"Absolutely — I’d keep the honesty, because that’s what makes the review useful, but smooth out some of the repetition and make the criticisms sound balanced rather than overly harsh. I’d also make the autistic-child aspect a little more prominent in a positive way, because that’s genuinely valuable information for other families.
Location
The location was absolutely stellar. We stayed here in August and couldn’t have asked for a more convenient base. The hotel is close to bars, restaurants and shops, and it’s only around a 5–10 minute walk from the beach. The main strip was much closer than we anticipated, and it was also an easy walk to the shops beneath the canopy. There were plenty of restaurants and bars surrounding the hotel, so we had practically everything we needed right on our doorstep. We never had any issues accessing everything Salou had to offer.
Atmosphere
Having stayed in numerous hotels, both in Salou and elsewhere, I genuinely can’t say much bad about the overall atmosphere here. It was a lovely balance between being calm and relaxed while still having that typical holiday atmosphere. It was very easy to unwind, both inside and outside the hotel.
We travelled with our daughter, who is autistic and generally struggles quite a lot when we go away. We were therefore slightly apprehensive about how she would cope, but she absolutely thrived here. She was calm, excited and genuinely loved every minute of her holiday. I honestly feel that the atmosphere of the hotel played a big part in helping her feel comfortable and regulated, which meant a great deal to us as parents.
The pool area was, for the most part, fantastic. There was music playing throughout the day, which gave it a fun and entertaining atmosphere, and the hotel mascot regularly came around to interact with both adults and children. Our daughter absolutely loved this and it was lovely to see her so engaged.
The only downside was that the atmosphere around the pool could change depending on the other guests. For most of our stay, everyone was respectful of the rules and considerate of those around them. Unfortunately, towards the end of our holiday, some families arrived and the pool became considerably more chaotic. There were adults diving and jumping into the pool, shouting, using inflatables and pool noodles despite these not being permitted, and generally taking over large sections of the pool.
I completely appreciate that the hotel cannot control the behaviour of its guests, and I don’t expect a swimming pool to be silent or completely peaceful. However, some of the behaviour did become excessive. We witnessed adults pushing children they didn’t know, diving in and grabbing other people’s legs, throwing one another around and jumping into the pool while other families were trying to get through. Unfortunately, the lifeguard didn’t seem to intervene on these occasions. It was particularly frustrating when our daughter was trying to swim and we had to worry about adults behaving unpredictably around her.
This was by no means the experience for the majority of our stay, but it did unfortunately take away from an otherwise excellent pool atmosphere.
Rooms
The rooms were probably the most hit-and-miss aspect of our stay. They weren’t outdated, but they could certainly benefit from being modernised slightly.
We had a double bed and a single bed for our daughter. The beds themselves were incredibly comfortable, and all three of us slept through the night — which is quite rare for our daughter — so that was a huge positive for us. There were also extra blankets and pillows available in the wardrobe.
There was plenty of wardrobe space, with two large drawers, multiple cubbies, two rails and shelves, so we had no problems storing our clothes. The only issue was that there were very few coat hangers available.
Cleanliness varied depending on which cleaner serviced our room. More often than not, the room was cleaned, although there were occasions when it wasn’t. The beds were made, towels were changed daily and toilet roll was replenished when needed. Surfaces were wiped down, although sometimes quite quickly. On a few occasions we returned to find dust still on surfaces or the floor had been swept rather than properly mopped. Some areas, such as the ledge above the bed, toilet and sink, were occasionally missed.
That said, I would stress that this seemed to depend on the individual cleaner, rather than being a consistent problem throughout our stay.
The room itself was spacious enough for three of us. The beds take up a fair amount of the room, but there was still enough space to move around comfortably. There was also a desk in front of the beds, which our daughter absolutely loved using for her crafts. The television was mounted on the wall and had access to streaming services such as Netflix and Disney+, which was another great addition.
The bathroom was spacious and generally clean, with good water pressure. Hand wash, moisturiser, conditioner, shampoo and body wash were all provided, so we didn’t have any issues there.
Overall, despite a few minor issues, we were perfectly happy with the room.
Dining Hall
The dining hall was huge and there was a fantastic variety of food, meaning there really was something for everyone. We were particularly nervous about mealtimes because our daughter can be extremely difficult with food, but she surprised us by eating a full plate without any issues. For us, that alone was a huge success!
The quality of the food was generally excellent and anything running low was replenished regularly. Occasionally some of the food was a little cold, but this wasn’t a constant issue. The dining area itself was clean, as were the plates, glasses and cutlery.
Most of the serving staff were wonderful. Some genuinely went above and beyond, were incredibly polite and made a real effort with our daughter. They would give her lollipops, compliment her and fuss over her whenever they saw her, which she absolutely loved.
There were, unfortunately, one or two members of staff who weren’t quite as welcoming. They wouldn’t acknowledge us when we said hello or good afternoon and would sometimes avoid eye contact. Again, this certainly wasn’t the majority of the staff, but it was noticeable.
Our daughter would occasionally become a little fussy at the table, although never to the point where she was causing a significant disruption. On those occasions, we noticed the same members of staff speaking amongst themselves and gesturing towards our table, which made us feel uncomfortable as parents.
It’s worth stressing that this was limited to one or two individuals. The majority of the dining staff were fantastic and made us feel very welcome.
Staff
The staff were, overall, incredible. The vast majority were kind, friendly, chatty and genuinely eager to help. They were particularly fantastic with children.
A number of staff members made a point of saying hello to our daughter or stopping to have a little chat with her. She is verbal and happily speaks back, so these small interactions meant a lot to her — and to us. It was those little moments that really stood out.
The staff also regularly gave her lollipops, and by the time we were leaving we had somehow accumulated more than 20! 😂
I’ve stayed in plenty of hotels over the years, and the staff here genuinely stand out as some of the best. Other than the odd couple of people we had issues with, everyone was incredibly welcoming and went above and beyond to make our stay enjoyable.
Miscellaneous
One thing worth knowing before you arrive is that the hotel does not accept cash payments directly. You can pay by bank card, or you can use the hotel’s wristband system.
You can put cash onto the wristband at reception, and then simply scan it whenever you want to pay for something, whether that’s at dinner, by the pool or elsewhere in the hotel. The wristband also provides access to your room, so it’s a very convenient system once you get used to it.
Would We Return?
Absolutely.
Despite the few minor issues we experienced, we had a fantastic holiday and would happily return. In fact, we’re already looking at going back next year — largely because our daughter has requested it!
For us, the biggest positive was seeing our daughter genuinely enjoy herself, feel comfortable and be relaxed throughout the holiday. As parents, that made all of the little imperfections completely worthwhile.
We would definitely stay here again and would happily recommend it, particularly to families looking for a hotel with a great location, plenty of facilities and a friendly atmosphere."
