Hostal Marissal by Dorobe in Nerja

Women who you contact is really helpful and Lovley. However the rest of it is awful. Lights hanging out of the bathroom ceiling. Stained tiles on floor walls and ceiling. Advertises air con, but just blows out hot air. Doesn’t feel very safe in the rooms. It’s very noisey and the walls are paper thin. Can hear absolutely everything going on in the hotel when trying to relax or sleep. Location is very good though. It says online to check in to the bar between 6 and 11. We arrived at 10:30pm and the two staff working clearly just didn’t want to help us and stared at us like we were aliens and didn’t try help at all. Breakfast options were minimal and weren’t even worth going down to breakfast for. The second night we went to try have dinner downstairs, it said it was open 6-9. We went down at 6 and the staff just looked at us like we were aliens and said no come back at 7. However they were serving food at that time just to the real customers. The bar staff (other than the two lovely women working) were horrible and not welcoming at all, making you feel uncomfortable. Therefore we didn’t end up eating that night there. So the next day we thought we would give it a go, the nice women was there and really helpful however the food was completely bland and tasteless. It advertised as chicken but tasted nothing like chicken. So we were quite disappointed but thought we should give it another try, next night it was just the blokes working who again made us feel uncomfortable and unwelcome. And the food this night was even worse. Completely bland, flavourless and just shouldn’t be served full stop. Just wet plain spaghetti is what it tasted like. I do really feel bad for the women working there because you can see she really does care and does a very good job at making the customers feel welcome. It’s just a shame on all other aspects of our stay. Would not recommend to my worst enemy. Nerja was nice tho

Review of Hostal Marissal by Dorobe at the Balcon. I recently stayed at the Hostal Marissal, and while its central location is definitely a plus, the overall experience was quite basic and would benefit from some significant improvement. Positives: The bed was comfortable and provided a reasonable night’s sleep. The hostal is very centrally located, close to shops, restaurants, and local amenities. The rooms are also serviced every day. Negatives: Upon arrival I had not received the information required to gain access to my room, even though I had completed an online check in, I had been told that this information would be sent to me on the day of my arrival, I'm still waiting but I did get the information over the phone, nobody is ever at reception. Security is a concern: a side door that is supposed to be controlled by a keypad was permanently on the latch, meaning anyone could access the hostal or rooms. The rooms were extremely basic and clearly in need of maintenance, with visible mould on the walls and around the shower area. There were no facilities whatsoever to place shower products — no shelf, hook, or stand. The bathroom stank of stale dirty sewage, which was also around the room, even a good odour spray done nothing. The walls could do with a fresh coat of paint. The window blind was non-functional and was simply left on the bed. A kettle to make tea or coffee and a small fridge might be an idea. Unlike most accommodation in the area, the safe is not included and must be rented separately. Additionally, a notice on the back of the door states that the hostal accepts no responsibility for valuables left in the room which is concerning, it states that you can leave items with the concierge, of which there is none, this is quite alarming especially when you pay to rent a safe. Additional note for travellers: Guests should be aware that during festival periods, the area can be quite noisy. The hostal is close to the Balcón area, and there is often significant noise from equipment being brought in and taken out during setup and dismantling. This is particularly noticeable around Christmas, when bars and stages are installed, and it is likely to be similar again during Semana Santa. Overall: While the location is excellent, the Marissal is very basic, with ongoing issues around maintenance, security, and amenities. It may suit travellers who simply need a central place to sleep, but those looking for comfort, good facilities, or peace and quiet — especially during festival times — should be aware of these points.