Occidental Mar Menor

Great bedroom, and balcony with a view over the three swimming pools to palm trees, the Mar Menor and La Manga. Hotel was immaculate, restaurant, food and service all excellent. Swam in the olympic pool everyday and played tennis a couple of times. Evening disco in the cocktail bar was an ok way to end the evening. The hotel was unique to us because we found it by accident two years ago when walking from Los Alcazares to Los Urrutias. It had been closed for some time, the pools were empty and weeds growing everywhere, yet it still looked magnificent. So we said we would come and stay if it opened again. It it also unique because it must be the cheapest hotel of the 99 Barcelo hotels in Spain. We stayed for four days, in a superior room, full board, with unlimited wine at lunch and dinner for just 424 Euros. Now that is just incredible value.

Very nice resort. Clean quiet. 2 points: Smokers around the swimming pool are a pain and there is no proper sea beach (but swimming pools are amazing). Resort should limit smoking areas around pool and build a proper sea beach.

An excellent short break and would highly recommend this hotel. The staff and facilities were first class. We relaxed from the moment we arrived. We will come back for a longer stay in the future. Loved the Olympic length pool.

Starting on a positive we booked this particular hotel due to its close proximity to Los Alcazares, it’s good value price for an all inclusive stay and based upon a very attractive write up by a major chain Barcelo Hotels. It was described as a brand new member of the hotel chain. We arrived at 3:00pm from another Barcelo hotel in La Nucia in the north of Alicante, which was immaculate and beyond reproach. First impressions of this hotel were not good with a drive up to the hotel that was unkempt and not attractive and a fowl sulphur smell in reception. The allocated room didn’t fit the description of the superior room we booked. The receptionist maintained that it was a superior room no 54, but clearly considering the description attached it was not. The sofa in the room description did not exist and in fact the room was too small to fit one in. The terrace was filthy and hadn’t been cleaned for our arrival, with cigarette ends. The receptionist said it was due to the bad weather that morning, but as we were staying in the area for the last 8 days we knew the rain was 2 days prior. They sent a cleaner to clean the terrace and she was surprised at its condition. The door to the room didn’t work on arrival and this was despite 3 attempts, being sent back and forth by the receptionist. The maintenance man was called to repair the door and although he spoke no English he was very pleasant. On day 3 we didn’t get a cleaning service or fresh towels. A note was pushed under the door saying this was due to the do not disturb sign, but we hadn’t put one out. There was one on the door when we looked and we now have two signs in the room. So not very easy to deny someone else put it there. I would suspect the maid. Day 4 the maid had been but the bath had not been cleaned and there wasn’t fresh sheets, she just made the bed up changed 2 days ago, but at least we got towels and the floors appeared to be mopped through. The terrace however hadn’t been touched. The bathroom was not up to 4 star ‘superior’ room standard with poorly grouted areas and holes in the tiles. The surrounding area of the hotel is quite barren and unattractive with unkempt areas, a no go beach area due to dirt, we were told not to use it by the lifeguards of the hotel. It is advertised as a quality for the hotel on Barcelo website. In fact we booked this hotel without taking cancellation as it sounded perfect. Had we taken the cancellation we would have chosen to leave. We stayed on an all inclusive basis the drinks were very good and the food was adequate to good. We love Los Alcazares and Cartagena and have visited the area on numerous occasions over the years, but this is a hotel we probably won’t use again, which is a shame as it could be so much better with more attention to detail. The hotel is 95% occupied by Spanish guests, but still quite empty with about 50% total occupancy. This wasn’t a problem to us as we were looking for a relaxing quiet break. However I feel it is fai

Hotel overall was very clean and well maintained but in the back of beyond! In what appears to be an area zoned for more building but nothing except this hotel has been built. Food was the worst I have had in a long time perhaps ever! Selection was poor but more importantly everything on offer was lukewarm .So bad in fact after first nite never ate again in evening. Wrote an email to the Hotel Grpup complaing and simply had a response apologising but othong offerred as a form of consolation Extrmely disappointed

We are her now at the hotel. 5th September. The sun beds around the pools still have sand from the rain 2 days ago the floors of the pool area are still dusty as well. The bar area on the roof terreza del mar is a nice area but the lady who works behind the bar has no one to help her and it's very busy there should be at least another person to serve as well. The rooms are nice & big and clean, the Terrace outside is also dirty with the sand on the floor. There is definitely not enough staff for the size of the hotel !!! The food is good and drinks are great. The few staff in the dining are really pleasant and helpful. The Lady receptionist was very friendly when we got here today. We are all inclusive

The evening meal was the worse we ever had .the food selection was terrible and the hot food was cold .so much so we ate away from the hotel

The property itself is excellent. The rooms are well proportioned, especially the bathrooms, and 3 pools means there is plenty to go around. However the pools were very cold compared to the swimming pools in Benidorm the week before with similar sun cover and air temperature. Also the property seems to catch the wind excessively, there wasn't a day where your towel was safe on your sunbed from being blown away. The kids club wasn't promoted so we had no real idea if it was working it not - I personally think the resort is better suited to couples than families as the atmosphere is very relaxed (too relaxed if you've got young kids). The kids entertainment on the terrace starts too late (2230). The food was well prepared and presented, if you are into your Spanish themed dishes you will appreciate it, if you've a more British palette the eating in options are not really for you. The complex was extremely quiet the week we were there, weirdly so. The most people we saw at one time was about 50 in the restaurant, other than that there seemed to be more staff than customers. Overall it's a lovely relaxing hotel for older guests or those looking for peace and tranquility.

Nice hotel with very poor location. In the middle of nowhere. Pool closed. Could not swim at the beach. Poor English. Smelled like a swamp in the whole area. Beautiful hotel that should have been at an actual beach and closer to a city, restaurants, etc.