Estival Maramar

"I'm writing this having arrived today. After reading some of the reviews before our holiday, we were quite concerned, but I must say I've been very impressed so far. Our room is exactly what you would expect, and the all-inclusive buffet is excellent, with a wide range of choices – even for a basic Brit like me. All of the staff we've encountered have been friendly, welcoming and helpful. The free-pouring beer is also a pleasant surprise, served properly with a good head rather than the flat, fizzy stuff you sometimes get elsewhere. The interior areas are generally finished to a good standard, although the carpets in the corridors are showing their age and could do with replacing. Aside from that, I'm genuinely impressed. As far as I've worked out, the stunning beach is just in front of the hotel – walk left for about a minute and then cross the road. So far, so good. I'm looking forward to seeing what the rest of the week brings"

"This is our second year staying at Estival Maramar, and I think the fact that we chose to come back says a lot. We had a wonderful experience last year, and after another 10-day stay this year, we are leaving just as happy. We will most likely be back again next year! One of the absolute highlights of this hotel is the rooftop adults-only swimming pool. It is beautiful and has an almost infinity-pool feel, with fantastic views. Sunrise and sunset from up there are incredible, and if you enjoy photography, it is the perfect place for some amazing photos. What really makes this hotel special, though, is the staff. Everyone we have encountered has been friendly and helpful, but there are a few people we would particularly like to thank. Anna at reception has been incredibly helpful with everything we have asked for throughout our stay. Martina at the pool bar has also been lovely and always very helpful. Cleo, who we have seen both in the restaurant and around the pool bar, deserves a special mention. Always smiling, always pleasant and happy to have a little conversation with us – those small interactions genuinely make a difference when you are on holiday. Farah in the restaurant has been fantastic as well. Always smiling, always helpful and regularly making sure we could find a table and had everything we needed. And Yulia at the spa has been wonderful – always happy to answer our questions and explain the different options so we could make the most of the spa facilities. We unfortunately don’t know the name of the lady who has been looking after our room (354, on the third floor), but she also deserves recognition. Our room has always been left extremely clean and tidy, and she works incredibly hard and efficiently. Thank you! The food is another BIG reason we enjoy this hotel so much. We have stayed in many hotels where breakfast and dinner are good but lunch becomes repetitive or feels like an afterthought. That definitely isn’t the case here. Lunch has been genuinely excellent, with plenty of choice every day, and even the snacks available from the pool bar are really tasty. Dinner also offers lots of variety, with plenty of fish, turkey, pork and other meats, different dishes and very good desserts. The restaurant staff work extremely hard, clearing and preparing tables quickly even during busy periods, while still remaining friendly and helpful. The location is excellent too. You simply leave the hotel, cross the road and you are practically on the beach. The beach itself has a relaxed, local atmosphere and during our stay never felt overcrowded. There are lifeguards on duty as well, which is particularly reassuring for families with children. The evening entertainment is enjoyable, although we preferred the setup when some of it took place outside around the pool-bar area. Having it indoors seems to restrict some of the performers because they simply don’t have as much space to work with. There is really only one area where we feel the hotel could improve significantly: daytime pool entertainment and activities. During our 10-day stay, we had an adult pool activity/water workout on the first day, which was great, but unfortunately we didn’t see it happening again afterwards. We would have loved regular aqua fitness or other organised pool activities. For children, the daytime pool entertainment also feels quite limited. There was an activity involving a floating mat that the children could run across and jump from, but otherwise there wasn’t very much happening around the pool. We also found the rule about not playing with a ball in the main pool a little difficult to understand. There is already a beautiful adults-only rooftop pool for guests wanting a quieter environment, so it would be nice if the main family pool could be slightly more relaxed and allow children to enjoy themselves a little more, provided it is done safely and without disturbing others. Some low-level background music around the main pool would also completely change the atmosphere. At the moment it can sometimes feel a little too quiet, particularly when there are no organised activities taking place. These are constructive suggestions rather than complaints, because overall we have had another fantastic holiday here. If you are looking for somewhere with excellent food, friendly staff, a beautiful rooftop pool, a great beach just across the road and a quieter, more relaxed atmosphere than some of the very busy Spanish resorts, Estival Maramar is an excellent choice. It is also very convenient for Reus Airport – roughly 30–35 minutes away, which makes the transfer very easy. Thank you to everyone at Estival Maramar for another lovely holiday. Returning to the same hotel two years in a row isn’t something we would do unless we genuinely enjoyed being there, and we are already thinking about coming back again next year. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ from us – and very well deserved."

"If you’re looking for a sleepless night, this is the perfect place. The Fyto Bar, which was already mentioned in other reviews, kept me awake for hours. The noise is incredibly loud and feels as if the people are sitting right next to you on your balcony. When I arrived, I specifically asked for a quiet room because I have sleep apnea and getting a good night’s sleep is especially important for me. Unfortunately, they placed me directly in front of the bar and right next to the stairs. I was extremely disappointed, especially after making my request clear at check-in. The food in the restaurant was cold, although thankfully the drinks were cold. The hotel itself is beautiful, which makes it even more disappointing that the experience was ruined by the noise and the lack of consideration regarding my room request. Definitely not the relaxing stay I was hoping for."