Spain Trip Reports

Have Baby Will Travel’s trip reports for Spain are organized alphabetically by city or region within the country. Simply scroll down to read them all. Each trip report has been provided to Have Baby Will Travel in hopes of giving other parents a clearer picture of what to expect when traveling to Spain with a baby or toddler.

(24 reports)

Alicante
ALICANTE: HOTEL CASTILLA ALICANTE
March 2007
Diane & Family

Great location, about 200m from the beautiful San Juan beach, a few yards to bus stops for getting into Alicante and within 2 mins’ walk of several small local restaurants and shops.

We stayed with a toddler and a baby and the hotel staff were all friendly and helpful over everything from broken glass on the floor (the toddler…..) to teaching a few useful words in Spanish. Rooms were extremely clean, spacious, had sturdy furnishings (perhaps not the latest fashion but in excellent order, no scratches, missing screws or stains here) and were cleaned daily while we were at breakfast. The marble/granite floors and low railings on the balcony were not ideal for young children but I imagine most hotels round here would be similar and we had extra blankets to put on the floor as playmats.

Buffet breakfast was plentiful – usual style with cereals, breads, cakes & biscuits, yoghurts, fruits, ham/cheese, a few hot items and juices/teas/coffee.

Didn’t try the pool as we visited in March but it looked to be a decent size and clean.

The hotel has a bar/cafe which was good and outdoor terrace and small playground area.

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Barcelona
BARCELONA: H10 CATALUNYA PLAZA
May 2007
Sinead & Family

The location of the hotel is excellent. It’s right in the centre and in a pleasant area. It is close to all public transport: buses, trains, metros, tourist buses, and airport bus.

The reception staff was extremely helpful and friendly and answered any questions we had. They also spoke excellent English.

ACCOMMODATION: We had a double room with a sofa bed. A cot with proper baby bed linen was provided for our baby, who was free. The room was a comfortable size and had a good sized balcony/terrace which was a godsend with the baby. At least 4of the 6 rooms on the first floor (Floor P) had access to a similar terrace.

MEALS: Breakfast was included and had a vast choice: yoghurts, pastries, cakes, cereals, cold meats, salads, savoury baguettes, fruit, cooked meats and scrambled eggs.

FACILITIES: The lounge on floor P had internet access and refreshments available for guests all day long; bottled water, tea, coffee sandwiches, pastries and some cava in the evening. I thought it was excellent value for the location and facilities. Our room was a couple of steps away from the lounge (as are all rooms on floor P). We could actually see our bedroom door. This meant that we could watch some TV, read or have a drink in the evening when our daughter had gone to bed and be safely close to her in our room.

TRAVELING IN BARCELONA w/ BABY: Spanish people love children and every where we went with our daughter, she was made a fuss of. Staff in restaurants, museums, galleries etc all made an effort to play with and talk to her. I was astounded. I had heard this before traveling but was not sure what to expect. Their love of children is very overt and makes you feel comfortable traveling with your child. You do not feel that your child is going to trouble any one. Also it helped to distract and entertain her.

However I did find the opening times of restaurants rigid and difficult to manage with our daughter’s routine. She had breakfast every morning in our hotel (something to suit every one!). However, most restaurants serve lunch between 2 and 4:30 and dinner from 8:30pm. Our daughter usually has her dinner between 12 and 1pm so it was difficult to find somewhere serving food she would eat at that time. Then, because evening meals were served so late, we ended up eating again around 4:30, just to get some supper into her before bed time. That meant that when she was tucked up in bed asleep my husband and I were hungry again. Usually on holidays we would have our evening meal round 6 or 7pm and then return to put our daughter to bed. This wasn’t possible in Barcelona.

You can get tapas in the early evening and while we really enjoyed it there wasn’t much suitable for an infant or small child.

This was the only drawback to an otherwise wonderful city to visit with a baby. To get round this perhaps use babyfood in jars and if your baby will sleep in a buggy while out with you at night you might not have the same problem.

There are excellent baby changing facilities and most visitor attractions are wheelchair/buggy friendly. I found the AA citypack guide brilliant for outlining the level of accessibility of different venues. The highlights for our daughter were the aquarium and the zoo of course.

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Fuerteventura, Canary Islands
FUERTEVENTURA: ATLANTIS PALACE
March 2007
Dave & Family

Went on a family holiday for 11 nights. Hotel was faultless. Reception, bar staff and waiters were exemplary and very friendly. Hotel was spotless and room was very good size.

Took 5 month old baby so room possibly larger due to cot. We had a swimming pool view which I’d highly recommend. Sea-view sounds appealing but minimal building work at front of hotel indicated we’d struck lucky not paying extra for this ‘benefit’. Couldn’t hear it to be fair, though.

Food was wide and varied – only managed lunch on 1 day as breakfast and dinner were so good. Omelette, fry up, various fruit, coffee, etc, was normal routine although wife had chocolate pancakes (not my cup of tea). Evening meal always had chef on hand to carve meat of day & chef on hot-plate had 3 specialities each night. Tuna steaks, steak, kebabs, salmon, sausage are typical examples. Wouldn’t say food was excellent, but very good.

Entertainment was good – nice option of saxophonist in lobby 3 nights a week, and evening entertainment in lower bar was also pretty good, if not occasionally bizarre.

Went out of school holidays, so always sun beds free. Pools were clean and refreshing, although big pool was baltic!! Often in pool with nobody else there….seems to be older generation so more sun-bathing going on!!

Cannot fault this hotel whatsoever – spacious, spotless, excellent staff, good food, good location. Will go back….

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ANTIGUA, FUERTEVENTURA: ELBA CARLOTA HOTEL
October 2007
Paul & Family

My family (two Adults, two 15yr olds and a 2Yr old) have just got back from 14 days at the Elba Carlota and can highly recommend it. Everything was great. The rooms were fine, with either a Queen sized bed or two single beds. They were cleaned every day, with sheets and towels replaces as required.

The food was fantastic. We never experienced any delays in getting in the Restaurant, and the selection of the buffet food should leave noone with any excuse not to find anything to suit them. For example, the evening buffet meal would include: a large selection of salads generally with several cooked meat and often smoked salmon or prawns. There would also usually be two fish dishes and two meat dishes (steak, chicken, pork) all cooked to order and often a carved joint of meat (Lamb, Chicken, Veal, or Ham). Add to this pizzas and a selection of pastas and assorted sauces. For the kids there was fish/chicken nuggets, chips, etc. This was all accompanied by a selection of bread rolls and fresh fruit (oranges, apples, kiwi, bananas, pineapples…..)To finish off there was an equally exhaustive selection of deserts.

We were all-inclusive and found the selection of drinks to be fine. The beer was ok although not too strong and the wine drinkable. During the day you can either get drinks or ice cream from the Pool side bar, or if you just want beers/soft drinks/slush, you can serve yourself from the small bar/ seating area outside the main restaurant(also poolside).

There are two large pools, a children’s pool and a Jacuzzi. All of them were fine, although most people stayed in the heated one. We never had any problems getting a sunbed no matter what time we went to the pool.

The staff were very friendly and always made a fuss of the children.

Trying to be constructive, there were a few point that could be improved: the vegetables at the meal times were not always very hot, although always warm. No WIFI, or Internet access at all although it was quoted on most of the websites. No baby changing facilities in the public area toilets. The evening entertainment started too late (10:00) for small children, although they did often screen a Disney film at 8:45.

Overall I would not have any hesitation of recommending this hotel to anyone.

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FUERTEVENTURA: LAS MARISMAS DE CORRALEJO
April 2007
Suile & Family

We – my husband, baby daughter and I – stayed in Las Marismas for one week.. We were heartened by the reviews we’d read, and looked forward to a nice, relaxing week.

Our apartment was lovely, clean, and very spacious. There was a good choice of pools – a children’s one, a salt water one (too cold!) and a heated one. We never had any difficulty getting a spot by the pool.

Dealing with staff at reception was problematic at times. While some receptionists were helpful, there were several occasions when others stood chatting to one another rather than attend to me.

Checking in was extremely slow, and when I double-checked that the cot we ordered would be in our room, I was told that it was broken, and that we would have to do without until the following day. I insisted that other hotels be contacted, if necessary, to acquire one. A cot arrived two hours later.

Baby-related equipment e.g. highchairs could be hired via reception, as could the use of a safety deposit box. This was great, but would have been even better had it been possible to book them in advance.

We felt that the apartments were a bit further out of town than we expected – certainly a good half hour walk (pushing a buggy) from the old town, where the nicer restaurants were. The new town was a bit tacky.

We didn’t find the food in Corralejo, including lunch at the convenient poolside restaurant, particularly good. What was particularly memorable, however, was the welcome our little girl was given everywhere we went. Highchairs were produced even before we asked, copious spoons were supplied for her to play with, a waiter asked permission to hold her…Restaurant staff were extremely pleasant.

Is it worth a visit? If you’re looking for a relaxing week lounging by the pool, or have young children, yes.

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Lanzarote, Canary Islands
LANZAROTE, CANARY ISLANDS: CLUB GREEN OASIS LOMA VERDE
March 2006
Claire & Family

We stayed at these apartments for 1 week in March 06, with another family, my first impression was that it was a basic complex, staff ok but not over friendly.

Kids loved it as we were right by the main pool, villa was average a door was falling off one of the kitchen units and you have to pay for the tv which goes down rather quickly!!! There is no kettle in the rooms – I think you can hire one, not sure as we were right near a drinks bar so didn’t need to. They are kept very clean and are nice on arrival, clean sheets when asked for and fresh towels every day. Can’t moan about the rooms – didn’t spend much time in them as it was so hot!

The food in the snack bar was horrible avoid it at all costs!!!! However the restaurant had something different every day and it was all edible and most of it was quite nice, there was always loads for everyone! The staff was pleasant when you spoke to them and the kids loved the kids club as they were made to feel very welcome to join in both day and night!

We traveled with a baby 17mths and she was even allowed to join in the kids club whenever she wanted to, the evening entertainment was good fun. The cot for her in the villa was a new travel cot much better than some we have stayed at.

The hotel is in a good location – a short but hilly walk away from a main shopping centre and on a bus route to the beach.

We will probably go back here as it has such a laid back atmosphere and is kept clean – just what you need when traveling with 3 kids under 10!!!

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LANZAROTE: HESPERIA PLAYA DORADA HOTEL
September 2007
Jodie & Family

We (4 adults & 1 child and 1 infant) have just returned from a week at the Hesperia Playa Dorada and had a brilliant time. The hotel is lovely and the staff is very helpful. The rooms (suite for us and twin room for parents) were of a high standard, cleaned and towels changed everyday.

The pools were great and kept really well. The kids loved every minute of it. There were some early risers who put towels on sunbeds but there were plenty so it wasn’t an issue.

There was plenty of entertainment in the evenings, a singer in the main foyer/bar area and a show each night in the showroom. There were activities during the day which you could join in if you wished but never hassled to do so.

We stayed on a Bed and Breakfast basis and the breakfast was good, lots of choice. We had our lunch in the restaurant by the pool most days and again the food was very good. We never ate in the hotel restaurant at night as there is so much choice in Playa Blanca but the restaurant was always full.

The only complaints I have about the hotel was they wouldn’t provide a kettle in the room, we asked several times (we only needed it to heat babies bottles).

Also, there was air conditioning in the rooms but not anywhere else in the hotel so it could get very hot.

Overall, this is a beautiful well-kept hotel, with fabulous views and only a 3-minute walk to the beach. It is 10 minutes either to the Marina or the town of Playa Blanca so location is excellent.

Even though it has grown so much, Playa Blanca still holds its charm and we love it and will be returning again.

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LANZAROTE, CANARY ISLANDS: IBEROSTAR COSTA CALERO
May 2007
Jennifer & Family (baby 1yr)

We brought our 1 yr old daughter with us for one week. The food was excellent and the staff was very helpful.

Our room was good, clean…maybe a bit tight for three!!! The entire hotel was spotlessly clean. Facilities were brilliant bit the pools were a bit cold.

We would recommend this hotel to anyone. It made it possible to have a relaxing and enjoyable week with our 1yr old. Possibly for the future, the hotel might either provide baby food in the restaurant or make it available in their shop.

Overall, it was most enjoyable!!!!!!

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Grand Canary, Canary Islands
GRAND CANARY: CLUB MONTI ANFI
June 2007
Oran & Family

Just got back from a stay at the Monte Anfi with my wife and toddler. The resort is great but for the right type of person. Björn Lyng, a keen environmentalist, (well thats what his website suggests) has created a haven for those looking for a peaceful, relaxing holiday with children. The apartments themselves are very clean, marble floors and bathroom, fitted kitchen (but ours lacked an oven, in its place was a microwave). Beds were comfortable and the room also had its own Jacuzzi – the veranda had more than ample space which overlooked the toddler pool and play area – ideal for us to see when there were not too many people. The great thing was that for us the cleaners came everyday. Work was being carried out over at Monte Anfi but disturbance was kept at a minimal.

There are some okay restaurants on sit however we did find the quality of the food was far better off site – namely in Maspalamos and in Mogan. Both of these places are nice to visit. I found the Tex Mex okay at Anfi – but like all the other restaurants the meat tasted like it had been cook first and then marinated later. However I did find the food at the Chinese was better and flavoursome.

The Beach at Anfi is great too – made from sand brought over from the Sahara? (as I was told), as the natural sand on the island is a grey/black (volcanic). Anyway Anfi Beach had ample room not busy except Sundays which is a nice change.

The resort is secure with security guards everywhere – you get a magnetic card pass to move between the different areas in the complex. We were told the children are safe to roam around as they wish with all the security, life guards and CCTV – but personally i would be close to the ones we love. The Resort also has an affiliated Nanny/Babysitting service – something I’d would personally vet before accepting and only if my child was 7 and over – call me over protective.

A few issues – I went to Anfi on an RCI exchange week and confirmed two weeks prior that I would get a balcony apartment (1st floor), as I was advised by Anfi Customer service. On arrival we were given a ground floor apartment right opposite the teenagers pool – not great when you’ve got a toddler. Also not good for the toddler and a father who suffers from asthma was that the room had an overwhelming smell of cigarette smoke. On requesting for a change in the room the Manager in reception advised me that “…we all have dreams, but they don’t always come true” – not a good thing to say when the resort logo is “What are your dreams?” – suggesting that they would meet them. I was unsuccessful in changing the room, even after explaining the damaging effects to myself and my child, however after a ladies’ approach from my wife the manager was able to change the room. This behaviour did make us think that the people who work at the complex do feel that they are better than the people who come to stay there. However once you’ve got the apartment you don’t need to deal with them.

The other annoying thing is that there seems to be a rivalry gong on between RCI and ANFI – anfi thinking its bigger then RCI – however ANFI is just an affiliated Resort to the vast number of resorts that RCI have. I say this as on a further request to change the apartment to a balcony apartment resulted in RCI telling us that they do not know if ANFI has any rooms available on there inventory system as ANFI holds all the information – and then on approaching ANFI they told us the opposite. Fortunately our apartment on the ground floor turned out to be private enough.

Finally the resort has a healthy mix of people from all over Europe, although I was told it’s mainly Britain and Sweden (My Lyng being Swedish). The entertainment, especially the mini disco in the plaza, for the kids is brilliant. But there are too many reps showing people around (stick out like a sore thumb with their shirt and ties on in 30’C).

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Madrid
MADRID: HOTEL ALASKA
November 2007
Paul & Family

We really enjoyed our stay here. While it’s not the most modern place, the room was huge by European standards. Juan Carlos, the owner, could not have been more helpful.

My daughter and her infant son joined us for one night and we asked for a crib. He didn’t have one, so he bought one. The rooms were clean and the towels were the best we experienced in Spain.

The location is very central and right in the middle of town. While it can be noisy outside, the double windows were very effective and we didn’t hear any outside noise. The building is old, but the elevator worked fine.

We will definitely stay there again when we return to Madrid.

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MADRID: HOTEL DE LAS LETRAS
Feb. 2007
Bobby & Family (baby 9mos.)

We stayed in a deluxe room for four nights with our nine-month-old baby. The jacuzzi on the balcony seemed to be a bonus. Everything was prepared for our arrival and there were lots of small touches which were thoughtful such as special toiletry packs for the small one.

Breakfast was fine and there was excellent choice . One moan, as is often the case, was that it was difficult extracting any coffee in the morning from the waiter – especially if you like three /four cups in the morning like me!

Room was very clean, tastefully furnished. Lighting is a bit dark but you get used to it and it adds to the fun of staying here. Bar is very lively – could not spend much time here as too much smoke for the baby. We did not use the hotel restaurant but if staying here do use La Gloria de Montera 50m away – excellent value, great atmosphere and good food.

Location – could not be better in Madrid, near to metro, shops, many restaurants and walking distance to most attractions – fantastic. By choosing this hotel it added significantly to our enjoyment of Madrid.

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Majorca, Balearic Islands
ALCUDIA, MAJORCA: HOTETUR CLUB BELLEVUE APARTHOTEL
May 2007
Lesley & Family

We have just arrived back from the Bellevue Aparthotel and had a fabulous week. We (2 adults, 1 infant) were staying in a self catering apartment in Ceres 2. The apartment was spacious, clean and comfortable. It had a separate bedroom, kitchen and bathroom as well as a partitioned second bedroom, dining area and seating area. The only downside was that the lift was out of action at the start of our stay which makes life difficult when you have a buggy.

This was our first holiday away with our 1 1/2 yr old so we were unsure what facilities would be available but the apartment was very well equipped. The partitioned second sleeping area made all the difference as we were able to put the baby down to sleep but still move around the apartment.

There was a bit of noise from adjoining apartments and from the site entertainment but by 11.30pm all was mostly quiet and it never disturbed the baby.

The site itself was large, clean and well maintained. The staff was friendly and helpful. There are lots of attractions on site such as parks, tennis, mini golf, go-karting etc. It’s about a 10 minute walk to the beach with lots of restaurants and shops on site and near to the site.

The pool was a major downside. The kid’s pool was so cold that our child couldn’t catch his breath in it and the large pool was too deep to be able to move about comfortably with him. The shallow end was 1.5m. But we just went to the beach instead.

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CALA D’OR, MAJORCA: MELIA CALA D’OR
May 2007
Toni & Family

We have just returned from a week at the Hotel Melia Cala D’Or – The hotel is magnificent with excellent service and services.

The Junior Suites that myself, sister, nephew (7 months) and parents were each allocated were exactly as requested – quiet, away from lifts, with south facing views. The suites themselves were spacious and lovely with a small kitchen comprising all the amenities needed to put together a snack or dinner if needed – best things were the fridge and microwave to aid with making sure the baby got fed!

The towels were changed at least twice a day and more if needed. We were given our own beach towels which were changed daily. The staff even went out their way to purchase a bath mat for us to stop the baby slipping in the bath.

We got a nice surprise on the first night when returning to the rooms as the bed had been turned down, a chocolate left on the pillow and the weather information for the following day left as well – this happened every evening.

The breakfast buffet is out of this world and the set dinner menu (loads of choice) was exquisite – being a fussy eater I always managed to find something delightful to eat

The swimming pools and children’s pool area were always clean and well maintained.

All the staff – from the meeting at reception, waiters and waitresses and cleaning staff – were excellent and always had a smile and a hello for us.

Cala D’Or itself is lovely – not overly commercialised. Yes you have some themed pubs and restaurants – but where doesn’t nowadays?

We all loved our stay and will definitely be returning the Cala D’Or and this hotel.

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Minorca, Balearic Islands
MINORCA, BALEARIC ISLANDS: HOTEL AUDAX
May 2007
Rachel & Family

We stayed at the Hotel Audax in May with my baby daughter. It was our first trip away so we wanted somewhere with a short plane ride. I was pleasantly surprised by how beautiful the island is, and in particular Cala Galdana where the hotel is. We had a fabulous room with a sea view balcony – and the view could have been the Caribbean, with the turquoise water and secluded bay.

The food at the hotel was of an excellent standard and the service we received was really good – everyone was very accommodating of our baby too, there were good quality highchairs available and the provided travel cot was also good.

The spa at the Audax was fabulous, I had the best massage ever…. the prices were good – less than at home – and it was a really good addition to the hotel. My husband used the sport facilities and rented a mountain bike – which he really enjoyed.

Overall a very enjoyable stay and I would definitely go again.

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MINORCA: HOTEL PRINCESA PLAYA
September 2007
Jo & Family (baby 6mos)

I booked this holiday about 10 months in advance it cost Ј1149 for 1 week for 2 adults a child and an infant self-catering…. not the cheapest holiday!

The location is great it’s close enough to everything and far enough away.

The food in the hotel is nice – nothing spectacular but it does its job! We found a lovely and reasonable restaurant in Calan Bosch called La Fontana, which was great… and so were the waiters!!!

The entertainment is great especially the Beijing Acrobats, they were a must see, I must say I was a little disappointed with Cosmos I thought they would have made more effort especially with the children, the Cosmos kids club reps were great but if you weren’t outside the kids club hut at 10am they left and for them to entertain your children in the evening they charge between 10 – 15euros which I thought was a bit wrong seen as you book the hotel for the kids clubs then have to pay extra – hey ho – but the animation team were great.

I definitely recommend hiring a car again not through Cosmos – do it at the hotel reception or go to Calan Bosch itself… much cheaper. We went to Cala Macarella, a beautiful beach… my husband especially loved it! Also Cala Gardana is lovely, especially for children.

All of the staff were exceptional, the waiters gave children toys and were all really friendly, it was a great holiday and a beautiful island. We made some great friends while we were there – it was a holiday to remember. It was the first time taking our children abroad (4yrs and 6mths) and I recommend it to anyone.

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MENORCA: LOS DELFINES HOTEL
July 2007
Ali & Family (Baby 6mos)

Travelled to Los Delfines in July 07 and found the hotel very good. The food was well prepared with plenty of choice and the restaurant staff were wonderful and very friendly. They didn’t speak a lot of English as the hotel does mainly cater to Spanish guests but that didn’t bother us, gave us a chance to try out our Spanish.

The rooms were adequate the fridge and small kitchenette were very handy as we travelled with an infant of 6months.

The only downfall to the hotel was the lifts they were very small – we just fitted in with the buggy and my husband would have to take another lift. I don’t know how a disabled guest would manage with a scooter or wheelchair?

Over all we had a great few days. The beach very clean the resort a little run down but plenty of facilities.

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Puerto Rico, Grand Canary, Canary Islands
PUERTO RICO, GRAND CANARY, CANARY ISLANDS: HOTEL GLORIA PALACE AMADORES
November 2006
Antti & Family (baby 4.5 mos)

This is the place to go with little kids if you want relaxation around the pool and “not to see too much”!

We travelled to Gloria Palace with out 4.5 month old daughter. Our goal was to relax in the sun for a one week and not to do anything.

Gloria Palace was great for this experience! We had been placed on the reception level on a large room (normal standard at Amadores!) and room was equipped with a baby bed etc. It was great for them to have this considered.

Our trip included all inclusive package which also was great for our purposes. No half eaten dishes in a far away restaurant left behind… Food on buffet & lunch was ok (You always good find something good), wine included in ~ drinkable, bar fine with all the cocktails.

We didn’t spend almost any money on our one week stay!

We laid in the pool area for a week, walked around close areas, enjoyed the weather.

Experience was good and I can dearly recommend the hotel with family travellers!

If you are a couple to escape in quiet place, this is not the place to go!

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Salou
SALOU: BELVEDERE HOTEL
July 2007
Bree & Family (baby 2yrs)

My husband, myself and 2 year old daughter stayed here July 2007 for one week. Overall not bad for a three star but we did have a few problems.

There are not NEARLY enough parasols beside the pool – approx. 7 for a 300 bedroom hotel??!! We had to set our alarm at 6am to get sun beds with a parasol as our daughter is very blonde and has very fair skin. Not something you should have to battle over we thought.

The other gripe we had was with the size of the bedroom – we got a corner room which was supposed to sleep 4. Not big enough for 2 adults let alone a toddler and all the accessories they need like buggy etc. We requested another room but there were none available.

Now the good points! The food is lovely and lots of it. They catered for every taste at mealtimes from fish dishes to plain old pizza and chips. The room was immaculately clean and towels are changed every day if you need them.

Perhaps the best thing about the Belvedere is the location – about 10 minutes walk from the main shopping street and Port Aventura so still plenty to do but lovely and quiet at night.

Would we return to Salou? Yes, but not to the Belvedere.

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SALOU: H10 EUROPA PARK
November 2006
Susan & Family

This is the 6th time in this hotel and I have to write a review!

We’ve stayed here since our daughter was only 6 months old. We’ve always received excellent service starting with the room and ending with all the extras you need when travelling with such a little baby. Milk for her bottle, vegetable without salt and spices – everything free. No one would have taken any money from us! When she had finished with her meals, the waitresses would take her for little walks around the restaurant, so we could enjoy our dinner!!!!

Now she´s 4 years old and one day she felt sick. We were served an excellent soup for her to make her eat a little bit – they brought it in a silver bowl and made a “big thing” out of it, just for her to make her smile and eat a little. The Mini Club is great for the little ones! Every evening, our daughter got a funny painted face!

Food variety is great. No one walks out of the restaurant feeling hungry – whether it’s breakfast, lunch or dinner. They offer freshly made food for every meal – i.e. breakfast: crepes, eggs, and toast made how you like.

The pool area is rather small and there are deck-chairs which people reserve for the whole day and never use – very annoying. If you talk to the lifeguards, they will help you and take the towels away.

Rooms are moderate, but very clean. Fresh towels daily and bed-sheets were changed twice a week.

We´ll be back next year again to enjoy this hotel and it’s excellent and friendly staff – most of them we known for six years!

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Tenerife, Canary Islands
ADEJE, TENERIFE, CANARY ISLANDS: FIESTA HOTEL PARAISO FLORAL
July 2007
Zip & Family

My family has just returned from a one-week, all-inclusive holiday at this hotel and we all really enjoyed ourselves. Our group of 9 included 6 adults (aged 21 to 58), 2 children (3 and 6) and 1 infant.

Food is very good, wide selection, fresh and hot, constantly being topped up. OK, the bacon isn’t English but you’re not in England. There was always lots of choice and if you went hungry, you’d have to be very fussy.

The staff was very friendly, and most spoke enough English, but were very pleased if you made the effort to speak a few words of Spanish.

The location is a bit out of the way, but the local bus stops right outside the hotel – buses are regular and cheap. Los Americas is only 30min away and 1.60 Euros each.

Pool has children’s section and lifeguard on duty all day.

Evening entertainment OK but nightly bingo session gets boring if you’re not interested.

Good mix of nationalities inc. British, French, Belgian, Spanish and German.

Only 2 complaints:

  • No air-conditioning in rooms – ceiling fans only
  • There are long waits at bar during the evening, although they served you as many drinks as you wanted when you eventually got there.

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TENERIFE, CANARY ISLANDS: AGUAMAR APARTMENTS
April 2007
Gem, Lee & Family

I have recently returned from staying at the Aguamar Apartments. We had a lovely week there, the rooms were clean and well equipped. The maids came every day apart from Wednesday, cleaned, replaced towels and made the beds. They were excellent considering we were a family of 4 (including a very messy baby).

This hotel is great for families, it makes a real difference if you are traveling with a baby to have a microwave to warm food and milk. Having a proper bath and shower makes washing a baby a lot easier. There are also a great range of facilities for children and toddlers; there are 2 well equipped play areas and a children’s pool.

The pool area was nice and clean with plently of sunbeds, although we didn’t visit during peak season.

The staff we encountered were very friendly and helpful.

The hotel didn’t have evening entertainment but there are plenty of bars and restaurants close by.

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TENERIFE, CANARY ISLANDS: HOTEL BITACORA
January 2007
Victoria & Family

We stayed at this hotel for 1 week in January 2007 with my 5 month old son, my mum and my grandmother. It suited all of our needs – which was quite an achievement!

The staff were very friendly, the hotel and rooms were meticulously clean, food and drinks were very reasonable, lovely spacious lobby and the entertainment team kept everyone busy throughout the day with petanque, darts, bingo etc…

The location is great for both Las Americas and walking into the market at Los Christianos, and it was only a 20 minute transfer from the airport.

If I was being very picky I would say the only down point was the travel cot that was provided for the baby was slightly shabby and torn in places but we could not fault the hotel otherwise.

Well done to the staff at Bitacora!!

In addition I would say that they do not have tea and coffee making facilities in the room, but you can hire a kettle from reception for a small deposit if you want to be able to boil your own water for bottles etc.

Breakfast and dinner are both buffet style – if you have children I would recommend getting there as early as possible for dinner while it is still quite quiet – the dining room is really big so if your darling kiddies decide to kick off you don’t feel like you are being too much of a nuisance to other diners – it is also easy to nip out of the dining room and wheel them around outside.

There are lifts and ramps around the hotel so it is very buggy (and wheel chair) friendly. And the staff all seem to love babies! My son got so much attention all week – it was lovely!

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TENERIFE, CANARY ISLANDS: OASIS GOLF RESORT
March 2007
Louise & Family (baby 8mos, toddler 2.5 yrs)

We have just returned from this hotel and have had a great time. We travelled with our 8 month old and 2.5 year old.

The hotel is very well presented and our room was kept very clean by the maids. Yes, the resort does have lots of steps, but there are also walkways to all of the rooms. Pushing the baby around the resort became quite a regular daily task for me and there were no points that I could not get to.

The swimming pools were spotless and the areas around them were well maintained and decorative. All the pools were heated and fine for the baby to spend time in. The tiles around the pool can be slippery when wet but we saw no accidents.

We stayed all-inclusive and were very happy with the buffets. With young children, waiting for food to be cooked from a menu is generally a recipe for disaster – with 3 well- stocked buffets a day, this was ideal for us. The food was a little repetitive but again, this suited our needs. We did not go out to eat anywhere else.

The staff was very friendly and happy to help, the only time we needed assistance for a problem, this was dealt with within 5 minutes.

The evening entertainment is not fantastic but generally fun to watch. My 2 year old loved the mini disco in the evening and enjoyed the mini club activities during the day.

The free bus service into town was very prompt and there are plenty of taxis waiting outside to take you into town at night.

All in all we had a fantastic holiday at the Oasis and felt that all our expectations were exceeded.

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TENERIFE, CANARY ISLANDS: MARE VERDE
March 2007
Danielle & Family (baby 8mos.)

We booked a week at the Mare Verde online. The studio apt was privately owned and this being the first time I’d ever booked separate flights and accommodation, I was a little anxious and hoped it would turn out ok.

I travelled with my partner and our 8 month old baby and the Mare Verde complex was perfect for us. There are several pools. The apt we stayed in was right on the poolside.

Unfortunately, the children’s pool was getting refurbished and it being March the larger pools were a little too cold, although we did venture in once!

There is a bar open in the daytime with regular BBQs and for evenings, the family show bar (although we didn’t venture in!) and another bar called Oasis which we found was ok.

Although up a small hill, the complex isn’t too far from the beach and all the local shops and bars are only across the road. All the pavements are being done at the moment and the whole area seems to be having a bit of a revamp.

I would definitely return to this complex in the future and recommend it to families and couples – but not really young groups looking for a rave!

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