Gran Melia Don Pepe

Best 5-star hotel we have been to in a long time. We recommend to also book the Red Level Lounge service in order to be really pampered. While the food variety at breakfasts and in the lounge lags behind, we were thrilled by the friendliness, servicemindedness and hearty approach of all levels of personnel. Especially the service desk at the Red Lounge is to be noted for its professionalism and supportive client orientation.

It is difficult to describe sufficiently just how fabulous the experience is at Gran Melia Hotel Don Pepe. From the moment you arrive and Enrique or one of the other staff welcomes you and takes your bags, to reception and check in, every moment is like coming home. The restaurant staff, the pool and garden staff, the cleaning staff, just everyone is welcoming smiling and make you feel you're in your second home and part of the family. My wife and I have stayed in many top hotels around the world but our experience at Hotel Don Pepe is 2nd to none.

My mum and I chose this hotel as I was taking her away for her 82nd birthday, therefore we chose Red Level to add to the experience. On arriving at the hotel we were taken to the red level reception for check-in, it was seamless and every contact we had with all the receptionists here was faultless. As mentioned on other reviews the rooms are not massive, however it had all the facilities including a Krupp coffee machine which was a nice touch. The downside is the balconies, they have a table and two chairs, and this is ALL you can fit on there, so lounging in the sun is only possible on chairs. The cleaners do a really fantastic job, the rooms are spotless. Red level also gives you sea views, they are incredible. We had breakfast in the red level each day and the eggs to order are incredible. I had poached eggs with smoked salmon each money and it was lovely. On the last day as we were leaving early we used the main buffet breakfast which was nice, but certainly does not have the personal attention to detail that we had got so used to. I had booked full board due to mums age and mobility, therefore we had lunch in the Bardot bar. The staff and the choice of lunches were lovely, thank goodness. We only ended up having one evening meal in the Erre Restaurant; I was not impressed with the staff (I was made to feel as though we were not worth bothering with as we were on a full board basis), or the menu, if we had the 7 meals in there that we had already paid for it would have been an incredibly boring menu and nothing to accommodate an 82yr old with ‘simple’ eating requirements. Red Level allows you to have snacks and free drinks throughout the day; you had the choice of wine, soft drinks, beer and martini etc. after 6pm they offer more - great if you like whisky and brandy, but the choice of spirits was limited to say the least. No rum, or liquors which I would have expected. Drinks in the hotel are expensive, therefore as my mum has mobility issues we were a captive audience unfortunately. The pool is lovely, however it is annoying that the pool guys reserve loungers for certain people, there was a particular day when I watched them put down towels on approximately 12 loungers that went unused all day… This hotel is not mobility friendly, therefore this should be considered when booking, there are steps everywhere. We paid £6,5000 for two people 7 nights, full board. Is this hotel value for money - the answer is no. Is it beautiful to look at inside - yes. Would I return again - no. I have stayed in nicer places, with better food, balconies and facilities.