uncomfortable, and the poor-quality pillows were practically falling apart. The bathroom ventilation was very poor, and the badly designed sink sent water everywhere when you tried to wash your hands. There was almost no storage for clothes. The rooftop jacuzzi was out of service during our stay, which was disappointing. With all these problems, it wasn’t worth the price.

It’s relatively affordable and looks decent, but I’d expect a 3 star hotel rather than a 4 star one. The best things were the wonderful location next to the park, especially if you get a park-facing room, and the open air gym on the top floor. I might be a bit harsh, but the things bothering guests don’t seem difficult or expensive to fix. Whoever’s in charge just hasn’t decided they’re worth fixing yet. There were plenty of issues: the sink was clogged, the rooms were small, the floors old, and the doors barely blocked sound. There was even a slit almost 1cm high underneath that let light through. The bathroom wasn’t a separate room, just an enclosed area with partly see-through glass. The room service system didn’t work properly either: after morning coffee failed to arrive for 25 minutes, we had to call so they could check the machine and bring it.

The only real plus was the lovely park just outside. The hotel looks elegant at first, but that impression doesn’t hold up. The elevators malfunctioned, which is a serious problem with heavy luggage or mobility needs. Our room wasn’t properly cleaned when we arrived, ventilation stayed poor throughout the stay, and the hotel was noisy enough that we could hear everything in the hallway. The jacuzzi was also unreliable or out of order during our stay. I’m pregnant and needed to rest in the room, but the TV didn’t work. Four different technicians came over two days, repeated the same steps and said it was fixed when it clearly wasn’t. My husband and I both work in IT, so we could see there was no progress. When we asked to switch to a working room, they only offered an inferior downgrade where the TV might work. There was no compensation. The shower leaked and its temperature swung dangerously from freezing cold to scalding hot. There was nowhere to hang the small towels they provided. Communication was difficult too, since very few staff members spoke English, including at reception. The park was lovely, but it doesn’t make up for the lack of basic hotel standards.

The location worked really well for us, near a lovely park and within walking distance of the centre and harbour. Housekeeping was friendly and did a good job. But quite a few things at the hotel were off. One lift was out of order, and staff used the only one still working, so it was often occupied. The rooftop jacuzzi was also closed on some days. Our room looked tidy, but the TV Wi-Fi kept dropping. A technician reset the router, which brought the connection back for about half an hour. This happened three times, and then we stopped calling because we didn't feel we were getting the help we needed. Reception called us several times to say the internet was working, even though it wasn't. No compensation was offered. The shower could suddenly get extremely hot, and the air conditioning didn't work properly when the bathroom light was on. The shared spaces, like the lobby and rooftop terrace, look good, but there were a lot of less visible problems.