Festival Village Apartments

The whole stay was very poor and absolutely not worth what we paid. We spent two and a half grand for a week, but the place badly needs an upgrade. The food was disgusting, and if you have coeliac disease, you won't be able to eat. I checked twice that they could accommodate it and was told they could, but that didn't happen. We arrived on a night flight and everything was closed, so there was nothing for us to eat or drink. There's very little to do nearby unless you take a bus somewhere. The pool is freezing, salt water, and about the size of a pond. Alcohol wasn't served until 11.30 am, and it was watered down. The pool lifeguard was either asleep or on his phone, and nobody enforced the pool rules. Our return flight was in the evening. We were told we could pay an extra 25 euro for late checkout, and to book it the day before we left. When we tried then, it wasn't available, so we had to check out at 10am and wait around until 5.30pm.

We visited in late October, so I can only speak to what it was like then. All the staff were great, really friendly and helpful. The hotel itself felt tired. Our room was clean and very large, but worn out. One odd thing: one of the balcony sliding doors was screwed shut, as far as I could tell in all the rooms. Maybe it was related to the air conditioning, though the door sensors weren't working, so perhaps some maintenance is needed. Food was about what you'd expect from a three star place. There wasn't a vegetarian option at first, but they made something when asked. It's a shame that meals so often seem to include meat by default. It's in Cap Salou rather than Salou, but you can walk into Salou along a lovely coastal path with several nice beaches along the way. There are a few shops near the hotel, though most tourist type places are in Salou itself. A real plus is the bus stop next to the hotel and a bus information office nearby. We got a travel card that you could load with trips at 65 cents each. It covered rides from Cambris to tarragona and inland to Reus, and was well worth having to get around.

We were a family of six visiting from Scotland at the beginning of September, and had an enjoyable stay. The pool was great for the kids, who made loads of friends since most of the guests seemed to be families. The staff at reception, the bar, and the restaurant were all lovely. I also can't fault the food. There was always something I could eat, with different choices rotating through. The rooms are basic and need renovating. The decor felt stuck in the 90s, though housekeeping kept them clean every day. Entertainment depends on what you make of it. It did make me feel a bit like I was abroad at a Haven holiday, or at Craig Tara, if you know, you know. You can walk either way from the apartments to find a few bars and restaurants, but there's not much going on in this quieter area. I'd recommend getting bus passes to reach the much busier Salou.

It's in a quiet location, although in summer the area gets busy and lively. There's a pool and a bar out back. When we saw it in autumn, they were closed and the place looked abandoned, like many hotels in summer resorts after they shut for winter and before the next season starts.