Atenea Port Barcelona Mataró

First of all: we have stayed at this hotel over ten times, so it is obvious that we really like it. The sea side rooms have lovely views over a small boat harbour. The outdoor pool is very nice, as is the outdoor bar/restaurant area. The location in general is superb, near the beach (and to be frank, there is not really any other hotel with a comparable location in Mataro) The parking is reasonably priced and the parking boxes are really large (though there is rather little space when reversing our of them if a car is parked on the other side of the aisle)

The breakfast menu has not changed at all during the ten years that we have visited the hotel, and that meny more or less lacks vegetables. The staff in the breakfast restaurant are friendly and pleasant, but overwhelmed. If arriving at breakfast around 9.30 in high season, it is difficult to find a free table - also because many tables have not been cleared in a timely manner after the breakfast guests left. The rooms are quite nice, but this time we had troubles with both the phone and the safe, and eventually, the key cards. Some savings have also been made - there used to be separate and on the fancy side shampoo, conditioner etc. Now there is just one dispenser for all purposes in the shower.

Staff were lovely, facilities were too. Large rooms, clean, comfortable, most of them overlooking the sea. Food was great, the breakfast had lots of choice and dinner was varied and plentiful, with very friendly waiting. The hotel is rather well located for people who don't want to drive. A short walk away to the train station and you can catch the train to Barcelona or all the other nearby resorts on the coast.

There wasn't much not to like. The nearest beach was some 10 minutes walk away, which was somewhat welcome to burn off some of the calories from the good food in the hotel... The location as such, although good, is not the most glamorous and nor is the walk into the town through a dirty and smelly underground passage (this is to do with the maintenance of town rather than the hotel). All in all, we loved our stay at the hotel.

Everything although the spa was a bit of an anticlimax

Everything except the spa. No sauna!

Would be great if, before checking me in, the room hadn’t been left open for who knows how long and then filled with mosquitoes (dozens of them). Because I was too lazy to deal with them after 20 minutes, I just used (very strong) mosquito repellent for the night, which prevented bites — but the sound during the night was like a mosquito air show. Very poor quality control from the hotel. (P.S. I did not ask for a new room, Moscito Hotel was fully booked)