Hotel Mar Azul & Surf

Good value and a handy location near the beach and restaurants. Breakfast was okay, but there was no air conditioning in the room.

The room barely had any windows or daylight, and the breakfast food was cold. The place didn’t really match the pictures.

We enjoyed four nights here with my wife and son. It’s well maintained and very clean, with spacious rooms, a big bathroom and a quality bed. The staff were very friendly, and compliments to the restaurant chef, who served us several splendid meals. I hadn’t expected it to be so good. The homemade pancakes at breakfast each morning were great, and there was plenty of choice, though the eggs didn’t look very appetizing and could use some work. The pool isn’t much, but the beach is very close. We hadn’t booked parking, but always found an easy, free and safe spot on the surrounding streets.

Our visit lasted only two hours, and we regret it, though we don’t regret leaving. Our six-month-old son was sick, and his health got worse, so we decided to head home urgently. Two days beforehand we’d asked whether we could cancel because of his health, but they said no. We came anyway and took the room, but left after two hours. Given the situation, we hoped for some understanding and compassion. We didn’t find it here. Reception felt icy, and the staff seemed false, short and rude, and really unhelpful. They didn’t take our circumstances into account and refused to refund us. We negotiated calmly and diplomatically, but the exchange turned stormy, and ended with us paying half the stay. I would have liked more compassion and sympathy. The room was really run down compared with the photos, cheap-looking, poorly decorated, small, damp-smelling and dirty, with paper-thin walls and a nightmare of a fridge. The pool was tiny, just three metres long. Our baby needed milk, but when we asked to have it warmed, the waitress said the microwave didn’t work and offered no solution. We regret paying half the bill without staying, and feel we should have been paid to stay there. Between the reception and the room’s comfort, we would have had a bad stay. The only good thing about Hotel Mar Azul y Surf is that it’s close to the beach.