"We had a really lovely stay at the Gran Playa Hotel and would happily return. It's an adults-only hotel with a calm, welcoming atmosphere that's perfect if you're looking to relax rather than party.
The hotel was spotlessly clean throughout, and the landscaped pool area was pretty, tranquil and well maintained. The pool itself is on the smaller side but was wonderfully warm, and we never had any trouble getting a sunbed, no matter what time of day we went down. Pool towels were always readily available, and although the pool closes at 7pm, the surrounding seating area remains a lovely place to unwind.
One feature we really liked was the quirky street food van by the pool, serving tasty lunches such as pizzas, nachos, quesadillas, Caesar salad, croquettes and calamari. Prices were very reasonable at around €12-18, making it an easy option if you don't want to leave the hotel during the day.
We stayed on a bed and breakfast basis, and breakfast had everything you'd expect: a full English selection, pastries, fresh fruit, continental meats and cheeses, cereals and yoghurts. A particularly nice touch was that tea and coffee were ordered from a small bar rather than self-service, meaning there was no queuing or "bun fight" around the coffee machines!
Our room was airy, quietly sophisticated and immaculately clean. The bed was exceptionally comfortable, and we really appreciated that solo travellers aren't penalised with hefty single supplements. The bathroom was perfectly decent, although it had a shower over the bath rather than a walk-in shower. There were a few small signs that parts of the hotel are beginning to show their age, such as a couple of loose bathroom fittings and slightly worn towels, but nothing that detracted from our stay.
Drinks were also reasonably priced, with a medium glass of house wine costing around €4.50 and a large beer the same. The waiters were lovely—special mention to Marlon, who was always cheerful and welcoming. The staff generally were excellent, spoke very good English and couldn't do enough to help...with the exception of one slightly grumpy breakfast waiter! 😜 There's always one!
The hotel is quite small and seemed particularly popular with German guests. A few solo travellers we spoke to mentioned there weren't many other English solo travellers around to socialise with, so that's worth bearing in mind if meeting new people is important to you.
Entertainment was provided outside three evenings a week during our stay, including a Bee Gees tribute and an 80s tribute act. It did finish fairly early, around 10.30pm, although the hotel bar stays open until midnight if you fancy another drink. The overall atmosphere remained peaceful and relaxed throughout.
Location-wise, it's excellent. The beach is literally moments away, with plenty of sunbeds and parasols available (around €12 for two beds and a parasol). The hotel sits at the quieter, more sophisticated end of Can Picafort, with plenty of lovely bars and restaurants within a five-minute walk. If you enjoy a stroll, the beachfront promenade stretches for around 30 minutes with dozens more places to eat and drink along the way. The centre of Can Picafort has a much livelier feel, particularly at weekends, with busy beach bars and DJs attracting a younger crowd.
One thing to note is that there are bars close to the hotel. We only experienced late-night noise once during our stay, and that happened to coincide with World Cup football celebrations, so it felt more like unfortunate timing than a regular occurrence.
Is this the most luxurious hotel we've ever stayed in? No. But those hotels also cost considerably more. Gran Playa offers excellent value for money, delivers exactly what you'd hope from a four-star hotel, and provides a wonderfully relaxing base in a fantastic location. We'd definitely book again."
