HM Alma Beach - Adults Only

My best friend and I booked a 3 night stay at the hotel, choosing a double room with balcony. A few days before we travelled we received an email from the hotel offering an upgrade to a premium double room for an additional 29.84 euros per night. The email specified the additional features and facilities we would enjoy for the extra cost, and we agreed to the upgrade.

My friend's flight arrived earlier than mine so she went straight to the hotel. Upon arrival she was told the room wouldn't be ready until later in the day, which wasn't a problem as it was before the official check-in time. She was told she must pay the full amount for the stay, even though I had not yet arrived.

When I arrived a couple of hours later, the room still wasn't ready. We were told we could leave our bags in a side room but no-one offered to help or give us a tag for our baggage. I was asked for my passport by the male reception agent and he spent some time inputting the details, then handed it back to me and continued to tap away on the keyboard. Several minutes later he asked what I was waiting for - I assumed as he had not thanked for or told me he had concluded the input, he was still checking me in but no, he was just very rude!

When we returned later to check in we were given our keys but no one offered information about how to find the room or offered to help with our bags - you would expect more from a hotel of this standard.

We emerged from the lift to a very dated corridor which felt more 2 star than 4 star. Upon entering our room we were crestfallen to see how small the bedroom and bathroom were, with absolutely no privacy between the two areas.

The balcony was tiny, barely the width of a person! Although there was a side sea view, the general vista was depressing, overlooking run down properties.

The additional amenities supposedly in a premier double room were missing - pillow menu, bathrobe and slippers, docking station, coffee machine - none of these were present.

We weighed up all these factors and decided to seek accommodation elsewhere. According to the terms of the booking, we knew we would have to forfeit the first nights' accommodation costs but would be refunded the second and third night.

We returned to reception, where another couple were also dealing with a check in problem which required a lengthy call to management. It was a Sunday and apparently no managers are available on site!

We were told that only the taxes could be refunded but the room refund for the other two nights would be made the next day, when the manager was in. We asked for assurances that this would happen but were told to ring to remind them!!

We also stated we wanted a refund for the additional 29.84 as although we were willing to pay for the first night, we did not feel we should pay for a premier room when our room lacked all the features promised for the supposed upgrade.

The next day the cost of nights two and three were refunded but not the additional 29.84 for the first night. The hotel then refused to reply to any further communication, as have their head office.

In my decades of travelling across the globe, this was one of the worst examples of hotel customer service I have experienced. It is not the money itself which irks me but the principle.

This hotel does NOT warrant a 4 star rating, in terms of its decor, facilities or staff. A complete disappointment and I will not be returning to any HM hotels ever again.