TOP Hotel Pineda Palace

We stayed at the Pineda palace in Feb half term. We were originally booked at Olympic but was told it may not be open so we changed. It was open when we visited. Our party consisted of 2 adults and a ten year old boy. The hotel pineda palace was excellent. Location superb, rooms clean and good. Location opposite beach was wonderful. We had read lots of previous reviews about Olympic and other top hotels and decided to try for ourselves. The good thing about staying in a Top hotel is that you get to use the facilities of all the other Top hotels on the list. Before I go any further, I have to say that given the extensive array of food that was presented in the Olympic, Amaika and Callela palace, if you sent a message in to say there was nothing for the kids to eat and that your children had to live on chips then you need some serious nutritional advice for your children. I will start with the Olympic which is were we visited frequently. It was very spacious and big, the pools, all four of them were very spacious. The bar area was very good. They had a massive smoking lounge separated by glass partitioning and double doors which was good for the smokers. The non smoking area by the dancefloor was very good. Although all the bars in other Top hotels were non smoking there was very adequate provision for smokers. The resturant in the Olympic was very spacious. There was at least 3 meat type courses and no less then about 20 dishes of salads, pastas, meats, potato salads, and all sorts of wonderful foods. Trust me, there was amplye amounts to chose from to eat, as well as an array of good deserts. Please do not be put off staying at this hotel by any negative reviews. One man we spoke to had a complaint, that the tables had been wiped clean but not polished (that was in a bar with about 150 tables), they were clean but when he tipped his head sideways, he could see smears!!!!! Enough said. The animation team made all the children that walked in through the doors welcome. The pool area was in my area the best out of the hotels. The Callela palace which was about 4 minutes walk away from Olympic was also very inviting, they also had a lovely spacious pool area with childrens playing area. The bar staff were very polite (in every hotel). They all had tea/coffee/chocolate machines in the bar to help yourself. Most had jacuzzis, gyms that were free of charge to over 18's. The Amaika was also very nice (we are going back in April and had already booked this hotel before we went in Feb 2007). Now alot of fuss has been made of the wonderful resturant and food in the Amaika, yes it is good, but also very crowded. The pool is a tad small but then you can use the 4 pools at the olympic just 4 minutes walk away. All the resturants have a chef that cooks meat while you wait on a grill, lovely chicken, fresh fish, veal etc as well as the normal hot meat on the buffet. The Pineda palace where we stayed was a 3 minute train ride away or a 30 minute wonderful walk along the beach to Callela .Now everywhere here have proper walkways, no rough roads along the beach, it is all geared for family outdoor life. We went into Lloret de Mar and make use of the two hotel that were on offer using our Top Hotel card. Two other hotels in Santa Susana were not open in Feb. This is a 6 minute train ride away from Callela. Alot of comments have been made about the railway, do not worry about this as it fits in well with the local environment. I am a very light sleeper (husband who snores!!!!!) and I never heard the trains. You must explore the trains, they are very clean, cheap with classical music coming from the radios and very safe. We booked the hotel online and it was cheap. I cannot see (and my views reflected alot of views of fellow passengers), how the hotel chain can possibly provide all the food drink, etc for the money. Please do not be discouraged by any reviews you may find on this side or similar site. You will find something wonderful at any of the above mentioned hotels, if there is an aspect of your hotel that you may not like, then you have the choice of using all the other hotels. You can walk into anywhere at anytime, join in with the activities, drink, have coffee and swim in the pool. Food is mentioned alot in the reviews, sometimes in a negative manner but please be reassured that your children will find things to eat. Some children will eat only 'typical childrens food' burgers etc, now burgers are alway laid on at snack time, not during meals. Perhaps this would be a good time to steer away from the overprocessed chicken nuggets in favour of real chicken. Even the most fussy eater can be gradually introduced to fresh chicken breasts, fresh fish, lamb,fresh salads, potatoes and always fresh fruit, wonderful cakes and lots of lovely icecream. I do feel sorry for children whose parents are faced with such an immense choice, and I mean immense, will only let them eat chips. I really could go on forever, and I probably will when we get back from visiting the Amaika in April, watch this space !!. (Some of our personal details, I am a science teacher, husband a caretaker. Have been coming on All inclusive holidays for 5 years, at average of 3 a year. Lots of experience in Malta, Mallorca, Greece, Ibiza etc, lots to compare these hotels with). My remarks are not intended to offend any parents, just in a hope that you will experience a good time like we had. Go on, Try it !!!!!!

Got a great deal then found some terrible reviews. Arrived at the hotel downhearted and wondered what I was coming to. The reception was good, the rooms were spotless, well appointed, warm and well decorated. I kept wondering if this was the same hotel as all the other reviews. The restaurant was clean and well presented and the staff immaculately dressed and well mannered. The food was buffet style, but alway fresh fish was being cooked. I would not have wanted to eat there every night for a week, but if you chose to then there was something for every one. You cannot expect to go to a foreign country and eat the same as in England. The bar staff may have looked a little stern to start with but a nice smile and a thankyou did wonders. We met some lovely people there and there were guests of all ages who joined in the dancing and had a joke. All in all, it was lovely week end break . Shirley and Carol (Doncaster )

We stayed there for 1 week end of June, a family with 2 young kids (3 & 5). We got a room on 5th floor, facing the beach, they actually set up 4 beds for us, which is really nice. Pros: facing the beach, room are good size, very clean, 5 mns walk to train station, lots of restaurant around. Free and good entertainment every night. Cons: NOISE!!!! it is not sound proof AT ALL!!!! at 11pm, I hear every single word of what my neighbor was saying in the next room, every giggle, I was awoke after a long flight, transfer and 2 kids etc, I was exhausted which I can sleep like a pig, but still, I am awake because of the sound. Then at 2 am again, I can hear my neighbor mubbling to his gorlfriend, crystal clear. You can imagine how good is their sound proof and the thickness of the wall. It is like that during our whole stays and the whole building. I talked to some other people, same experience. Their staff, well, 1 question, you are allowed 1 question, they lower their head or walk away for the 2nd one, no smile, no salutation, nothing, want information? the answer is I do not have info, ask your own guide, so good luck. Food: average - good, depends whether youlike fish, I ate fish everyday because there is not a lot of choices. But the fish is excellent, really love them, for those having prob with seafood, again, good luck. Breakfast was good, very good though. I got excellent service from the Information center which is just next door, I booked all my excursions there, because there is no one available at the hotel to help or answer our questions, or except you wait for the tour guide who is there 1 hour per day and have to respect their schedule. The girl there speaks excellent English, helpful, friendly, excellent quality service, and it is free. While you wonder the hotel staff being paid and give you a (--) face during your vacation. Anyway. The train to Barcelona costs 6 Euro both way, 1 hour per way. 20 mns Walk to Calella (neighbor town) where the market is more fun and more choices. All shops close from 2 - 5. The beach is so so, but clean, uncomparable to Carribbean, Mexico, Cuba if you're aiming for the beach. Really, re-consider before booking, I travel a lot and am good with noise, sleep easily and adapts well, but this is the 1st time I cannot enjoy my sleep throughout my trip, same for my husband. The kids, oh, they are babies still ;D

I had stayed at this hotel last year and wanted to take my Mother (72) on holiday and thought I would make a return journey. I booked in January requesting a low floor for mobility reasons and a sea view!!! When we arrived the receptionist was slightly frosty plus the charge was 80 euros more than I had expected when I booked using the internet!! then to add insult to injury we were on the top floor and right in the back corner, with a lovely view of the locals and a barking dog.(obviously the one I've read about in the reviews). I requested to be put on a lower floor and at the front and we were moved, however I have never ever stayed at a hotel where the noise was sooooo intrusive, paper thin walls. The people in the next room were ridiculous,the noise went on for a full week, noise from some one playing SNAP @ 3am every morning. The food was okay for breakfast but I would not recommend the evening meal at all. No more to say just never again.

Service was excellent, especially with young children!! Maids and waitresses were exceptional; front desk not as good but still professional. Everyone was extremely friendly. Food was mostly good: breakfast mediocre but lunches and dinners were excellant. Facilities were great considering the size of the hotel, escpecially the beautiful rooftop pool. Good location in front of beach. Rooms and hotel itself are nice and well maintained and clean.

We too arrived at the Pineda Palace on F1 weekend, and we were given a room at the back right above the restaurant, lovely views of a grey wall and the back of peoples homes!. The noise from the restaurant didn't bother us too much, it was the noise from adjoining rooms that was the problem. We heard every cough, sneeze, ablution and conversation of the people in the adjacent room, at one point we thought the people were in the room with us with their heads on our pillow......at 4am in the morning this wasn't much fun. This was a similar story nearly every night between 1 and 3am...boy was we glad to get home to get some sleep. We found some of the younger guests in the hotel to be inconsiderate of others especially late at night, bearing in mind the walls seemed extraordinarily thin, they seemed to enjoy running in and out of each others rooms, slamming doors and shouting at the top ot their voice. I would have expected this in a lesser star hotel but not a 4* one. We did find out at the end of our holiday that security walked the floors at night (all I can say is the revellers must've known the times of their round on our floor) and all we had to do was call and they would go and sort things out, not much good for us now, but may be of use to future travellers. It would be a good idea if there was a notice in all rooms asking guests to keep noise to a minimum after midnight.! The hotel staff we found to be very friendly and helpful, and the rooms were kept spotlessly clean, a credit to the housekeeping staff. For an all inclusive hotel, the food in the restaurant was always hot, although a bit repetative. The chefs were always on hand to make sure that there was always ample food available. However we did go out a few times to eat for a change. We found the pool area to be ok, and yes there were portaloos, but they were clean. There were ample sunloungers but we did expect cushions as this was a 4* hotel, but alas there were none. Just down the road from the hotel is a lovely little spanish bar run by Pascual, called Te Aptc in Placa Estacio. Opposite the tran station. They make a wonderful cup of English tea and they are wonderfully friendly people. We had an enjoyable week here non the less as we hired a car and went out and about visiting the wonderful sights of catalonia, but if we were to come again we would choose a different hotel - one that wasnt' all inclusive and hire a car in advance from the UK as car hire on the costa brava we thought was expensive.

Just back from a stay at the above hotel with my mother and baby daughter. Was very disappointed with the hotel. First of all we picked it because it was classed as a four star hotel and it is barely a three star standard for me. Secondly the pool is tiny and is on the roof of the hotel, the lounging area is basic and the pool side bar is bare and horrible, there are portaloos as wc's up there!!!!!!!!! Needless to say we never went to the pool area again. However our room was nice, clean and well maintained, we had a nice ensuite and the cleaning service was excellent, so no complaints there. The staff overall in the hotel were very friendly and nice but the bar area was also very disappointing, plasitc seats and not at all comfortable. I think this was because a lot of the guests were on an all-inclusive basis and obviously the hotel didn't want them to get too comfortable, thank fully we were not on an all inclusive basis and therefore didn't spend much time in the public areas. The breakfast was nice and buffet style, but the dinner was not that good and I am sure that you would get sick of it if you had to eat there for a full week. I would not recommend this hotel to familys with children as there are no amenities for them there and the pool area is not nice at all.

Having enjoyed out stay in the Pineda Palace hotel in May 2005 we booked for a return visit in May 2006. Big mistake! Our arrival coincided with the Formula 1 in Barcelona but having booked in January 2006 we didn’t think this would give us cause to worry, expecting the same standard of room we had the previous year. Of the 2 rooms we had one had a very nice view of brick wall and the other , which also had wall view, also had the added bonus of the smells from the restaurant below. To give the 2nd room its due if you stretched up, balanced over the edge and then looked over the fire escape you could say you could see the sea in the horizon. After being told there was no chance of changing we rang Xcape the interenst Co. who we booked with who then rang the hotel on our behalf and were told we would have to wait until 5pm when the manager would be back. We returned at 5pm to be told there was no chance of changing on the Sat and to wait until Mon when the F1 guests had left. Having looked for an alternative hotels and being told everything was full for the F1 we had no alternative but to agree. Went back to reception on the Monday to be told that in all the available rooms the lighting was now being repaired! Obviously the F1 guests had blown all lighting in the rooms, What a bunch of party animals! I felt by this time my own fuse was also ready to blow but luckily there are fridges in the rooms so we decided to sit with a couple of bottles of cava and re-live the hilarious experience of the male receptionist who was giving an Oscar winning performance of “Hotel Ritz, Paris receptionist”. By the way don’t expect to get merry in the hotel bar unless you are all-inclusive. You can’t buy a drink by the rooftop pool and if you sit in the main bar waiting for someone to serve you it will be very dry ½ hour, although as they don’t have any drink menus on the tables we imagine they don’t expect or want anyone to buy a drink (can you get Mojito’s if you are all-inclusive?). Half way through the week we were told by Xcape they had arranged to change our rooms and when I informed the receptionist, who gave another award winning performance I thought, we were told we were mistaken, (or deranged by the look on his face). When I demanded to see the manager, she eventually shuffled out of her office to tell us the lights were still being repaired and Xcape were mistaken. (How many HTop employees does it take to change a light bulb?) On the plus side. The rooms were large and very clean and with the fridge in the room you can have your drinks on your balcony (if you enjoy watching the tops of cranes) but otherwise please make sure when you book you do not get side rooms as this could ruin your holiday and this hotel is certainly not worth doing that for.

We stayed here for a short 5 day All Inclusive trip. We didn't have a very good room as it was directly over the dining room. Work in the kitchen started very early. We also didn't have a great view as there are residential appartments to the back of the hotel. It never bothered us, though and I still went out on the balcony of a late afternoon to read in the sun. The rooms are very clean and comfortable. Our friends stayed in the room directly opposite to ours to the front of the hotel and they never heard the noise from here. There is a train track just across the road of the hotel and trains run from about 6ish to very late in the evening. This never bothered our friends while in the room or when we were sat in the bar at the front of the hotel. To get to the beach you have to go under the train track via an underpass. This never caused us a problem as there are quite a few along the front. The beach and the walk way are very clean. Having the station so handy is great. We took the train to Barcelona and for 6 euros returned was fab value for money. The food varied from night to night really. There was lots of meat on offer and some fish. The snack bar was open during the day but we never really bothered with this as we had eaten sufficient food at meal times. The staff here are really great. The reception desk was always manned and the receptionists were very nice and helpful and spoke fabulous English. The bar staff were great. We had a good laugh with the guys in there. We are going back for a short trip again in a couple of weeks and taking the children with us so the place can't have been that bad.

this hotel is very clean, and located near the beach, nice rooftop pool. they are the plus points, all inclusive a bit of a joke, bit like full board with just free drinks, nothing to snack during the day apart from main meal leftovers and nothing much for any children, ice creams had to be purchased, food was same few choices every day, was glad to get home for a decent meal. i didn,t find staff all that friendly either, especially in the restuarant. would not give it 4 star rating, poss 3. others in the group seemed better as you can travel to them and eat/drink at them.