El Pinar (MPL140)

We had two adjoining cottages for three adults and seven children, and were pleasantly surprised by the whole stay. They’re typical Spanish cottages with a lot of charm and good cross-ventilation. The sea air meant we didn't need air conditioning. There are two bedrooms and two sofa beds in each house, making 16 beds between the two cottages. The sofa beds are comfortable and spacious. The fenced parking lot has video surveillance, and the outdoor pool was a hit with both the children and adults. Everywhere was clean and freshly painted. We were very satisfied with the utensils and accessories, and the reception was attentive and quick to respond when needed. The place has the warm, family atmosphere we were looking for. A special mention for the central reception at Miami Platja, which was very professional, attentive, and responsive. Thank you, thank you.

The host and reception staff were very attentive, and the location is quiet. You can park inside the townhouse grounds. Still, I wouldn't recommend the place for more than a casual weekend if you're not too demanding. The Airbnb and Booking.com photos are out of date. The patio and garden are shared by all the neighboring townhouses, and the dogs and children next door walk through, so there's no privacy. The pictures make it look like the houses are separated, but they aren't. The walls are thin enough that you hear everything. The pool wasn't in great condition, and although there's a barbecue area, there's no grill.

The pool was the worst part. It was dirty, the walls were deteriorating, and tiles along the edge were broken. The access has only two steps, which makes getting in and out hard for older people or anyone with reduced mobility. There was also a chlorine tablet at the bottom, a risk for children. We stayed from the second week of August until the third, and the apartment hadn't been cleaned after the previous guests. There was sand on the floor, the stairs, and upstairs. The terrace chairs were worn, and the barbecue was very dirty. The sofa bed was so uncomfortable that the person sleeping on it couldn't get a good night's sleep any night. The upstairs bathroom and main bedroom doors were visibly damaged. There's no air conditioning or fan, which was very uncomfortable in August when temperatures were close to 40°C. They offered to rent us a fan for €15, which seemed excessive. The apartments also don't have their own washing machine. There's just one communal machine, costing €1 per load, and it doesn't spin properly, so clothes come out very wet. Pets are allowed, but we think a small gate on the patio would make things safer and more convenient for people traveling with animals. At first, the reception staff treated us properly. Once they started getting calls from other guests, though, their service became unprofessional and their attitude toward the callers was negative instead of dealing with the issues properly. When it came to taking payment, they were much faster and more attentive, which gave the impression that collecting money mattered more than customer satisfaction. Our stay didn't meet our expectations, and we wouldn't recommend this accommodation. Read the reviews carefully before booking.

This was our fourth or fifth stay over the past few years, and I can see that very little has improved. We keep coming back for the pool and because the place feels like home for the family. It's popular, but it falls short on customer satisfaction because of the lack of investment. If they put effort into any part of the place, there'd be a line to get in. The reviews speak for themselves.