4R Miramar Calafell

The noise through the door between rooms was the main reason for my one-star rating. It wasn't insulated, so I could hear the person next door talking loudly as if they were in my room. I found that completely unacceptable. Without that, I'd probably put the stay at two stars, or a very weak three. The room and restaurant were clean, the receptionist was pleasant, and the beachfront location came with a lovely sea view. But the hotel's three-star rating didn't match the quality. There was no fridge, the shampoo seemed as cheap as possible, and the plastic chair and breakfast added to that impression. Breakfast might suit you if you eat eggs, bread and fruit. There were several breads, three kinds of eggs, some fruit and quite a few sweet pastries. The rest was disappointing: one kind of cheap cheese, poor sausages and cold cuts, basic cereal, no juice, only syrup or “nectar,” and very low-quality tea bags. It felt like a working-class hotel, which is fine in itself, with lots of pensioners around. It reminded me of low-cost mass tourism in former Yugoslavia. In hindsight, booking it was my mistake. On the same trip, after changing locations, I stayed at a four-star hotel about 100 metres away and would gladly have paid €30 more per day for an experience that was better in every way. I had to pay €90 a night for this room for two with a sea view, which made the value especially hard to accept. The same room at this hotel can usually be booked for about €60, and at that price the value would have seemed much better.

Calafell makes it easy to mix active days with time to unwind. I could see it working well for swimming, runs, hikes, and good meals, with plenty of chances to make nice memories.

We spent a relaxed seven days here and would happily come back. The room was good, the food was plentiful with lots to choose from, and the staff were friendly and helpful. Some spoke broken English, but my Spanish and Catalan are even more broken, so we got on fine. The pool is enclosed on all four sides and stays shaded for much of the day, which suited us Scots. It was 27°C in October. There were plenty of loungers, an outdoor shower, and toilet and shower cubicles by the pool. Parking at the hotel was a minor hassle, but we found spaces at the nearby train station or in the parking area on the main road. October was a good time for a quiet break, and plenty of restaurants and shops were still open. There's a small supermarket-style shop on the corner opposite the entrance. The beach bar was open too, always busy, and the staff there were friendly and helpful. The beach is long and sandy, but there were no lifeguards at that time of year and the surf can get big, so it looks like a good place for surfing or bodyboarding. It's a very family-friendly hotel, and we've already recommended it.

The pool was closed for the first two days, for reasons we never found out, and the Wi-Fi didn't work once during the trip. The food was awful, and unless you arrived early you'd be stuck queuing to get into the dining room. Most of the staff were rude, though a few were exceptions. It was one of the most run-down hotels I've stayed in. I'd avoid it. It feels like a two-star place calling itself three-star.