Barcelo Santiago — Adults Only Hotel

The hotel has a really relaxed atmosphere and feels like great value. There are lots of activities, and Manuel from the animation team deserves a shoutout. He's engaging and clearly loves what he does. Our room was clean and the views were amazing. I'd suggest booking on the western side, on floors 2-5. Breakfast and dinner were both very good, with something for everyone.

The layout of the hotel and pool areas is pleasant, and El Olivo restaurant had very good food with attentive service. Still, the overall stay felt basic and sometimes disappointing for a five-star place. The spa was overcrowded despite requiring advance booking. There wasn't enough seating, most of the water circuit was cold pools, and the saunas were tiny. It didn't feel worth the cost. Parking in the garage is €22 a day. The small, uninviting jacuzzi is the only heated pool, so another heated pool would be welcome. The rooms are basic, too. The bathroom arrangement is awkward, with towel hooks above the bidet in the toilet area and nowhere convenient for towels. There are few hooks for things like jackets, even with a large wardrobe. Wind made the balcony door rattle all night during our stay. Balcony lights stayed on and couldn't be controlled individually, so the room was bright even with the curtains drawn. That was inconvenient when we wanted to sleep around 10 pm. The paid “Balinese beds” by the pool are round cushioned loungers, and you also have to buy a bottle of inexpensive cava. It felt unnecessary, especially with the pool area nearly empty in the poor weather. There are some highlights here, but the hotel doesn't meet five-star expectations and could improve its service and room comfort.

The room's old interior and lack of cleanliness were disappointing. I wouldn't walk around without shoes, and it was very noisy outside at night even with the windows shut. For a 4* hotel, I expected drinking water in the room, but there wasn't any. The location and the view from the balcony were the only good parts.

The hotel was clean throughout, even under the beds and tables, which I noticed because I do yoga most mornings. The bar staff and waiters were also a real highlight. They worked hard, were friendly, knew our drink orders, and took pride in the service. On the couple of days the weather was good, there was plenty of space around the sunbeds and spectacular views. The towels covered most of each bed, and there were beds available all day, though too much space was given over to extra charge beds. The main buffet had a wide range of food, as you'd expect, and didn't feel as much like a canteen as some reviews say. We couldn't sit outside every day because of the weather, but that didn't spoil things. At breakfast there were all kinds of eggs, including poached, plus a separate omelette station that helped with queues. There were three types of bubbles for anyone wanting a morning glass. My criticism is that when the staff were busy at the show cooking stations, care seemed to slip: some food was undercooked and poached eggs were broken. We were also told that All inclusive couldn't be used at the pool bar when the restaurant was open. I don't think the other à la carte restaurant was open. Reception was the rough part. The staff I dealt with were quite militant and not especially welcoming, a bit like the reception at my local doctor's surgery. At checkout, they cut off our bands, our All Inclusive ended with the band removal, and there was no option to extend the room. I know many hotels do this, but they did give us a lunch voucher, which we appreciated. We stayed eight nights in March 2026. The weather was poor for much of the holiday, and since it was already like that when we arrived, it took us a while to realise how much the hotel changed its operations to suit it. If you're after an adults only All inclusive hotel with amazing views, I'd recommend it. Good value, and we'd come back.