Trash heaps in S'Arenal: Hoteliers finally demand relief from Llucmajor

Stench along the coast: Why hoteliers' anger is growing

Last week, early at around 7:30 a.m., along the Paseo of Playa de Palma, you can smell it from afar: damp trash, rummaged by crows. Not pleasant – and for the hoteliers in S'Arenal apparently a permanent state. The Zone's business association, AHPP, has publicly reproached the Llucmajor town hall and is demanding: do something.

What the hoteliers say

According to the association, garbage bags and overflowing containers have been increasing for months. Pedro Marín, chair of AHPP, blames the failure of two garbage trucks and speaks of a health hazard for residents and guests. "It's not just smelly – it affects our business," he has repeatedly stressed, according to industry sources.

In side streets, where many long-term guests and permanent staff live, the waste piles up. A hotel manager who wishes to remain anonymous talks about frustrating calls to the administration and guests who leave early because the odor is intolerable. Small street, big trouble.

More than just collection: lies, money and responsibility

But the criticism is not limited to waste collection. The hoteliers also complain that applications for deckchairs and umbrellas for the public coastal area were not approved in time – a service many guests expect. Moreover, apparently the annual reserve of four million euros for improvement projects was not used, according to the association: "As if everything were all right," they say resignedly.

The AHPP calls on the municipality for three things that, in their view, belong together: cleanliness, safety and infrastructure. If one is missing, service and image suffer. Especially in late summer, when many business travelers and seasonal workers are still on the island, every disruption seems bigger.

What to expect now

The Llucmajor town hall has explained thus far that they are working on solutions and are investigating the breakdowns in vehicle maintenance. Whether that is enough, hoteliers and residents wait and see. For the coming days, many are hoping for immediate emptying of the containers, additional cleaning rounds, and clear timetables – simple measures that would be quickly noticeable on site.

Not an easy topic, but one that lies right at the doorstep. Those who know the promenade understand: small things decide whether guests will return – and whether the neighbors can sleep peacefully.