I went to Salou in June and it was extremely clean. Most places in Spain that I've been to there has been drainage smells and you normally get to know which areas smell when you walk past and Salou seems no better or worse than other resorts.

The bin men came round about 3 times a day when we were in Salou and they were always sweeping the streets, what more can they do

Could do with a bit of a clean up on the graffiti front but I don't agree with you otherwise.

Mark

I think it's very clean with a beautiful prom. Certainly much nicer than the town where I live which is also supposed to e a tourist attraction.....

Ali

I would agree with you McKenna, I didn't like Salou and found it dirty and shabby and the drains do smell badly.

i was in salou last summer i didnt think it was dirty but deffo know what you mean about going around the shops i found that a nightmare being 6months pregnant and 3kids with us we found it better to just avoid the main street we went in the shops one day out of the 14 we where their . we are going again this year and have no plans to go around the shops at all as i think they all have nohing but rubish in the anyways

hi all....Ive not been salou for about 5 years now....but had gone every year for atleaste 10 yrs before that....we loved it and didnt even think of going else where ...it was perfect for a family holiday....most of the shops were spanish family bussinnesses and the more children you had with you the bigger welcome you got...you felt like a welcome guest and it was lovely chatting to the staff and mooching round the shops....same in the resturants and cafe's....port adventura staff were the same ....you felt the spanish love of children and families reigned supreme

The streets were spotless...and so was the beach....

Then the spanish run port adventura was taken over by universal studios....and though it improved with more rides ect , the attitude of the staff changed year by year afterwards....they were didnt seem to love the job the way they used to..

They began to build AI hotels all round port adventura....with direct acsess to the theme parks....and the whole place became more comercialised...everthing became more expensive

Around about the same time the family run shops ect seemed to dissapearing, and non spanish staffed shops increasing.....I wouldnt have even checked my bill in the spanish family shops...but was ripped of and cheated more than once in the others...even threatened when I tried to complain ....and like one of our posters here the happy hours I used to spend mooching in the shops buying bits for the children and to take home began to be spoilt by being followed and harrassed, and my children and myself being treated like would be theives.......there always had been flyers offered on the streets and street sellers...but there were many more appearing...they were more persistant and not as polite as they used to be....the police presence in the past moved them on and they didnt want to draw attention to themselves by being too pushy...but the police didnt seem to be as bothered or around like they used to be.

Graffiti began to appear and the police didnt seem to be around like they used to be...they used to be a visable presence ...made you feel very safe .

When things change in this way ....some people have less respect for the area....and things do deteriorate....one person throws rubbish in the street...others see it and throw their's too.

The last year I was there was told how far it had deteriorated by a friend who had worked and lived there for many years....it was not as safe at night ...the girls working the bars ect were being escorted home as there had been a lot of rapes mugging ect...they said the old salou was dead and were going home as things would only get worse....there were too many dodgy characters around who they thought were not able to work legaly and could explain the muggings.

I decided not to return again ....I felt I was leaving behind a once beautiful child that had badly gone wrong....had gone too far to be put right...led astray by others wanting to make big money and offering comercial success....but at too great a cost in my veiw.

Sad to say ...but isnt this the norm these days....and as they are sucking one place dry...destroying what gave it its appeal as a return and return again destination....they are scouting for another beautiful place do move onto.

I loved the Salou of the past....and sad its nolonger there for other families to experience it the way I did

TWEETIE PIE i deffo saw a few dodgy characters me my husband and 3 young children where walking along the street minding our own bees wax and this guy who was standing along the footpath said in to my husbands ear you want some weed brotha?? that was scarey so but where would you recomend going with 4 young kids is there any where that remains the way salou used to be?

hi tomnkat.....salou has a great safe beach....and port adventura realy cant be beat for kids...if I had young children I would still choose salou...but would book the AI theme park hotels , which usually include entrance to port adventura...go to the aqua park which also has a seal and dolphin show, and a small but good reptile zoo.... take the kids on the breach for the pedaloes that have slides on.....and down to cambrils harbour to fish with nets, see all the boats , and take a boat trip back to salou harbour...But would give the rest of Salou a miss......and spend evenings in the hotel.

My kids are all grown up ....youngest is 15 now....they were getting to the point they wanted a change anyway...so we have been other places instead....we are going back AI to the lago taurito in gran caneria again this year....there is lots for the kids to do there and is a really good family hotel AI includes entrance to a waterpark with slides that is infront of hotel....but there are no theme parks....there are excursions to the other atractions on the island.....

There are places probably still like salou used to be but there wont be as much for the kids to do...the cherry on salous cake was the spanish run theme park....made it unique....at one time you had to go by coach from england or fly to barcelona and have a long transfer to salou....so not so many tourists and salou valued our loyalty....then they opened up reus airport and ryanair began regular very cheap flights....and the number of holiday makers rose....when this happens things change and usually not for the better....tweetie

To be honest I think most Spanish places now have these Senagaleese (sp) trying to get you to buy all mannor of rubbish off them! Last year we had 3 holidays, Tennerife, Costa Brava and Lanzarote. They were there at all 3. Less so at Costa Brava but in Tenerife and Lanzarote they were everywhere! Also I found in the Canaries nearly every other shop had cameras in the window and someone outside preying on you to come into his camera shop!
Last time we stayed in Salou was 2006 or 2007, I can't quite remember, and they were there too! It seems that now we just presume they are everywhere we go thats Spanish!
This year we are going back to Salou and I'm hoping it'll still be ok as I'm being a bit put off by some of the write ups. Thing is, if it isn't very good this time then they've shot themselves in the foot as we won't go again! But lets face it, the Spanish know 100% that these street traders are out in forse every night and they basically get ignored!

hi chivas69......

But lets face it, the Spanish know 100% that these street traders are out in forse every night and they basically get ignored!

The point is in the good old early days they didnt ignore them...the police were always not too far away....especially on the main sea front strip....and I dont remember them being around ....then I began to notice them....but they didnt stay long or pester too much....they would open cases trying to sell stuff...then they would suddenly shut ther case again and run...very afraid of being caught by the police.

Like I said in my last post ...the police presence began to dissapear....and this is when the street sellers became a big nuisence....there is a night market and a shopping arcade that stays open till late at night...we used to go for a meal in the chinese buffet bar there...or somewhere nearby...and loved roaming round buying bits and bobs before heading back to caravan park ....but they were getting to be a nusience there as well.....they even pestered you during the day in full view on the beach.

The last year there we nolonger felt safe walking back to the caravan park....like another poster mentioned ...there were shady characters hanging around in lonely places for no obvious reasons.....I actually took 5 children with me on my own in the early years and was never concerned about walking round at night with them....but no way would I have risked that the last year we went....I had my husband and one of my older sons who is a big built lad with me....and I still didnt feel happy late at night.

Thing is chivas its about 5yrs since I was last there and maybe things are being sorted now....and there arnt any popular holiday destinations these days that havent got some sort of problem....and you have just got to be careful...dont take silly risks....like I said still cant really think of a better holiday for kids because of port adventura the theme park.

This year we are off to gran caneria again....the place we go is a bit out of the way but good accsess if wanted to rest of the island....its one of a group of about 5 hotels built on the sides of a ravine with facilities in the centre......unless you are staff or staying in one of the hotels there is no reason to be there....most of the hotels AI ....good bus service to Mogan or pourta rico and other places from there...thing is these pester sellers cant bother you and no bussinness for them any way....we went for evening out in pourta rica and the camera sales men were there but didnt see pester sellers on the street where we went.....Mogan was lovely and didnt get pestered there either....but could imagine if you went the busier tourist areas the pester sellers would be out in force....we only went for a week last year and so didnt venture that far either side of Playa Taurito...going for two weeks this year and wanting to get to explore further

after thought about the pester sellers.....it would be in Spain and the tourist areas best interest to blitz the areas they are working in and remove them....surely they are not legaly in Spain....not contributing to the economy as not paying tax.....infact stopping the shop keepers ect from earning revenue they then pay tax on....and putting people of shopping or eating where they are prevelent....I know the shops keepers ect dont like them there either.......there was once a lot of gypsy beggers for a while in Salou....the police soon moved them on and out of salou

We have been to Salou twice, both times we stayed at the El Paso, one of the Port Aventura Hotels. We love Port Aventura but don't like Salou. Both times we have been we have had great holidays but only ventured into Salou for the occasional meal and to fill up on snacks/drinks for the room. We did feel quite threatened even intimidated by all the peddlars, drugged up youths and by one particularly persistant aggressive beggar so just avoided the place when we could. There is plenty to do outwith Salou itself. I would go back but it would be to one of the Port Aventura Hotels.

Just goes to show how we all see places different. I don't think Salou is in the slightest bit intimidating or threatenng, in fact it is without doubt the least threatening large resort I have been to. I've walked all hours of the day and night on my own and never once had any hassle from anyone, I also have never heard about anyone being mugged when talking to other holidaymakers. Obviously bad things must happen there but I think its must be very rare. I love the atmosphere in Salou, I was last there in June 2009 and the entire place was clean and friendly as it was in August 2008.

Can't wait to get back there again this year!!

There are places probably still like salou used to be but there wont be as much for the kids to do...the cherry on salous cake was the spanish run theme park....made it unique....at one time you had to go by coach from england or fly to barcelona and have a long transfer to salou....so not so many tourists and salou valued our loyalty....then they opened up reus airport and ryanair began regular very cheap flights....and the number of holiday makers rose....when this happens things change and usually not for the better....tweetie

Tweetie, Just so you know, Universal no longer own PortAventura and it is now a Spanish run theme park. Previous to Universal it was actually owned by Tussauds (UK) and Busch (USA).

Reus has long been the arrival airport, long before PortAventura was there, I first went to Salou in the 80's and we landed at Reus and I think it was even welcoming UK flights in the 70's?

Salou has always been crowded during the summer, and although I thought it was really busy when I went in June, I've been told by the locals that its actually been quieter for the last couple of summers (as it has been in most Spanish resorts).

The police presence in June was high, with the seafront having a permanent police presence as well as up the main shopping street near the main nightlife area.

But if it was not like that when you were there then you can only report as you find.

hi jimnliz....the el paso does AI now.....I was thinking of doing a short break just to take youngest and his friend on his birthday in oct to port adventura ...ryanair have cheap flights but need stay atleast 5 days to get them...hotels next to theme park include tickets in nightly price...but are too expensive to stay 5 nights...and then pay for meals on top.....and dont fancy staying in salou centre or having to go eat there....there wasnt any availability in the el paso who seem to have had a good offer on....so looks like need rethink his birthday treat.....wonder if a late deal possible for less....cash will be tight as already taking all the family for 2 weeks AI in july...and have to also find money for a week in sicily so he can compete in his sport ...

My original plan was to go on a friday and return on the monday....staying for 3 nights...but flight prices more than double once they add subsadies on for fri to mon flights....tweetie

hi mark757....as I said earlier its about 5yrs since I last went to salou....but I went for years before that...we were told that universal studios had taken over in port adventura....thought it was a spanish company running it before that....I just know the feel of the place changed...before universal took over the staff on the rides were happy...always laughing and smiling.. they treated the last child of the day as if it was the first child on the ride that day...as if they had been chosen for thier love of and patience with children...first year seemed ok...but there was a noticable change in the attitude of the park staff the following year....as if they just wanted to get through the day and go home.....and the prices went up all over the park .....but there were new rides .....then they introduced halloween that began 1st oct....and instead of keeping a gay happy atmospher during the day as lots of littluns in the park...then all the spooky scary stuff in the evening for the older ones....they had monsters roaming round terrifying the littleuns and dreary spooky monotonous music all day ...made me depressed listening to it....mums were complaining and taking the children home...so would I if freddy cruger or a monster had appeared and upset my littlun............we liked going end sept or early oct and went once in july .

The mugging were more of a night ...on people going home late like bar staff ect...got told by friend they were trying to keep it quiet but that it was getting worse....that there were too many dodgy characters around...probably illegals who couldnt get work....and the police didnt seem that interested...they werent around like they used to be...the graffiti had been appearing on the walls the year before...but it was all over the back street walls that year....and even appearing on the main streets.....this was a long time ago now so maybe someone woke up and realised where salou was heading.....and put the police visable on the streets again .....there had been a bomb go off...and talk was the police were being targeted....maybe that explained some of it.

Think it was ryanair that got things really going ....they began regular very cheap daily flights...used them myself one year instead of going by coach as was taking a baby with us...I was shocked to find it was cheaper than the coach.....reus used to be basicaly a shed on an airfield....now it has a new terminal building .

I decided not to go back again....and things had to be dire for me to do that.....I loved salou...even the coch trip there...got a brilliant deal every year on my favorite caravan site....booked over 12 months in advance to make sure got it......hopped round on the buses on my own to all the markets like one of the locals...felt very much at home and safe ....I would probably still be going there now....the lads had been doing port adventura year after year....and loved it....but I bought a week ticket the last year and they only used it a few days....they got bored with the halloween theme ...said fun at first but wears off....then no firework display as silly halloween thing going on that was boring......so I didnt feel guilty going else where the following year......now the lads fancy going port adventura again...but just to go port adventura....so thinking of trying to do long weekend just to let them have a few days there...

From what you say maybe things are being put right...but it wont be the salou I knew over 10yrs ago

tweedy thanks for the info we are deffo going to camrills this year, last year i was 6months pregnant and wasnt fit to be too active so we give it a miss, walking around portaventura and floating in the pool like a baby whale was enough for me but the harbour and info you have give sounds great i cant wait to go again this year we are going on 6th june staying in ragina gran fingers crossed the hotel is ok but hey it couldnt be any worse than where we stayed last year.

Mark 757 when you go on hols with young children in tow I think you are more aware of whats going on around you and maybe more wary. I just know that I have never felt like that in any other place we have visited except maybe Barcelona. But the sheer beauty of Barcelona would make me want to go back but not with young kids. My 16 year old son came with us one year and he was amazed at the amount of drugged up youths that were hanging around Salou, there was some really stoned individuals and that is scary. I do hope that the authorities crack down on these people as Salou continues to be a popular place for British holidaymakers.

Tweetie I just think that it is brilliant that one of my fav hotels has gone AI. And the fact that you can use AI at certain places at the Park is enough to tempt me back for a long weekend at some point. Just had a quick check and the availability is practically gone for any long weekends this year. Just going to have to get more organised for next year now.

hi jimnliz.....I know about the AI as was thinking of doing a long weekend myself to take the lads to port adventura for a birthday....only 7days available and not for when I wanted it...and the flights they offered were easy jet to barcelona ...didnt fancy the transfers ...and as they werent included made it expensive....dont know why they werent using reus...seemed daft using barcelona with reus on the doorstep....tweetie

Hi Jimnliz,

To be honest, I normally do notice if a resort has a dodgy atmosphere, this is something I wrote on the Costa Brave forum after visiting Lloret de Mar in April 2008:-

Quote: 'If I were to pick fault with Lloret then it would be for the following reason:-
During the evening in the main street running through Lloret the PR's are quite aggresive at trying the get you to stop and listen to them, the resort also seems to have lots of large groups which for some people I guess could feel a bit intimidating.'

I just haven't noticed it in Salou before. Obviously you can only report as you find, there must have just been a better crowd on holiday whilst I was there

I'm looking forward to visiting again this year Salou is my favourite resort, but hey, each to their own, were all different.