Catalonia Las Vegas

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Puerto De La Cruz.
Second half of our Cruise & Stay.
Hotel Las Vegas Catalonia Group.
I have some negative thoughts about this hotel, situated ‘beach’ side it looks the part in the Thomson Brochure, part of a Cruise and Stay package we chose it for its location, but it is listed in the latest Thomson Summer Sun.
The transfer coach dropped us of outside MacDonald’s, not an auspicious start! The driver pointing roughly towards the entrance to the hotel, we lugged our cases up a flight of stairs with much puffing and groaning by the more elderly amongst us, later in the week we discovered that the slope that appears to lead into the fast food joint was indeed a side entrance to Reception.
Although the foyer of this hotel is vast, reception is stuck into a corner by the lifts, thus when more than six are booking in, access to them is blocked for all and sundry.
Our Balcony room on the 10th floor was on the small side, but clean and tidy with nice furniture and fittings, safe deposit box was an extra 16 Euros per week, but no tea or coffee making facilities. There was however a hidden demon waiting to strike, in the shape of three Discos’ not a stones throw from our room, these waited until hubby and I had drunk our Cocoa and retired to bed, before commencing a fearsome howl that continued until six in the morning every time one of the doors opened the room shook and our bed made a slow march across the room. The Thomson rep assured us this only occurred at weekends, I didn’t know Spanish weeks go Friday, Saturday, Sunday then start over again.
Imagine if you will Waterloo Station in the fifties, you stop for a drink in the café, that’s the ’Bar’ area in this hotel, designed solely to encourage you to retire early and not to stop up for a nightcap. This soulless, uninviting, cold place would only ever attract the local winos on a bad day, then only if it were raining outside.
The food in the restaurant was plentiful but just about acceptable, with most dishes tasting the same, to be fair, you didn’t go hungry, but exciting it was not.
On the plus side;
Plenty of nice places to sit particularly on a wet day, the conservatory and the enclosed courtyard being my favourite two, location overlooking the sea and an easy walk along prom to all local shops and restaurants. Pool Tables, games room, bowls and Crazy Golf, Internet café was down while we were there, but at 2 Euros for 30 minutes good value. A really nice pool, spotlessly clean and large sunbathing area with plenty of table and sun beds. Ocean side rooms would offer you a better deal, but no balcony.. Car or bike hire available from inside hotel, a taxi rank just outside was useful, 5 Euros would get you to most places in town.
Take note, all areas of this hotel allow smoking, including part of the dining room, to the left as you enter, and the Lounge where shows take place in the evening.
In conclusion, although this is one of the cheaper Thomson hotels in this area, the money saved allowed us to dine out in style should we wish, you are given the choice of lunch or evening meal, or even taking a packed lunch box for any of the days, so the flexibility was excellent. Thomson reps, transfers, tours and both flights were first class.
For the easy access to village centre and its location, close to sea certainly worth considering again.