A little while ago, I couldn’t resist Trip.com’s half-price sale on British Airways flights, and after much deliberation I booked myself a business class ticket to Málaga. It was my first time visiting this seaside city in southern Spain. The choice of destination came down to two things: the airfare was relatively reasonable, and there were a couple of chain hotels worth checking out. I ended up splitting my stay – two nights at a Marriott AC property and two at an SLH hotel.
When browsing the internet for tips, I noticed that this AC hotel pops up frequently thanks to its rooftop bar. In reality, the location is excellent: right behind the cathedral, in the heart of Málaga’s bustling city centre, and within walking distance of the beach. The only drawback is that both train stations are some walks away – not too far, but not exactly next door either. One station is for suburban trains to the airport (just tap in with a card, €1.8 fare), while the other handles long-distance services to the rest of Spain.
My stay coincided with the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, and the procession actually began right outside the hotel. The street was absolutely packed with people.
I redeemed points for this stay: a little over 80K points for two nights, using one 40K free night certificate plus a suite night award. Redeeming a suite night award at an AC, a mid-scale brand, may not seem like the best value, but honestly I find both free night certificate and suite night awards tricky to use, so I figured I might as well spend them while I had the chance.
The suite night award cleared to a “Twin Junior Suite”, but I managed to switch to a King via the in-app online chat. The hotel has 15 floors, and my suite was on the 8th.
The layout was classic suite style. Bathroom to the left of the entrance:
Living room to the right:
And the bedroom in the middle:
The living room was spacious, and really, there was no need for the “Junior” label. Décor was fairly plain and exactly what I expected – AC is roughly on par with Courtyard, but tends to lean more business-oriented.
The real highlight was the sea-view balcony off the bedroom.
It wasn’t directly on the waterfront, and Málaga’s city beaches are nothing spectacular, but it was still a pleasant touch.
On the living room table sat a large green box. At first I thought it was a board game or something, but then I noticed a welcome card beside it. Inside was a custom-made hotel cake, a generous block of pastry with a chocolate coating.
The flavour was decent, though far too large for me to get through more than a few bites. Not a luxurious amenity, but certainly thoughtful.
The minibar was reasonably priced, with drinks at €2 – 3. That said, a Carrefour supermarket is just around the corner, where I bought a two-litre bottle of water for just €0.44.
Most of the public areas are on the 15th floor. There’s a small pool, more decorative than functional, but definitely Instagram-worthy.
The views from up there are fantastic since there aren’t many taller buildings in Málaga, and in the evening the space transforms into a bar.
AC as a brand doesn’t provide complimentary breakfast, but each guest receives a $10 daily F&B credit. Breakfast itself is over €20 and not worth it, so I opted for lunch at the poolside restaurant instead.
The main dish was excellent: fresh, springy octopus served on a bed of potato cake and sauerkraut. Add in a glass of Sangria and some bread, and the total came to €32.5.
Not cheap compared with the little local spots nearby, but still reasonable.
Service at the hotel was genuinely impressive. The doorman was attentive and quick to open doors, someone was stationed by the elevators to help with buttons, and both the front desk and restaurant staff were warm and professional.
As for Málaga itself, I have mixed feelings. The city isn’t exactly rich in tourist attractions, and both the sea and beaches are underwhelming. Most visitors use Málaga as a base for exploring nearby towns, or simply check into a resort in the surrounding area to relax. I might come back in winter for a quieter beachside break, but as a standalone destination it didn’t quite win me over.
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