Salou/Costa Dorada for summer 2016

[clarer0110]

I am hoping to take my 2 boys to Salou next summer for 10 days, it will be our first holiday abroad, we usually holiday in the UK and I want to go abroad for a change and some sun!! the boys will be 14 and 10 and I have been looking at hotels which are preferably all inclusive or full board...we also want to visit Port Aventura theme park, the water park and Camp Nou/Barcelona, can anyone recommend a hotel? My friend stayed at Euro Salou last summer but the reviews on Trip Advisor are really mixed and she said it was "alright"...obviously I don't want to spend mega bucks, the prices seem to range from £650 upwards

I would like to book asap and would appreciate any feedback, or recommendations! TIA

[wildfire2]

Sorry, can't recommend any budget hotels. We've been twice but stayed in Port Aventura hotels both times. Not cheap, but they include unlimited access to the theme park and front of the line passes. So if your budget could stretch to this I'd highly recommend it.

[Gill]

Hotel Villa Romana is nice but has the usual sunbed hogging issue. It's only a 15 minute walk to PortAventura and Costa Caribe water park and is a 10 minute walk to the beach and the main shopping strip. It's well situated imo. Not right in amongst the busy town and noise but near enough to walk into.

It doesn't do all inclusive but does full board / half board. Food is plentiful and they cater for most dietary requirements. Not sure what kind of cost it might be for next year though.

[clarer0110]

Villa Romana looks nice and seem quite reasonable price wise, did you have a fridge in your room and what are the rooms like? Also, how far is it to the beach and train station? and did you visit Barcelona?

TIA x

[Gill]

Villa Romana looks nice and seem quite reasonable price wise, did you have a fridge in your room and what are the rooms like? Also, how far is it to the beach and train station? and did you visit Barcelona?

TIA x

Yes, free fridge in room, also safe in the wardrobe but you need to pay hire costs for the safe separately at check-in (think it was 21 euros for the week). The room entry card also works the electricity in the room and also the safe once they program it to do so. Best to ask for a free second card to leave in all the time if you want the fridge to stay cold.

Room was very clean as was bathroom. Two double wardrobes/sliding mirror doors. Good standard in bathroom, good size bath, decent shower, toilet and bidet. Tiled throughout and had hairdyer on wall. Beds were hard imo but I believe this is pretty standard everywhere in Spain. Decent tv with some english speaking channnels, balcony clean with patio table and chairs and also airer for drying towels, swimsuits etc. 3 x 2-pin plug sockets in bedroom and one in bathroom. We had read many reviews of other hotels in Spain that had complained of only having one socket in the room so we only took one UK-Spain adapter and we all had to take turns, lol.

Rooms on 4th and 5th floor were quieter, lower floors got more noise from pool etc. They are good at helping accommodate room requests if they can.

We intended going to Barcelona but sadly never made it. It was roughly 50 minutes away by bus I believe.

Beach is very close, easily walked, out the front door, turn right and head straight down, lol. You do need to cross a busy road but it has traffic lights and a proper crossing and isn't an issue. 10 minutes walk, 15 tops.

No idea about train station sorry. Although there was a mini train stop outside the hotel that had regular runs round the town and also to PortAventura etc. When I say train I mean those open air touristy type things.

Happy to answer any more questions if I can help. Trip Advisor also has pretty accurate reviews although I do think some of the 'moany' ones maybe aren't justified.

I'm not sure I'd go back to Salou, (unless it was just specifically for the weather!) I think it's maybe one of those places that once you've been, you've been iyswim? However if we did go back, I would go back to Villa Romana without doubt.