Sweet Alqueria de Vilches

Breakfast was awful, and there isn’t even a lunch option. There’s barely anything nearby since the hotel is in the middle of nowhere, so you feel stuck. The spa was closed, the pool is tiny, and the terrace was unbearably hot and full of mosquitoes. The food was bland and forgettable. I stayed a few nights and won’t be back. This place just isn’t worth it.

The room was hotter than 28 degrees, even with the air conditioner set to 18, because it was broken and only the fan worked. In summer, when it was almost 40 degrees outside, we couldn’t enjoy the shared areas, which have no climate control at all. They said the air conditioning was fine but never sent anyone to repair it. The place is charming and very nicely decorated, and the common areas are striking.

The rooms were clean, and the flower trees make the place feel romantic and relaxing. It’s charming and very near the beach. Still, the website photos make everything look bigger than it is. We weren’t sure which way our room faced, parking was tricky, and the pool was both dirty and smaller than it appeared online.

This is a review of the Lucia Yoga Retreats week with Antonio Escobar and Molly Vogel at Alqueria del Viches. I can’t post a review of Lucia Yoga anywhere else. I gave two stars only because of the teachers. I’ve just returned from the retreat in Spain and was extremely dissatisfied. I contacted Antonio privately to share my feedback and have been ignored. I’m writing this because I hope future guests have a better experience. We weren’t told how remote the hotel was, or how far it would be from restaurants, markets, and shops. Nothing nearby was open, and it felt like a ghost town. We had to take a taxi 20 minutes away just to get an umbrella. We expected to be near Valencia’s beaches and within walking distance of tourist activities during the long afternoon breaks. That was very disappointing. The hotel photos didn’t match what we found. The pool looked much larger, and the rooms much nicer. No one told us that things like bikes and the Spa weren’t included. We expected to use the spa whenever we wanted and to borrow bikes for free. There was an ugly blue tarp over the outdoor dining area all week, and when we arrived, the pool was dirty and the chairs weren’t set up. The AC in my room never worked, so the heat made it hard to sleep. The yoga “shala” felt like a corporate conference room. I’ve never known a beach hotel that doesn’t provide chairs or towels. Since I came from the US, bringing beach supplies would have been impossible and a huge inconvenience. We asked Molly several times for a menu for the week and she ignored us. Meals arrived without anyone saying what they were, so we never knew what was coming until it was served. Some background on the ingredients and recipes would have been nice. Were these local dishes or particular to Valencia? I expected balanced, tasty, nourishing food at a yoga retreat. I understand it was vegetarian, but most of it was based on carbs with no protein, and the same ingredients kept appearing over different bases. The yoga classes were my biggest disappointment. I expected at least one strength-building vinyasa class each day, but all three teachers offered only gentle classes. Had it been advertised as a gentle yoga retreat, I wouldn’t have gone. I know other guests felt the same. We had to ask for a beach yoga class ourselves, which was surprising for a retreat advertised as a beach yoga retreat. I also want to be honest about Molly as retreat leader, since I can confirm the whole group felt this way. Once the retreat began, she made no effort to connect with us. She went to the beach and sat alone, away from the group. She wasn’t hospitable, and whenever we asked for help or something we needed, we were met with resistance and frustration. She didn’t attend any classes or bond with us, which felt strange for someone who is part owner and a yoga instructor. She was away much of the day, leaving several times while people needed things and she wasn’t on the premises. She seemed to have a bad attitude toward our group all week. She didn’t suggest group photos or organize activities to improve the experience. Marisa planned a fun party for the final dinner, and we put on the music. For the Valencia tour, we expected Molly to show us around. No one realized we’d simply be dropped off and left alone for the day. Lucia could at least have provided a self-guided tour option. The whole thing was confusing.