RNET - Gran Reserva Empuriabrava

The apartments are in good shape, and the residence is pleasant, quieter, and less crowded than the large buildings facing the sea. Still, the thin walls let you hear neighbors behaving roughly at night, and there are sewer-like smells. There also seems to be an issue next door at Grand Reserve involving a security guard. I’m not saying the town is unsafe, but in four months here I’ve seen more nighttime trouble than I did in two years at Grand Reserve, where the main disturbance was kids making noise during the day. And the pools. Keep in mind that only some Grand Reserve buildings have elevators.

The garden is kept up nicely, and the residence is close to shops and the sea. But there’s no pool, which is hard to accept at the weekly price, and you can’t get to sleep before 2 a.m. Pool access charges seem arbitrary, with two different pricing setups. There are plenty of rules, but no one supervises or enforces them. The pool area is strewn with diapers, papers, and cans, and even the pool water has a bad color. Lots of people come from outside the area, including visitors from leisure centers.

We’ve been coming here for years, and for the past four we’ve had to pay extra to use the pool. That doesn’t seem right. This year the general upkeep has been deplorable, and pool maintenance is even worse, with pigeon droppings, feathers, and pine needles around. All the vacationers seem to be coughing this year, us included. There must be a virus, but management doesn’t want to hear about it.

The rest of the amenities are quite good, and the residence is well placed in town. But avoid the corner apartment at Fabra Pompeu and Carrer de Saint Mori if you want to sleep before 3 a.m. It sits above a shisha bar that plays Jul and Maitre Gim on repeat. A bit of a shame for the Spanish atmosphere.