Occidental Coral Beach - Marbella, Spain     

We are very experienced travellers and unfortunately, our overall experience with this hotel was very disappointing and did not meet the 4 star criteria. Our disappointment started with the hotel not able to find our reservation and being given a shoe box room which after complaining was corrected on the second day of our holiday. The restaurant is underground so therefore no views and the choice at breakfast and evening meals did not reflect 4 stars! Thank goodness we only booked 3 evening meals at the hotel! Unfortunately, the Beach Bar which offers a very nice location for meals was only open at lunch times. The hotel location is in the middle of 'no mans land' between Marbella and Puerto Banus. The walk from the hotel to Puerto Banus takes a good 30mins as the majority is on the beach and heavy going on soft sand. The only sensible way to get to Marbella is by taxi which takes approx 20 mins. At night the hotel became a ghost hotel because most of the residents ate and socialised somewhere else either in Marbella or in Puerto Banus, which left a feeling of isolation and no atmosphere. Overall this particular hotel only provides what we believe is a 3 star experience and this was also shared by other holiday makers that we spoke to.

I really enjoyed my stay here although I would not classify it as a 4-star hotel. Somewhere between 3 and 4-Star (plastic chairs in terrace restaurant and plastic sunloungers!). The rooms were really nice, the bathrooms a little of a letdown - over-the-bath shower and a wall mounted hairdryer which didn't really do the trick! Adequate complilmentary toiletries, nothing to rave about. Slow service in bar/restaurant area, but everybody very smiley and helpful. Right on the beach with it's own little bar which is great. Would definitely stay there again.