Holiday help - Salou

[Rockmehardplace]

Attempting to take DC, who has fairly significant ASN, abroad for the first time in June and am considering Salou as flight is only a few hours and transfer time is short at other end.
can anyone recommend a good family friendly resort? Just want somewhere clean and safe, DC can’t participate in kids clubs but would love a swimming pool/splash pool and maybe a kids disco at night.

v nervous about it and doing it alone, so doubly nervous!

Cap Salou is probably quieter but isn't any closer to the theme park than Salou itself.

I love salou, been quite a bit as a kid and as a parent. Golden avenida suites is brilliant for kids. It has the night disco, but they also have poolside fun so even if your dc cant join in he can enjoy watching the characters mess about. About a 10 minute walk to the lovely beach/shops and a 7 min taxi ride to port aventura. My kids are bigger now so don't go anymore, but if/when I get gcs il be taking them.

Thank you all, much appreciated!

@Rockmehardplace did you go to Salou?

By chance we have just booked a holiday there and I'm all of a sudden terrified. We are taking DD and her friend and all staying in one room so I imagine sleep is going to be tough.

Any advice/suggestions gladly accepted. Thank you

What is it you are worrying about? Other than all being in one room, which I certainly wouldn't want to do with anyone I'm not related to, sounds a bit awkward! (Especially if a mixed sex group). Salou is great for a family holiday. Watch some videos of Porta Ventura to see if you want to go. There's a great water park too.

Thanks for commenting @Wheresthescissors

Well honestly, I'm panicking about it all from start to finish - the plane crashing and killing us all on either leg, can I fit all the luggage we need, are there requirements I've missed, will we die at the water park - have you seen that yellow slide??? All massive over reactions.

In reality, It's our first holiday abroad as a family plus the additional who is the second sweetest kid ever but 2 teenage girls could be a recipe for disaster. It's very close proximity to sleep in. We've agreed after the first night we will either get another room £93 a night or sleep on a rota 😂 I nearly threw caution to the wind and booked the additional today but it's too much as a just in case.

Ah, it's definitely harder if you haven't done it before. I thought you were worrying about Salou in particular. I still think staying in one room will be tough! And if you have a male partner I just wouldn't do it, bit embarrassing.
The plane will be fine. Who are you flying with? We've been with Jet2 who had a good luggage allowance. But you will pack more than you need I'm sure! I always do.
Hotels in Salou are so geared up to U.K. visitors, you should not have a problem with language though if you can see hello and thanks etc in Spanish that's polite. There's two teens so they can go on the rides/water park together. They won't be allowed on if they aren't the right sizes. You might find they don't want to go on the worst things - mine did not do that yellow slide! Get the hotel to explain how to use the bus tickets (or ask other guests). Tarragona is lovely with some Roman ruins and in the other direction is Cambrils which is a more upmarket resort. You can hire pedalloes and there's an inflatable water park in the sea (or there was when I was there - that was Cambrils).
If there's anything specific you want to ask let me know! It's more anxiety inducing to be the one doing the planning. Oh, tripadvisor is good for local tips too.

Sorry, passports and travel insurance and EHIC cards for healthcare. Look into costs for using your phone abroad as well.
https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/healthcare-abroad/apply-for-a-free-uk-global-health-insurance-card-ghic/

Thank you so much.

We are just looking at amending to an apartment. Festival village apartments if you know it. It's a bit moody and £250 extra but privacy is priceless. DH expressed his concern at being the male and is it appropriate this morning but the dad of the friend had no concerns and is happy for us to take her in one room. I didn't think this but if you and he have said it...

Otherwise it's booking an additional room at hotel best San Diego for £350-390. Again, is that ethical. They are older than Maddie McCann but still a risk.

Flying out with jet2 but in with Ryan air so our luggage is tiny. DH refuses to pay £72 for a suitcase and tbh so do I. I'm planning on wearing my trousers, shorts and skirt on the plane 😂😂😂

There's also apartements CYE Salou but that's self catering. Any money saved swiftly spent on food but far nicer than festival and far more central. Wasted all afternoon on this. 😂

That really isn't in Salou at all is it? Might be nice in itself but far out.
Contact the hotel and ask about rooms - they might have adjoining ones available, though ideally you want interconnecting ones.
It sounds like you are able to cancel the hotel? Golden Avenida suites, Dorada Palace and Golden Port Hotel all have a room and separate living area (with either sofa bed or bed) and you can go half board etc. I'm trying to book myself at the moment so this is an interesting chat!

This hotel in Cambrils is the best family hotel I’ve stayed at.

https://www.jet2holidays.com/spain/costa-dorada/cambrils/estival-el-dorado-resort

As amazing as estival el dorado is... it's £1200 more than our current. 😂

Many many....many moons ago I was a holiday rep in Salou 😄not my most favourite place in the world, however this wax one of my hotels and is on the edge if Cambrils, a lovely fishing harbour small town, authentically Spanish, things going on, great restaurants but not as hustley and touristy as Salou, also would fly into Reus airport so short airport transfers. Still looks as though its a goid hitel according to trip advisor https://www.jet2holidays.com/beach/spain/costa-dorada/cambrils/h10-cambrils-playa?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw6uWyBhD1ARIsAIMcADrZxLU1MuvtyTBS4xlixaWhePaXGPtld3GyN6_fVKNNEnFMybBQPr0aAqKrEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

@Wheresthescissors I am in love with your suggestions. Some aren't available for the dates we've booked and some are quite a lot extra. I'm not sure what we are doing yet but I'm getting spend happy and DH is not 😟

Do you not think CYe is near Salou? It looked central to me and super close to the beach. Now I'm not sure 🤔

Sorry, it was the other apartments - festival village? That seemed further along the coast.
But unless you have an eating out budget you will end up working for the whole holiday arranging meals! Your dh has a lot of opinions for someone who isn't doing the planning 😀

Ha, although I am lead passenger and lead worrier, he has put down up the lions share of the cost and we both had our laptops out looking to change the hotel. He even did a spreadsheet for meal costs, exchange rate and cost difference to see what's best. 😂

The kids want the festival one. He wants the festival one. I don't even know but I don't think I want that one.

I'm starting to think I'm the problem. I wanted the CYE one (we found the other CYE one but it's full board not all inc) so he said book that one and use money back to fund food/drink n now I think festival. I'm done with it. 😂

I think we have analysis paralysis :)

Gosh, you're so right! I'm glad it's booked and sorted now.

Thank you so much for your help. This is a really short break and a tester for dog care etc but I will definitely be looking to stay at your recommendations for next time.

So we are back. Thought I'd add here in case any one sees in the future.

Salou is definitely still a party place. We were opposite rentalmar which is where they literally drop a coach load of young people to party every day and make as much noise as possible. In our hotel (apartamente cye Salou) there were old people, families and young people. Each morning we were woken up at 5-5.30 with the young people chanting or singing some bullshit. One morning at 8am, a group including kids were dropped off in a coach and one actually had a drum. A fucking drum. With more chanting. There was noise all night.

On the last night, the family in the room next to us just spent the night moving the room furniture about. I spoke to the receptionist and she said June, July and August is when Spanish students come and cause mayhem. The locals hate it.

A hotel just a little further down, hotel Olympus or something was really nice and seemed quieter. We were right near the beach and it's a fabulous beach.

Even better was when we walked towards the PortAventura water park there were much more resort type places which were away from all the noise and students. I'd recommend that way!

Now to sleep for a week. I've aged a lot from dehydration, heat, lack of sleep and being too old for all of it.

Oh and DD went on the yellow slide 😫🤦🏾‍♀️