Áurea Palacio de Sober by Eurostars Hotel Company

I loved walking around the grounds in the morning mist. There were pear and apple trees, kiwi vines, grapes beyond the ponds, and manicured gardens. We saw cows outside the property and a hen by the apple trees too. The hotel takes good care of the grounds, and kids will enjoy exploring. The towels were thick and fluffy. The room itself was okay, with fairly basic furnishings. Some of the spotlights are too bright and high wattage, and look cheap, which takes away from the atmosphere. The hotel seemed understaffed for the weekend crowd, and service quality and friendliness varied. As one of the top hotels in the region, it could use more staff training. The restaurant food was solid, but there was only one server handling the busy weekend dinner crowd, which must be stressful and affects the service. Housekeeping was a letdown. The room seemed to get a quick clean, with only the bare minimum done. It was turned around very quickly while we were out briefly, and there were candy wrappers from a previous stay in a container on the coffee table. The hand soap and shower cleaning products had run out, and no one checked to refill them. Maybe the cleaning staff need a checklist. I’d return for the lovely property, but wouldn’t book the higher-end room.

It was a pleasant stay, but I’d rate this as a 3-star hotel, definitely not 4-star. The spa costs extra, though I think it should be included since there are so few other amenities: no gym, no indoor pool, hardly a bar, and only a very basic outdoor pool. The staff are very friendly, but it’s poor service to arrive and find nobody at reception. You have to call a number to get someone to come over. The hotel feels very understaffed.

The view from the main room on the second floor was the highlight. Breakfast was phenomenal, though there weren’t many hot options. The hotel used to be an aristocrat’s palace, and its recent renovation has made it feel like a posh hotel. Everything was impeccable, and it was a pleasure to stay there. It’s very isolated, with little to do nearby. The grounds are lovely, but you can quickly run out of things to see and do.

A really good place to rest, with a very good breakfast. They brought refreshments out while we were at the pool. Nothing bad to say about the stay. For other restaurant options, you have to go to the nearest town.