I booked a flight to Malaga at short notice and stayed in the 3* hotel Royal Costa in Los Alamos/Torremolinos.
The main reason for choosing this hotel was because the area is flat and the hotel is a few minutes walk from Los Alamos train station - which means it's 7 minutes on the train and 2 stops away from the airport.
I wasn't expecting great things considering the price we paid, we just went for a week and wanted somewhere to lay our weary bones. All we wanted was somewhere clean and a reasonable standard of food in a 3* hotel, We're not fussy people, so I don't think that's too much to ask.
We didn't expect caviar, cava or smoked salmon, but we do expect even 'simple' food to be appetising, hot and enjoyable.
The majority of the guests were All Inclusive, we booked H/B because we had no intentions of staying around the hotel , we were out every day visiting places - Malaga City-Torremolinos - Arroyo/Benalmadena - Fuengirola- Plaza Mayor.
I requested via the TO and I also sent an email requesting a high floor with the sun shining on the balcony during the afternoon. We wouldn't be spending a lot of time on the balcony, but I thought it would be pleasant to catch the late afternoon sun when we arrived back from our days out.
What we got was a high floor with the sun in the morning only, It's worth mentioning that none of the views from any of the rooms are picturesque - you either look onto a block of flats, the pool, the railway line or villas and the sea in the distance - and one side of the hotel looks onto the motorway, some waste land, the railway line, a view of the sea in the distance, the mountains and viewing the aeroplanes going in/out of Malaga airport.
It sounds horrendous, but I was glad that we were on this side of the hotel, because given the choices, I quite enjoyed watching the planes, it was more interesting than looking at a static block of flats, and tbh even being so close to the airport, railway and the motorway, we didn't find the noise a problem.
I'd read a lot of reviews about the hotel, ranging from 'Don't go there', 'Keep away' to the other end of the spectrum of 'fantastic, can't wait to go back'.
Well, I wouldn't say it was fantastic, but I would say (imo) that the food lets the hotel down.
Advantages:
1. Hotel is spotlessly clean.
2. Near to train station (Malaga - Airport - Fuengirola line)
3. Plenty of hot water, whatever time of day you had a shower/bath.
4. Room cleaned and towels changed every day, bed changed once.
5. Hotel has 6 floors and 2 small lifts - never had to wait longer than 30 seconds for the lift, but it could be a problem in the high season.
6.Good sized swimming pool - the shape to do proper swimming and a separate small children's pool.
7. Good sized electronic safe, but expensive at €29 for 7 days - €10 back on return of key.
Disadvantages
1.Based on H/B - the breakfast is adequate if you like cereals, toast/jam/marmalade, ham/ cheese and the same pastries every day.
The evening meal was extremely poor - ok if you like salads, but everything that was cooked both for breakfast and dinner was luke warm - we never had a hot meal all week and after 2 days my OH gave up on the bacon, - better stuff has been sewn on the bottom of his shoes.
You could find something to eat albeit salads and cereals/toast, but if we'd have paid any more for the hotel, like some guests had, I'd have been extremely disappointed and annoyed, because the 'hot' food was just yuk and it didn't even look appetising.
The hotel is catering for International guests, however, green peas and a cabbage concoction (swimming in grease) for breakfast would turn the best of International stomachs.
In fact, take away the white tablecloths and the restaurant resembles a self service canteen with the tables set for breakfast with salt and pepper pots only. Butter available for breakfast, margarine only for evening meal.
The bar/restaurant staff were rude and just uninterested - youngsters going through the motions with no idea how to clear a table or ask if you've finished and stood gossiping.
The restaurant was just too laid back with food put out and no one around to check the temperatures of the hot plates, and the food just sat there until the last morsel had gone, then you had to disturb one of the gossiping waitresses to notice that there was no bacon or whatever left on display....and then wait again for someone to fetch a refill from out of the back.
Just a note: That we didn't enter the restaurant when it was near to closing.
2. Reception staff helpful and pleasant when they weren't hiding in the back.
3. The hotel is situated in a residential area with a supermarket, a couple of bars (one with wi-fi) and a pharmacy - all a few minutes walk away from the hotel on Avda Riviera.
4. Beach 10 minute stroll away.
5. The bathroom is quite spacious, with a 'death trap' bath.
6. Entertainment more or less none existent- just one hour at night playing quiz, bingo or the usual reptile show- we never stayed in once to see any of it.
7. Bar prices for those not on AI - good lord they were expensive - I've stayed in a 4 * hotel further down the road with cheaper bar prices.
8. If you're on AI, everything, and I mean everything is served in a plastic glass/cup, even inside and nowhere near the pool. Flash your money and you'll get a proper glass.
I found the wi-fi in the hotel tedious with a very weak signal - I had to keep going to the reception for the password - the longest changing password in history! - I couldn't get on my own FB page and loading was like watching paint dry - we went to the bar outside and I had no problem accessing the internet and the drinks were a hell of a lot cheaper.
Each to their own, but it's not my idea of a holiday to sit there all day and every day drinking beer from a plastic container - if we ever went back, it would be for a short break and on 'room only' basis - purely for the convenience of having access to the railway network and not paying Malaga City hotel prices.
The weather was a bit unpredictable for May and the first few days we had sunshine and showers, and a cool wind blowing which made it feel quite nippy, but it didn't stop us from getting out and about every day.
Los Alamos itself is a lovely area of Torremolinos with a real Spanish feel - lovely beach and Chirinquitos, and not much English spoken.
* Video to follow.
Sanji x
cheers Sanji
