A place to remember for the wrong reasons! A lesson learned... don't always trust your guide! This is the sole reason I decided to add a profile to the Been there travel site.

Where to start? Imagine, it's the final night of your holiday and you have an early flight the following morning...

What you want is preferably quiet accommodation with easy access to your chosen airport transport (in this case the shuttle bus). Something simple and clean is fine as it's only an overnighter.

We booked on the phone the night before from Cordoba based on the above needs following the review in the usually trustworthy TimeOut guide.
True, as most of these things are indeed facts, but in my mind this place should never have been recommended.

This is what they wrote...
"A friendly hostel with cheap, cheerful rooms. The best is number 15, with windows giving fine views over the port. There's also a communal balcony."

It should read...

"A friendly-ish hostel (on the 4th floor of an office block, with nighttime skinhead bouncer for the night shift who locks everyone in the hotel over night... eek), very cheap, cheerless rooms with paper-thin walls. The worst would be number 15, with windows giving fine views over the noisy/busy road. There's also a communal balcony (and lounge which stinks of fag smoke)."

What you get...
Communal toilets (communal showers if you're on a stupidly tight budget and really can't afford one in your room) - all complete with 80s plastic concertina doors. Super thin walls - chatty neighbours optional. McDonalds - on the corner full of local teens until the early hours with obligatory noisy Vespa.

Don't waste your cash... it should be turned into a museum; it's exactly what I imagine early 90s Malaga was like (which is perhaps when the review was written).

Frustratingly it's probably always fully booked in high season due to the volume of holidaymakers in the city, and therefore will never clean up its act.

Hostal Derby - "Don't forget your ear plugs, nose plugs..."

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This is a really well-equipped and comfortable group of apartments to rent, close to the lovely mountain village of Alora, less than an hour from Malaga airport.

Sangria and home grown melon on arrival get you ready for those mountain views. Lovely, really comfortable apartments with shared pool.

The countryside around is stunning. Drive over to Antequera or see the gorge at El Chorro.

www.lafincablanca.com
tel 0844 734 4454
or 00 34 952 496 683

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A smart, centrally located hotel within the budget of most travellers. Situated opposite Malaga's bustling fish, fruit and veg market, the Atarazanas is in the heart of the city, walking distance to the Picasso museum, the Alcazaba and Malaga's many fine tapas bars. The hotel has been recently refurbished, with a bar, good restaurant and clean, modern, en-suite rooms. I went in October 2005 and a double room cost £34, via an online hotel discount company.

Calle Atarazanas 19, Malaga 29004, Spain;
tel: +34 952 12 19 10;
fax +34 952 12 19 11;
email: atarazanas@balboahoteles.com;
The hotel is opposite the main Mercado, just five minutes walk from Malaga train station (not the RENFE).

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This hotel in Malaga city centre is a great place to stay. It has a pool on the roof with fantastic views and a lovely breeze. I would definitely recommend it.

www.achotelmalagapalacio.com/

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