Hotel Checkin Catalonia in Calella

Over the last 11 years, I’ve traveled to Spain three times, always staying in 3-star hotels. We arrived as a family of four (2+2).

+Positives:

+Friendly staff and overall cleanliness

+Good location, just a 6-minute walk from the beach

+Beautiful rooftop pool view from the 10th floor

-Negatives:

-Repetitive food with a rather limited selection compared to other hotels

-Dinner water charged at an extra €2.5 per 0.5L bottle, despite having half-board (quite inhumane in such heat)

-On arrival at night, the air conditioning didn’t work. We were given a fan, and it was fixed only after about 15–18 hours. Sleeping in 28–29°C was unbearable

-Four beds pushed together into one, each at a slightly different height (3–5 cm difference)

-Wi-Fi… since they advertise it and provide a password, it should at least work properly without constant disconnections

-In the ground-level area with two small pools, a “no smoking” sign was posted on the wall, yet almost every table had an ashtray and people smoked almost nonstop

-In the afternoons, the rooftop pool was dominated by German teenagers blasting loud music from Bluetooth speakers (also prohibited by the posted rules), and the hotel did nothing about it

-Only two small elevators with long waiting times—if you can, better use the stairs

I don't usually write reviews but now I have to.
We have been to the Catalonia Calella hotel every year since 2009 (except 2020). Friendly staff and great local and international cuisine. In 2024 the hotel changed owners and became the Checkin Catalonia. This year the prices have increased significantly. So we expected improvements and renovations.
Nothing. The director, the main receptionist, the chef and other staff left the hotel. The cuisine is now terrible. I have never seen anything so low cost. The menu included for example bones and pork skin with fat. My 9-year-old daughter, who loved the food at the Catalonia Hotel, now did not want to go to dinner.
Summary: The Hotel Catalonia Calella was a great hotel, where we loved to return (thanks to Ana, Tulio, Mark, Sonia, Monika, Jorge, Monika, José, etc. )
The Hotel Checkin Catalonia is an expensive bad hotel, where we will never return.
Last thing, this is not a complaint about the hotel staff, they are great. This is a complaint against the corporate organization Check in, which ruined a nice hotel.
Jiri