Hotel Castilla Alicante

The Hotel Castilla Alicante, with its beach-oriented, relaxed ambience, caters mostly to European tourists -- including couples, families, groups of friends, and those going solo -- who tend to book for at least a week, often choosing a meal plan and using the hotel as a base for visiting other Spanish towns. The hotel, a medium-size high-rise surrounded by similar properties, has a facade of brick in variegated colors. Its lobby has a wood reception desk and clusters of upholstered furniture, floor-to-ceiling windows, and beige-toned marble floors. A delicate abstract sculpture hangs near the reception desk, and contemporary prints hang along the walls. The restaurant, with fussy white table cloths and fabric chair covers, feels a bit unstylish. There's also a basic cafe with a flat-screen TV, cream-colored leather seating, wooden tables and chairs, large columns, and a buffet-style serving area. Perhaps the most inviting dining area is the terrace restaurant with a canvas, tent-style roof and slat-wood tables and chairs. But the hub of the hotel is its rooftop pool with a narrow cement-and-brick terrace with blue loungers and water views. 

The Hotel Castilla Alicante is about a two-minute walk to San Juan Beach across the street, and about a three-minute walk to a popular beachfront promenade. It's a 20-minute drive into town, or guests can catch a bus about three minutes away from the hotel. Within a 15-minute drive are the Archaeological Museum of Alicante, the Gravina Museum of Contemporary Art, the Castle of Santa Barbara, the Alicante Marina, and the Cathedral of San Nicolas. Mundomar is about a 40-minute drive. Alicante Airport is a 25-minute drive or about 80 minutes away by train.

The 155 rooms at Hotel Castilla Alicante are spacious with basic furniture that includes polished wood veneer headboards and desks. Striped cotton drapes frame the long windows and (in some) sliding glass doors. Still, rooms are basic, with no artwork and dated, sand-hued bedspreads. Rooms range from Double Rooms to Family Rooms, and connecting rooms are available. All get a lot of light, and several have balconies and at least a partial view of the sea, if only a glimpse between buildings. All rooms include air-conditioning, mini-fridges, and free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs with satellite channels, and safes. As of 2016, the hotel has begun to renovate the bathrooms, which have gray-marble walls, black-tile walls and floors, shower/tub combos with glass shields and rainfall showerheads. Toiletries and hairdryers are provided.

The Hotel Castilla Alicante isn't modest when it comes to packing in amenities. In addition to the beach across the street, there's a rooftop pool with loungers and a bar with a snack shop. A breakfast buffet is included in the room rate, and it comes with eggs, meat, and juice. The hotel also has a Mediterranean restaurant -- it serves lunch and dinner, and meal plans are available. Wi-Fi is free throughout, and computers, fax, and copy machines are available for guests' use. There are four meeting or event spaces with views of the sea -- they can accommodate 50 to 325 people. Bikes and cars can be rented from the front desk. Extra cots are also available for a fee.