Gran Hotel Las Fuentes

From the warm welcome when we arrived to the spa and massage, we all had a wonderful stay. There was an amazing range at every meal, and the rooms, gardens, and pool areas were beautiful.

There was plenty to enjoy, and the rooms were clean and well equipped, but the crowds made this a poor fit for me. The hotel is huge, with almost every amenity you can think of for any age, from multiple pools to a cinema, gym, spa, and more. We were there in mid September, and breakfast was packed. There were long waits for a fried egg or to make toast. Check-in was also slow, with only one person at reception, and we couldn't get into our room until nearly 4pm. You can't make hot drinks in the room, which seems common in Spanish hotels. I don't like crowds, though it clearly looked like a brilliant place for families with children.

The place looks even nicer in person than in the photos. It's mostly families, and breakfast can get chaotic, but we could always find a table and reach the buffet without trouble. The pool area was relaxing even with quite a few kids around. I do wish there were parasols, especially for us English people who don't get much sunshine at home. I understand most guests sensibly go between 2-5. The pool bar never opened during our stay, but that didn't spoil things since the other bars were open all day. Food and drinks at nearby bars and restaurants were very reasonably priced, and there's a spar about a minute's walk away with a good selection at fair prices. It feels like an affordable area, especially for families. We took a taxi to benicassim, around a 30 minute drive and roughly €50. It was well worth it for a nice meal and good nightlife at a reasonable price. The receptionist kindly helped us book the taxi, which we really appreciated. Would definitely recommend!

The rooms are nice and clean, but I came away with mixed feelings because the place is so understaffed. Reception involved endless waiting, and the pool often didn't open until after 11 am for no clear reason. The Wi-Fi is sloooow, and 40 minutes in the spa costs 10 euros, a charge most hotels just include for free.