Carihuela Calle Andalus

The cleaners came every day and the room was cleaned daily, and the bar staff were polite and helpful. The reception team, especially the women, were welcoming and dealt quickly with a food issue for my younger son. Chef Fieza, though I may have got his name wrong, was especially accommodating when the limited choices meant my son couldn't eat what was served. He went out of his way to make him something on one of the days. Lydia was lovely too, as was a gentleman who was waiting on tables, though I didn't get his name. My son and I were sorry we didn't get to say goodbye. We came for a last-minute Christmas break. It was off season, so there wasn't much to do, which suited me more than my son, lol. The food wasn't bad, but there weren't many halal options. I only found out I had to ask about provisions two days into the holiday. The options were okay, though not very child-friendly: hot dogs, hamburgers and chips seemed to be there every night, and they weren't halal. Breakfast was top notch and had many more choices for both of us. I just wish there had been more available at the hotel when we visited. I'd go back, perhaps when more activities are on.

The food was the main letdown: some dishes were cold, sometimes not even warm, and with all inclusive the lunch choices felt much like the evening meal. Otherwise, we had a first-class room with very comfortable beds. Staff in every area were first class too, so thank you to them all. We got back last night after a week's holiday.

The gym had quite a few machines that didn't work, so I wouldn't book here again, even though the hotel itself looks nice. We were moved out of our Dimona apartment because it smelled strongly of cigarettes. Spraying lemon fragrance to cover it obviously didn't help, so we were transferred to a hotel room with no kitchen. That would have been fine if we'd received breakfast, which is normally included for hotel guests at the same price. The replacement room had a nice terrace and view, but it was raining, so we couldn't make much use of it. We also had to exchange the suite keys twice. It sounds minor, but reception was about a five-minute walk each way through the complex, including outside, and it was raining heavily.

The room was really spacious and had a sea view from the fifth floor, plus a mini fridge and TV. The beds and bathroom were fine, though the water pressure was low. The air conditioning was individually controlled, so you could cool or heat the room. I paid 82 euros for two nights in February. The hotel is just outside the centre. You have to book online, as you can't book at the counter. I didn't include food and had no complaints during my stay.