Excellent holiday!
20 June 2024 at 09:25:48
The last reviews we could see were fairly out of date when we booked, so thought I would cover this in some detail for those thinking of booking.
Reception and staff:
Everyone from Camping Enmar we came across was so helpful and friendly and all eager to help in any way possible. We had issues with... our transfer company on the way there (We booked with Holiday Extras and I would strongly advise against it.) We ended up booking a private transfer on departure and the reception staff organised it all for us. They were brilliant!
The eurocamp staff were very friendly, and on arrival, when we noticed a few things that were missing from our accommodation, the items were delivered within an hour with no issues. (The items were a kettle and toaster which don't come as standard because there are a lot of French/Dutch and German visitors who tend to not bother with toasters and use the cafetiere provided usually. Plus a dustpan and a wine glass.)
Accommodation:
We were in the Comfort 3 bedroom Eurocamp accommodation because it was all relatively last minute. I would describe this as very basic but we got by. Were we to book again, I would likely book the Premium range for some added space/storage but there was nothing wrong with the accommodation itself. It was clean and had everything we needed for the stay. The shower was a shame - it wouldn't hold the heat at a set temperature for some reason, so we ended up using the shower bloak which turned out to be the best decision as it was a really lovely shower. The gas barbecue was a lovely extra (you need to visit the eurocamp reception and leave a 5 euro deposit for this to ensure it is left clean). The units are very close together, but we didn't have a problem - I would imagine if you had loud neighbours it would be but there is a 'quiet' policy between 11pm and 8am.
General Amenities:
The swimming pool area was massively the star of the show! 5 pools - 2 of which are heated - and all so clean and accessible. There are 2 flumes and a little kids area with 2 more slides. And a little kids area that adjoined the big, deep pool with a wall that made it perfect for a different aged & swimming ability children. Lots of sun beds - we never went there and couldn't get 4 sunbeds together. This was all our kids wanted to do to be honest! The bar by the pool was very reasonably priced. Nothing much that was healthy on the menu but the kids were happy: big pizzas around 11euros, ham baguette around 5euros and patatas bravas/chips about 3euros. Ice creams and lollies about the same as UK prices. Beers were more expensive by the pool than upstairs in the restaurant.
The shop had everything we needed and there was a Carrefour Express about a 7 minute walk away if not. Every morning the onsite shop does fresh baked pastries - a croissant was 1euro and absolutely delicious. (We did walk to the big Carrefour for one shop but it was about a 20 minute walk and didn't have anything much different than the nearby one/campsite shop.)
The shower in our accommodation didn't hold the heat well and was a squeeze with the girls, so we explored the main site share showers which were SO NICE. Big rooms with a sink as well as shower, and I was able to get both children and myself showered and ready with ease in there. The best thing was IT WAS ALWAYS CLEAN. Nothing like a UK campsite.
The restaurant interior was really impressive. We were pleasantly surprised by the food - although basic selection - it tasted good and wasn't too expensive. We were just out of season in terms of the kids club and things, but we could see there was potential space for a disco/kids party in the evenings.
Location:
- Pineda de Mar itself is lovely. Lots of little shops and restaurants to explore but not too big. Felt clean and everyone very friendly. The neighbouring slightly larger town of Calella was the same.
There is a little tourist train that travels between the two towns and around - this is 5 euros per person every half an hour or so.
The beach is clean and not busy at all - but I would say, although it is 'sand' it is very 'small stones' sand (it's beautiful - almost like gem stones - but painful to walk on) so I would recommend decent beach footwear as it's not easy to walk on. As a young family, the final drop to the sea wasn't ideal for the little ones (it's not a gentle slope to the sea front).
The train station is conveniently located right in the centre meaning you can access lots of other towns very easily from Pineda.
- If you want a sandier, more family friendly beach, we took a boat trip (using Doji Jets - they have a website for booking and their stand is behind the train station) from Pineda de Mar to Blanes (pronounced Blan-ez). The boat docks directly onto the beach - this trip took about an hour each way. There was a longer option to Tossa de Mar which involved a glass bottom trip to some local coves but this was 2 hours each way and we thought it would be too much for little ones. Blanes has beautiful botanical gardens (definitely worth a visit for any age) and the beach had finer sand too. I think this is only 3 train stops away from the main station in Pineda so that would be an easier day out.
- We went on the train to Barcelona for the day. This goes straight to Place de Catalunya in the centre of Barcelona for about 12euros return for an adult. BUT it does take longer than we had read - about 70 minutes - because it stops at all stations along the way. And we may have been unlucky but it was very busy both there and back, so be prepared for a long day if you go. I have been to Barcelona several times before and it is an incredible city!! But with a young family, we just whizzed around the centre and came back.
Overall, we would definitely go back!! Worth a visit 100%!
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22 September 2024 at 16:01:20
