El Paso Hotel, Universal Mediterranea, Spain
Hotel Information
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Hotel Description:
The Hotel El Paso is located within the resort of Universal Mediterranea – the only Universal Studios resort in Europe. The hotel is especially designed for families, offering a wide variety of activities and entertainment for children and adults. The hotel has three restaurants with a delicious selection of food. Merida Buffet serves extensive continental breakfast and half board meals. El Coyote Restaurant serves pizzas and hamburgers in movie themed setting. The poolside Club Maya Barbecue has delicious selection of barbecue meals and show cooking. loading...
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El Paso Hotel Reviews
" We had high expectations for this... "
Submitted By: Mrs L Manville
We had high expectations for this holiday and we were not disappointed! Had a brilliant 1 week stay at the El Paso and will be returning next year.
I can't understand why this is the cheapest of the 3 hotels on site as it is situated in an excellent location, 5 mins walk from the park; even quicker if you catch the land train and off the beaten track unlike the Caribe Hotel surrounded by main roads.
Staff spoke excellent English (felt guilty that we as a nation don't speak more languages but I tried to speak the basics ) and were very helpful throughout our stay. The room was basic but cleaned daily with fresh towels provided. The buffet food was excellent with a great range. Try the coconut mousse, it is the business!
Worth doing this package simply for all the perks which alone would have cost £300+. We all got 2 fast track passes to the top 8 rides (which was good as our kids are 7 and 2 and couldn't do the big rides so we went Dragon Khan crazy!!), unlimited theme park entry, 1 day pass to the Caribe Water Park and access to the Beach Club.
Few elements at the Water Park that were a bit of a con. Loungers cost 4 euros to hire but there are deckchairs that are free. Big rubber rings cost 6 euros + 3 euros deposit and double rings cost 9 euros + 3 euros deposit. We were under the impression you needed a ring to do the big slides but this is not the case. Don't leave your rings unattended, they will be stolen though probably returned at some point as you need your receipt to claim your deposit back!
Beach Club is fantastic and the perfect opportunity for our kids to have a day at the beach and then unwind later in the pools. We just waited outside the hotel and sure enough a land train or small coach comes to collect you - simple.
Food and drink in the park is pretty pricey, average snack meal costs 9 euros with ice cream starting at 1.80euro. If you go before 1st Sept, stay to watch the amazing firework and light show in Mediterranea at 11.45pm!
Only gripes were that the kids entertainment started in the hotel at 9.15pm, bit late for little ones and that without wanting to generalise the Spanish tourists were incredibly rude, obviously never heard of queuing!
I can't understand why this is the cheapest of the 3 hotels on site as it is situated in an excellent location, 5 mins walk from the park; even quicker if you catch the land train and off the beaten track unlike the Caribe Hotel surrounded by main roads.
Staff spoke excellent English (felt guilty that we as a nation don't speak more languages but I tried to speak the basics ) and were very helpful throughout our stay. The room was basic but cleaned daily with fresh towels provided. The buffet food was excellent with a great range. Try the coconut mousse, it is the business!
Worth doing this package simply for all the perks which alone would have cost £300+. We all got 2 fast track passes to the top 8 rides (which was good as our kids are 7 and 2 and couldn't do the big rides so we went Dragon Khan crazy!!), unlimited theme park entry, 1 day pass to the Caribe Water Park and access to the Beach Club.
Few elements at the Water Park that were a bit of a con. Loungers cost 4 euros to hire but there are deckchairs that are free. Big rubber rings cost 6 euros + 3 euros deposit and double rings cost 9 euros + 3 euros deposit. We were under the impression you needed a ring to do the big slides but this is not the case. Don't leave your rings unattended, they will be stolen though probably returned at some point as you need your receipt to claim your deposit back!
Beach Club is fantastic and the perfect opportunity for our kids to have a day at the beach and then unwind later in the pools. We just waited outside the hotel and sure enough a land train or small coach comes to collect you - simple.
Food and drink in the park is pretty pricey, average snack meal costs 9 euros with ice cream starting at 1.80euro. If you go before 1st Sept, stay to watch the amazing firework and light show in Mediterranea at 11.45pm!
Only gripes were that the kids entertainment started in the hotel at 9.15pm, bit late for little ones and that without wanting to generalise the Spanish tourists were incredibly rude, obviously never heard of queuing!
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- Date of Holiday:Aug 2008
- Board Basis:Half Board
- Tour Operator:First Choice
" Returned from 1 week holiday. 2... "
Submitted By: Mrs L Stock
Returned from 1 week holiday. 2 adults and 2 children aged 7yrs. Had a fab time. Hotel lovely and our room was great. Double bed and bunk beds and was very clean. Bathroom was airy and quite large and we all had our own free toiletries bag. Pool was lovely and spacious but we had to face the usual - towels put over sun loungers the night before so it was a hit or miss whether you could actually get a sun bed if you went down to the pool after 11 am.
Meals were not too good. Breakfast was not worth the bother as the food was cold by the time you queued and got to your table. Evening dinner was okay but they did put on wonderful salads.
All in all, we would definately go back to PortAventura but fancy trying one of the other hotels within the complex.
Meals were not too good. Breakfast was not worth the bother as the food was cold by the time you queued and got to your table. Evening dinner was okay but they did put on wonderful salads.
All in all, we would definately go back to PortAventura but fancy trying one of the other hotels within the complex.
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- Date of Holiday:Jun 2008
- Board Basis:Half Board
- Tour Operator:Thomson
" We have just returned from a weeks... "
Submitted By: Mrs K R
We have just returned from a weeks holiday on a bed and breakfast basis staying at the El Paso, weather was very hot and overall we did have a very good time.
Hotel and Room
Hotel and Room - Overall the Hotel was very nice, it was clean and the staff very friendly. The room was clean and tidy but as mentioned in quite a few reviews I found the noise level very high. You could hear everything in the next room mainly because of the adjoining doors! We also had people above us and you could hear them walk, talk and go to the loo. The extractor fans in the loos were also very load. There was also a lot of noise in the corridors with talking and doors banging. I had to use ear plugs and could still hear most of the noise. For this reason and this reason only I would not return to this hotel.
Food
We went on a bed and breakfast basis and wish we had gone half board as the food within Port Aventurer in general is expensive. A meal for 2 adults and 2 young children was around 60 euros plus drinks for the evening and around 40 euros for lunch. Total this up over a week and it's a lot. The actual standard of food was good and we soon found it a good idea to fill a bag each day with buns and fruit from the breakfast and save them for lunch or a snack later in the day. We also found that getting to breakfast by 8.30 each morning meant that we avoided the main rush of people.
Entertainment
Didn't really see any as it started very late and our 2 childen of 5 and 6 were in bed. The could do with something early for young children as 9.30 is too late.
The Parks - the theme part itself is great, if you love the big rides there are plenty. There are also plenty of rides for younger children. There are lots of shops (all selling much the same thing) and lots of places to get fast food. Again prices are quite high but this is probably the same as theme parks in the UK.
THE BEST BIT - The Beach Club - this was great, it was an exclusive club set on the side of a cliff overlooking the beach. 7 lovely swimming pools but nothing like your normal water park. This was lovely, quiet, with a spa feel to it. You don't need to take towles they give you lovely large soft towles, there are plenty of sun loungers.
We liked this because I don't think many people knew about it, so it was quiet. There are several infinity pools which made you feel that you could fall over the edge of the cliff, waterfalls, soft music, sand the lot. The best bit was the very last pool, set out like a lagoon with its sandy bottom and beach it didn't feel like a pool. Shady palm trees finished it off. If you wanted to you could take the 2 minute walk down the real beach which was lovely.
The beach club really made our holiday.
Overall we enjoyed our holiday but the noisy rooms really put us off so I would not go there again which is a shame because the whole package was very nice.
If you have already booked your holiday, don't panic, El Paso was very nice but just remember to take ear plugs and visit the beach club!
Hotel and Room
Hotel and Room - Overall the Hotel was very nice, it was clean and the staff very friendly. The room was clean and tidy but as mentioned in quite a few reviews I found the noise level very high. You could hear everything in the next room mainly because of the adjoining doors! We also had people above us and you could hear them walk, talk and go to the loo. The extractor fans in the loos were also very load. There was also a lot of noise in the corridors with talking and doors banging. I had to use ear plugs and could still hear most of the noise. For this reason and this reason only I would not return to this hotel.
Food
We went on a bed and breakfast basis and wish we had gone half board as the food within Port Aventurer in general is expensive. A meal for 2 adults and 2 young children was around 60 euros plus drinks for the evening and around 40 euros for lunch. Total this up over a week and it's a lot. The actual standard of food was good and we soon found it a good idea to fill a bag each day with buns and fruit from the breakfast and save them for lunch or a snack later in the day. We also found that getting to breakfast by 8.30 each morning meant that we avoided the main rush of people.
Entertainment
Didn't really see any as it started very late and our 2 childen of 5 and 6 were in bed. The could do with something early for young children as 9.30 is too late.
The Parks - the theme part itself is great, if you love the big rides there are plenty. There are also plenty of rides for younger children. There are lots of shops (all selling much the same thing) and lots of places to get fast food. Again prices are quite high but this is probably the same as theme parks in the UK.
THE BEST BIT - The Beach Club - this was great, it was an exclusive club set on the side of a cliff overlooking the beach. 7 lovely swimming pools but nothing like your normal water park. This was lovely, quiet, with a spa feel to it. You don't need to take towles they give you lovely large soft towles, there are plenty of sun loungers.
We liked this because I don't think many people knew about it, so it was quiet. There are several infinity pools which made you feel that you could fall over the edge of the cliff, waterfalls, soft music, sand the lot. The best bit was the very last pool, set out like a lagoon with its sandy bottom and beach it didn't feel like a pool. Shady palm trees finished it off. If you wanted to you could take the 2 minute walk down the real beach which was lovely.
The beach club really made our holiday.
Overall we enjoyed our holiday but the noisy rooms really put us off so I would not go there again which is a shame because the whole package was very nice.
If you have already booked your holiday, don't panic, El Paso was very nice but just remember to take ear plugs and visit the beach club!
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- Date of Holiday:Jun 2008
- Board Basis:Bed & Breakfast
- Tour Operator:Thomson
" I think we must have gone to a... "
Submitted By: Mrs A Whitham
I think we must have gone to a different hotel from some of the other reviewers because we had a lovely time! The room was huge with a double bed and a bunk bed. Complimentary bathroom pack for our children ( ages 7 & 5). Rooms cleaned every day & polite staff. We thought before we arrived that the guests staying in the El Paso wouldn't be able to use the beach club, but we could and it was fantastic! The buffet was excellent and had a good selection, especially with fussy children who only wanted the desserts.
In reply to the reviewer who complained about the rain, what do you expect in May, it's not Lanzarote!
Because of the poor exchange rate, we were really glad to go half board as we didn't spend much money while we were there apart from toys and gifts.
The only disappointment was that the water jets weren't working on the Pirate Galleon and apparently won't be for the rest of the season.
All in all though, a brilliant holiday and would definately go back.
In reply to the reviewer who complained about the rain, what do you expect in May, it's not Lanzarote!
Because of the poor exchange rate, we were really glad to go half board as we didn't spend much money while we were there apart from toys and gifts.
The only disappointment was that the water jets weren't working on the Pirate Galleon and apparently won't be for the rest of the season.
All in all though, a brilliant holiday and would definately go back.
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- Date of Holiday:Jun 2008
- Board Basis:Half Board
- Tour Operator:Thomas Cook
" I thoroughly enjoyed staying at Hotel... "
Submitted By: Miss CGL Strickson
I thoroughly enjoyed staying at Hotel El Paso, The hotel itself is very attractive with very nice staff. The theme park is only a 5 minute walk away which was great as we could take a short walk to watch the fireworks and have a day out on the rides. The water park is right next to the theme park. At night there is entertainment for the children, and afterwards entertainment for all. I, myself would definately go back to hotel el paso. Take money though, can be rather expensive in some areas. But, I would recommend this hotel to all.
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- Date of Holiday:Jun 2008
- Board Basis:Half Board
- Tour Operator:Thomas Cook
" My family has just arrived back from... "
Submitted By: Mr N Rhind
My family has just arrived back from a great week at the El Paso Hotel. Everything here is catered to having a great time. The were many negative reports about this Hotel, and all I can say is most of these were unfounded. The buffet breakfast and dinners were very good. Typical queues to enter the buffet area however this is usual if you opt for this type of holiday. There was a wide variety of food from hot to cold dishes and I would be surprised if you didn't find something to eat. There is another option in which you can book a choice of restaurants owned by the group, we spent two evenings using this facility at the El Coyote (Mexican) and the Pizzeria at the Caribe Hotel, all you had to do was organise this through reception on the morning you wanted to dine.
On arrival you receive your key pass which is also used for access to the park, other hotels, the water park and the beach club. The beach club is a must to see, the views are spectacular and the pools (7) are all great - try the beach pool - a different experience. We explored the other two hotels belonging to the group i.e Portaventura Hotel and Caribe Hotel - I liked our hotel best. Location of hotel is around 10 mins taxi ride to Salou (7.5 euros - one way) or we used the shuttle trains or minibuses to and from the park and the hotel group. You can also walk straight to park - takes less than 10 mins.
The reception staff spoke perfect english and were very helpful indeed. The entertainment reps were a great hit with the kids. As I said everything is there for you to enjoy yourself. The pools have around 5/6 lifeguards at anyone time. The cleanliness of the rooms is great, the only comment is the furiture is old wood so can lead to a musky smell in room at times.
There is just one thing that lets the hotel down and that's the soundproofing within the rooms. Most rooms have an adjoining door this adds to the noise levels. We read previously to take ear plugs and boy did they come in handy. You expect noise in corridors, and from entertainment, not from within the rooms. The floors are tiled which again I felt did not help. We managed to catch up with our sleep, most days at the pool, but overall we all had a good holiday experience. Would I go back with my family - of course.
On arrival you receive your key pass which is also used for access to the park, other hotels, the water park and the beach club. The beach club is a must to see, the views are spectacular and the pools (7) are all great - try the beach pool - a different experience. We explored the other two hotels belonging to the group i.e Portaventura Hotel and Caribe Hotel - I liked our hotel best. Location of hotel is around 10 mins taxi ride to Salou (7.5 euros - one way) or we used the shuttle trains or minibuses to and from the park and the hotel group. You can also walk straight to park - takes less than 10 mins.
The reception staff spoke perfect english and were very helpful indeed. The entertainment reps were a great hit with the kids. As I said everything is there for you to enjoy yourself. The pools have around 5/6 lifeguards at anyone time. The cleanliness of the rooms is great, the only comment is the furiture is old wood so can lead to a musky smell in room at times.
There is just one thing that lets the hotel down and that's the soundproofing within the rooms. Most rooms have an adjoining door this adds to the noise levels. We read previously to take ear plugs and boy did they come in handy. You expect noise in corridors, and from entertainment, not from within the rooms. The floors are tiled which again I felt did not help. We managed to catch up with our sleep, most days at the pool, but overall we all had a good holiday experience. Would I go back with my family - of course.
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- Date of Holiday:Jun 2008
- Board Basis:Half Board
- Tour Operator:MyTravel
" i travelled with my husband and 2... "
Submitted By: Mrs L Sullivan
i travelled with my husband and 2 children aged 8 years and 1 year.
we had a fab time in a lovely hotel, i was quite worried after reading the reviews on here and wasnt really looking forward to the holiday, but i was wrong.
the hotel was lovely the staff all spoke english and were extremely welcoming and helpfull the room was lovely very clean and the food was lovely.
yes we did have to que for a table to eat but this was because a waiter sat you down at a table and took your drinks order rather than scrabbling for a table and being frightened to go to the buffet incase someone stole your table. The longest we had to wait was 5 mins but more often we would have been seated within 2/3 mins.
one word of advice dont bother paying for a meal in the other restaurant as the food was not worth the price and we had better lunches in salou.
one other complaint i would have is that the food was very british i would liked to have seen more authentic spanish food but prehaps im in the minority. the theme park was fab my son loved every ride and being able to go most evenings ment we could do the rides without the ques. if you are going to eat in salou there is a fab chinese buffet called wok it was so nice i could have ate there every day but would have been 20 stone if i had .
be aware if travelling with a small child there is no fridge or kettle and the water from the vending machines was 2 euros for 500ml small bottle in salou for 70 c you can get 5 litres,
would deffo come back and really enjoyed
we had a fab time in a lovely hotel, i was quite worried after reading the reviews on here and wasnt really looking forward to the holiday, but i was wrong.
the hotel was lovely the staff all spoke english and were extremely welcoming and helpfull the room was lovely very clean and the food was lovely.
yes we did have to que for a table to eat but this was because a waiter sat you down at a table and took your drinks order rather than scrabbling for a table and being frightened to go to the buffet incase someone stole your table. The longest we had to wait was 5 mins but more often we would have been seated within 2/3 mins.
one word of advice dont bother paying for a meal in the other restaurant as the food was not worth the price and we had better lunches in salou.
one other complaint i would have is that the food was very british i would liked to have seen more authentic spanish food but prehaps im in the minority. the theme park was fab my son loved every ride and being able to go most evenings ment we could do the rides without the ques. if you are going to eat in salou there is a fab chinese buffet called wok it was so nice i could have ate there every day but would have been 20 stone if i had .
be aware if travelling with a small child there is no fridge or kettle and the water from the vending machines was 2 euros for 500ml small bottle in salou for 70 c you can get 5 litres,
would deffo come back and really enjoyed
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- Date of Holiday:May 2008
- Board Basis:Half Board
- Tour Operator:Airtours
" I was really looking forward to... "
Submitted By: Mrs S Birch
I was really looking forward to staying at this hotel but we were sorely disappointed.
We arrived at 11pm - there was no bed for our 4 year old son in the room, the phone to call reception didn't work so we had to go down and arrange for the bed. That took 20 mins - no apology!
There was no balcony - just a small ish window. The room was clean but basically appointed.
The food was awful - breakfast was like a scrum, queuing up in massive dining halls. The food in the El Coyote restaurant was almost unedible - in fact the lady on the table next to us was served raw chicken! It rained for 3 days so the pool bar serving hot snacks was closed and there was no where to get food. The bar was tiny - seating for only approx 35 people - this was full one day with a conference - only 1 person serving behind the bar. No entertainment on the rainy days. The kids disco in the evening started at 9.15 and magic show at 10pm!! My 4 year old was in bed 4 9pm so missed it all.
Hotel staff don't smile and are unhelpful.
The rep was very poor, couldn't recommend a good local restaurant and took a call from his dad whilst talking to me! Transport from airport was poor - took over 1hr 30 mins for a 10 min journey. On the day we were leaving we were advised to be at reception for 7pm for the coach - by 7.45 it hadn't arrived, i went to see the rep who said if it was there by 8 come and see him - at 7.50 I saw him leave the hotel on his way home!
Port Avenutura Park is great but the whole package was dreadful. Salou is a dump! There is a massive chemical plant omitting methane gas in to the air just 2 kms away - the chimneys are burning all day - we drove through here to to Tarragon (which is a dump) and it took about 15 mins on a bus to pass through the industrial area!
We arrived at 11pm - there was no bed for our 4 year old son in the room, the phone to call reception didn't work so we had to go down and arrange for the bed. That took 20 mins - no apology!
There was no balcony - just a small ish window. The room was clean but basically appointed.
The food was awful - breakfast was like a scrum, queuing up in massive dining halls. The food in the El Coyote restaurant was almost unedible - in fact the lady on the table next to us was served raw chicken! It rained for 3 days so the pool bar serving hot snacks was closed and there was no where to get food. The bar was tiny - seating for only approx 35 people - this was full one day with a conference - only 1 person serving behind the bar. No entertainment on the rainy days. The kids disco in the evening started at 9.15 and magic show at 10pm!! My 4 year old was in bed 4 9pm so missed it all.
Hotel staff don't smile and are unhelpful.
The rep was very poor, couldn't recommend a good local restaurant and took a call from his dad whilst talking to me! Transport from airport was poor - took over 1hr 30 mins for a 10 min journey. On the day we were leaving we were advised to be at reception for 7pm for the coach - by 7.45 it hadn't arrived, i went to see the rep who said if it was there by 8 come and see him - at 7.50 I saw him leave the hotel on his way home!
Port Avenutura Park is great but the whole package was dreadful. Salou is a dump! There is a massive chemical plant omitting methane gas in to the air just 2 kms away - the chimneys are burning all day - we drove through here to to Tarragon (which is a dump) and it took about 15 mins on a bus to pass through the industrial area!
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- Date of Holiday:May 2008
- Board Basis:Bed & Breakfast
- Tour Operator:Portland Direct
" I have stayed at this hotel twice and... "
Submitted By: Ms T Daulby
I have stayed at this hotel twice and I can say its the best hotel I have ever stayed in. My son and I had a fab time, everyone was very friendly the theme park and water park were brill and the entertainment great and food lovely. If you have got children its definitely the place to take them.
I am looking to return this year hopefully and if I could have afforded it I wouldhave been there last year too!
I am looking to return this year hopefully and if I could have afforded it I wouldhave been there last year too!
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- Date of Holiday:May 2006
- Board Basis:Half Board
- Tour Operator:First Choice
" Port Aventua was absolutly fantastic!... "
Submitted By: 00cp1
Port Aventua was absolutly fantastic! The theme park gained full marks from me 10/10. The hotel was the biggest let down, when we went it was early season, therefore entertainment was non existant, which was a shame as we were all looking forward to a drink and a dance. The food is what i would only rate as 'Poor' it was a BIG let down. Other than the hotel, we all had a fantastic time.
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- Date of Holiday:Mar 2008
- Board Basis:Half Board
- Tour Operator:Study Experiences
" I am giving this holiday rating 1, we... "
Submitted By: Mrs J Days
I am giving this holiday rating 1, we booked our holiday after reading such great reviews about the unlimited use of the Aquatic Park, however we recently received a letter advising that we were only to receive half our holiday IE the benefits of the Aquatic Park, Beach Club and Character Breakfasts were nolonger available to, no apology, no offer of a refund or compensation. My children are therefore disappointed and do not even want to go on this holiday a holiday totally ruined and we haven't even got there.
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- Date of Holiday:May 2008
- Board Basis:Half Board
- Tour Operator:Direct Holidays
" The El Paso is one of the best hotels... "
Submitted By: Mr J Bailey
The El Paso is one of the best hotels I have ever stayed in. This was our second stay and it really is a child friendly hotel situated just a few moments away from Port Aventura themepark. Our stay included park/waterpark passes which saved loads.
Food is superb, mst freshly cooked in front of you. Rooms are very comfortable.
Will go time and time again!! 1st class
Food is superb, mst freshly cooked in front of you. Rooms are very comfortable.
Will go time and time again!! 1st class
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- Date of Holiday:Jun 2006
- Board Basis:Half Board
- Tour Operator:First Choice
" Firstly I would like to point out I... "
Submitted By: Mrs F Hunter
Firstly I would like to point out I awarded 10/10 for the hotel staff and the overall holiday - not the First Choice rep in the building.
He was arrogant, unfriendly and more interested in reading his Sun newspaper than assisting his guests. His welcome meeting was nothing short of uninspiring and when we did have an issue with late check out - which First Choice were to blame - he was not prepared to assist us stating we'd have to contact the UK. For the leaving times we were POINTED to a folder to read as we again interrupted his so busy schedule of reading the Sun newspaper.
ANYWAY THANK GOD FOR THE HOTEL STAFF!!
They were friendly, accommodating, nothing short of amazing... they went out their way to help us. My wee girl (6yrs) didn’t like the characters dressed up or the scary things dressed up in the hotel… The staff at breakfast ensured we were seated away from the main hall so that we would not see the characters - the staff were always attentive.
The room was clean, fresh and great views of the maze and hotel burn! We also had a pumpkin toy as a room gift - totally entertaining and a lovely wee touch - also for my wee one she got a pack with a comb, toothbrush, cup, soap in a dish and a facecloth all in a presentation pack that we could take away!
Entertainment was great and the Halloween activities such as the tour of the haunted hotel in El Paso was fantastic!
We went to Barcelona on the train 8 Euros return! and it takes you right into the centre of the town… just went wandering.
The park delighted as ever (we have stayed at the Carribe resort in the past) however we will Never go on a National Day again; I have NEVER seen queues like it in my life! Right down to the main road was the queue to get in! Even though we had our room keys that doubled as passed to entry we still had to queue at the turnstiles... It was just too busy!
The fireworks were fantastic - again thrilling... And we also stumbled on a wonderful show in the Mexican area called El Diablo - the funniest and most entertaining show that I have been to in years!!! Keep up the good work!
El Paso is a great place if you have children who are over 5 I would say as the little ones are better accommodated in the Portaventua hotel. The Caribe is definitely for older children and adults.
All in all a fantastic holiday and will always return to the theme park hotels. :) x
He was arrogant, unfriendly and more interested in reading his Sun newspaper than assisting his guests. His welcome meeting was nothing short of uninspiring and when we did have an issue with late check out - which First Choice were to blame - he was not prepared to assist us stating we'd have to contact the UK. For the leaving times we were POINTED to a folder to read as we again interrupted his so busy schedule of reading the Sun newspaper.
ANYWAY THANK GOD FOR THE HOTEL STAFF!!
They were friendly, accommodating, nothing short of amazing... they went out their way to help us. My wee girl (6yrs) didn’t like the characters dressed up or the scary things dressed up in the hotel… The staff at breakfast ensured we were seated away from the main hall so that we would not see the characters - the staff were always attentive.
The room was clean, fresh and great views of the maze and hotel burn! We also had a pumpkin toy as a room gift - totally entertaining and a lovely wee touch - also for my wee one she got a pack with a comb, toothbrush, cup, soap in a dish and a facecloth all in a presentation pack that we could take away!
Entertainment was great and the Halloween activities such as the tour of the haunted hotel in El Paso was fantastic!
We went to Barcelona on the train 8 Euros return! and it takes you right into the centre of the town… just went wandering.
The park delighted as ever (we have stayed at the Carribe resort in the past) however we will Never go on a National Day again; I have NEVER seen queues like it in my life! Right down to the main road was the queue to get in! Even though we had our room keys that doubled as passed to entry we still had to queue at the turnstiles... It was just too busy!
The fireworks were fantastic - again thrilling... And we also stumbled on a wonderful show in the Mexican area called El Diablo - the funniest and most entertaining show that I have been to in years!!! Keep up the good work!
El Paso is a great place if you have children who are over 5 I would say as the little ones are better accommodated in the Portaventua hotel. The Caribe is definitely for older children and adults.
All in all a fantastic holiday and will always return to the theme park hotels. :) x
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- Date of Holiday:Oct 2007
- Board Basis:Half Board
- Tour Operator:First Choice
" My overall rating for this holiday... "
Submitted By: Mrs L Fox
My overall rating for this holiday was a respectable 8.
Good points -
FOOD WAS GOOD - An all you can eat breakfast and dinner buffet that couldn't fill my every hungry 13 year old up! Food was usually warm and not hot but plentiful and of good quality.
LOCATION - Fab location. Just a short walk or complimentary shuttle tram to parks and a short walk to mainline station. Trains to Barcelona were frequent and on time. Buses into Salou from theme park entrance, frequent and cheap.
PARK ADMITTANCE - Unlimited park access included with holiday package and was well used.
BAD POINTS -
ROOM COMFORT - Terrible camp beds! For a 4* hotel the beds were very much lacking in comfort. We were given a room with two 4ft beds and with two adults and two teenage children, it was a tight fit! The mattresses were paper thin and bed linen was poor quality. Shower curtain was mouldy and tiles needed regrouting!
RECEPTION STAFF - Very unresponsive to problems. We asked to change rooms and it took 3 days to do so!!
FIRST CHOICE REP - I think it may well have been his first year but he was quite frankly, useless. We didn't do any excursions - all overpriced and visited Barcelona on our own.
POOL - Most of the pool was shut and closed early at 5 each day.
THEME PARKS - Caribe was half open (out of season we were told) and many rides in the theme parks were shut (out of season again).
Overall we had a great time because we just used the hotel as a base and despite all the bad points, we would go back.
Good points -
FOOD WAS GOOD - An all you can eat breakfast and dinner buffet that couldn't fill my every hungry 13 year old up! Food was usually warm and not hot but plentiful and of good quality.
LOCATION - Fab location. Just a short walk or complimentary shuttle tram to parks and a short walk to mainline station. Trains to Barcelona were frequent and on time. Buses into Salou from theme park entrance, frequent and cheap.
PARK ADMITTANCE - Unlimited park access included with holiday package and was well used.
BAD POINTS -
ROOM COMFORT - Terrible camp beds! For a 4* hotel the beds were very much lacking in comfort. We were given a room with two 4ft beds and with two adults and two teenage children, it was a tight fit! The mattresses were paper thin and bed linen was poor quality. Shower curtain was mouldy and tiles needed regrouting!
RECEPTION STAFF - Very unresponsive to problems. We asked to change rooms and it took 3 days to do so!!
FIRST CHOICE REP - I think it may well have been his first year but he was quite frankly, useless. We didn't do any excursions - all overpriced and visited Barcelona on our own.
POOL - Most of the pool was shut and closed early at 5 each day.
THEME PARKS - Caribe was half open (out of season we were told) and many rides in the theme parks were shut (out of season again).
Overall we had a great time because we just used the hotel as a base and despite all the bad points, we would go back.
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- Date of Holiday:Oct 2007
- Board Basis:Half Board
- Tour Operator:First Choice
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Our room was in the main building on the 1st floor and although the room was quite small, we had a double bed and bunks in ours, it was very clean and decorated and furnished very well. We had our room cleaned each day.
We were disappointed when we were told we had to choose a time allocation for breakfast each day but all that was available was 8am each morning, a later breakfast time would have been nice. We had read reviews before we went saying about queues at the resturant but we didnt have to queue for any meals. The food wasnt great it was the same tasteless things every day and by the end of the week you never want to see another chip again. On a brighter note the puddings were divine.
The kids disco didnt start until 9 15 in the evenins which we found very late and as it was all in spanish my kids didnt enjoy it anyway but as our room overlooked the entertainment area there was never any hope of an early night.
On our 4th evening there the weather changed and we had quite a lot of rain and there was nothing to do with the kids in the hotel at all when the weather was bad.
We walked in to Salou several times and that is quite a trek from the hotel but it was a nice little town.
The best thing about the hotel is the unlimited access to portaventura and the caribe water park, they are both brilliant fun.
Overall we had a nice holiday the kids loved the parks and the el paso was an attractive clean hotel but we wouldnt return, i think the el paso is better for the spanish.
Also my son is 8 but he is quite short for his age, there isnt an awful lot for small children to go on at Portaventura which he was disappointed about.
Advice: Theme parks are great but not if you are below 140cm.
Activities: