Parador de Benicarló

The gardens are lovely and the layout is very nice. We had a good dinner, beautifully presented, and breakfast was fair. The coffee area felt far too small for the number of guests. Our room was quite a walk from reception, though at least it was on the ground floor. A good quality parador overall.

The beachfront setting is superb, and the pool was a welcome treat, though it feels tired and needs renovating. We stayed one night as a family, and the staff were attentive and polite throughout. Bar service in the cafeteria bar was excellent. Benicarlo itself isn't great. Our room didn't feel like a Parador, with an old bathroom that needs replacing. There was no information in the room about facilities, checkout times, or menus. We only found out the sauna cost 20euros per session and had to be reserved at reception when we went upstairs and saw the sign. There was no information about the pedal cycles outside either, though I assume they're an extra.

The pool area and gardens were pleasant enough, and the lobby was okay, but the rooms made this a very disappointing stay after having visited several Paradores. We first booked a superior room but found it too dark. The suite had nice sea views, though it was very dated. Worst of all, the air conditioning never worked. Maintenance came five times and each time said there was air in the system and to wait 30 minutes. It still didn't work, and they eventually admitted the air conditioning struggles on the second floor. We moved back to a superior room, which was cool but smelled of drains. We chose half board and the food was good, but they didn't change the menu or offer specials, so after three nights it felt repetitive. The gym was very dated. I won't return, and I'll be very careful about using Paradors again.

The Parador sits right on the beach, with the town centre not far away. It's a lovely spot for a beach break, especially for families. The building isn't really historic, but that didn't take away from the stay. As always, the rooms, food, and service were perfect.