Surf & Sand Hotel (Pensacola Beach, USA)

Check in is easy and friendly and staff are, at all times, professional and eager to please. Maintenance problems are quickly sorted and any specific bed linen problems, pillows etc; are addressed without any delay. Don't know how they do it, but staff quickly get to know you and address you by name.

There's a pool here but Casino Beach itself is just across the street. Along with the beach, there are plenty of day and nighttime activities; all just a short walk from the hotel.

Kids, 17 and under stay for free, so the cost of a family break can drop like a stone. Also, there's quite a few things that are free, including that all important car parking.

Things have been allowed to slide and this is really annoying when a simple re-paint job could transform the appearance of a room. Walls and doors are certainly in dire need of a wash down and a lick of paint. Rooms aren't very well thought out either and they've sacrificed wardrobe and hanging space to make way for the microwave and fridge.

That old chestnut, WiFi, is a source of complaints. Quite often it doesn't work at all and the days go by without anyone showing any enthusiasm for fixing it.

The pool area can get very dirty and needs much more attention than it currently gets. Dogs can be heard barking, throughout the day and night. Pillows on the bed are small and uncomfortable and there are tell tale signs of rooms not being thoroughly cleaned following the departure of the previous guests.