We would have given this hotel a positive rating except for two circumstances: our room became permeated with a strong smell of sewer gas, and the management did not provide a discount as compensation. We cannot recommend this hotel, and we are not likely to stay here again.

We first noticed the odor on the evening of our check-in when a sewer gas smell drove us from the room's outside terrace. The next day the odor appeared in the bathroom. We plugged the shower drain and kept the bathroom door closed, but by the next morning the smell had permeated the entire room.

When checking out, we informed the desk clerk about the problem, and a maid went to the room and confirmed it. The clerk said we would have to wait approximately half-an-hour to discuss a discount with the manager. Not wishing to delay our departure, we asked the clerk to tell the manager to apply any discount to our credit card. As of 48 hours later, no credit has appeared, so we believe management has ignored our request.

We understand this rambling, hillside property was designed by a famous architect in 1960 and was completely renovated in 2006. It has some interesting architectural features including the restaurant and the meeting center. But our room showed signs of wear such as the malfunctioning sewer system, damage from a water leak in the ceiling, non-working bathroom scale, chipped paint, balky toilet, etc.

PROS:
-Outdoor terrace attached to rooms.
-Most rooms seem to have good views of the town and Cerro de la Bufa.
-Good breakfast if you pay extra for the good breakfast.
-Close to the teleferico (cable car) station and the mine tour.

CONS:
-Strong sewer smell
-Unresponsive management
-Deferred maintenance
-Not convenient walking distance to the town center: must circle around the teleferico station and head downhill. As my wife was nursing a sore foot, we took a lot of taxis.