adminThe Barceló Benidorm Beach Hotel, formerly known as Selomar, reopened approximately a year ago following an investment of over 27 million euros. However, to be honest, the cracks are already starting to show.
The Negatives
I was really looking forward to staying at the Barceló, and I had already decided that I wasn’t going to pay the extra €100 per night for a sea view that I’d only enjoy for about 10 minutes a day anyway. We arrived at the Barceló around 10-11 am, and although we didn’t expect our room to be ready, we thought we could drop off our bags, check-in, and come back later. To our surprise, the room was ready, which was a bonus, and it was indeed a lovely room on the side with something of a sea view.
On arrival, we were given a list of what we could and couldn’t do: you cannot use your own towels on the sunbeds; if you want to use the double sunbeds, you have to book them and pay, even though no one uses them; don’t enter any part of the hotel in wet clothing; you must wear footwear on the roof terrace; and if you want more than two cups of coffee per day in your room, you need to pay an extra €5 (we’ll come back to this one). Now, I understand these rules, but being somewhat of an anarchist (I was a ’70s punk), I don’t like being told what to do, so all this grated on me.
Talking with other Brits, I picked up a very negative sentiment that the Barceló was a Spanish hotel and didn’t welcome British guests. Now, this is 100% not the case, but why do Brits think this? All their negativity brought me down a bit. However, I’m quite a loner, so give me a pint, and I’ll forget all about it. They can talk to my wife to their heart’s content, and I can just switch off.
The Room
The rooms are very nice—well-equipped with loads of little extras like tea and coffee, toothbrushes and toothpaste, shaving kits—really thoughtful touches. The beds are large and firm, which suited me perfectly, and the shower was powerful with plenty of hot water. So, initially, our impressions were positive.
However, after day one, we noticed there was no milk in the room, so we requested some from reception. The next day, when the room was cleaned, they didn’t top up the coffee, sugar, or milk. We thought this was probably just a mistake, so we asked a cleaner, and she kindly gave us some. The same thing happened the next day, and we also noticed that none of the bins had been emptied. Additionally, the patio door didn’t lock, which wasn’t a huge issue, but if we had been burgled, we wouldn’t have been able to claim insurance. To add to the list, the shower head had been assembled incorrectly and pointed at the wall, meaning you had to hold it with force to adjust it.
Now, we’re not the sort to complain, but all of this started to add up, and the Barceló isn’t cheap, so we did mention these issues. We were passed to the lovely Marta, who moved us to another room and even sent us chocolates and cava. Unfortunately, though, the bins still weren’t emptied, and coffee and sugar weren’t topped up. The room felt gritty, and they never cleaned the patio table, on which we had spilt coffee on. After that, we didn’t complain again.
The large flat-screen TV had all the British channels, so if you’re so inclined, you don’t have to miss Corrie.
The Rest of the Hotel
The reception, bar, and restaurant areas are all beautiful, and the public spaces are well-maintained and clean. The staff are all very helpful and speak good English. Their uniforms are casual but smart and understated, which I found welcoming, as the more formal look of some hotels can feel a bit standoffish.
Rooftop Terrace
I didn’t really like this space, but I only visited once, and that was when I was in a negative frame of mind. For me, the view from the rooftop terrace was nothing special. We had spent the previous four days in an apartment (review to follow) that had an amazing view over Mal Pas Beach and the marina, so perhaps that set the bar high. The high glass retaining wall also spoiled the view, as I like to lean on a rail and feel the warm sea breeze. The space itself felt cramped and overcrowded, but the real issue was the floor.
I had seen a video by SoBenidorm that mentioned the floor, and at the time, I thought, “Come on, that’s not a big deal.” But believe me, it’s strange. They’ve essentially placed floor tiles on top of screeding, and as you walk on them, they rock and move. To add to this, the Barceló has a rule that you must wear footwear at all times on the terrace, which feels odd—it’s as if they didn’t have time to properly finish the floor. The rooftop terrace is for hotel guests only, as you need to swipe your room card to access the lifts, which is good for security.
I had really wanted to try the downstairs bar and tapas restaurant, Santa Maria, but after my allergic reaction to the paella, I decided not to. I was particularly looking forward to trying the Russian salad with Octopus.
Lifts
The lifts became something of a running joke. They could take you on a magical mystery tour—going down when you wanted to go up, or refusing to take you to the terrace, even though it was outside the times when the terrace is closed. Most people found the quirks of the lifts amusing, but we ended up having to navigate the labyrinth of stairs and corridors to reach the roof.
Food
We were on half board, and I have to say, for me, the food was very good. I did have an allergic reaction to the paella, as I can be sensitive to shellfish. Fortunately, I’m aware of this, so whenever I eat shellfish in a new place, I only try a small amount. I know it sounds like Russian Roulette, but I love shellfish and seem to be allergic to only some types. I personally believe it has more to do with the phosphates and freezing process than the shellfish itself. I’ve only had to go to the hospital once, and that was after eating cuttlefish, which technically isn’t a shellfish.
I avoided the English breakfast—it’s never good abroad—but Barceló had plenty of fresh fruit and avocado, so I was happy with that.
The evening meals had lots of choice. I had some fantastic sushi—the rice wasn’t great, but the fish was amazing—and the tapenade was a welcome alternative. If you’re willing to try something a bit different, you’ll find some interesting flavours at the Barceló. But if you’re expecting plain English food, remember—you’re in Spain! The odd thing about the evening meal was that there was no wine list. On our first night, we weren’t even offered a drink, and when we were, there was no list—strange.
Conclusion
The Barceló is a beautiful hotel, and the staff are all amazing. However, it’s not cheap, and they do have a few too many rules. I do feel it’s the maintenance and housekeeping that are letting them down. We did enjoy our stay, but would we go back? It would depend on the price of other hotels. We prefer the Madeira Centro or Voramar.
