Went to the Picasso 6th January. Had asked the agent we booked with to ask for a low floor as I'm afraid of heights. When we arrived the lady knew nothing about my request. Fair enough she hadn't been told but said that she didn't have any rooms below the 7th floor and I'd be better up there anyway as there was more sun on the higher balconies. I said I wasn't bothered about the sun but needed a lower floor. Eventually she gave us a room on the 4th floor. Why she couldn't have done this in the first place I don't know. When we went to the room it absolutely wreaked of smoke. I'm an ex smoker and the smell has never particularly bothered me but it stank. I didn't want to complain again so put up with it for a few days. I did tell her in passing one day but she produced a clip board and proceeded to tell me that nobody had been in that room prior to us so didn't understand why it smelt. If she'd bothered to come up she would have smelled it. You could even smell it outside on the landing before you put your key in the door. Anyway, if the room was really empty the week before perhaps she should have run the curtains and cover on the sofa through the wash and gone in with some air freshener and opened some windows. When we got home I even had to wash the clothes we hadn't worn as they all stank as well. There was also a spare blanket in the room that had 2 huge cigarette burns as big as tennis balls. I wouldn't have offered this blanket to someone living rough let alone use it in an apartment room as it was an insult. I have read lots of positive reviews about her great hospitality but we never experienced it. She even called her little dog away one day when we stopped to stroke it.
On a positive note it is in quite a good location for the beach, bars etc. It also had a big balcony. The bar was only open one evening when we passed through on our way out so we did stop and have a drink to be sociable. I know it's quieter at this time of the year but tell people that you don't open the bar every night when they book. We didn't eat there although the food on the boards was a reasonable price.
We went to an all inclusive hotel for the last 2 nights of our week in Benidorm when we couldn't stand the smell any longer. Even then my husband had to come back the following morning to get our deposit back because she said money wasn't kept on the premises I think she was being awkward as we were leaving but I couldn't be bothered to argue with her.
We love Benidorm and our 2 nights at the hotel were brilliant. We wished we had gone sooner. We stayed at the Flamingo Oasis in September which was great and we picked the Picasso as it is ranked higher!!! Can't believe how. There is absolutely no comparison.
Being positive though, it is cheap, the handyman/caretaker was lovely as was the lady who served us at the bar that night. The room does have all utensils etc. and an iron which is good but the telly is a waste of time as the channels are scrambled in the evening, not that that bothered us much as we went out every night but might be a pain if you were staying there a while. We just didn't see the helpful, hospitable side of the lady in charge.