Occidental Lanzarote Mar

The guest experience team were superb when we needed help, so I'd suggest speaking to them directly. The hotel has a calm, relaxed feel, with sea views and a lovely coastal path for walking or jogging. It's about 3 kilometers south of town. Our rooms, the gym, dining room, and food all met expectations, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the hotel. The only thing behind my 4-star rating is the men's toilets next to the restaurant, para los hombres, which need renovating.

The hotel is in a great spot, close enough to walk to local shops and lovely coastal paths, and the bus and taxi stops are right outside. A taxi to Costa Teguise was only €5. I also liked how much you could do through the hotel's digital setup, from checking activities and opening times to finding walk and run routes on your phone. The app had a few problems, but it still felt like a good modern update. Our half-board meals were fresh, with a nice range at breakfast and dinner. The service was excellent, and the staff were welcoming and friendly. The wellness centre was a real highlight, and we loved our massages. There were a couple of food options we couldn't use: the Italian restaurant was closed on some days, and Champs wasn't serving food. Our room was clean, spacious, well equipped, and had nice extras like water in the fridge, shower gel, and dental kits. We liked looking out over the terrace. Sadly, smoking was allowed in too many places. Smoke from people on their terraces came straight into our apartment, and people were also smoking around the outdoor dining areas and pool. The pools were the biggest disappointment. We tried them all, and the surrounding areas were filthy, with rubbish in the water, mould and mildew floating around, and dirty, sticky floors. We came for our annual family girls' trip and enjoyed several parts of the stay, but the cleanliness and comfort problems really brought it down. Management needs to improve pool upkeep. The pools and decks should be cleaned properly every night, and smoking areas should be set away from guest rooms and dining spaces so the rest of the hotel experience isn't affected.

The restaurant staff were so friendly and helpful, especially Eva, who sorted out desserts suited to our allergies after we told her about our lactose intolerance. The buffet had plenty to choose from, with fresh fruit and vegetables always available, and the food was amazing. We had a wonderful stay at Barceló. Our room was roomy and comfortable. A big thank you to Eva for looking after us so well!

We found the hotel clean and very nice, and the food was decent. Some of the staff were especially great. The air conditioning in our room didn't work, but as we were there in February, it wasn't too bad. The heated pool was a major reason we booked, but on arrival we learned that only guests in the Royal part can use the heated pools. The booking information didn't say that, which was misleading. Information at the hotel was also sparse. We had to work out for ourselves where the restaurants were, which ones were included and which cost extra, how to get pool towels, and when checkout ended. These are basic details that should be easy to find and shared in advance instead of leaving guests to ask reception about everything.