Hotel El Puerto by Pierre & Vacances

Do not book if you are looking for a relaxing holiday. Pool Bar was not open for the duration of my holiday and it was not ideal to go up and down 10 floors on a small lift to then have to purchase cold drinks from the reception bar. Had to queue every day for entrance to pool as not enough beds to go around. Rooms had one wardrobe, no drawers or cupboards to store clothing. Totally MIS-SOLD. Not as advertised. I spent a lot of money and was very disappointed. Will not be back and would NOT recommend.

I have stayed at this hotel for many years (10+), but sadly, this will be my absolute last visit.

The Upgrade Fiasco & Rude Management Historically, I have always been able to upgrade our standard room to a junior suite via email and simply pay the difference upon arrival. We love the junior suites for their spaciousness and great views. However, this year I was bluntly told they "do not do this" and "haven't done it for a few years." This was utterly confusing and frustrating, considering I have done exactly this in previous years and actually had an email confirmation saying the suite was booked!

When we arrived and were told we didn’t have our junior suite, the reception staff were incredibly unaccommodating and quite rude. Eventually, a receptionist got the manager on the phone to speak with me. To say he wasn’t very nice is a huge understatement. He was completely dismissive and flat-out refused to acknowledge that we had followed this exact upgrade process in the past.

The Room & The "Apology" We were stuck in a very basic standard room with awful views. The hotel's attempt at an apology came in the form of two small, very hard, plastic-looking cakes. They looked like stale leftovers from a buffet and went straight into the bin.

Pool Area & Absurd Rules The pool area seems to cater mainly to the non-paying public rather than paying hotel guests. Because there were not nearly enough sunbeds for actual paying guests, we tried to use the cushioned chairs. We were told we weren't allowed to sit on them unless we were clothed. This is a ridiculous rule when it is far too hot to wear clothes by the pool! Furthermore, the sunbeds they did have were packed so tightly together that it was actually dangerous; there was zero room at the sides, meaning the only way to get on and off was to slide off the very end of the bed, which is impossible for people with mobility issues. Because of this, we had to go across the road on the beach and pay out each day for sunbeds. This is something we shouldn't have to do if our own hotel has a swimming pool.

Falling Apart & Unprofessional Staff The hotel is slowly falling into disrepair. The outside of the building literally looks like it has war damage. Across the board, the staff are not very friendly. To top off the terrible customer service, the manager was even seen arguing loudly with another guest in the reception area, which is highly unprofessional.

We have had a few minor hiccups over the years, but nothing even close to this level of disrespect and poor service. That is why we kept coming back for so long. But after this experience, we will never return and I certainly dont recommend staying there.