Santara Wellness Resort

The staff are very nice and helpful, but seem powerless and afraid for their jobs. The indoor pool has been closed for four years, and the outdoor pool is shut too, awaiting renovation. The resort feels like Fawlty Towers, remember the waiter? The WiFi only works in the restaurant, not in the bungalow, so there's no email or computer connection there, and TV is limited to Spanish analogue channels. It's supposedly free, right. You have to arrange and pay for your own WiFi. Prices are far too high, and after the renovation, which has already taken about two years, rent is expected to go up by another 70%. There's no real 24/7 help either. If you need assistance at night, you wait until office hours. The deposit is due upfront, but takes two weeks to come back after you leave, even if everything is left clean and in good condition. Renovation plans for the 180 bungalows change every week, so current guests don't know where they'll be moved. Communication is inadequate, and older residents are worried about the resort's future. The local management has no say; decisions are made at the head office in Madrid.

We live in one of the bungalows, and the accommodation itself is fine. There's a nice restaurant, though it's open for very limited hours. Facilities for elderly people are limited too. Thank goodness for the supermarket, the helpful reception staff and Malika.

The staff were very friendly, but breakfast was poor. Every morning they ran out of bread, rolls or yogurt, and the toaster took ages. We booked this as a disabled-friendly hotel, but getting around was very challenging, with the resort spread over many levels. We only learned on arrival that it was a self-catering resort, not a hotel, and the kitchen equipment wasn't enough to make a proper meal. Getting out was difficult as well: the area is hilly and local buses came only twice a day. Not all buses to Santa Pola and Alicante were adapted for wheelchairs. The nine days were certainly not worth what we paid.

We came in the off-season and enjoyed our bungalow. The resort is in a calm, secluded spot, almost like a small private village, and there's free parking. You'll need a car to get to the beach; Carabassi beach is a five-minute drive away. We didn't see any insect problem. Breakfast is very basic, so making your own is probably better, and housekeeping was infrequent.