Hotel ValleMar in Puerto de la Cruz

The hotel itself is beautiful and the location is excellent, but my experience has been far from what I expect from a 4-star property. I booked through a travel agency (whose job is to inform guests about hotel policies), but at no point was I warned that smoking is practically banned everywhere. For many people, that’s not a small detail, and it should have been communicated clearly during booking. Until yesterday there was a small corner at the pool with ashtrays where guests could enjoy a coffee or a drink. Today even that has been prohibited. Meanwhile, drinks from the restaurant are served in glassware, but the lifeguard suddenly decided to enforce a “plastic-only” rule at the pool. To make matters worse, his behavior was unprofessional and rude – he even raised his voice at me, which is completely unacceptable in a hotel of this category and price range. For the amount charged, I expected consistency in rules, professional and courteous staff, and above all, respect for guests. Right now, smokers are treated like second-class citizens.