Q Hotels-Hotel TUI BLUE Zahara Beach — Hotel in Tarifa

• AVOID: DIRTY, LOW QUALITY FOOD, RUDE STAFF, OUTDATED HOTEL, NOT EVEN 3 STAR*

• AVOID: SCHMUTZIGES, MINDERWERTIGES ESSEN, UNHÖFLICHES PERSONAL, VERALTETES HOTEL, NICHT EINMAL 3 STERNE *

• EVITAR: COMIDA SUCIA, DE BAJA CALIDAD, PERSONAL GROSERO, HOTEL ANTICUADO, NI SIQUIERA 3 ESTRELLAS *

Updated to respond to hotels comments: 1. The room that I booked was more expensive so one would assume that this would be more luxurious that others, the hotels response is counterintuitive in this regard 2. The first communication I sent to the hotel with my complaints was at 9:05 one day before checkout 3. systemic issues cannot be fixed in one day: dirt, bad food, staff, bad quality products.

I stayed at this hotel in which is advertised as a five star, but my experience does not reflect the standards legally required under Decreto-ley 13/2020, de 18 de mayo for five star hotels. We paid nearly €400 per night, an extortionate amount for what turned out to be the worst five star I have ever stayed in. In reality, it would not even qualify as three stars. To say I am in complete shock and don’t know where to start is an understatement.

When I left, the staff said I should have reported these issues sooner, even though I made then aware of this issues the day before I left the hotel at 9am. The reality is that these problems are systemic and cannot be fixed in a single day. A late checkout was offered, but it was useless.

According to Decreto-ley 13/2020, five star hotels must ensure attentive, professional at all times. What I experienced was the opposite. Staff were often rude and dismissive. At the bar, when I ordered a cocktail, the waiter muttered in Spanish “ahora este que quiere que llevo aquí todo el SWEAR WORD día” (“now this one, what does he BEEP want, I’ve been here all day”), which is not what anyone expects when paying €10 for a cocktail at a supposed five star bar. At breakfast, which was chaotic and far too small to accommodate the number of guests, a waiter told us he only had one table and that we could “take it or leave it.”

According to Decreto-ley 13/2020, food in a five star hotel must be replenished promptly, hygienically presented, and service areas kept clean at all times. What I found was the opposite: buffet trays were repeatedly empty, food was left unappealing (scrambled eggs, beans, cracked eggs), smoothie pitchers were messy, and serving counters were stained. The food is of extremely low quality. Coffee machines and thermos flasks were dirty. The hotel offers dissolvable coffee in a thermo flask and low quality coffee from a dirty machine. Moreover, there were no coffee mugs available to even have coffee (see photos below). We ordered pasta at the restaurant by the pool and it looked like a dish I used to make at university to save money. Please see photos attached. The buffet counters had spills, plates were messy, and food debris was left around. Outdoor areas, including the poolside, had standing water posing slip hazards. Please see photos attached.

Decreto-ley 13/2020 also requires that furniture, fittings, and equipment in a five star hotel must be in excellent condition. What I found instead was worn and scratched wooden furniture, a basic and stained sofa in the room, an outdated hairdryer, and aged safety equipment such as the life ring. Please see photos attached.

According to Decreto-ley 13/2020, five star hotels must also offer premium amenities in rooms. Here, only very low-quality toothpaste, basic toiletries, and no premium touches were provided. Please see photos attached. Based on Decreto-ley 13/2020, this hotel in Zahara de los Atunes, Andalucía clearly does not meet the mandatory requirements of a five star category. Food hygiene, maintenance, staff attentiveness, amenities, and basic professionalism fall well below the legal and expected standard. We paid nearly €400 per night, and yet the conditions were appalling. This hotel should not be marketed as five star under Spanish and Andalusian law, specifically Decreto-ley 13/2020,...

I stayed at this hotel in Zahara de los Atunes, Andalucía, which is advertised as a five star establishment, but my experience does not reflect the standards legally required under Decreto-ley 13/2020, de 18 de mayo for five star hotels. We paid nearly €400 per night, an extortionate amount for what turned out to be the worst so-called five star hotel I have ever stayed in. In reality, it would not even qualify as three stars. To say I am in complete shock and don’t know where to start is an understatement.||When I left, the staff simply said I should have reported these issues sooner, even though I made then aware of this issues the day before I left the hotel. The reality is that these problems are systemic and cannot be fixed in a single day. A late checkout was offered, but it was useless as we had to catch a flight.||According to Decreto-ley 13/2020, five star hotels must ensure attentive, professional, and multilingual staff at all times. What I experienced was the opposite. Staff were often rude and dismissive. At the swim-up bar, when I ordered a cocktail, the waiter muttered in Spanish “ahora este que quiere que llevo aquí todo el SWEAR WORD día” (“now this one, what does he BEEP want, I’ve been here all day”), which is not what anyone expects when paying €10 for a cocktail at a supposed five star bar. At breakfast, which was chaotic and far too small to accommodate the number of guests, a waiter told us he only had one table and that we could “take it or leave it.”||According to Decreto-ley 13/2020, food in a five star hotel must be replenished promptly, hygienically presented, and service areas kept clean at all times. What I found was the opposite: buffet trays were repeatedly empty, food was left unappealing (scrambled eggs, beans, cracked eggs), smoothie pitchers were messy, and serving counters were stained. The food is of extremely low quality. Coffee machines and thermos flasks were dirty. The hotel offers dissolvable coffee in a thermo flask and low quality coffee from a dirty machine. Moreover, there were no coffee mugs available to even have coffee (see photos below). We ordered pasta at the restaurant by the pool and it looked like a dish I used to make at university to save money. Please see photos attached.||Under Decreto-ley 13/2020, all common areas and service points must be spotless and well maintained. In reality, buffet counters had spills, plates were messy, and food debris was left around. Outdoor areas, including the poolside, had standing water posing slip hazards. Please see photos attached.||Decreto-ley 13/2020 also requires that furniture, fittings, and equipment in a five star hotel must be in excellent condition. What I found instead was worn and scratched wooden furniture, a basic and stained sofa in the room, an outdated hairdryer, and aged safety equipment such as the life ring. Please see photos attached.||According to Decreto-ley 13/2020, five star hotels must also offer premium amenities in rooms. Here, only very low-quality toothpaste, basic toiletries, and no premium touches were provided. Please see photos attached.||Based on Decreto-ley 13/2020, this hotel in Zahara de los Atunes, Andalucía clearly does not meet the mandatory requirements of a five star category. Food hygiene, maintenance, staff attentiveness, amenities, and basic professionalism fall well below the legal and expected standard.||We paid nearly €400 per night, and yet the conditions were appalling. This hotel should not be marketed as five star under Spanish and Andalusian law, specifically Decreto-ley 13/2020,...

Really disappointed - should not be advertising as a 5 star hotel. I arrived to the reception and I was 8 1/2 months pregnant, it was approximately 35 degrees. I was not offered any help or water, however I noticed both other receptions offered champagne to the two other couples checking in. You can offer free champagne but no water for a heavily pregnant woman?

Our room cost 500 euros a night, a swim up room. The room had ants, the outside balcony walls were dirty & the lounger had cigarette burns and many stains. Weve been to many hotels of this price and would never expect such low standards We didnt complain however to go on the wifi every day you have to rate the hotel - I rated medicore and our phone rang less than 5 mins later asking us what the issues were. I think this is a bit passive aggressive but anyway. There were people jumping into our swim up pool and the curtains were completely transparent and you could see into the shower from the outside so very little privacy.

We then were told if we wanted breakfast we had to pre book the day before an allocated slot. We decided we wanted to wait til the morning as I had a lot of sicknesss - when we called they told me that breakfast was fully booked? a 5 star hotel fully booked for breakfast? they did not offer us any alternatives, e.g we can have it in our rooms or get a take away and eat it on our balcony. Nothing, once again ive never received such treatment in a 5 star hotel honestly embarrasing. I appreciate we needed to book and understood we may not got our preferred time but a bit ridiculous that everything is booked theres no other option.

When we were checking out the bill was (for example cant remember the exact but around this amount) 1700euros, the woman accidentally put 17,00euros into the machine - we flagged this up to the woman. they thanked us - it would have been very difficult to chase us up after we left the hotel to pay the rest I am sure. anyway, i then ask for some water - they get me a bottle of water and they want to charge me 2 euros for it!!! after theyve been given free champagne to check ins & disappointing unclean room with ants & we have just saved them 1500!! i couldnt believe it, we said we didnt have any change & THEY CHARGED US ON OUR CARD. a 5 star hotel is many things but this isnt one of them. i would never expect anything free, but if you are gifting champagne, youve messed up on various occasions and a heavily sweaty pregant lady sits in front of you i would like to think that a bottle of water is a...