Lloret de Mar

[frogface5]

Thinking of booking our summer holiday here. On paper it ticks a lot of boxes - short flight and transfer, lots of AI hotels with water parks, beachfront, markets and a park and bit of an old town to mooch around. Will be me, Dh and two kids one primary and one young teen.

But I’m seeing a lot of mixed reviews on here and online, lots of people saying it’s a bit grim. I’m not a snob, the whole brits abroad thing doesn’t bother me as such as long as we feel safe and it’s not dirty etc. Main priority is the kids being happy and safe. Anyone got any experience? We only get one holiday a year and don’t want to mess up by booking something shit! Thank you x

Hopeful bump

I’m really not a snob but I hated it.

this was over ten years ago but it just had such a depressing feel to it x

I went on a girls post a level holiday there. It was good. Easy access to Barcelona but also right by the beach. That was nearly 25 years ago though.

I haven’t been to either, but I’ve heard good things about Tossa de Mar, which isn’t too far away.

I went around 5 years ago and didn’t really think there was much there at all and I’m sure the beach was loads of tiny stones not sand, I remember walking around and was very underwhelmed as I’m used to loads of shops, restaurants etc but there really wasn’t much choice at all, I guess it’s close to other places but I wouldn’t want to have to travel everyday. Like I said, maybe we were at the wrong dead end part of town and never managed to find the main part but my experience I wouldn’t go back purely because there’s better places

I love Lloret de Mar and spent many a childhood holiday there. But, my grandparents lived there and we always used to drive so could go on day trips whilst there. I have since taken DH there in the last few years and he really enjoyed it. Bear in mind if your flight goes to Barcelona it is a long transfer to the resort - fly to Girona if possible.
It all depends on what you want from a holiday as to whether it would suit as a family. It is a town with a beach and lots of hotels. We stayed in the town (Hotel Cleopatra and La Palmera and Spa) as they are away from the main strip but not too far out of the town to walk down multiple times a day. Some of the hotels are, what I call, at the top of the hill or in Fenals which is a way away from the centre. The beach is not sand but lots of tiny little stones which get really hot in the summer and makes it hard to walk across with nothing on your feet. The sea is warm but there is a shelf that makes it quite deep unless you go to the castle end of the beach where it is better for children. It is full of restaurants and bars and there are a couple of amusement places for children.
You can get a bus or boat to Blanes and Tossa de Mar for a day trip which is well worth it or go further afield to Girona or Barcelona. There is no train station in Lloret, you have to go to Blanes for the train.
I love the place as it holds many many lovely memories and my grandad is buried in the graveyard at the top of the town which is well worth a visit but I don't think it is a true family holiday destination. It depends on your expectations of a holiday. Not all hotels have entertainment and it is not a AI dependent resort. We have only ever gone B&B and have eaten out every night and have had some truely exceptional meals. We are looking to go back this year and will be booking somewhere soon.

Tossa de Mar is 100% nicer than Lloret. But it is more expensive. Lloret is a bit on the grotty side. Lots of European teens go there for their party holidays. But nicer than somewhere like Benidorm. Blanes is a nice town on the same coastline.

I’ve heard it’s a bit of a party place which doesn’t bother me as long as we aren’t in the heart of it being kept awake at night etc. It’s really hard to gauge a place from photos. I just want somewhere with a good hotel, nearby beach and a few decent places within walking distance to mooch to.

It’s grim. Go to Tossa de Mar instead- it’s not far.

Begur area, loads of day trips and beautiful sandy coves.

I went on a uni tour- very much party city and I wouldn't take my family there. Easy access to Barcelona though. Near Girona is better x

I went last summer. I've been to Benidorm, Malia and Salou - I would never set foot in Lloret de Mar again, the others are much nicer which is saying something(!)

When you walk through the town you'll be greeted with shop after shop with tshirts along the lines of 'I heart Dick' etc.

The beach is very tiny pebbles but I quite liked that as no sand getting stuck everywhere but the beach is a steep drop into the sea and not safe for kids.

The hotel I stayed at which had a waterpark was horrible.

Blanes is nice but same problem with a steep drop into the sea.

Grim.

Lloret del Mar was my first "abroad" holiday at the age of 9, and it put me off Spain for about 40 years 😆 Judging by PPs it hasn't improved much in recent decades.

Begur (as a PP said) is absolutely stunning. Not big resort territory though if that's what you're after, it's an old hilltop town with twisty roads through the pines down to little coves.

Right it seems fairly unanimous on this thread at least! I had also looked at Salou but struggling to find apartment style hotels there (one separate bedroom). Teen son would not appreciate us all sleeping in the same room for a week and nor would I!

We went to tossa de mar last year which was beautiful and took a day trip to loret de mar while there and couldn’t wait to get back out of the place, do not recommend!

@frogface i have previously stayed at Golden Avenida Suites in Salou. Tbh I wouldn't return (it was quite noisy given it was mid Sept and food was meh), and it doesn't have a waterpark, however, we had a room where DP and I slept in the living room on a bed and dd had a bedroom which had two doubles (I think, it was 2018 but defo a spare bed).

Just mentioning it as Salou is good for teenagers (loads to do and a large waterpark), beach is nice, lots of restuarants - i just wouldnt book AI there unless you want beige food 3 x a day.

I like to look on the webcams for a real view of how it is.
Have loaded an image of the beach real-time (when it loads).

We went years ago and didn't really like it. It is what it is, though. You get the sun, sea, sand etc.

I liked it, lively vibe but not OTT.

Not nice - try San Fileu or Platje de Aro instead - or Palamos.

Have a look at the Hotel Aigua Blava too - beautiful place.

As others have said, Go to Tossa de mar it’s beautiful

I’m from the area, I lived there until my mid-twenties when I came to the UK. Lloret is terrible and has an awful reputation, specially if you are after family holidays. Further south you have Pineda, Malgrat or Santa Susana- which are a lot better. Further north you have Tossa which is beautiful, and in a similar price range there’s Blanes, which is also Ok.

Ha! This was the first place I ever went on a plane- in 1984! It was very busy then, with lots of drunk young people (like me).