"Unfortunately, our two-week stay at Hotel Encinar de Sotogrande was disappointing, starting from the moment we arrived.
When we approached reception, we immediately felt uncomfortable. The way the front desk staff greeted us and looked our family up and down made us feel as though we didn’t belong there.
The receptionist asked for our passport and booking details, which was completely fine. She then told us our booking was for two people and there would be an additional charge for our two children. Again, we had no issue with paying the additional charge if that was the hotel’s policy. It was the rude and abrupt way it was communicated that bothered us.
We had arrived before the 3pm check-in time and were told we couldn’t access our room until then, which we completely understood. During the conversation, however, staff repeatedly spoke amongst themselves in Spanish directly in front of us. Of course we understand we are in Spain and staff naturally speak Spanish, but when you are discussing a guest’s booking in front of them in a language they cannot understand, it can make the guest feel extremely uncomfortable.
What made this more noticeable was an English couple checking in next to us. The staff seemed much warmer towards them and went out of their way to apologise when their computer was running slowly. The contrast in treatment was difficult to ignore.
I don’t like immediately assuming that people are racist, and I cannot know the staff’s intentions, but I can describe how we were made to feel. We felt judged and unwelcome, and the noticeably different treatment of another family/couple beside us made that feeling worse.
We actually would have preferred to move hotels after our arrival, but because our booking was prepaid, we were told we couldn’t get a refund. It felt incredibly frustrating: if we’re being made to feel as though we don’t belong here, why make us stay? Instead, we were left facing two weeks in a hotel where we already felt uncomfortable.
Room standards
There were several things about the room that I simply wouldn’t expect from a four-star hotel.
The toilet seat was badly yellowed/stained and areas of the flooring were also not up to the standard we expected. I am attaching photographs so people can see and judge for themselves. The water pressure in the room was also extremely low.
I do want to say that we really liked the housekeeping team themselves – they were lovely. However, basic items were regularly not restocked. Tea and coffee weren’t replenished and, surprisingly, there was no complimentary drinking water in the room.
One night our children were extremely thirsty and there was no water available in the room. We eventually drank a bottle from the minibar because we were desperate for water. That bottle was then never restocked, so we couldn’t even purchase another one from the minibar afterwards.
I understand that complimentary bottled water isn’t necessarily guaranteed, but for a hotel advertising itself as four-star, I think providing basic drinking water or at least ensuring the minibar water is replenished is something that could easily be improved.
Pool safety
More concerning was the condition of some of the steps around the swimming pool. Parts were broken/damaged and unfortunately my daughter cut her big toe on one of them.
We didn’t make a big fuss at the time because, following the uncomfortable welcome we’d received, we genuinely felt reluctant to complain again because we were worried we’d simply be looked at as though we were being difficult.
I do want to specifically praise the lifeguard, who was very helpful and immediately gave my daughter a bandage. We really appreciated his kindness.
However, broken or damaged areas around a swimming pool are a safety concern, especially somewhere where children are constantly walking barefoot. Thankfully her injury wasn’t more serious, but this really should be inspected and repaired.
Minibar charges and checkout
At the end of our stay, we were then presented with a bill containing minibar charges for crisps, nuts and Coke that we had never consumed.
When I challenged these charges at checkout, rather than simply listening and checking what might have happened, I felt as though I had to argue my case.
There was also a tin of olives that had previously been brought to our room. I genuinely thought it was a complimentary gesture from the hotel because nobody told me when handing it to me that it was a chargeable minibar item.
When I explained this at checkout, I was told, “This has never happened before.”
I found that response particularly disappointing because it immediately made me feel as though they didn’t believe me or were implying that I wasn’t telling the truth. Whether that was their intention or not, that’s how it came across. Saying “this has never happened before” isn’t a helpful response to a customer raising a genuine concern. Just because nobody else has complained about something doesn’t mean our experience didn’t happen.
Had somebody simply told me when they brought the olives that they were a chargeable minibar item, there would have been no misunderstanding whatsoever.
I also showed reception the condition of the yellow toilet seat, but instead of addressing the issue, I felt that they simply pretended not to understand what we were saying and the question was effectively ignored.
Overall
I’m genuinely not writing this review simply to be negative. There were members of staff, particularly the housekeeping team and the lifeguard, whom we found lovely and helpful. However, there are several areas where I think this hotel seriously needs to improve – particularly customer service, communication, maintenance, safety and attention to basic room standards.
The hotel is advertised as four-star, but based on our experience, I personally feel the overall standard was closer to three-star. Had I known beforehand that this would be the standard of the accommodation and service, I would have chosen somewhere else.
It wasn’t one isolated incident that resulted in this review. It was the combination of the uncomfortable welcome, the noticeably different customer service we observed, the condition of the room, lack of basic restocking, low water pressure, the pool safety issue that resulted in our daughter cutting her toe, and finally having to challenge minibar charges for things we hadn’t consumed.
We came to Sotogrande as a family wanting to enjoy a relaxing two-week holiday. Sadly, the way we were treated on arrival made us feel unwelcome from day one, and several experiences throughout our stay reinforced that first impression.
Unfortunately, based on our experience, we would not return."
