Camping Caravaning La Manga

We left ourselves less time here because of the reviews, then wished we hadn't once we'd been on site for a couple of hours. The claims about “Shanty Towns” are a huge overreaction and wildly exaggerated. It's a big but really nice site. We were in the PQ section, close to the beach and its great beach bar. Staff were friendly and helpful, and there are two good swimming pools and a well-stocked supermarket. We'll definitely come back when we're in Spain.

I booked a week at Capfun La Manga in July back in January. This week, with less than a month before the holiday, I got an email asking for the remaining balance. There was no booking on my account, so I called and was told the site is now closed. Nobody apologized or emailed to say it was closed for the season. I had to ask for my refund, and now there are no good campsites with entertainment for our children to choose from. Appalling service from Capfun. I'll never book with you again.

We arrived at 15:00 for a two-week stay in a dog-friendly cabin, only to be told no clean cabins were available. Are they left dirty until someone books? We were told to go away and wait for a call, as the cleaner would go to the cabin at 17:00. At 17:40 we came back and learned the cleaner hadn't picked up the keys and was mopping the office floor instead. We were again told to leave until they called. When I asked how long, the receptionist argued with me and abruptly said after 18:00. I asked for a refund. It took another 20 minutes to get my cash, and I signed an invoice. The customer service was unbelievable. I won't stay here or give them my money again. Shocking people.

This place wasn't our best experience, though it's clearly a love-it-or-hate-it site. The people next door have been coming for over twenty years and love it. It's huge, with lots of permanent residents and seasonal pitches, which didn't bother us. Our motorhome pitch was large and hedged, but had too much shade for our liking. It would be nice in summer. The big pool has slides but isn't heated, and it was too cold for us to sit there. There's a smaller heated pool for an extra charge. You can walk straight onto the beach, but the sea disappointed us: weedy, full of small jellyfish, and unattractive. Nearby beaches are walkable, though you'll need to drive for a good beach. The beaches on the other side of La Manga are lovely, but the resorts look a bit run down. Cartagena is worth a visit; there's a large free car park by the port and a lovely little beach below it. The area is set up well for cycling, including rides to nature reserves. The very clean showers and toilets have an odd setup: no hooks or shelves in the shower, so you have to open the cubicle door to dry and get dressed. Toilet paper is outside the cubicles too, so grab a big handful and hope it's enough. The restaurant is nice enough and the shop is good. My biggest issue was the flies. Take repellent, I got bitten badly.