MUR Hotel Neptuno — Hotel in San Bartolomé de Tirajana

Duration: 7 nights|Meal plan: All-inclusive||Arrival:|Upon arriving from the airport in the late afternoon (via the travel agency's transfer), I was disappointed to find no one available to help with luggage. This was particularly challenging as there are quite a few steps from the hotel entrance to the lobby, making towing a 20kg suitcase rather unpleasant after a 5+ hour flight. I did notice bell service available on subsequent days, suggesting my arrival time was simply too late for this assistance.||Check-in:|While a self-service check-in option was available, I opted for the reception desk (another set of stairs, thankfully without luggage this time). The receptionist provided leaflets and informed me about meal times. The electronic key card, which also functions as a payment method, is a key feature here – there are no wristbands for meal plan identification. A voucher for a pool towel was also provided, with a 20 EUR charge for loss if not returned at check-out.||The Hallway:|The hallways are open-air, offering views of the street, and there's an elevator for easy luggage transport to the rooms.||The Room:|I booked a single room with a pool-view balcony. I was pleased to find a comfortable single, larger bed, which I prefer over joined twin beds often found in other rooms. A minor detail was the duvet cover, which was just another bedsheet and seemed too small.||Both the room and bathroom were clean and tidy, though you could definitely see they were a bit dated or "worn out" in places.||Facilities included a safe, basic toiletries, bottled water, glasses, and a kettle with tea and instant coffee. The kettle, however, was disconnected as its power outlet was used by an empty mini-fridge (requiring a request for filling). I didn't use the kettle, so its placement wasn't an issue for me, but the tap water tasted quite bad when I tried it after running out of bottled water. Towards the end of my stay, I noticed other guests collecting bottled water from the poolside bar – a useful tip for future visitors!||The air conditioning worked well, with adjustable temperature and fan speed. I didn't use it at night as I'm sensitive to noise, but temperatures were generally comfortable. The room's power cut-off is conveniently controlled by a single switch near the entrance (marked with a red square), allowing the air conditioning to remain on, unlike typical key card slots.||While complimentary Wi-Fi was available throughout the hotel, I chose not to use it for any sensitive online activities as it appeared to be an unsecured network.||Housekeeping:|During my stay, I requested one towel change and one full room cleaning. Given that Playa del Inglés sand contains dark particles that easily dirty feet and the bath/shower, I was disappointed that the bathtub was still dirty after the service, despite leaving a 5 EUR tip.||The Pool:|The pool was clean, though it uses salt water, which some might prefer. At 25°C outside, it was very comfortable for swimming. Pool towels are available from the lifeguard (using the voucher). During my visit, there were always enough sunbeds, though their placement offered varying sun angles. I didn't use the slide, but it could double as a water massage jet. Occasionally, staff offered complimentary Sangria in plastic cups (glass is not allowed in the pool area), which was very refreshing. A classic Finnish sauna is also available, but it's quite small, a bit dated, and not very warm. A nice bonus, however, is that it has clean towels inside, which can also be used at the pool.||The Main Restaurant:|Both breakfast and dinner are served here as a buffet, and the food quality was generally very good. You can order freshly cooked eggs, meats, and fish from the grill, which, though taking a few moments, are delicious. I would strongly advise against the pre-made scrambled eggs – I tried them once when pressed for time and found them to be the worst I've ever tasted.||Guests choose their own tables, and staff will ask for your key card during dinner to offer wine or other alcoholic beverages. There's a relaxed dress code; while beachwear and flip-flops aren't permitted, it's not overly strict.||The Snack Bar:|Lunch is served at the poolside snack bar, offering a mix of buffet and à la carte options. Some dishes, like the chicken wrap, used dry, pre-cooked breaded chicken that was barely reheated.||The Bar:|Located alongside the snack bar, it offers a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Evenings usually feature some form of entertainment, such as dance performances, live singing, or karaoke.||The Gym:|I used the stationary bicycle (spinner), which was in good condition, missing only one foot strap. Towels were readily available.||Other Guests:|This is an 18+ hotel, but the average age was probably 50+. There were almost no guests in the 20-30 range, and very few women aged 30-40.||The Surroundings:|The hotel is a convenient 10-minute walk from Playa del Inglés and very close to the Yumbo Shopping Center. Yumbo houses many Gay oriented venues - if you are interested in such entertainment. Some guests appreciate the hotel's shortcut to the mall. During my stay, a mumeto.com concert's sound checks were quite loud in the room, even with closed windows.||Check-out:|I simply left my key card and towel voucher at the reception. I was offered luggage storage until my airport transfer. However, the person responsible for luggage was not particularly keen to help me carry my suitcase up the many stairs to the street level, which was again frustrating.||Summary:|While the hotel has undergone renovations, it still visibly bears the marks of time, showing its age in certain areas. The service in the restaurants, snack bar, and main bar was excellent, but unfortunately, I cannot say the same for the reception and housekeeping. I was generally happy with the food and drinks, though the demographic of other guests didn't align with my social...

Recommend this hotel. Are so satisfied after 1 week of stay. Good location, quiet, safe, nice and fresh rooms. Nice staff and above all very good cleaning every day. The hotel has an age limit of 18, which makes it quiet and peaceful. The hotel is reasonably large so you never feel crowded. On arrival, you are offered a glass of Cava, which is that little extra. The staff are always nice, which is not always the case in Spanish hotels. The hotel is right next to Yumbo, which offers shopping and mainly evening entertainment. The hotel has an exit from the pool area towards Yumbo, around the clock. Even it is close, we did not had disturbing sounds (the balcony door insulates well). The hotel is not located so you can see the water or the sand dunes (which you don't in many of the hotels in Playa del Ingles). Walking distance to the beginning of the Maspalomas desert. Buses to San Augustin, Meloneras and Las Palmas are a few minutes away. Also taxi rank. A taxi from the airport costs around 45-48 Euro (2024). A very nice guy helped us with the luggage to the room. The hotel has some stairs, not long but from the street to the entrance and in the pool area. The first night we got a hotel room located on the first floor and with a view to the side of the hotel. These rooms have less hours of sunlight, slightly less light. There are rooms on the right and left side but most are directly facing the pool area. As soon as another room became available, we wanted to change. We didn't have to remind, the reception call us. We then got a room facing the pool. The rooms are not large and perhaps not the latest in décor but do not feel old, but fresh. When you enter the room in a narrow hall, the bathroom is directly to the side. A fresh, modern bathroom in white tiles with bath and shower, large mirror and good light. There is also a window to open if necessary. After a short hall, there are two single beds (most rooms have this type of bed, although there are others) which are placed together. 3 sliding mirror doors closest to the hall on the left or right and before the first bed protect the wardrobe, one with shelves and a safe (safe not included but costs extra) and the rest for hanging clothes on hangers. White painted walls with a headboard of a slightly different look depending on the room, wood or mosaic with two smaller bedside tables. The lighting can be turned off from the bed and in most rooms there are electrical sockets by the bed. A fresh armchair in bright colors and a modern desk with a chair and above a medium-sized flat-screen TV that has an HDMI socket. Free WIFI who are okay. Kettle, glasses and mugs and best of all a fridge. Most balconies are of medium size where there are two substantial higher chairs with a table. The cleaning of the rooms was unusually good. Each day the rooms looked as they did on arrival, fresh and so nicely done. Praise! The only thing we lacked is information about the hotel, there was no folder and nothing on TV. We had bought All inclusive. Breakfast is served in the restaurant as a buffet. Some days they also serve Cava and there are also schnapps if anyone needs it :) In addition to the buffet, which varies slightly from day to day, there is a chef who prepares an omelette, fried eggs or fried bacon as you wish, which is nice. Lunch is served in the restaurant which is on the side, a little above the pool area. There it was extra good that it is a menu and not a buffet. Very nice to sit there in the sun, have something to drink and eat in peace and quiet. Desserts, ice cream are available as a buffet. Dinner is served as a buffet in the indoor restaurant with slightly different main courses every day. There are plenty of serving staff. No sitting, you can come whenever you want during opening hours. The dinner is okay but obviously cannot be compared to a regular menu restaurant. After dinner there is a smaller bar that has slightly different performances in the evenings of varying type. Not any big shows. Really recommend this hotel! Friendly...

This hotel is at times very good and at times really awful, making it hard to review. I will start with the positive. Lunch at the poolside snackbar is brilliant - an extensive selection of burgers, sandwiches, tapas, light bites and salads. Most people seemed to go for the burger option which was huge and looked much more like an evening meal than a light snack. The snackbar is also table service which made it feel very relaxed.

Breakfast in the restaurant was very nice with a wide selection of foods including lots of fresh fruit and healthy options as well as traditional cooked options. You will always find something nice to eat.

Another good point was that the rooms were very clean. Dinner in the restaurant was decent. Will it win a Michelin star? No, of course not, but again you will always find something nice to eat.

To the negative: sadly this hotel is by far the noisiest I have ever stayed in, ever. Bar none. The walls are painfully thin so much so that I could hear every time my right-side neighbour coughed and I could hear my left-side neighbour snoring. But worse than this was the fact that ever single morning the cleaning staff gathered outside my room (which was inconveniently close to a supplies cupboard) and shouted down the hallway to each other, for a long time. A very long time. If you naturally plan to get up at 7am this won't bother you but if you plan to have late nights and want to sleep in past 7am, forget it: you will have your sleep disturbed in the most egregious and repetitive fashion without fail. Note that my room was on the ground floor so perhaps if you had a room on another floor you would be less disturbed by the cleaning staff every single morning. That said, I could also hear what sounded like heavy furniture being dragged around the floor of the room directly above mine: this went on for some time.

Another negative point was the bar (not the excellent snackbar, but the hotel's main bar, situated just outside the restaurant). Usually only one barman was on duty so you would wait ages for service. Occasionally a second barman appeared but he either stood talking to the first barman or he flitted about and didn't help. We found the delay for a drink so draining that in the end we left the hotel and walked to the nearby Yumbo Centre where we paid for drinks. If you go all-inclusive at Neptuno just bear in mind that you will struggle greatly to ever get a drink in the evening, especially between 7pm and 9pm when the restaurant is in use. We went in February (off season); I hate to think how impossible it would be to get a drink in the middle of summer.

Thirdly I thought for a purported four star hotel to ask for payment to use the in-room safe was pretty offensive. Again, I've travelled a lot and stayed in more hotels than I can recall and I've never had to pay to use the safe. Maybe this is common in poor quality hotels but it's a first for me.

My last point was a small one: the smell of the restaurant. Whether it was breakfast or lunch, even a short trip to the restaurant meant your hair and clothes smelt badly of fat for the rest of the day/ night. There is no extraction whatsoever in the restaurant so we ended up breakfasting in last night's clothes to avoid ruining what we planned to wear for the day, then putting them back on for dinner so as to avoid going out smelling. A minor point but a definite inconvenience.

Overall my friends and I decided on reflection we probably wouldn't...