Ontario Apartments

Like most people I was concerned on reading some of the reviews before we went on holiday. However, the concerns i had before going were not a problem but a number of other problems did arise when we were there.
We were travelling with 3 children aged 9, 4 and 2. The kids had an absolute ball, they loved the little cove beach in Cap Salou, the pool at the apartment was an excellent facility and they also loved the little park in the complex. We did not use the Kids club because our kids did not want to but it seemed like a great facility and the reps were excellent at informing us as to what was going on in the club. It was just unfortunate that the ages of our kids meant that only one of them was suitable for the club. That said I don't think we would have used it anyway.
Regarding the apartments, they were a good size, the kitchen facilities were basic as you would expect, cooking facilities were suffice to cook something simple. The cleaners came in almost every day and I agree with some of the points made by another comment previously, if you treat the staff with the respect they deserve for carrying out a difficult task you will get respect in return. The towels were changed regularly and I would suggest that if you want your sheets changed - you should strip the beds and leave them sitting out.
The reps were helpful and it should be remembered that their job is difficult and in light of that treat them nicely because not everybody does. The Bar food was awful, in fact I would say that it is very hard to get good food in Cap Salou, we tried the Paddock and Route 66 and while they are very family friendly the food is not great. That said the staff were lovely and patient with the children as they bought endless ice lollies. Sammi the entertainer was a big hit with our kids who loved the disco - tacky as it might seem it is perfect for the kids. They are still dancing the conga....
On the whole Cap Salou is very family friendly and the bus service is excellent, we visited Salou and La Pineda and it is so easy to get about. The water park in La Pineda was a favourite with our 4 & 9 year olds, not ideal for the 2 year old but it was still worth it. I would advise making sure that you get the times for the dolphin shows right etc.
The setting of Cap Salou is beautiful and much nicer than La Pineda and Salou. The view over the bay was stunning and the little cove beach was a highlight for our kids.
On the negative side, the apartments were extremely noisy at night between the noise from the bar (we were unfortunately placed above the bar and the front entrance) and the horrendous younger people who partied and fought throghout the night. It was a terrible experience for our kids and we found it very difficult to sleep. I felt absolutely sorry for the people living in the private apts across the road. Our experience was that the majority of people using these apartments were your worst nightmare - sadly! I agree with the previous comment however our experience was they were mainly english families and youth, and some who had absolutely no regard for their children or control on them. That said, there were certainly some Irish families who should be ashamed and added to the noise levels.
For these reasons, I seriously doubt that we would return to these apartments and while the reps did try to solve the problems it was impossible. It was such a shame because otherwise it would have been a great holiday!

We have just spent a week in cap salou staying in ontario appartments. Cap salou is great if you are looking to bring your kids on holiday. This is our 2nd time in cap Salou and we would probably go back again. The Ontario appartments were ok. They do exactly what they say on the tin! The staff are friendly and helpful, the appartment was clean and spacious, the towels were changed frequently, the pool is great, the entertainment was entertaining! and the location is ideal. The Ontario is situated in a good location being beside a supermarket, next to the bus stop for the excursions, and close to (but not in) the busy towns of La Pineda and Salou Town.
We can't fault our holiday at all but consider the following-
1. Porta Aventura is only good if your children are a certain age and height - don't waste your money if your kids are all small!
2. Bona Vista market is only good if your looking for food - if your looking for clothes etc your in for a big disappointment!!
3. Eat in the "Paddock" - its a nice atmosphere, great staff, good food and quick
4. Take the time to walk down to la pineda beach - its just great !!
6. Don't go on your Holiday firms excursions - go to the local bus firm "PLANA" and save yourself a fortune!
7. Make sure your excursion has an english speaking tour guide (I feel bad for saying this but it is my experience - some of the Russian holiday makers were amongst the most ill mannered people i have ever come across - sorry)
8. Go to Aquapolis Water Park in La pineda for a great day out.
9. The food and staff in Treasure Island are quite good also.
Hope this helps - Enjoy your holiday

We have just returned fom two weeks holiday with 2 children (8 & 5) and 2 grandparents and overall really enjoyed the break... a few things could have been better but if you want an honest view read on...no made up rubbish just stuff as I see it.
Reps
These two reps are the best you will find anywhere.
Ali is simply brilliant, her whole personality reflects calmness and a willingness to help she was VERY good with with the kids and my two have already asked if they can see her again ! not the holiday but just Ali! She has a real presence and sincerity that you simply dont find in travel company reps anymore...I would not be surprised if she moves on to bigger and better things before too long
Steve is not to be left out! he's a great guy, always willing to offer guidance and advice and is the perfect pairing to Ali, he makes things happen and is always on the guests side when there are issues (see below) and is not shy to step up and be counted, again dont be surprised if either of these two are not there when you visit because everything being equal these two are due for better things!
Room
It was really spacious with a large balcony, kitchen had everything you will need for self catering (if you can be bothered to cook but with the number of places to eat locally I would be surprised if you turned the rings on for more than a cup of tea!!) fridge with freezer for the millions of ice pops you will need and the bathroom was great but could have benefited from a shelf or two. Bedrooms are large enough for what you need but again could do with the odd storage unit but overall I was really pleasantly surprised.
Cleaning
Our apartment was cleaned 5 days a week WITHOUT FAIL with clean towels left nearly every day that the cleaners came in. We had the sheets changed twice but with the kids we asked the cleaner for a spare set and they are more than happy to help
Reception / Bar
Juan and Raul run a great team....reception is 24 hr and is very helpful and the bar / catering staff are happy and helpful and are willing to do anything to make sure your stay is enjoyable (and he may be small but paco can carry 24 pints at once (happy hour!)...
ps. The people that have said negative things around hotel staff / cleaners..just one tip, treat them with respect and you receive respect, I found myself apologising to bar staff and cleaners more than once when they had been spoken to like rubbish by the brits abroad...a bit of respect goes a long way when you want something doing.
Entertainment
a special mention to Sammy! my kids thought he was brilliant, he is always smiling (even when it rained) he keeps the games going through the day for the pool dwellers and keeps the kids happy when they are not at kids club..ps. He does have more than one cd now....he has three at least!!
Kids Club
Really found them helpful and the kids loved the games and shows they have in particular the choclate party!! as you have to be on site during the time they are in kids club it does give you a few hours as a couple for a lounge by the pool or a drink !
Area
Cap Salou is faily quiet (but thats why we booked it!) and entertainment is mainly hotel or restuarant based, small amusement park by the main restuarant area in Cap Salou but with Cambrills, Salou and La Pineda all on the bus route that goes through Cap Salou you are really spoilt for choice
Cambrills is a really quiet, relaxing town, you really do need to try the GREAT SEAFOOD (my kids ate octupus and squid without being bribed!) Salou is loud and noisy with a bar every three steps and has a great beach, we tended to come out of salou before 10 pm and that way you dont see the other side of salou, La Pineda is similar to Cap Salou but better, small seafront shops (open all hours!! ) and restuarants , great beach
You can get to all the above on the bus (about Euro 1.50-2 euros per person over 4 years old - each way) and the buses are so regular and reliable you wont need to get taxis, but if you do, there are taxis that take 6 people just ask and they are about the same price to salou and la Pineda
further afield we went to Barcelona and the Magic Fountains ( DO NOT MISS THIS) the reps will give you ideas and the bus company also does the trips (some cheaper)
GRIPES...
ONLY ONE and its one that no one can influence.....being totally honest the apartments , reps, locality & holiday was great and exactly what i paid for....NO ARGUEMENTS but......its only a great holiday when everyone around you wants the same thing.
Our only issue during the holiday was that there was a core element of guests that spoilt the holiday with their behaviour....too loud, some even aggresive and had no control over thier kids and i'm sorry but they were mostly Irish.
kids aged over 10 and under 18 find themselves nothing to do so tend to find thier own amusement...spitting on balconies, ripping door frames off, being loud and rude during the evenings, kicking balls on balconies-purposely and that was only our personal knowledge....in my opinion the parents are as much at fault and if mine had been doing some of these things I would have been totally ashamed, i'm sorry to say that these kids seemed to only behave when someone pulled them up about their behaviour (and this was not generally the parents as they would have had to leave their drink in the bar for 30 seconds!)
Overall.....great holiday, good location, good hotel, great reps just spoilt by the gutter class that where there...personally the hotel could raise the rates and attract better people and still be full! we would not go back to the apartments for that reason and only that reason...
Good Luck - hope the gutter class has left when you get there!
i will be really honest during teh review and whilst it is only my opinion the number of guests that said the same thing did surprise me

we stayed at the ontario apartments in june which was quite low season but we had an absolutely lovely time.
The apartments were really clean and very spacious, we stayed in a 2 bedroom apartment and we'd recomend these to everyone with young children.
The kitchen facilities were great microwave, fridge freezer and 2 cooking rings so we cooked for ourselves more than eating out so that saved a lot of money as eating out did prove to be quite expensive.
there is a small beach just down the road from the ontario but we liked the beach at la pineda much more didn't reckon much to salou only went there once.
The entertainment is very good the main man is sammy he was a great laugh and kept the kids busy every night with his disco playing all the well known dance tracks
all in all we had a great holiday and would definiteley stay at the ontario next time

5 girls stayed in Ontario, just back this week. my bag was robbed while checking in at reception(paying the E100 deposit per apartment!!) We were the first party checked in and i noticed immediately it was missing but the staff continued to check everyone else in (about 30 more people) before they decided to help me. The bag was found later with all valuables gone, but Passport etc., came back. The apartments were spacious, but the floors were dirty and we never had enough towels or jax paper- we had to keep asking for them.And the showers were pathetic. We couldn't stay in the Hotel Bar for a quiet drink because the Entertainment was sooooo loud!!! Because there were 5 of us, we had to get 2 taxis every night to Salou and back which cost c.10 Euro each way. Very little crack in Cap Salou so we had no choice but to go to Danny Boys or Christys for a laugh.Cant understand why there are no taxis that will carry more then 4 people! Rip off. The Beaches in Cap Salou are lovely and the restaurant staff there were fantastic. We had a great holiday though! But we won't be going back to Ontario Hotel next time.

We have just returned from 1 week in Salou where we stayed in the excellent Ontario Apts. We are a family with 3 small children ages 8,5 & 2. We found the apt absolutely superb, clean, spacious and towels changed daily except Sunday & Thursday but we were left with ample supply to cover for these days. The pool was well supervised by a life guard and the children respected his authority. The only down side to the apts was the food in the bar we all thought wesn't great but the service everywhere from the reception to the whole complex was excellent. The Falcon Holidau Rep Stephen was very infomative and a great help. The night entertainment was also very good although a bit corny at times. Overall it was an excellent holiday everyone enjoyed. Well done Falcon Travel & Ontario Apts.

1 reader found this review helpful

My husband, myself & 3 children have just returned from a 2 week break staying at the Ontario apartments & we have had a fantastic time. Before we went we were a little worried after reading some of the comments, but we needn't have been because every thing was lovely. The apartments are massive, the staff are really friendly. The rep was really helpful. We would recommend The Aquopolis water park at La Pineda which was about 5 mins away on the bus & also Port Aventura which the kids loved & so did we.

We have just come back from Cap Solou and stayed at the Ontario Apartments. Nothing really negative about the accomodation, Reception area very nice and clean, the reception staff are very friendly. A little japanese lady who works there is hilarious, her sidekick got it in the neck all the time!
Accomodation is very spacious, i believe they all are 2 bedrooms, some 3 bedrooms i think. Large balcony. Fitted out to a high standard. First holiday place i have been where their has been a microwave in the kitchen! There was a TV in our livingroom, only 2 English channels which were CNN and Eurosport - but does have MTV Germany which plays all the English tunes. TV free of charge, but if you need a remote then a deposit is paid at reception. Safe in room, unfortunately ours was not working and they did offer to move us to another apartment, or move in the engineers for a whole morning to pull it out and replace it. We didnt bother in the end.
Entertainment dotted about throughout the day for the Kids. Unfortunately we didnt have any kids, but entertainment for the Adults was on every night after 10am, ie. Flamingo Dancers, Magic Act, Dancing birds etc.
The only negative comments i have is not about the accomodation, mostly about the area. May be i am more negative about it because it rained for most of the week, and unless you want to get the bus into Salou itself (1.75Euros) then there isnt much to do, unless you walk for 30mins to get down to the beach front where their are some more resturants and a little amount of shops. In the surrounding area they only really have about 3 good pub/resturants, a few little supermarkets. Oh and there are two bay beaches down the road which were quiet - but it was raining!
Our Rep Steve was very good. Was able to answer all our questions. And i do highly recommend going to see the Rep Show - but i warn you, its a bit cheesy. We did enjoy ourselves though.
Wouldn't personally go back again unless i was hiring a car. But as i said, the accomodation was a high standard for a 3 star. More suited for a family with children i think. Did enjoy the break though.
P.S. For any of you youngsters going, there is a nightclub called the Crows Nest which is open till about 3am down by the bay beaches. Didnt go myself but heard it was the place to be!

My family & i stayed at the ontario apartments 2 years ago, and really enjoyed it, we went early october and thoe we was nearly out of season, the reps and entertainment staff still made our holiday worthwhile! so much so that we have booked again as a party of 6 but this time for august. so we are expecting it to be alot livelier.
The apartments where clean and spacious, and the staff were friendly and helpful
definately worth the money in my opinion and will be looking forward to being back there this year.

We arrived at the Ontario as a party of 13. As we expected, we were all put in separate blocks.
The entertainment during the day consisted of Sammy, who tried his best to instil a sense of being on holiday to the whole residents. Sadly, all the Dubs who sat all day and drunk bulmers and the others, who complained about things that they would not complain about if they were at home, did not make things easy. Sammy was very friendly, he could not have done enough for everyone.
In relation to the apartments, they were just too far from Salou if you had a large party (approx30-40euros) by taxi. I have stayed in Salou before (Caribe Resort) and I will not be back to Cap Salou. Having said that, I found Route 66 very good value and the resort is family friendly.
If I was to give my honest opinion, I would rather go to Cyprus (which we did in the same year). It is a much more enticing destination. It makes no difference if you go to Ayia Napa, Limassol or Paphos, the welcome is fantastic and the Cypriots really make you feel at home.