Hotel Faranda Alisas Santander, Ascend Hotel Collection

We had a superior room on the first floor that smelled of cat pee, while the children were on the second floor, with its strange green horsehair carpet. The rooms and shared areas were awful, and the unwelcoming receptionist and lino flooring made the arrival feel like stepping into the Soviet Union. A truly depressing hotel. It gave me the feeling of a place being run as a money laundering operation. I’d avoid it.

The beds were comfortable and the shower had great pressure, and the hotel is near the city centre, station, bars and restaurants. It was clean, but very basic, with no luxury at all. The old bedrooms had no air conditioning, though mine had a portable unit that was unbelievably noisy. Parking costs an extra €12 a day. Breakfast was super poor, honestly embarrassing to offer, and the room rates would be better without it. It’s a shame the owners have let the place slide, since it could have been a five-star hotel. They need a new management team to shake things up and get the owners away from behind the reception desk.

For budget travel, this was great value, and you can even walk here from the airport. The hotel is clean and tidy, a stone’s throw from the city centre, with air conditioning in the room and friendly reception staff. It does exactly what it says on the tin. I couldn’t fault it.

We picked it because it was the cheapest option in the city and weren’t expecting much. The staff were friendly, and breakfast was included and okay. But it was very outdated and not especially clean overall. The shower curtain was disgusting, and changing something that simple would make a big difference. Our room got terribly hot: the window faced a small enclosed square with no airflow, and the noisy ceiling fan kept waking us.