Apartaments Costa Encantada

“ this hotel was brilliant, could not fault it, only the miserable bar staff. pity about the weather, we had 8 days of cold and rain, was like being back home in britain.

“ Excellent hotel. Very clean with brilliant facilities especially for families.

“ great hotel in a quiet location really enjoyed our stay. beds a little hard but not worth complaining over.

“ Top Tip: bar america good food and for pie lovers the orient express is a must.

“ I spent 3 nights at the Aparthotel Costa Encantada with my friend in April, and on the whole, would recommend the apartments.

The age-group during our stay was generally older couples (65 plus); however, we stayed off-season (in April), so I am not sure if this is the case all year round; but I wouldn't recommend it for young groups planning to party for this reason.

The hill up to the hotel was steep, and our transfer coach was unable to drop us off or pick us up from close to the hotel; anyone with disabilities/walking difficulties should be aware of this, especially if travelling with luggage.

Check-in was quick and friendly, but little information was given; it would have been nice for instance to have been given a map of the area and info as to where the nearest bars and so on were; it could have been more personal.

The apartment itself was a fairly decent size, though storage space was tight. We did carry-on only so it wasn't an issue, but people staying for longer would have had trouble storing their cases/clothes, etc. The AC/heating worked well, the fridge/freezer was large and efficient, and the shower very powerful. The apartment was clean, and made service available daily which isn't always the case in self-catered accommodation.

My main criticism would be that the amenities were extremely basic for 4* accommodation: only 2 classes, for 4 small tea cups, 4 sets of crockery, 4 sets of cutlery, a couple of pans, and a couple of sharp knives were provided. I've stayed in 4* accommodation before and much more was included (eg different types of glasses, etc). There was also no kettle. They also only provided 2 towels pp (including a hand-towel); I feel that 3 would have been better.

The outdoor pool was very nice, though too cold to use in April; but it was well-maintained, attractive, and very large, and would be lovely in summer). The indoor pool was smaller and very busy with a lot of children while we were there, so again we didn't use it.

The location was fairly good and suited us as we don't like being right in town; the apartments are an approx 2-3 minute walk from a large supermarket, a 5 minute walk from the nearest restaurants, and then around a 15-minute walk from the town centre and beach. A taxi into town costs around 6.5/7 euros each way, and a bus runs from the bus stop situated approx 2 mins walk from the hotel.

In all, I would say the amenities (pools etc) were 4*, but the rooms 3*. I would however recommend them; particularly to families and couples.