El Hamra Hotel

There are supermarkets and restaurants nearby, but that was the only redeeming point for us. After travelling to 11 countries in the past year for business and leisure, I can say this was the worst hotel I've stayed in. I strongly advise travellers to avoid it, even if the price looks low. It simply isn't worth the money. The room didn't match the misleading online photos. The hotel says Wi-Fi is free, but there was none in the rooms, and there was no room service. Towels were scarce: when we asked for another, the staff were rude, and expecting two people to share one towel is unacceptable. The room was filthy and outdated, with a sticky, dirty floor. The balcony door had no lock, so belongings could be accessed, and the main room door couldn't be locked either. That left valuables like jewellery, money, and passports at serious risk. In the bathroom, neither the sink nor shower water worked properly. The taps only gave scalding water, so a comfortable shower was impossible. I told the receptionist, who first promised to change our room, then refused. The toilet lid kept falling down while in use, which was unpleasant and unhygienic. The faulty sliding bathroom door came off its hinges whenever we opened or closed it, leaving no privacy and anyone sharing the room exposed to unwanted smells. The poor insulation added to the misery. We could hear people using toilets in neighboring rooms, and doors closing were loud enough to disturb our sleep. After sunset the hallways were dark and eerie. The hotel is also on a main road where motorbikes race through the night, so getting proper rest was nearly impossible. Do yourself a favor and stay elsewhere.

The staff were nice and replaced the not very clean single towel with two when we asked, but the stay was still really bad. The room was freezing because the air conditioner didn't work, and trying to heat it was futile. The place looked at least 50 years old, with an old bed and uncomfortable mattress. The bedding and floor were dirty, and the shower pressure was so low that we could barely wash.

The hotel wasn't clean. There was sand all over the bed and duvet, and the duvet had no cover. We had to check out.

I was out exploring most of the time, so the place was more than enough for a night's rest. It was clean and felt safe, and the people were great. You get what you paid for, and I'd recommend it to budget travellers who take care with their booking beforehand. A lot of these reviews seem to come from people who don't get that.