Casa Rural Marina

“Friendly and adequate, but be prepared for very basic.”

This little hotel is very basic, and while there are things that can't be helped (the no-flush policy) there were several things that are poor due to lack of care on the part of management. If you know you're going to be in El Rocío, plan well ahead of time and book a better hotel! I highly recomme… more

This little hotel is very basic, and while there are things that can't be helped (the no-flush policy) there were several things that are poor due to lack of care on the part of management. If you know you're going to be in El Rocío, plan well ahead of time and book a better hotel! I highly recommend Hotel Palacio Doñana, which we visited while there and found to be very nicely kept with lots of care and charm and friendly keepers. It was pretty much the same price as this hotel, and much, much nicer, with an included breakfast. That said, we didn't know that April was such a busy time in El Rocío so we had few choices by the time of booking. We're glad we went, despite the lodging's quality. The Casa Rural Marina is okay. It's very basic but it is clean. Overall the poor quality seems due to the owners putting their earnings into their private quarters and not any back into the hotel. The shower curtains were moldy and no one comes in to dump garbages or sweep floors during the stay. With a no-flushing-paper policy, this meant that even with only two nights, the bathroom quickly became unbearable. It would help enormously if they'd even provide extra garbage bags and a central container for self-dumping. We never did get the wifi to work, though one person was able to connect down in the communal room for a bit one afternoon. On the upside, the owners were friendly and they live there, so were mostly around, though we did need to notify them ahead of time of our arrival time. The courtyard was cute and there was a communal area downstairs. The location is on the edge of town, but is easily walkable into the bird center or the main plazas. It was quiet while we were there, though this is a party town, so expect noise and be thankful if it's quiet. The second night I was amused to hear a horse downstairs. He sounded like someone in the next room playing in the bathtub, all night long. He was apparently bored and restless, so bring ear plugs. Sand everywhere is just a part of life here. I wished that I’d brought flip flops for the bathroom and room, because the floor was impossible to keep clean. There was a fridge in our room (but not in the other room we had reserved), but we didn't use it. There was only one plug by the beds, and you could use it for the fridge or for your phone. Everyone in town recommended the Cafe El Murciano for breakfast, mostly because it's the only place open for early morning birders. It had only the basic toast options. There was no problem parking on the street by the house. I would not stay here again, but if you're desperate, it will do.

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