Spain - Costa Dorada Discussion Forums

Discussions regarding holidays in the Costa Dorada.
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Hi glad you had a great time did you go to the donaire beach if so can i just ask you about the inflatables in the pool,are you allowed them ? My daughter can swim but not a strong swimmer yet she wants to take her float the ones which kids learn to use when learing to swim ? Is there anything to look out for when there ? Anything you didnt like ? Were off there in 4wks time and i do read good and bad reviews about this hotel Thanks alot
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i am at this hotel right now as we speak there is 9 of us in total in our party we are all extremely disapointed and we arent a fussy bunch.waiters grunt at you bar staff are really miserable they wont play any music there is 2 cafes and 2 souvenier shops in the area nothing else.the pool is freezing as is most of the food my 2 yr old keeps asking to go home as there is absolutely nothing for him here bar prices are ridiculous.if you like being totally bored a
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if you like being totally bored out of your mind then come here.we travel 3 times a yr and this is the worst we have been to.save your money.we did go into salou yesterday central and the beach was busy not lie the dirty beach here in la pineda .salou looked ok lots of soveneir shops etc.not many bars-clubs which i did expect,freezing murky sea a bit like blackpool.
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Sorry you're not having such a good time travelcrazy :(
Thanks for looking in, and hope things start to get better for you.

Kath HT Admin
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I suppose everyone are different thou,i have read some really good reviews about this hotel recently also a friend off mine went there last yr and really loved it there,have to make my own oppion when ive been.Can you tell me if there is a market there ?
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I came back 3 weeks ago from this hotel for the 2nd time and had a fantastic time.

It is great for families and we spent most of our time on the beach. It does not smell of urine by the pool!

Have put a review on the review page.

There is a market in Pineda but I can't remember which day it was on.

There is some building work going on, but I don't think it interfered with anything.

Everyone has their own opinion, and most reviews on here are good. We have been back a 2nd time and I don't think it will be our last!
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Thanks 1972 it does look lovely there and right on the beach too,so the market is it up the rd where the hotel is ? And whats it like big ?
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You're welcome!

I did not actually go to the market and don't know how big it is, but I believe it was just up the road. I read about it in the Thomson information book.

Check with reception or you reps when you get there. Just watch out for pickpockets (who you get at an market)!
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The market in La Pineda is on Friday morning on the car park of the La Pacha night club. We found the beach at La Pineda clean and child friendly. The lifeguard at the hotel is very quick to stop people using inflatables (ie lilos etc) in the pool but if a small float is needed as a swimming aid then I would think that they would be allowed. I saw some children wearing armbands and some using small polystyrene floats. There are plenty of bars and shops about 500 yards from the hotel along the promenade and both bars and shops are open until after midnight. I am sure you will enjoy your time at the Donaire.:wave
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hi we are a very well travelled family and go away 3 times a yr to europe and worldwide holidays sometimes with the kids ,sometimes without.
THE BEACH is not clean outside the donaire at all it is full of straw and cig dimps and wires hanging out ,i am sorry if you think thats clean you werent looking.the sea is freezing and the pool too.we are quite an easy to please bunch but nothing was good about this place i am sorry well apart from the sun as the weather was good.
the area DID have strong smells of sewage from time to time and not only did i smell urine around the pool a girl about 3/4 had her costume off and actually peed on the swimming pool decking area where kids were playing.i dont think it was cleaned up.there is a market it sells nylon pyjama sets for 2 euros and handbags and purses.thats it oh and a few cheap shoes nothing fantastic.any questions whatsoever please feel free to ask as i will always give honest answers and our party ranged from ages 2-60 and nobody enjoyed it unfortunately.
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travelcrazy, im sorry you are not enjoying La Pineda and Donaire Hotel.

I`ve been a few times and can honestly say i have had no problems with the beach being dirty, do you know if there had been a lot of rain/heavy downpour before you arrived? because the beach is man made and can get a bit washed away exposing stone etc... they replace the sand and make it nice again quite quickly though,
majority of staff have always been pleasant,
never had no nasty smells except chlorine,
the food i find a bit repetative when there for 2 weeks( i find this anywhere not just this hotel) but it was decent.
The pool however is always cold, i`ve never known it to be warm so perhaps that could be improved with heating.
With so many good reviews lately, i don`t know what has gone wrong.

To all those who are booked to go, keep following the reviews to see if there are any other bad ones. I wouldn`t hesitate to go back again.
Last time we were there an English couple were given a free holiday, bottles of wine etc... as it was there 38th visit since it opened :shock:
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hi again well there was 9 in our party of various ages and we all felt the same as did many people we met there.there was no downpour before we went and i wouldnt be petty about stones on the beach it had wires sticking out in parts and some sort of straw grass sticking through littered with dimps and bits and bobs it was dirty.
the food was a little repetative but i can honestly say i found something i enjoyed to eat everynight.there was absolutely nothing for my 2 and a half year old though so we paid for food elsewhere for him but there wasnt much choice around.
the hotel itself wasnt too bad the staff a few are a bit rude most cant speak english its the actual place thats horrible its deserted like a ghost town absolutely nothing to do whatsoever.
your friend was extremely lucky recieving a free holiday as even at main bingo every night they raked in well over 200 quid a game and only parted with a 70 pence bottle of wine!!
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Can anyone tell me if there is umbrella around the pool at the Hotel Donaire Beach or do you have to provide your own Thanks
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hi there is shaded beds around the back of the pool you have to get them early and its a cover that you can pull across the top of them there are also shaded beds on the beach you have to pay for or you can buy an umberella from the shop across the road think i paid 6 euros but they were in salou for 3!!
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Hey guys, I am in shock of what I have just read! I got back from the Donaire yesterday after a two week stay and I am so sad that I am back home - this was the best holiday i have been on. There is soooo much to tell about this hotel and everything about the area so please just ask if you want to know anything in particular, if I write it all down my fingers will fall off! Speak soon
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Thanks for answering my questions,can you tell me if you found around the pool breezy in the day as the hotel is right on the beach,also have you the hotel donaire email address just wondering if i have the correct address and they didnt come bck to me or dont they ? Thanks
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For email address for hotel see my post dated 17th August 2007.

Sorry, can't answer other questions as never stayed at this hotel.

Maz
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Yes I sent my request to donaire@goldenhotels.com - they didn't get back to me either. The pool has a slight breeze on the odd day but with the weather we had, we were glad of it! It was never cold around the pool though and considering it is situated directly on the beach, the nights were not windy like I thought they might be.
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We sent an email to the hotel both years we went, but never got a reply. They did give us a room overlooking the sea though as we requested.

I did not notice it breezy around the pool and at night it was fine sitting outside.

Have a great time!
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