I take it there aren't any good hotels that do great food at this time of the year. My first choice hotel isn't available for the winter season and I need to book this week. My choice is either to book the Hotel Olympic Park H/B or to book an apartment S/C, probably in Lloret as well.
Probably a mistake to book the Costa Brava at this time of year, we shall see.
Any reviews of the Hotel Olympic Park of late and recommendations for pubs would be appreciated.

Robby

Don't know if you can book it but The Aquarium in Fenals has an indoor pool and the food's pretty good.

We're on a Ryanair flight to Gerona in January (was sober when booked - am not now though :rofl)

We're going AI to Amaika hotel in Calella Click Here for reviews.

We got a good price 4 nights AI for 2 people £167 with Alpharooms but Travel Republic do it as well.

Had quick snoop on Alpharooms and from 1/12 to 8/12 for 2 people it's

Half Board £190.79
Full Board £215.01
All Inclusive £292.54

Travel Republic

£248 AI
£182 FB
£162 HB
£157 B&B

Thanks CW and Glynis, much appreiated.

CW, the hotel closed on 4/11 until March 08, but has good reviews.

Glynis, there are some good prices for the hotel you mention and all of the HTOP hotels in fact, which seem to be the main group of hotels open for the winter season. I'm after a good 4* which seems to be the problem at this time of year. The Olympic Park gets some favourable reviews but only gets a 60+% food score in the Thomson brochure which is a concern.

This is probably a mistake, I got carried away with the cheap Ryanair prices and actually booked after 1 am. I was just going to lose the flight costs as I'm off the the Algarve in mid December which poses no problems for good quality hotels.

So if there are no good hotels , where are the good (open) pubs?????

Robby

The Amaika is 4* Robby or do you def want Lloret?

The Royal Star is there with Alpharooms for

Room Only £153.00
Half Board £169.21
Full Board £190.69
All Inclusive £259.44

Royal Beach

Room Only £160.85
Half Board £177.88
Full Board £200.47
All Inclusive £272.74

Olympic Park

Half Board £214.22
Full Board £265.94
All Inclusive £408.68

Thanks Glynis, yes the Amaika is a 4* in Calella, but I'm really trying to avoid the HTOP hotels and would think Lloret will be busier?? at this time of year.
I was recommended San Feliu to visit and will be probably visit a few more towns in the area. If my flight wasn't returning so early I would probably drive to Salou.
Maybe a few nights in different resorts might be an option???

Robby

Well I've finally taken the plunge and booked the Olympic Park via Hotelopia.
It's been very difficult trying to get a good 4* hotel in the Costa Brava area at this time of the year, and admittedly I don't expect too much. The hotel does seem a little way out but has had the best overall reviews.
FWIW, the hotels/apartments I would have liked to book, but were unavailable for the winter season were;

Golden Bahia - Tossa
Encantada - Lloret
Eldorado - Lloret

I will truthfully review the Olympic Park when I get back, hopefully it will exceed my expectations.
So if you see a baldy grumpy bloke walking around Lloret in a couple of weeks time, come up and say hello to me Let's just hope for a few days decent weather.

Robby

Just as well you didn't get the Golden Bahia, read my review, very disappointing.

Why are you avoiding HTOP hotels (got me worried now )

Glad to hear you got sorted btw.

Glynis, from friends experiences the reviews of the HTOP hotels were only "Alright'ish". The problem also for me was that they are mainly "All Inclusive" hotels, it wasn't really what I was after although the Olympic Park and it's complex is also AI, hopefully to a lesser degree. I opted for the H/B and as orginally requested I was looking for a RIU type hotel, which has seemed impossible. Your actual hotel (Amaika) has some good reviews, but I doubt all the hotels searched for at this time of the year will be true 4* hotels. I'm going not expecting a RUI type service, but to be honest I won't be in the hotel that much as I plan visiting the area at least 3 or 4 of the 6 days I'm there. Despite my reservations, I'm still looking forward to visiting the Costa Brava as it is a new area for me which seems strange after all these years as it was one of the first real holiday places to visit by us Brits. I would imagine it will be an old sort of resort, but that's not bad thing, hopefully I will find some good tapas bars on my travels.

CW, I'm surprised about the Bahia, maybe I have been lucky to avoid it . You coudn't recommed any local "Spanish" bars in the area could you?? Hopefully one just around the corner from my hotel to finish off the night.

Thanks for your help, it has been a struggle for me and I honestly was just going to lose the flight costs and put it down to a drunken mistake. I'm a sucker for cheap flights and I'm only back 10 days and then off to the Algarve and then off to Palma 4 weeks later. I enjoy getting away for a few days at a time in the winter months and do weeks in the summer - it suits me.

I will post a review when I get back and will be looking forward to yours Glynis

Robby

Can't really help you with Olympic area as I don't know it very well, however in Fenals I recommend the C'anQicu (opposite the Robin Hood) and the (unnamed) bar opposite the Acquarium Hotel.

Good Luck!

Thanks again CW, I will visit them both.
Just to pester you again , how big is Lloret say compared to Torremolinos etc.??? and which is the nearest best "Spanish" resort??

Robby

the olympic does have some local bars in the streets around it, and is quite a decent hotel.
for eating out i would suggest the orient express on lloret seafront which does very good food -its not a chinese restaurant.
just along the road is the picadilly bar which has happy hour most nights, and is used by locals as the prices are very good.
in fenals -opposite the royal star -is the hungry horse which does excellent breakfasts.
also in fenals is the robin hood pub, where i intend to be propping up the bar next wednesday night.

Never having been to Torremolinos, I couldnt say for size, but Lloret is the biggest resort on the Costa Brava.
Locally, well worth a look I would say Tossa, very nice and with a real Spanish feel. The Hotel Diana on the promenade is well worth a look, as well as the Old Town.

Excellent jim and CW. Good news about local bars around the hotel.
The Picadilly Bar does come up a lot in forums, it must be popular.
Tossa will be visited and hopefully this holiday/break will exceed all my expectations - thanks to Jamesons

Cheers,

Robby

ps; how long will you be there jim???

robby
i go on wednesday and fly back on monday.
note that tossa more or less closes for the winter from a tourist point of view, so dont expect a lot from there.
a day trip to girona may be more rewarding.
have a good time.

thanks jim, one of my earlier thoughts was to stay in Girona for a night or two.
Anyone got a decent map of the Lloret area I can download giving street names and possibly pub locations etc, but mainly the pub locations

Robby

h top hotels in llart de mart have good food and royla star and royla beach r good stayed in both twice

Thanks, a few of my workmates thought they were only average, the latest review was of the Royal Beach from June 07 and he defintely didn't agree with the 4* rating. They are probably OK for an all inclusive holiday, but I don't really like the "local" spirits especially the whiskies.

Robby