Aguas de Ibiza

Enjoyed our stay here late Aug / early September. Reception was bright and airy with an efficient check in. Our double room on the first floor was clean and had all the standard amenities expected, the only down side being the view of a construction site directly opposite meaning we didn’t use the spacious balcony. Roof top pool had a lovely view over the marina, and the ground floor pool was busy enough to have an atmosphere, but had space so we weren’t scrambling for sun beds. Breakfast was good quality and varied (a la carte and buffet) and staff generally quick with coffee and taking orders. The gym was by no means large, but was better equipped than a lot of hotel gyms I’ve used. Felt broadly in line with the other SLH hotels we’ve stayed in.

Dreadful hotel and an awful experience. Checking in took forever with one person on the desk and lots of uniformed staff doing absolutely nothing. There is an office behind reception and when I looked in there were three people having a chat. The room was awful with damp bedding, wet walls and the air conditioning stuck on 20.3 degrees. My wife joked that the hotel name is Aguas. The room phone didn’t work so I went back to reception and queued again. Everybody in this hotel passes the buck and despite endless promises nothing was dealt with. I demanded another room but was told they were fully booked and would resolve our issues. Nothing happened. It was mid afternoon and we were tired so I found two housekeepers and translated with my phone. They changed the bedding, wiped the wet walls, changed the dirty towels in the bathroom and left. We left the balcony doors open, put the do not disturb sign on the door and slept. One hour later we jolted awake to find a guy in black uniform standing at the base of the bed staring at us. My wife covered herself up and I got out of bed in my underwear to throw him out. He had brought some chocolates to the room but ignored our privacy and didn’t see the problem. I called reception from my mobile over and over, each time the phone was put on the desk and then after a few minutes it was cut off. I found another hotel we had stayed at before but they couldn’t take us until the morning. We went to reception but nobody could help because there wasn’t a manager until the morning. We walked to the port for dinner and on returning we asked for some milk for the room so as to make tea in the morning. Back to the room and the walls were wet again despite the doors being open but now the room stank of weed that the next room were smoking on the balcony. I called reception over and over but continually cut off or put on the desk then cut off. Knock at the door and milk had arrived but for €16.50. I explained the smell, etc and he said he would get something done. Nothing happened. I spoke to the neighbours and they laughed. Mid morning, after little sleep, we called and asked for help with our bags and asked if a manager was available. There wasn’t so we went to reception. Another long wait, I was told to move away from the desk and the duty manager would be with me once he had finished his telephone conversation. In the room behind reception was a guy on the phone. I asked again for our bags to be retrieved from the room. A young girl, Yaiza, appeared and listened to my complaints. I knew it wasn’t going well as she made minimal notes. She promises a full refund, made sure she had my details and then asked me to settle the bill for extras which I did. We had pre-paid the room through Booking.com. The guy from behind reception sheepishly came out and whispered with “Yaisha” but he had removed his name badge (presumably saying manager). She then allowed our bags to be collected from the room. I told her I didn’t trust her words and that I would prefer to speak to a general manager but of course there wasn’t one available. I looked her in the eyes and asked if she was going to honour her promise and she shook my hand and told me I would have an email from the hotel within 24 hours with the refund details. 2 weeks have passed and still nothing. Nobody is available at the hotel to speak with me and the girl “Yaiza” doesn’t exist. Booking.com have done nothing to help, travel insurance will not cover it but Amex have taken up the fight so I have my fingers crossed. It is an expensive hotel and has few rooms with a decent view. Most look at the back of another hotel or onto the building site (constant noise through the day) opposite the entrance. Another little surprise was that the bathroom toilet was open to the main room. Incidentally, my wife is suffering from a chest infection which we attribute to the night in the damp room. I hope you get the picture and avoid this place like the plague.

The Cloud 9 Suite is lovely and the valet was outstanding. Everything else fell short. Our booked babysitter never arrived, the hotel had no record of it, and we paid a higher rate for a last-minute replacement. The car wash we confirmed by email was never done. We were moved rooms because the phone, TV and shower didn't work; the promised help with our luggage never came, and an electric toothbrush went missing in the move. My wife's facial wasn't the treatment booked. On our last morning nobody answered room service or the concierge line, and we had to go to reception in person. We never met the head concierge in three nights. A formal complaint went unanswered for two weeks, and when it was finally reviewed by the General Manager, the hotel declined to refund even a spa treatment that wasn't the one booked. For a five-star rate, that's not acceptable.

I booked this hotel for the 4th consecutive year, but never again. I booked a room with a separate toilet and added this request to my booking and reservation. At the reception desk they gave me the keys for a room with an open toilet, I had to prove that I added this request to my booking and after that they promised me a refund for the night that I had to stay in this wrong room, because of lack of availability. The day after the manager tried to change this refund to a free dinner, but I refused. During check-out the reception desk promised me again that this refund would be arranged afterwards, but back home nothing happened. After asking to the management they told me that they never promised me this refund. Unbelievable. I will never go back to this hotel again.

Warmly welcomed by Antonio who was so helpful throughout our trip! So friendly! The room had a spectacular view! The room was cleaned daily, when returning back from breakfast, fresh crisp sheets and bath towels. On an evening, chocolates left on our pillows. Lots of variety at breakfast! The waitresses were very attentive! Around the pool, always managed to get a sun lounger! The pool staff were very friendly offering complementary fruit kebabs! The clarins spa was lovely, I had a massage and it was the perfect treat! We are returning customers, I must say there has some investment back into the hotel! New furnishings which the hotel needed, the staff were A* Ignore the negative feedback we had a fantastic holiday at Aguas!