Hotel Puente Real

The Hotel Puente Real is packed with families with kids; there is a line around the pool each morning so people can snag a sunbed. The big main pool and large surrounding lawn are strewn with sun worshippers all day long. There is a self-service poolside bar (with ice cream) and an adjacent stage for entertainment. For quiet, guests head to the beach.

Some areas of the hotel have been updated, such as the front desk area, all white with wavelike sculptural decor. The Hall Bar is also white, with soaring ceilings, cool white chandeliers, and pillars studded with mirror mosaics, giving it an upscale disco feel. The actual disco, on the other hand, has low ceilings, institutional furniture, carpet, and an utter lack of atmosphere. The small barbecue bar, which serves snacks throughout the day, looks like a fun tropical beach hut, but the restaurant buffet hasn't been designed with style. The tables are in regimented rows, and the furniture is unimaginative, making it feel like a cafeteria. The grounds are gorgeous, if crowded, and the interiors are hit and miss, but clean and spacious. The Puente Real is a place for fun, not elegance and high style.

The Hotel Puente Real is located in an area with nothing to do but relax and enjoy beachy activities. There are a few beach bars close by, serving fresh, local fried fish, but the city center and any fine dining are a mile-and-a-half drive. A car, bike, or other vehicle is necessary to get around to see the sights, but the hotel does offer rentals right there. There are tons of sports available nearby, including golf, horseback riding, sailing, diving, kite surfing, and fishing, as well as a full range of activities right on the grounds.

The Hotel Puente Real offers standard rooms and apartments with small kitchenettes. Rooms are in various stages of renovation; some have modern bathrooms with updated tile and fixtures, but the door, for example, may show years of wear and tear. Comforters are thin and basic; some are red, and some have green and tan stripes. Rooms have balconies, but not all views are equal. Some overlook the pool, which can be noisy until the wee hours, and vacant, scrubby lots behind. Apartments feel more Andalucian, with metal sconces, arched windows, and poppy-printed textiles, but apartment TVs are tube, not flat-screen, and the two-burner cooktop and fridge are small.

The Hotel Puente Real is a haven for water lovers and sun worshippers, with a huge main pool (and solarium), lap pool, and children's pool, pool bar, and a stage for kids’ games, live music, and more. The nearby barbecue hut serves hot dogs, hamburgers, and snacks. There is also a tented outdoor game area with billiards, air hockey, foosball, and other table and video games. Supervised kids' activities and babysitting service give parents a chance to chill on their own. The fitness center has cardio and weight equipment for guests who want to keep up their gym regimens on vacation. Some guests are less than impressed by the evening entertainment offering, however, and crowds in peak season mean that guests will need to get up early to snag a lounge chair.