H10 Tenerife Playa

I stayed at the H10 hotel in May as part of a large group attending a wedding. Unfortunately, despite the hotel itself being very nice and in a great location, our overall experience was extremely disappointing, largely because of the attitude and lack of customer service from several members of staff.

The most serious issue involved parking. The hotel specifically recommended a nearby location where guests could park their rental cars for free. We followed that recommendation, only to discover the following morning that our car had been towed because preparations for a concert had begun in that area at midnight. We had received no warning from the hotel that parking restrictions would come into effect that night, despite the fact that this was a location they were actively recommending to guests.

As a result, we had to pay both a towing fee and a fine. When I went to collect the car, several other people were there for exactly the same reason. Both the staff member at the towing facility and the police were understanding and apologetic about the situation.

I then spoke with the hotel manager and explained what had happened. I asked whether she could simply provide an email confirming what she herself told me: that the hotel had not been informed or notified about the event that evening. This would have allowed us to use that information when disputing the fine.

She refused to do so and instead told me that where I chose to park was not the hotel's responsibility. What was particularly concerning was that, during the conversation, she acknowledged that other guests have experienced similar problems in the same parking area.

This is the part I find most difficult to understand. If the hotel is aware that guests are repeatedly having their cars towed or fined after being directed to park there, why does it continue recommending the same location without an appropriate warning? Rather than showing any interest in understanding the issue or preventing it from happening to future guests, the manager was dismissive and unwilling to help.

Her manner throughout the conversation was also extremely disappointing. I was not expecting the hotel to automatically accept financial responsibility; I was simply asking to be heard and for reasonable assistance with a situation that arose directly after following the hotel's advice. Instead, I felt that my concerns were dismissed from the outset. I was particularly surprised to learn that the manager has worked at the hotel for approximately 20 years, given how little interest she appeared to have in listening to guest feedback or finding a constructive solution.

Unfortunately, this was not the only issue we experienced during our stay.

We were travelling with our baby, and the cot provided by the hotel had a mattress that we did not consider safe for her to sleep on. We were sufficiently concerned about the risk posed by the sleeping surface that we ultimately rented another cot from an external company.

My sister had also specifically booked and paid for a sea-view room but was initially given a room that did not appear to have the sea view she had booked. When she raised the issue, she was told that the hotel would look into it. The same manager later maintained over the phone that the room qualified as having a sea view because, if you went onto the balcony, faced outward and then looked to the right, a portion of the sea could be seen. This was certainly not what my sister reasonably understood she was purchasing when booking a "sea-view room."

What makes this experience especially frustrating is that the hotel itself has many positive qualities. The property is attractive, the location is excellent, and this could easily have been a wonderful stay. Instead, repeated issues and, more importantly, the dismissive way in which our concerns were handled left a very negative impression on our entire group.

Customer service is ultimately about how problems are handled when they arise. Unfortunately, on this occasion, we felt that guests' concerns were treated as inconveniences rather than opportunities to help, resolve problems, and improve the experience.

For that reason, what could have been a great vacation became a deeply disappointing one.

Lovely hotel in an excellent position for exploring Puerto. Decor throughout is really nice and modern and our room overlooked the lido so so very pleased. Pool area is lovely and could always find a sun bed whatever time we arrived. We like that it is not really geared towards kids (no inflatables in pool), no kids clubs etc. which was ideal for us. A FEW GRIPES: air conditioner in the room was not very effective and struggled to keep the room cool enough. The hotel offers a Privilege option for a cost, which is absolutely fine. What we did not like was that all other guests can now not use upstairs in the restaurant as this is for Privilege guests only. So we are now unable to have the option to eat outside (which was a real joy for us when visiting previously). Plus it meant that the rest of the restaurant was extremely busy as everyone was packed into a smaller space. To top this most of the time the Privilege section was pretty much empty. Spoils the experience and does not make you feel very appreciated as a guest.