Hotel Carmen Teresa

On a palm-tree lined street in a mostly quiet residential area sits Hotel Carmen Teresa. It's a small, unassuming establishment that could easily be mistaken for an apartment complex if not for it's row of flags and bold black signage. The street that the hotel is on is a bit busy, garnering complaints from some guests for occasional noise. Inside, the shiny lobby has red-marble walls, potted plants along the floors, but nowhere to sit. Instead, there's an adjacent bar with various seating, a pool table, and pretty ceramic plates along the walls. The most attractive area is undoubtedly the lush and peaceful garden, which is filled with colorful flowers, a handful of seating, and two lion sculptures; it also melds into the pool area, which has one wall lined with potted flowers. This is a family-run property with a highly regarded staff for their friendly and helpful attitude. 

The hotel sits on a busy main road, yet in a quiet, mostly residential area. Its proximity to the beach may be able to override the occasional complaints of traffic noise, as guests are just a five-minute walk away from the sand. Additionally, there are plenty of restaurants and bars in the immediate vicinity, which is a necessity since there's no full restaurant on-site. Malaga Airport is a quick 15-minute drive from the hotel, or the Montemar Train Station is a roughly 17-minute walk and goes to the airport in 15 minutes. There are also quite a few things to do in the surrounding area, including exploring La Bateria Park (eight-minute walk), taking a trip to Tivoli World adventure park (13-minute drive away), or visiting Selwo Marina Delfinarium (12-minute drive). 

There are 40 guest rooms that are traditionally and simply styled in neutral tones, ranging from Single to Double and Triple. They're outfitted with wood furniture that includes a desk, tile floors, and linens in either beige or green-gray tones. They also have tiny framed pieces of art and either wall sconces or lamps, but that's where the decor stops. Still, they're well-maintained and comfortable. All have a furnished balcony, air-conditioning, free Wi-Fi, and a wall-mounted flat-screen TV. Mini-fridges and safes are available, but they must be rented through reception. Some rooms do have a distant water view. Bathroom decor varies slightly throughout, and they tend to be on the small side, too. They have either colorful mosaic tiling or white tiles, and either walk-in showers or shower/tub combos. There are no hairdryers in the bathrooms, but there are a few free bath products. 

Hotel Carmen Teresa is a small property, so it's unsurprisingly that there are no full restaurant, gym, or kid-centric facilities. There is, however, a pleasant pool with several loungers and it's surrounded by the overflowing garden. A decent buffet breakfast is served on-site, plus the hotel's cafeteria snack bar is open late and offers light bites and drinks. It's also equipped with a pool table and various seating. Free and reliable Wi-Fi is available throughout.