Estrella de Mar Apartments

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This was one of the best holiday’s we have had as a Family. We had been to the Costa Almeria in 1988 when our daughter was just a year old.
We decided as she was leaving school to go to collage how fitting it would be if we went back to this area of Spain as it would probably be the last time that she would holiday with us as a family. When looking at holiday broachers we always try and choose some where with no more than about 100 apartments.
We like to go self catering as we enjoy eating out and meeting new people as well as sampling the different types of food on offer also you are garneted a fridge and kettle. The first thing we noticed about the apartments was how clean they were and well maintained. The staff were helpful and friendly. The bar and food area was ran by a Spanish family who were all very pleasant and friendly.
The food was good and they had a good menu. One of the best things about these apartments and the resort was they still have the Spanish tradition of serving Tapas with a drink. This was great at lunch time when it was getting to hot and you just fancied a coffee or a pint then you could either sit inside or at the poolside bar order a drink and they would bring you Tapas.
Like many people we didn’t feel like eating in the heat and the portion of Tapas you were given was just enough to tide us over until we went out later in the evening to one of the many restaurants.
There were a lot of Spanish staying at the apartments, which was great because at 2.00pm every day they would go for their siesta, which left about 6 British families to enjoy the pool. It was like having your own pool and we could play water games without worrying about jumping on very young children.
Another benefit was the pool didn’t open until 10.00 am each day so there was no scraping of sun loungers at 7.00am as people got the best spot or put their towel on a lounger to make sure that they got one. This was so refreshing and also so relaxing. You could get up, chill out, have breakfast, have a stroll or go to shop and still you would know that when you went down to the pool you would be able to get a lounger no problem and if you couldn’t get one then so what at 2.00pm there would be plenty as the Spanish went off for their siesta.
There are some English bars popping up in the resort which was great for our 17 year old daughter as all the local British teenagers would meet up with the new teenage holiday makers and take them under their wings and show them what to do and what not to do and where all the best places to go are. This was the first time our daughter had been given this much independence abroad and she had the best time and we knew who she was with and where they were going.
There are loads of restaurants to choose from, Indian, Chinese, Italian, Mexican and of cause Spanish. One of the best restaurants was Flamingos, if you ever go here don’t eat all day the amount of food and drinks you are given is unbelievable. You start to think that you will get charged for everything that is being put on your table but ho no you only pay for what you have ordered. So you order a 1-course meal each with a bottle of wine and a couple of drinks which you get charged for. You end up with 3 courses each, aperitif, free drinks and peach schnapps to finish you off. Can you eat it all, no but its great fun trying and the guy who owns it is great. If you miss your Sunday lunch whilst abroad then visit the Southern bar who do excellent English food but you will have to book as the premises are only small.
We enjoyed the apartments so much that we are trying to book them again for 2006 but we are not having much luck as no one seems to have them in their broachers yet.
WORST THING
Dependant on the time of year that you go this area of Spain does have a problem with flies. they drive you nuts. Come the end of June all the polythene is taken off all the greenhouses so the flies have to find somewhere else to go. So that’s what they do but they go into all the towns.
We never had any in the apartments and our doors were open all day and night but they do land on you whilst you lie around the pool which does become annoying. They get worse as everywhere begins to start cooling off, not that it ever gets that cool, at around 06.30pm. If you can avoid eating before 9.00pm or eat indoors where they have air conditioning or sit under the ceiling fans.