AC Hotel Algeciras by Marriott

First and foremost, when it comes to Algeciras, this is as 'good' of a location as it gets. It's an industrial city, with most tourists coming to see Gibraltar. We were no different. This hotel is withing walking distance of the old town, which has a number of local restaurants and very cool ancient Roman ruins that are extremely accessible. But it's the service at the hotel, that prompted me to write this post. From the moment we checked in, the service was 5 stars. We rented an oversized vehicle and a staff member by the name of Moises, walked down the block (as we drove) and took us strait to the hotel's designated parking stalls. When I mentioned that my family and I wanted to see Algeciras (not only Gibraltar), when we returned to the lobby after parking the car, Moises and his colleague had a map ready for me with recommendations on sites and restaurants already circled. The also give my kids chocolates upon check-in and offered us water before I even had a chance to hand them my ID. Overall, I'd go back just for the service.

I had a pleasant stay at this hotel overall. The staff was friendly and helpful, and the room was clean and well-maintained. The bed was comfortable, and the location was great, making it easy to explore the area. However, I think there’s room for improvement. Windows need more isolation in term of noise, we actual listen to everything happening on the street, Additionally, while the room was nice, the decor felt a bit dated. It was a good experience, but with a few tweaks, it could easily become a great one.

This is a businessperson’s hotel without the expected amenities. While technically they do have AC, it’s controlled by the front desk and may not be enabled for your visit. The breakfast option is priced like a premium offering when it is the quality of the included continental elsewhere. The hotel isn’t centrally located for either public transport or the city center, so budget in some money for taxis when considering the room rate. The one big positive is the size of the bathtubs in the rooms. The water pressure and temperature are also nice. Still, if I visit Algeciras again, I’ll stay elsewhere.