Camping La Palmira Beach

We spent two weeks there at the end of July with our two children, aged 1.5 and around 4, and had a great holiday. I usually don’t write reviews, but I’m puzzled by some of the low ratings. The campsite is cosy and there’s plenty to keep children busy: a bouncy castle, playground, football and basketball area, and a path with animal statues between the cabins. They loved the pool, and I found it very clean. Each morning before it opened, two or three people gave it a thorough clean, and I never saw rubbish or dirt lying around. We knew from a quick look at Google Maps before arriving that the beach was about a 10-minute walk away, so that was no surprise. There was enough parking, little traffic on site, and the animation team, bar staff, and other employees were all friendly and helpful. I’m probably forgetting something, but we had a lovely time. I’m giving four stars because nothing is perfect.

Our mobile home’s position and layout made a huge difference. We had a Kim top presta 6 that seemed almost new, facing the beach dunes and beside the small children’s play area and cabin. Its three-sided barrier meant that, with a one-year-old, we could block the steps with the clothes dryer, and there weren’t many cars passing. One of the more open homes in the middle of the site would have been much harder with a toddler. This was our first holiday with Clico Chic/Capfun, so I can’t compare it with another stay. We didn’t have trouble finding a chair at the pool, which was unusual for a campsite or hotel, though there were no sun loungers. Our four-year-old was nervous about the slides but loved the pirate ship and other water features. The water was awkward for our one-year-old: too deep for crawling, but too shallow for his swim ring to work well. He could climb out easily. Pushchairs were allowed in the pool area, which helped at nap time. The only evening event we went to was the foam party, and our four-year-old loved it. The Koh-Lanta inflatable in the main pool meant a 30-minute wait in the hot sun for just two minutes on it. Watch out at the end slide: the pool is only 1m20 deep, and I had a sore ankle for a few days after my foot hit the bottom. We also saw some inconsiderate behaviour, including children left alone and cigarette ends around the playground and go-kart track. Our crawling baby spent the week picking up litter. Reception was very busy when we arrived. It’s better to park outside the gates because the few spaces by reception fill up quickly. At 4:30, we were told our mobile home wasn’t ready. We got wristbands and could use the facilities while waiting, so we went to the bouncy castles and playground because we couldn’t easily get things from the car. About an hour later, with our one- and four-year-old getting hot and fed up, we got the call. There was another 10-minute wait at reception, and then a couple tried to push ahead of us. We tried the kids’ club later in the week, after taking several day trips. I stayed nearby and could see that the other children had already made friends, while my child was left off to the side. He wasn’t happy, so we took him back after 30 minutes. They said they’d wanted to call us but didn’t have our number, though they hadn’t asked for it when we dropped him off. As a childcare worker, I found the club very basic: they didn’t ask about medical needs, whether he had water, or our number on the first day. Most children seemed older, so I’m not sure how used they are to shy four-year-olds. I assume many children arrive on Monday and do the whole week of activities.

The children had a great week, with lots of activities for them, teens, and families, and direct beach access was a real plus. Our nearly new mobile home had air conditioning and was convenient, though it wasn’t very clean and the entrance steps made it a bit awkward to get into. We could park right behind it. The staff were kind and helpful, and I’d recommend the place for families. The restaurant was the main letdown. The food was bad, service could be run more efficiently, and we waited a very long time. Bread and croissants are supposed to be available in the morning, but depending on when you arrive, there may be none. Still, we had a nice stay.

Dun, cap, palm, beach, cheap, groove, move, in... pff, magical, you know.