I stayed at this hotel in Zahara de los Atunes, Andalucía, which is advertised as a five star establishment, but my experience does not reflect the standards legally required under Decreto-ley 13/2020, de 18 de mayo for five star hotels. We paid nearly €400 per night, an extortionate amount for what turned out to be the worst so-called five star hotel I have ever stayed in. In reality, it would not even qualify as three stars. To say I am in complete shock and don’t know where to start is an understatement.
When I left, the staff simply said I should have reported these issues sooner, even though I made then aware of this issues the day before I left the hotel. The reality is that these problems are systemic and cannot be fixed in a single day. A late checkout was offered, but it was useless as we had to catch a flight.
According to Decreto-ley 13/2020, five star hotels must ensure attentive, professional, and multilingual staff at all times. What I experienced was the opposite. Staff were often rude and dismissive. At the swim-up bar, when I ordered a cocktail, the waiter muttered in Spanish “ahora este que quiere que llevo aquí todo el *SWEAR WORD* día” (“now this one, what does he *BEEP* want, I’ve been here all day”), which is not what anyone expects when paying €10 for a cocktail at a supposed five star bar. At breakfast, which was chaotic and far too small to accommodate the number of guests, a waiter told us he only had one table and that we could “take it or leave it.”
According to Decreto-ley 13/2020, food in a five star hotel must be replenished promptly, hygienically presented, and service areas kept clean at all times. What I found was the opposite: buffet trays were repeatedly empty, food was left unappealing (scrambled eggs, beans, cracked eggs), smoothie pitchers were messy, and serving counters were stained. The food is of extremely low quality. Coffee machines and thermos flasks were dirty. The hotel offers dissolvable coffee in a thermo flask and low quality coffee from a dirty machine. Moreover, there were no coffee mugs available to even have coffee (see photos below). We ordered pasta at the restaurant by the pool and it looked like a dish I used to make at university to save money. Please see photos attached.
Under Decreto-ley 13/2020, all common areas and service points must be spotless and well maintained. In reality, buffet counters had spills, plates were messy, and food debris was left around. Outdoor areas, including the poolside, had standing water posing slip hazards. Please see photos attached.
Decreto-ley 13/2020 also requires that furniture, fittings, and equipment in a five star hotel must be in excellent condition. What I found instead was worn and scratched wooden furniture, a basic and stained sofa in the room, an outdated hairdryer, and aged safety equipment such as the life ring. Please see photos attached.
According to Decreto-ley 13/2020, five star hotels must also offer premium amenities in rooms. Here, only very low-quality toothpaste, basic toiletries, and no premium touches were provided. Please see photos attached.
Based on Decreto-ley 13/2020, this hotel in Zahara de los Atunes, Andalucía clearly does not meet the mandatory requirements of a five star category. Food hygiene, maintenance, staff attentiveness, amenities, and basic professionalism fall well below the legal and expected standard.
We paid nearly €400 per night, and yet the conditions were appalling. This hotel should not be marketed as five star under Spanish and Andalusian law, specifically Decreto-ley 13/2020, de 18 de mayo.
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