Hacienda Fresneda María by Real Spain Hotels — Hotel in Villanueva del Rosario

I’ll start by mentioning the positives of our stay at this hotel. The property from the outside (building, pool area, surroundings) looked exactly as shown in the photos – absolutely fantastic. The rooms were cleaned daily, and the beds were very comfortable. The staff were also helpful, especially the gentleman working there. Additional facilities such as the jacuzzi and sauna (30 minutes free per couple) as well as paid massages were definitely amenities worth appreciating.

Unfortunately, there were far more downsides than we expected. The first issue was the room we were given. It was not the same room as shown in the photos. When we asked about it at reception the next day, we were told that not all rooms had been photographed. Our room had no terrace, and unlike the pictures, it was much smaller, darker, and less attractive. The one we received was nicely decorated but extremely cramped (barely enough space to open a suitcase) with one small window facing a shaded area. The room was not changed for us.

The second problem was the pool – although beautiful, the water was very cold. Many people sat around the pool daily, but hardly anyone went in, and if they did, it was only for about five minutes. The sea water in Nerja was much warmer than the pool water.

Another downside was the food. Breakfast offered a fairly wide selection, but the quality was quite average, with supermarket-style products. For example, the orange juice was not freshly squeezed but diluted store-bought juice. We had dinner there once, which we deeply regret — for the rather high prices, the dishes were very mediocre. The tagliatelle with pesto was terrible (1/10), the Angus beef burger was average (4/10), and only the Salmorejo was fairly good (7/10).

There were a few other negatives as well — quite a few ants and spiders in the room, no fridge in some rooms despite a policy forbidding guests from bringing their own food or drinks (you can only buy from the bar), and an unfriendly receptionist with an Eastern accent who treated us in a rather condescending manner.

Summary

Overall, we were very disappointed and would not recommend this place. It is probably the worst “boutique” hotel pretending to represent higher standards that we have ever stayed in — and we’ve stayed in many...

I’ll start by mentioning the positives of our stay at this hotel.|The property from the outside (building, pool area, surroundings) looked exactly as shown in the photos – absolutely fantastic. The rooms were cleaned daily, and the beds were very comfortable. The staff were also helpful, especially the gentleman working there.|Additional facilities such as the jacuzzi and sauna (30 minutes free per couple) as well as paid massages were definitely amenities worth appreciating.||Unfortunately, there were far more downsides than we expected.|The first issue was the room we were given. It was not the same room as shown in the photos. When we asked about it at reception the next day, we were told that not all rooms had been photographed. Our room had no terrace, and unlike the pictures, it was much smaller, darker, and less attractive. The one we received was nicely decorated but extremely cramped (barely enough space to open a suitcase) with one small window facing a shaded area. The room was not changed for us.||The second problem was the pool – although beautiful, the water was very cold. Many people sat around the pool daily, but hardly anyone went in, and if they did, it was only for about five minutes. The sea water in Nerja was much warmer than the pool water.||Another downside was the food. Breakfast offered a fairly wide selection, but the quality was quite average, with supermarket-style products. For example, the orange juice was not freshly squeezed but diluted store-bought juice. We had dinner there once, which we deeply regret — for the rather high prices, the dishes were very mediocre. The tagliatelle with pesto was terrible (1/10), the Angus beef burger was average (4/10), and only the Salmorejo was fairly good (7/10).||There were a few other negatives as well — quite a few ants and spiders in the room, no fridge in some rooms despite a policy forbidding guests from bringing their own food or drinks (you can only buy from the bar), and an unfriendly receptionist with an Eastern accent who treated us in a rather condescending manner.||Summary||Overall, we were very disappointed and would not recommend this place. It is probably the worst “boutique” hotel pretending to represent higher standards that we have ever stayed in — and we’ve stayed in many...

Our stay at Fresneda Maria has been nothing less but fantastic. From booking/corresponding via email to leaving the hotel, we’ve been taken such good care of, and felt at ease since they helped us plan and arrange everything. The hotel helped us arrange a taxi to and from the hotel, which was comfortable and easy. Upon arrival at the hotel we were greeted by the lovely staff that was so welcoming and made us feel very much at home from start to finish. They all wore masks and we felt safe since they followed the current Covid-19 restrictions/recommendations in Spain. And during our stay they could help us with any request we might have. They even helped us booking a masseuse to come to the hotel, which was a great experience. The hotel offers meals (at a great price for hotel guests) in their restaurant, and we decided to have all our meals at the hotel restaurant (breakfast, lunch and dinner) which was good. The hotel also has a small spa with sauna and jacuzzi which we could book for 30 mins - very enjoyable!||We have nothing bad to say about this place, but would just HIGHLY recommend you going. Especially if you’re planning on going to Malaga and want a relaxing stay a bit outside of the city, this is the place to go. Not only is the view incredible and rooms very luxurious, the staff were nothing but amazing, making us want...