"I have been a regular guest at Barceló Margaritas for many years, visiting every year for more than a decade. I have therefore had the opportunity to see how the hotel has changed over time. Unfortunately, after this one-week stay at the Royal Level, I have to say that I am very disappointed.
There are still some positive aspects, but overall I feel that the quality and standard of service have declined significantly compared with previous years. For the price of a Royal Level stay, I simply expected much more.
The positives
First of all, I would like to mention Marta at reception. She was extremely pleasant, professional and competent, and was a real credit to the hotel.
Our room was clean, comfortable and very pleasant. The hotel grounds are also very well maintained, with beautiful greenery, and remain one of the nicest aspects of the property.
Breakfast was tasty and, in my opinion, is the only meal where you can clearly see a difference in quality compared with the standard Barceló Margaritas hotel next door. Royal Level guests can use both hotels, which unfortunately also gives you the opportunity to compare the standards for yourself.
The staff in general are very friendly and polite. I would especially like to recognise Ely, Jennifer, Araceli, Andre, Pedro, Yordani for their hard work and positive attitude.
I would also like to mention Oana, who deserves particular recognition. She has to deal with a great deal of criticism from guests regarding the dramatic decline in service quality, despite the fact that many of these problems are clearly beyond her personal control. She works extremely hard, remains professional and does her best under very difficult circumstances.
The negatives
Unfortunately, the biggest problem is the food and service during lunch and dinner.
The lunch and dinner options are very average, with a relatively limited choice. The starters and salads, particularly those containing mayonnaise, are often visibly dried out, and some dishes change colour after being exposed to high temperatures. They simply do not look appetising.
Another problem is the number of flies around the food. Because much of the food is served in an open area, it is difficult to prevent them from landing around the buffet. This is not what I would expect from a Royal Level experience.
What makes this even more disappointing is that the same dishes are served in the main restaurant at the standard Barceló Margaritas hotel. On several occasions, the food there actually looked better than the food in the Royal Level restaurant. Due to the larger space, the standard hotel also offers a better selection of side dishes.
Quite honestly, the choice and quality of food can be better in an average all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet in Playa del Inglés — often for considerably less money.
Another recurring problem was the replenishment of the buffet. The chefs often seemed in no hurry to replace empty dishes. Practically every evening, I found myself waiting for something that had run out. This should not be happening at a Royal Level restaurant.
Fuego restaurant
I have also visited the Fuego restaurant three times — twice in May and once during this September stay.
Unfortunately, I would not go back.
The starter was acceptable, but the main courses were extremely disappointing. Some of the grilled meats clearly did not seem to be freshly prepared but rather reheated. As a result, they became extremely tough, rubbery, fatty and full of gristle — in some cases practically impossible to chew.
The taste was equally disappointing. Honestly, the only part of the main course that I found edible was the sausage.
But choosing a Royal Level experience and ending up eating a breakfast-style sausage for dinner is hardly what I would expect.
Drinks and service
The waiting time for drinks is another serious issue.
Whether sitting around the pool or at a table, waiting 30–50 minutes for a drink is simply unacceptable.
There do not appear to be enough staff to cope with the number of guests. One member of staff even admitted to me that the situation was effectively designed to discourage guests from ordering drinks because of the lack of capacity.
If that is genuinely the case, it is extremely concerning.
There is also no consistent standard when it comes to preparing drinks. Some are made properly, while others are prepared hurriedly and carelessly and are simply not enjoyable to drink.
I also had an unpleasant interaction with one of the chefs. When I asked what a dish was, pointing towards an empty serving container, his response was simply, “It’s duck,” delivered in a very rude and dismissive manner. This kind of attitude is completely unnecessary when dealing with paying guests.
Final thoughts
This review is particularly difficult for me to write because I have been coming to this hotel for many years and have always had a good relationship with the property. I know what the Royal Level experience used to be like, and that is exactly why the current situation is so disappointing.
The hotel still has some excellent staff, a pleasant environment, beautiful grounds and comfortable rooms. However, these positives cannot compensate for the significant decline in food quality, drink service and overall service standards.
For a Royal Level product, the price creates a certain expectation. Unfortunately, this stay did not come close to meeting that expectation.
After more than a decade of returning to this hotel, I genuinely hope that management takes this feedback seriously and addresses these issues. But based on my experience this time, I cannot recommend the Royal Level at its current price and standard. In my opinion, it is simply not worth the money."
