Hotel Riu Monica

The Riu Monica Hotel Nerja is dated and a bit worn, but the fact that it is spotlessly clean and filled with Mediterranean sunlight makes it feel like far more than an older outpost of an international chain hotel. The crowd is older or made up of families with kids, but there is plenty to do for guests of all ages. The grounds are strewn with lounge chairs -- on the pool decks, the sand, various terraces/solariums, and grassy lawns. The pool bar feels very Mediterranean, with blue iron furniture, beamed ceilings, and terra-cotta tiled floors in the shady section, and marble tables with chairs on the terrace overlooking the sea. The lobby is bright and sunny, painted a cheery yellow, but the mirrors and wicker furniture could definitely use a style update. The grand marble lobby stairway evokes an earlier decade in a pleasant way. The hotel is rumored to be undergoing renovation in 2015. tag:revisit 10/1/2015

The Riu Monica Hotel Nerja is ideally located for tourists and families, with only a promenade separating the hotel from the sand and surf. The nearby streets are quiet, but there are bars, restaurants, shops, and a supermarket close at hand. An approximately 10-minute walk uphill brings visitors to the commercial and tourist center of Nerja. Business travelers may find the Riu Monica a little remote and a little too beachy for getting work done.

Rooms at the Riu Monica Hotel Nerja are simple and could use updating, but they are very clean, bright, and cheerful. Ask for a room with a balcony that gets the evening sun. The decor in the guest rooms is plain, with blue striped bedspreads, older headboards and nightstands, and wall-to wall carpeting. Amenities are fairly standard, with minibars and safes in every room. However, the fees to use the safes and Wi-Fi can leaves some guests feeling nickel-and-dimed. The TVs are particularly dated, as they are small and tube-style instead of flat-screen. The hairdryers are also relics; bring one from home if a good blow dry is important. The sunlight, balconies, and great views from the rooms are the highlights here.

The Riu Monica Hotel Nerja has a large outdoor pool, a children's pool, and, in wintertime, a heated indoor pool. There is a gym, a spa with massage and beauty treatments, a card room, billiards, petanque, night-time entertainment (including flamenco), and a poolside bar for guests needing an adult beverage to recover from all the fun. A hot and cold breakfast buffet is free each morning. Formal dress is required to eat in the restaurant at night, which means trousers for men (no shorts). Views from the restaurant looking over the palm trees at the vast Mediterranean Sea are unforgettable.