Meson de Sancho

A great hotel to stay. A relaxed slightly quirky atmosphere with rooms and bungalows available. We stayed in the part of the hotel on the Tarifa to Algeciras road. From the welcoming check-in to the restaurant staff, everyone was friendly and helpful. Great customer service and excellent food in the restaurant, booking recommended as it got busy very quickly with lunch guests. The pool area was a very decent size and with a similar relaxed vibe. A bonus was the offer of using the hotel garage to park our motorcycle.

I’m compelled to write about the wonderful Hotel Mesón de Sancho, half way between Algeciras and Tarifa, Andalucia, Spain. We stayed three nights. We were three people travelling and were received at this blissful roadside hotel, which has been run by the Sancho Family since 1954. Fernando Sancho, the owner, is present every day and welcomed us personally. He is a very gracious host and after some lively chat about our common childhood memories, he offered us a drink courtesy of the house. A delicate and generous touch. Our rooms and bathrooms, en suite, were spacious and immaculately clean. The beds were very comfortable. Our balconies offered panoramic views of the North African coast and lush, green, sub-tropical foliage owing to a small brook running through the property. I used to fish for Terrapins there as a boy. Modestia looked after our rooms efficiently and kindly. The hotel also boasts a beautifully clean and idyllic swimming pool. We were received at reception by Miguel and Rocio, in perfect English. Miguel is the third generation of his family to work at the hotel. His grandfather served my father in the 60’s. I was taught to make caramel by his uncle, at age eight. The restaurant is run efficiently and elegantly by Anya, who offers impeccable service, together with our servers Antonio and Bruno. The kitchen boasts a wide variety off Andalusian specialties, both beautifully presented and absolutely delicious. There are a wide selection of Spanish wines to accompany any chosen dish. I highly recommend the Gambas al Ajillo, Knuckle of Pork, the Tuna steak on a bed of smoked paprika and tomatoes. They cater happily for vegans and vegetarians. There are two desserts that cannot be missed and have been on the menu since they opened in the 50’s: Tarta Imperial (not the Russian recipe):- an almond, flour, butter, sugar and egg classic cold tart. The other is the Tocino del Cielo - a dense and very sweet egg custard in heavy, dark caramel. You need a fork and spoon to eat it. It really is heavenly. We had the most wonderful three nights there, while taking in the local sights in and around the region. This is a stay not to be missed. It is frankly the best hotel in a 100km radius. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did. Sorry we have no photos, since it just isn’t our thing to take pics of our food and bedrooms. All the same, this hotel is an absolute gem.

A nice and very clean hotel. We were very charmed by the cleanliness of the whole hotel; by the friendly personnel whatever function they had; by the well prepared food (breakfast, lunch and dinner). Everybody seemed to like our little dog, and if we asked something for her they ran to take care of her needs. Therefor we came back in June for our 33th anniversary and it seemed like everybody was even more kind and friendly The fact that we came back says a lot about this place. I don’t know when but for sure we will come back.

Lovely, family owed hotel just outside Tarifa. Beautiful room, light, airy and spotlessly clean. Had a balcony with stunning views over countryside. Huge bathroom, air-con, small fridge and everything I could need for a short break visiting family. The pool area is secluded and peaceful and I noticed a small gym room with gym equipment and weights - but I didn't feel the need to try it out! The restaurant is a beautiful room and we had a very reasonably priced, delicious evening meal with very friendly and helpful waitress. It was disappointing that the restaurant wasn't busier - it certainly deserves to be but perhaps it was the time of year or a well kept secret. The hotel felt very safe as a solo female traveller and has an air of calm and relaxation. This will definitely be my first choice when I visit family again - hopefully soon.

Meson de Sancho has quite an unimpressive exterior and you could be forgiven for driving by. However the interior is nicely decorated although the front lobby feels more like walking into a women’s dress shop than a hotel. We stayed here as part of the Plymouth-Dakar Rally. The rooms are spacious with excellent beds and we had a balcony. The outside pool in January was out of use. The staff were very friendly and the food was very reasonable. It is well situated for visiting Tariffa or Gibraltar as well as a convenient stopover for catching the ferries from Algeciras which is 15 minutes down the road.

All very clean and very nice people. The place has so much to offer. The place really had us surprised. Great facilities. Very calm and relax. A place to disconnect and to be away from everything. Great views , a feel like home experience