Hotel Almenara

Amazing hotel, beautiful gardens, very relaxing pool area and superb restaurants. Staff was very friendly and helpful. We we're greeted every morning by Mercedes who made our breakfast experience very special. Daniel in the reception area helped us choose restaurants in Sotogrande and would assist us with whatever we needed. We highly recommend So / Sotogrande and we cannot wait to go back.

Absolutely loved the hotel. It has a fantastic position on the hill looking down to the Med, surrounded by beautiful landscaping. Thanks to Emiliana, Sandra, Paco and Manuel in the restaurant at breakfast. An even BIGGER thanks to Maria, Rosa and Mariella at the kids club. The shining stars of the whole resort. Why 4 out of 5? I’m not sure this can ever be a 5, because it can’t ever be what it should be. It’s serving too many masters. The confusion and mistakes during service are consistent. I looked back 6 months at other reports, and other reviews say the same thing. So they know, but won’t change. Example: I order 2 coffees and wait 15 mins, and only 1 shows up. So i order the second(again) and wait 10 minutes. I’ve now waited 25 mins for a coffee at breakfast. The reason is clearly 1 person making coffee for hotel guests and golfers. That doesn’t work when you’re paying $800 a night. At night I go the restaurant, and am told they’ve just sold out of several things. It’s 730pm, and they have 3 tables in. It’s peak season and you can’t work out how many tunas and chickens you’re gonna need? After a few of these incidents and wrong bills, we decided to not eat at the restaurants. It was the right choice, several restaurants in the area were sublime. Cancha II, La Quinta and Ke all served incredible food with excellent service. The most bizarre thing also took place. Over 36 hours I was told 5 times a cot would be put into the room for my child. It never happened. We gave up in the end. I get it being forgotten once, but 5 times, and 3 of those conversations with the same guy on reception…that’s just bad. The pools are amazing. They really work for both adults and kids. Thanks to Jennifer in the gym too, which is perfectly fine for a hotel gym. It does get busy in the morning. Classes were varied, and well instructed. The spa is also beautiful with a steam room, sauna and cold-ish plunge. Great holiday, but not a 5 star experience. There are lots of repeat guests around the kids pool, and I only went because a friend of mine has been 6 times! Dale S/O Sotogrande! Be a 5 out of 5!

Overpriced for average quality at best. The hotel and restaurants are middle of the road…but charge premium. We have stayed at many hotels for the same price with better facilities. Wouldn’t go back, try OKU nearby for better quality.

I live locally but wanted to try the hotel as was thinking of bringing family over to stay there, so booked a night for my son and I. We arrived at 2.50pm, admittedly early as check is at 3.00pm, we were told the room would be be ready in 20 mins, which is fine - so went for a drink. Over the next hour or so, we were consistently told the same thing, subsequently we were offered use of the hotel but not told we would need key fobs, which after a hot and vexed return visit to reception, we obtained, though which turned out not to be activated! After waiting we eventually got into our room at 4.20pm, these things happen (I travel often and globally), it was the communication that was the biggest failure, and the sense that as we were one night, were not important. Once in the room, it is spacious and clean, though I cannot reconcile it with the price I paid for one night. The pool areas are wonderful, though please note the main pool, the one in the pictures is adult only, so after being turned away, I took my 12 year old to the children's pool area, which is very much geared to under 10's, singing staff included. For supper we eat at IXO, which had beautiful, well presented food, though at a very premium price, compared to local high end restaurants. Overall, the hotel itself is very beautiful, though and please note, is very much filled with British tourists, who have attained a certain level of wealth, though potentially (and this is my personal view) without the good grace to not make it their sole topic of conversation...

Service was continually slow across all restaurants and at reception. When it was time to check out, we were locked out of our rooms 10 minutes early. Tips and hidden charges were added to the bill.