Hospes Palau de la Mar

UPDATE 16/01 Following a submission of this review and a "Hoja de Reclamaciones", the GM and Head of Housekeeping invited me for a personal meeting to provide their point of view. I saw this as a gesture of willingness to listen and negotiating. In summary, the meeting concluded that the incident occured to the following misunderstandings: • The receptionist didn't forward my request to send the iron and iron board later (not immediately) • The room attendant didn't follow protocol by knocking on my door despite the "Por favor, no molestar" hanging on the door • The room attendant wasn't aware that I was showering, and as such was fully naked when I opened the door • I pinched her fingers accidentally when she handed the iron and iron board to me, which upset her a lot • Amid the frustration, there was a translation confusion leading to her asking me whether I need more tea bags or not, and I said yes • She came back banging on my door with tea bags, and I said no, and she was upset that I flip-flopped my words, then cursed at me when I bang-closed the door on her The meeting left me with the impression that - while they kept saying that the room attendant has been working for 12 years there and is not the person that she was - it wasn't the first time this incident occurred. However, this time they take it seriously because I exercise my right to submit a "Hoja de Reclamaciones", which apparently they take seriously. I did appreciate their time to meet me to explain their sides. Needless to say, it's very unlikely that I'll be staying here again because I don't want to be caught in another awkward situation. ----- Let's just say the hotel is beautiful. The room is perfect. The location is perfect too. So why one star? Simple: aggressively rude room attendants. They're not even passive aggressive. They're simply actively aggressive to your face, as if what I requested was simply impossible. On my first night of stay at around 19:00 (7pm), I requested the receptionist via WhatsApp for an iron and iron board because I need to iron my clothes and they weren't provided in the room. The receptionist said that a staff member will come to my room to deliver the iron and iron board. I requested that the iron and iron board to be delivered later as I was showering and I was naked and I had the DO NOT DISTURB sign on. A couple of minutes later, the staff member came literally banging on my door as if there's a fire breaking out in the building. Naked, I came out of the shower and stood behind the door as I got the iron and iron board from her. She had this exasperated, upset face and tone of voice when handing me the iron and iron board, as if my request was simply too much for her. After I closed the door, I can clearly, LITERALLY, heard her swearing at me in Spanish outside my door. She didn't even wait until leaving the hallway. Is it too much for me to ask for an iron and iron board? Is a request at 7pm too much? Did I distract her merienda or something? Beautiful hotel, but questionable service. But one thing for certain: be careful of the room attendants. They're not necessarily the most hospitable. If they don't like you, they won't hide their displeasure, and they'll act aggressively rude in front of you... even when you're naked and have a DO NOT DISTURB sign on.

Hospes Palau del Mar is a truly elegant well positioned hotel set in a charming historic building. The rooms are newly renovated—bright, spacious, and beautifully designed—and the common areas, including the lobby and bar, are stylish and inviting. Everything was spotlessly clean, with excellent housekeeping throughout our stay. Breakfast was a real highlight. Both the quality of the food and the service were exceptional. I especially enjoyed the fresh fruit selection and the 2–3 kinds of fresh berries available each morning—small details that made a big difference. What truly sets this hotel apart is the staff. Every single person I encountered—from reception to the bar, breakfast service, and housekeeping—was genuinely kind, attentive, and polite. This was without question the best customer service experience I have ever had in a hotel. Truly outstanding. If I had to mention anything to improve, the indoor pool temperature was slightly on the cool side, and some peaceful background music in the spa area would have enhanced the atmosphere (there were speakers but no music). These are very minor points, though, and did not detract from an otherwise excellent stay. Highly recommended.

We had a great stay at Hospes Palau de la Mar Hotel - beautifully designed rooms, a calm atmosphere, spa in the basement was nice. everything spotlessly clean. Nice attention to detail for things like chocolates every night, a welcome glass of cava. Good location for exploring Colon (try the market) and all the old town sights, as well as an easy bus to the beach. The staff here are fantastic, we want to say a special thanks to Jesus at the front desk who went above and beyond making us feel so welcome and helping with lots of local reccomendations.

From the moment we arrived, the friendly and professional welcome set the tone for a wonderful stay. The location is convenient, both to visit the old city and the futuristic City of Arts and Sciences. The entrance is elegant and full of light, and our room was equally bright, clean, with two windows and a spacious bathroom featuring a double sink and a separate toilet with bidet. The room was well equipped: large TV, all amenities, complimentary tea and coffee, bathrobes, slippers, and high-quality toiletries. I also used the spa, which was excellent, with a beautiful pool, jacuzzi, Turkish bath, and sauna. The massage I had was professional and very satisfying. We tried room service, as well—fast, efficient, and good quality. Throughout our stay, the staff were consistently helpful and professional. The final and much-appreciated touch: this is a genuinely dog-friendly hotel. We found a dog bed and a box of treats waiting for our puppy. A detail that says a lot. A refined, comfortable hotel and a truly excellent experience. Five stars, well deserved.

Beautiful hotel with comfortable rooms and welcoming, friendly and helpful staff. It was easy to walk to old town. Christmastime is beautiful in Valencia!