Encouraged by Alastair Sawday review and previous Trip Advisor comments we booked 7 nights for end of June/early July.
Our bedroom was a good size, with a private furnished terrace together with access to a sitting room and second roof terrace. Bed linen was crisp and clean with fluffy towels in the bathroom - all as expected. The excellent local restaurant was only a couple of minutes walk away.
Unfortunately other aspects we found disappointing. The overall impression was that the establishment was a bit run down and unfortunately a bit grubby. Rustic we don't mind. The bathroom smelt as the shower outlet was blocked and flooded to ankle level when used. Tiled floors needed a clean as you had permant black feet if you did not keep your shoes on, cobwebs and dust on most surfaces. The furniture on the terrace (as well as the terrace itself) all needed a good clean with cushions etc mildew and stained. Outside light was broken and there was a pot full of old cigarette ends. Pots as mentioned by Alistair Sawday were far from flower filled and either empty or containing a dead plant.
Breakfast was very much a low point each day with a basket of supermarket type provisions delivered each morning. Cooked breakfast was also offered. Room tea making facilities had to be used to boil own kettle to make coffee, UHT milk carton from fridge and wash glasses from bathroom for orange juice. All Ok in a self catering/camping sort of way but no nice touches.
Upon arrival after a long drive we found a scribbled note of front door - "hello, not far way, ring mobile number etc". Fortunately we eventually managed to get through but it took half an hour gain access - not a very welcoming start and we had given our mobile number in advance. We asked if first night dinner reservation had been made and were told not sure and to go to restaurant and ask - great! The owners were always very pleasant but appeared to do just the bare minimum as we only saw then some 30 seconds each day when breakfast basket delivered. We were told to ring their mobile number if ever we needed them. Again OK, but hardly attentive.
We were the only people staying despite it approaching high season, so combined with rarely seeing our hosts it all felt very self catering in nature.
After 4 nights we had to leave due to a foot injury, but to be frank we were quite keen to get away by then anyway. We were not charged the extra nights as establishment empty anyway but an extra 5 Euros per night we were there, contrary to the rate quoted 4 nights and above. It seemed a bit petty but not worth arguing over as to be honest we just wanted to leave.
In retrospect many of the Trip Advisor comments are now a few years old and perhaps standards are not so high now. Perhaps because we were the only guests made a difference or it was too early in the season for everything to be running 100%. On balance we found El Reces OK. We just wish the room had been better maintained, breakfast was a bit better and basically that our hosts tried a bit harded to be welcoming.
Certainly would not return - sorry!