Hotel Boutique a Esplanada

They even had a little welcome basket waiting in the room, which was great. From arrival through to leaving, everything was a gem. We asked for a restaurant recommendation and wow, that was just as good.

When we arrived, bathroom renovations were underway right beside our room. There were bedsheets all over the stairs to keep dirt off the carpet, which made the stairs dangerous to use. The noise was extreme, with dust and a grinding smell, and not what you want on holiday. The owner said the work would finish at 17:00, but I have my own building company and they were still using a Kangoo to remove tiles and concrete. There was no way it would be finished by then. We asked for our money back so we could move to another hotel, but he refused. The woman at the hotel was nice, but I had a major issue with the owner. He became aggressive, so we left before things escalated. We went through Booking.com in the usual way to get a refund, but the owner refuses everything. Now we’ll take the next step.

We arrived incredibly late and worried our room might no longer be available, but all the access details had been emailed to us, so it was no problem. The room was excellent, with a great amount of space, a fantastic big double bed and an excellent mattress. There was a great choice of tea and coffee with extras, plus a fridge and microwave, which were a real bonus. The shower was excellent too, though the holder for the second shower didn’t keep it at a suitable height, and I’m sure that’ll be fixed. There were plenty of extra towels and linens. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the place or stay again. The room puts many four-star hotels I’ve stayed in to shame.

It felt like a home away from home. The owners and staff were warm and welcoming, always happy to share ideas and information. They took an interest in our daily outings and regularly asked where we’d been and what we’d enjoyed. The accommodation was modern, fresh and clean, with nothing more needed. It’s excellent value, the breakfasts were sumptuous, and you can walk to almost everything you need.