Dorada Palace Hotel

1 reader found this review helpful

this hotel had the absolute smallest room i have ever stayed in, we stayed for 2weeks with our baby and 8 year old, the biggest shock was no KETTLE in the room and no option to hire one we had to hunt everywhere to buy one as our baby needed boiled water we couldnt do without it(reps didnt want to know). we had to remove a chair so we could fit the cot in and the staff complained that we should put it back but there was nowhere to put it, our pram just got in the door. the best thing about salou was port adventura, but you couldn't walk to it. never would i stay here again.

we arrived to the dorada palace hotel on the 23 september and we stayed till the 7th october it was a great hotel with good entertainment thier were many activities to take part in and the entertainment crew were great we had a very warm welcoming and soon new our way around thier was only one problem which wasnt major it was thye fact that the noice at night was very load and it was distracting and bth noice from the blift all night till 2 o clock and one more thing it was a t half four in the morning the man put the sun beds out and woke everyone up apart from the noice it was fantastic and i would advise it to others

I would agree with some of the previous comments, but strongly disagree with others. I found the staff pleasant and helpful; the rudest people were the British parents, particularly in the restaurant. They had no social graces themselves to pass on to their uncontrolled children who could not use a serving spoon and would help themselves to puddings with their hands! There seem to be plenty of activities for the children, but the entertainment always started later than advertised. There is a child-free pool on the roof.
We took 20 minutes to walk slowly to Port Aventura which is up a slight hill. The beach was 10 minutes from the hotel. We enjoyed a very good selection of food at breakfast and dinner. Our room was clean and adequate for three. I would agree with others about the shower; it does go from cold to scalding and back again in seconds. It was safer to have a bath.
My one complaint was the check in. The hotel would not let anyone check in until 2 pm. This meant that at 2 o’clock ALL the early arrivals went to reception. I queued for 1¼ hrs to check in at 3-15pm and there were lots of people behind me in the queue. There was luggage storage available for one Euro. The departure flight was delayed six hours and the First Choice Reps did all they could. We did not pay extra to sit together on either the outward or inward flight and were seated together each time. The excursions offered were very expensive and we used public transport. The Bonavista market is rubbish.

1 reader found this review helpful

My friend and I have recently returned from a week in Salou, staying at the Dorada Palace. I think I must add that although the hotel is a 4 star, I wouldn't rate it a 4 star by UK standards. BUT, I found the hotel, the rooms, toilets, pools and dining areas all to be clean and tidy and, on that basis, would recommend the hotel to others.
The only two dissapointments I really had with the hotel was (1) the food - the food is really dire and the cost of drink (non alcoholic) should be a criminal offence; and (2) the Dorada Palace caters well for families, but if you're not with children, then it has no entertainment for adults.
Salou on the otherhand is definately not worth the trip. Unless you're interested in streets and streets of shops selling the exact same rubbish. The beach is nice and fairly clean, but thats pretty much it.

1 reader found this review helpful

WELL.... at first when we first arrived at the hotel it looked amazing from the outside and inside. once we walked in the hotel reception it was a different matter, the staff was the most arrogant and RUDEST people we had came across. we felt unwelcome and uncomfortable by the whole of the reception staff. one man was so arrogant he would not help us in the slightest with any queires we had of our new hotel or sourrondings!! it made us feel disgusted that we had paid this amount of money to come to a 4 * hotel and be treated in this manner. this attitude continued througout our whole stay. the rules of the hotel was very strict , infact too strict that we felt we could not enjoy ourselves without being treated like children, or even talked down to at one stage. not only the people in the hotel but the sourroundings of the whole of salou was poor. (including airport.) I WOULD NEVER EVER RECOMEND THIS TO ANYBODY. THIS WAS OUR FIRST AND LAST TRIP TO SALOU! I WILL BE FORWARDING MY COMMENTS TO THE RELEVANT TOUR OPERATOR. WHO I HOPE WILL BE ACTING UPON THIS.

First of all the hotel is a 4 star.......as star ratings go on, not only the service but also the facilities that an accomodation has got, and the Dorada Palace has got everything for everybody.
The Queue for the sunbeds in a morning is just typical brits abroad, no matter how many times they are told, people still do as they please and are just selfish individuals spoiling the enjoyment of a holiday for everyone.
Whilst at the hotel we saw the first choice reps every single day,usually sat working hard in their office or out and about around the pool, smiling and chatting with guests.
as for the previous comment about the 2 reps being like giggling school girls, this is definately not true, it's just these 2 individuals are enjoying life and like to have fun. Definately the most helpful and friendliest reps we've ever come across.
The hotel staff are all fantastic, they may sometimes seem a little rude but i think most of the time it's just the fact that these individuals DONT SPEAK ENGLISH AS A FIRST LANGUAGE.
I would definately recomend the day's & Nights out, on offer from First Choice.
they may not be the cheapest, but they offer a far better service and you know if there was a problem then you have someone to go back to. I myself have had a bad experience on day trips with local company's, ending in loss of money and having to pay the entire cost of the trip again.
One definatley not to be missed is the reps caberet show. couples or families will have the best night of their stay.
overall a fantastic hotel
excellent staff
good location
will be returning next year for sure.

1 reader found this review helpful

Do not be fooled by the photos, the reception area may make the hotel look 4 star but it isnt by a long way!! The rooms are tiny and beware of the showers, very dangerouse as they change from cold to scalding. Their is a very busy main road opposite the hotel which is noisey. The hotel is on a hill, you must walk the hill to go anywhere and be warned the street coming to the hotel is very dark and the tiles on the hill up to the hotel very slippy. The que for the sun lounges in the morning has to be seen to be believed, but if you want to guarentee a sun lounger then thats what you have to do. In 2 weeks not once did we see a first choice rep walking around outside, instead the huddle in their office giggling like school kids, they dont meet or greet any trips, but happy to take your money. If offerd the day trip to Barcelona, decline (its cheaper to get the train yourself), they tell you you can walk on the pitch at the Nou Camp (you cant) hold the european cup (you cant unless you pay), they tell you you get 4 hours in Barcelona to shop (You get 2 and a half) this complaint seemed popular as lots of people where complaining. Unless your spanish you will be treated very rudly by the restraunt staff. They say portaventura is 10 mins away, no chance, 30mins, up hill!!! If you want to guarentee sitting next to someone on the flight back they charge you 8 euros each!!! The bars and restraunts are fine, lots of expat bar owners and workers and they are great. WOuld maybe go back to Salou, but never to the Darada Palace.

4 star!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!No way.We have stayed in better 3 stars.
Oh my god the queues for the sunbeds in the morning are like waiting for caged animals, waiting to be set free,grown men falling over beds to get to the beds they want!!
You were like sardines at the pool,couldnt hardly move.
We were self catering.The first night we got there we stayed in the hotel as we arrived late.....oh my god cold food,bland and the RUDEST waitress staff in the world.
The appartments were tiny,there was Me my husband and 10yr old daughter in a appartment that was supposed to sleep 4 to 5 people no way!!
The Reception staff were helpfull and the bar staff were friendly.
They say its a 10 min walk to Portaventura yes if your the bloody roadrunner.its about a 20 min walk up a slight hill,which is terrible in the heat!
Would not go back to this Hotel or Salou as its like Blackpool with sun!!!!!!

Dorada Palace is four star definatly should be five. myself, husband and 3 children aged 11, 9, 5 spent a wek there we were in a 1st floor pool view apartment which was excellent as we had the option to watch the evening entertainment from our balcony. The hotel was clean and comfortable all the maid were very pleasant, reception staff equally pleasant The pools were clean and there was a pool attendant on duty all the time Kids club was great. We will definatly return to salou when my son is a bit older as there was many rides in Portaventura he couldnt get on to because of height restrictions.
The theme park is about a 15 min walk from the hotel.
First choice rep are very informative and it is well worth going to their welcome meeting.
I intend when returning to Salou to stay in Dorada Palace again byfar the best looking hotel in the area.

my family and I returned from our holiday on 24th july 2008,we found the apartments a little small but very clean, the reception staff and bar staff very unfriendly and would serve the spanish customers before any other nationality. Our first choice representative Andy was most unhelpfull reguarding my request for a 14 day pass for port aventura which he assured me he could not possibly do. I rung First Choice in England, they assured me this could be done but he refused to help in any way or even ring port aventura themselves. He requested that I buy a ticket which would allow me 2 days in the theme park and one in the water park for 73 euros, i therefore went to Port Aventura and bought a 14 day pass for 82 euros. Be warned. The entertainment was pathetic, and the run for the sun beds at 9.00am was a real sight to behold.