Hotel Palmar del Río Premium — Hotel in Archidona

My friends and I (3 Ecuadorians and 1 foreigner) chose to stay here because it looked great on the website and was economical. The rooms and bathrooms were clean and adequate, but that's it. When we arrived, on the Friday of a Fri-Sun 3-day weekend, the small pool (just outside our window) looked great and we were keen to jump in before the holiday crowds showed up. Although it was 11 am, we were told that the pool was not yet ready, and was being "cleaned". At noon it was still not available (in the jungle heat). It closed early in the evening, too, so really the only way to enjoy the pool was to stay at the hotel during the daytime (when we had other plans). The "jacuzzi" advertised is a pool of cold water with jets (it wasn't just turned off, it's a home-made setup and we were told, "it's a cold jacuzzi"). We were informed about day-trip possibilities organized through the hotel when we arrived. However, when we tried to book them later, a different employee (the owner, it seemed) insisted that the previous information was wrong and that it was necessary to pay more than originally stated. This left us annoyed and we ultimately decided not to take the hotel's tour option. We had a car to travel around the area, so we had no trouble finding our own fun, but visitors without their own transportation might want to book day trips in advance to ensure pricing and availability. The hotel is within easy walking distance of the main street through Archidona and near a market where you can eat traditional "maitos". WiFi worked more or less ok, (our room was close to a router) and the included breakfast was fine. All in all, we felt this hotel oversold its amenities, but it wasn't uncomfortable and I'd say it's an ok choice as long as you have reasonable...

We stayed here on two different nights (not in a row) so we were in two different rooms. First night was on the top floor, in a corner room which was very large. No TV, so it was cheaper, but this worked well for us since we didn't want a TV anyway. I believe we paid $30 total. We took a picture of the view from the window in the morning, which was very nice. Beds were decent, shower was OK. No AC, but fan was sufficient. No screens on windows, but there weren't too many bugs on the top floor.||||On the other night, we stayed in a room on the ground floor. This was a bit noiser and was much smaller, but the bed was comfortable and shower was better. It did have a TV, so it cost more, and seemed slightly nicer overall even though there was no view. ||||Breakfast was decent (eggs, toast, other side dish, fruit, juice, coffee/tea) and it's walking distance to various shops and restaurants in Archidona. Also about 15 min walk to the river which has great swimming.||||Overall, if you need/want to stay in Archidona, this place works out fine, though there is nothing special about this hotel. Management was friendly, and...

All the amenities you would expect to find in a three star accommodation, including a pool, cable TV, wifi, a small shop, and hot water showers. Very clean and well groomed rooms. Unexpensive. Free breakfast and taxes included in price. Staff is...