We had the place to ourselves - literally overnight. Lovely old house, beautifully converted and decorated with no expense spared. Very friendly and helpful staff (owner's son?) who advised us on where to eat. Actually his advice was not great; he advised against a local restaurant - one of only two open, which turned out to be excellent.

Bit creepy having the whole place to ourselves but when there are a few guests there (and restaurant open) the atmosphere will be great.

We were lucky enough to have the family room which, quite honestly, is the best room we've ever stayed in, and we do like our hotels to be good. It was spacious with quality fittings. Our children loved having their own space on the mezzanine floor, it was like their own room. The staff were incredibly friendly and put on a wonderful breakfast. We were the only guests in the hotel at the time (out of season) and were trusted with the whole place to ourselves, so we used the lounge to watch our own dvds. The grounds were beautiful, neat, and very Spanish - surrounded by wonderful Bonsai trees. The nearby beaches are stunning. I quite honestly can't rate this place highly enough and would most certainly stay there again ++++++++++++++++

friendly staff and excellent food. A few minutes from the beach and semi-rural setting

Not really rural now - it is surrounded by hundreds of new-build bungalows and holiday homes. In August everywhere - restaurants, beaches, are bursting with tourists - unbelievable!

Loved the ethos of the place and the friendliness and flexibilty of the staff. We liked the values that underpin Casa do Merlo: the honour bar, the can-do approach, the love of good food, the desire to make the stay as nice as possible in a relaxing way.