Hi Tracey,

I can't help with prices, as we were last there in 2005. Equally I'm not much use with eating out as we only ate out at lunchtimes when we didn't use the excellent snack bar at the hotel.

On the plus side, I can recommend Pepe's Bar (just round the corner from the Hotel's main entrance). Fantastic Sunday roast and a good atmosphere. The Buccaneer (on the front) is excellent as well.

Pineda's a fairly small, quiet place, so I'd recommend Calella for shopping and more choice of bars and restaurants (and a MaccyD if you want one). You can walk there or get the Noddy train from outside the hotel.

A lot depends on the ages of your kids. The hotel is excellent if you have younger ones. There were 2 kids' clubs (Thomson's and the hotel's own). Our kids were 5 and 6 on in 2005 and loved every minute. There were plenty of sporting activities laid on by the hotel for the older kids. As for the evening entertainment, teenagers might find it a bit boring, but our 2 loved it. The hotel's kids club also did chocolate and movie parties in the evenings, which meant that we could either go out or go to the cocktail bar without them.

If you don't fancy 10 days by the pool, then there are 2 water parks nearby - Aqualand and Waterworld, I think. Aqualand has dolphins and sealions, but fewer rides. Waterworld was superb. You can get a free bus from outside the hotel. Barcelona's a must too. Great zoo, loads of culture and the Nou Camp if you like footie. You can get the train, or do one of the Thomson trips (these were a bit pricey, but very well organised).

For us, the biggest let down was the beach - not safe for kids. Having said that, we were perfectly happy with the hotel pools, so didn't miss it.

Hope this helps, we thought it was great hotel and went 2 years running. We will be back!

HB

thanks for the reply harry my kids are 16 & 11, which waterpark would you recommend.

Tracey,

I've had a root around and found the leaflets for the 2 water parks. I got one name wrong, it's Marineland not Aqualand.

Have a look at http://www.waterworld.es and http://www.marineland.es and see what you think. We preferred Waterworld as it had more rides, and our kids weren't that fussed about the dolphins and birds.

HB

In the hotel a coke, fanta and a bottle of cruz campo (which I prefered)etc was 1.75E a large beer was 2.49E i think
bottled water in the restaurant was 1.50E
Jug of Sangria 8 or 9E a jug
House wine 7E a bottle
Cocktails were 5E
There are machines round the hotel and I think a minature was 3E bottle of pop were 1.50E

Can of pop from the supermarket 0.40E!!!

Didn't eat out at lunch time as a lolly and packet of crisps kept us going till dinner.
My husband like the toasties from the machine 2.30E

We went to pepe's for a drink and they do some nice meals.
most of the bars on the front do food.