I have just got back (sadly) from a week's holiday in Salou. (SEPTEMBER 2005!) We booked last minute on teletext and got a really good deal for Venecia Park Hotel. We paid £254 for our holiday package including flights and transfers. Excitement set in. Then a few days before we set off a googling session instilled fear into our hearts. The reviews for the hotel all over the net, were completely negative, citing bad food, broken air conditioning, etc. We gritted our teeth and pretended not to worry and tried not to think about it till we arrived.
We, incidently, are two 19 year old students, looking for an easy week in the sun with the occasional night out clubbing. As young people and students we probably aren't as fussy as my parents, for example, but we still expect certain standards.
Venecia Park is a 3* All Inclusive hotel set in the North of Salou. It has various facilities including a non-all in bar, an indoor pool and an out door pool, crazy golf course, squash courts
and a sauna.
THE ROOM All rooms are en-suite and have 3 single beds. Standard hotel furniture: 3 wardrobes, two bedside tables, a dressing table, 3 lights in the main room and AIR CONDITIONING! The en suite consists of sink, toilet, bidet and bath/shower.
The rooms were comfortable, and all have a balcony. I don't think there are sea views because although only a short walk away I don't think it would have been logistically possible to see the sea from any of the rooms. Our balcony over looked another hotel and a small row of bars, which could be noisy on weekend nights or if there were football games being screened, but this did not effect us because we were just starting to get ready to go out rather than preparing for bed.
The walls, like in most hotels, are paper thin and we were treated to a small child's inquisitions of "whyyyyy? whyyyyyy? whyyyyyyyyyyyy?" at all hours and a couple who liked furniture moving. In the middle of the night. And that's not a euphamism.
Towels changed daily, linen every 3 days.
Some parts of the bathroom especially were a little shabby, for example to tiling and edging of the room.
RECEPTION One of the main complaints I have heard about this hotel is that it is Spanish speaking and caters mainly for Spanish tourists. Well, I hate to be the one to tell you all this, but you ARE in SPAIN! However, I am probably less distressed that most because I packed my Spanish phrase book and practiced a bit of Spanish A Level and could always be understood at reception in both English and Spanish. Found the staff there generally polite and helpful. Occasionally they came across as being stern but this was not really an issue.
Services available from reception include access to room safe (10 euros charge and a 10 euro deposit), ability to order a picnice for the next day, and general other services, eg. they'll ring you a taxi.
FOOD The restaurant is located on the lower ground floor and is adequate in size and decor. It contains an All-in bar where entire bottles of wine can be had for the meal as well as usual alcoholic and soft drinks. Food is served in a buffet style on two counters, and replenished frequently throughout the meal time. The food consisted of a big salad section, a big dessert counter (including cakes, yoghurts, ice cream etc) and hot food - meats, vegetables and chips (every night). Breakfast is continental and English.
Food is also available from the All In bar throughout the day, and consists of snacks foods such as toasted sandwiches and general junk food.
BAR The All in bar is open from 10am-12am and serves local drink equivilents. The staff are either friendly and jokey or moody and unpleasant. I went to the bar one night at 6 minutes to 12 and was looked at, ignored then had the shutters slammed down in front of me. After which ALL of the lights are turned off in the bar and pool area DESPITE people sitting there still - was horrified to see some older pensioners cast in darkness, which they would then have to stumble their way out of.
FACILITIES We didn't use the outdoor pool but the general pool area does look a little on the shabby side, probably because the tiling is very old fashioned and requires some updating. There is also a smaller children's pool. A life guard watches over the two pools, but especially the children's one all day.
The indoor pool was fairly cold and looked quite grubby. One out of the two saunas were closed and they weren't hot enough. The changing room facilities were good - showers, toilets, clean benches etc.
LOCATION The hotel is a 4 minute walk from a pharmacy, a 30 second walk from some small shops and some bars, a 6 minute walk from a beach and about a 10 minute walk from the best club in Salou.
The hotel is up a hill which may be a bit of a struggle for older people or perhaps wheelchair users, though there are lifts in the hotel.
OVERALL Really enjoyed our stay. We were amazed with what we got for our money and also the quality of the All-In services, particularly since this All-in 3* hotel far surpassed the 4* All-In I stayed in 2 years ago in Greece.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Location. Venecia Park is located in Salou, Spain, 250 metres from the beach. It is 10 ... more
kilometres from Reus and 13 kilometres from Tarragona. Reus Airport is 10 kilometres away. Hotel Features. This modern hotel features both indoor and outdoor p...
Information:
Price is per double room per night and may vary depending on date booked...
Location. Venecia Park is located in Salou, Spain, 250 metres from the beach. It is 10 ... more
kilometres from Reus and 13 kilometres from Tarragona. Reus Airport is 10 kilometres away. Hotel Features. This modern hotel features both indoor and outdoor p...
Information:
Price is per double room per night and may vary depending on date booked...
Sep 12th, 2005
very helpful by (100%):
