Hotel Playas de Torrevieja

The best thing for us was the location. The 10-minute walk to LaMata each morning and evening was pleasant, though it may feel a bit far for some. There are plenty of restaurants there with great food at all price points, so we skipped the hotel breakfast on all but one day. Once was enough. It was very disappointing. We stayed a week in a room on the 9th floor. It was tired, with several broken floor tiles, and the cleaning, like in many areas of the hotel, wasn’t great. The staff we met were OK. I wouldn’t choose to stay here again.

Our family of seven had a great stay. The food was amazing and changed every day, and the hotel was very clean. We had lovely views, too. The rooms had air conditioning, a mini fridge and two TVs. The hotel is right by the beach, where quite a few stray cats roam in the morning and at night. Five stars.

The rooms were old and worn, nothing like the photos, and our so-called sea view looked into another building. Shops and restaurants were far away, with steep walks, and we thought breakfast was included when it wasn’t. The tiny lifts had no ventilation, making luggage trips hot and awkward. Staff watched two adults struggle with two young children and bags but didn’t offer help. The pool only opens at 10:00, late for families with kids. Entertainment noise echoed between the blocks, and the terraces didn’t block it well, so relaxing was hard. At first we were very negative about the hotel, and plenty still fell short. But the front desk staff turned out to be warm, helpful and good at finding solutions. The cleaning staff and the female lifeguard at the pool also made a very good impression. Their kindness and professionalism made a real difference. I’m adding a star because of those people. Hospitality matters, and they delivered on that part.

We had a really lovely week as a group of three families and would consider coming back. The hotel was clean, and our basic rooms had a fridge, air conditioning and the other essentials. Food was fine, with a good mix of hot and cold dishes and desserts. When the buffet was closed, the pool bar had toasties, hot dogs, crisps and a range of branded ice creams. We were impressed by the drinks too, with premium soft drinks in glass bottles, juice and branded alcohol. The pool was lovely, with a splash pad and a little pool with a slide for the kids. The play area could be better. There weren’t many pool beds, and the morning queue and race to get one was crazy. The kids enjoyed their entertainment, but there wasn’t much evening entertainment for adults. The area works if you don’t plan to leave the hotel much. It’s not too far from the airport, and there’s a 15-minute walk to the beach, a few restaurants and a bus into town. There aren’t many shops close by, but we didn’t go far.