Golden Costa Salou

The golden costa is a great hotel, staff are welcoming and we kindly received a room upgrade to a sea view room. The room was kitted with everything you need. The bathroom was spacious and clean. We had a coffee machine and particularly enjoyed the free drinks in the minibar. The food was off a high standard. Lots of Options at breakfast, we even paid fifteen euro for the buffet dinner some evenings and really enjoyed the food. The hotel is located in La Pineda. A good thirty minute walk from Salou or 5 minutes on the bus. You can get ten bus journeys from the bus plana office for ten euro. We also enjoyed the spa in the basement which was a lovely surprise. One area the hotel could improve on when it reopens next year is attention to detail. Each day we had a different house keeper who provided a different level of cleaning. Each day they would take the ironing board away and it would take numerous phone calls to receive it back. If we returned back to Salou I would happily stay in this wonderful hotel again.

We stayed in the Golden Costa Salou for 1 week at the end of September. We booked our holiday through TUI and were All Inclusive. In the lead up to going, having read some of the mixed reviews on Trip Advisor I was a little bit concerned, however this  hotel exceeded our expectations and we had a great week. On arrival we were given a glass of cava while checking in which was a nice touch. Like a lot of people on the TUI flights, we arrived early so our room was not going to be ready for a few hours but we were able to change in the bathroom and leave our luggage in the store room and chilled out by the pool, had our lunch and by the time all that was done the room was ready. The hotel is very modern and the décor is lovely and trendy. We had a lovely room on the 5th floor. It had a huge balcony, a lot bigger than most. I think this may have been because our room was on the corner and was an unusual shape but it was a perfect size for 2 people. Bathroom was a  great size and unlike some of the reviews on here, our sink was in the bathroom and not the bedroom itself, so perhaps it varies with different rooms. Bed was comfortable, we were provided with plenty of fresh towels (including pool towels) and the air conditioning was fine. The fridge was a decent size and getting the complimentary water every day was great. We only used the coffee machine once, but still useful to have. Unlike most hotels, our room had 2 full length mirrors which is ideal for getting ready, most hotels I have stayed in lacked in the mirror department.   The roof top pool was a cool area. The Bali beds are great for those who want to avoid the sun and relax in the shade, if you are a sun worshipper (like me) one of the normal sunbeds is a better option. We found it a bit too windy up there however, being late September it was a bit windy, so we preferred the pool area downstairs. However, mid-July when the temperature is in the mid-thirties I say people would be glad of the breeze on the roof. We had no problem getting sun loungers downstairs, yes a lot of people put down towels but not exceptionally early. Most people seemed to drop their towels at the pool en-route for breakfast. If you want to be in the sun all day you are best off going alongside the pool on the side of the bar, the terrace and ends get shade mid-afternoon. It was quite chilled out and quiet, being an adults only resort, which was nice. The entertainment team made a great effort with activities by the pool, water aerobics, paella making, smoothie making etc. We were extremely lazy and quite content being buried in our books so did not partake, but those who did seemed to enjoy themselves. The spa facilities are also great, pool, tropical showers, sauna and steam room. We used these a few times and also booked in for a massage one morning which was about 55 euro, so standard enough pricing. I used the gym only once but it has a good selection of cardio machines and one weight machine. No free weights (I imagine due to insurance reasons as the gym is not staffed) but it has a good range of equipment if you do plan to go while staying. The evening entertainment was decent in the hotel, being adults only it thankfully was more relaxed and chilled than what you would see in a family resort. We stayed to watch the entertainment more times than we planned as there was always a nice atmosphere in the bar and it was typically quite busy. There was a range of singers and one night a magician.   If you are considering this hotel and apprehensive reading reviews about the food, do not worry, it was absolutely fine. We really enjoyed the food in the hotel. I have to follow a gluten free diet (and in general am a fussy eater) and I filled my plate every meal every day. Before we arrived we thought we would mostly use all-inclusive by day and head out at night, but the food was so nice we ate in the hotel all except 2 days (1 when we went to Barcelona and another night we went to nearby Cambrills for a change of scenery). The variety was huge. If you are someone who wants burgers, pizza and chips twice a day every day then you may get bored as yes, that stuff is the same every day. But for everyone else you won’t be disappointed. Breakfast had a range of hot food (bacon, eggs, beans, some form of potato dish), pastries and breads, cold meats (including gorgeous Iberian ham), yoghurts, fruit, cereals, the works. There is also a section with gluten free cereal, muffins etc. If you want a gluten free bread roll, you need to ask one of the staff and they will prepare it for you. It can take about 10 mins however as they are cooked from frozen, so I recommend ordering this as soon as you arrive in to the dining room. The coffee machines did have a queue yes, a potential solution would be to have separate hot water for those who want tea. It didn’t overly bother me though, as most mornings I waited until the poolside bar opened as they made delicious coffees and cappuccinos (much nicer than the machine) so I was happy to wait. Lunch and dinner always had a huge selection and we ate there most of the week and there was rarely repetition. There is a huge salad bar with over 20 different items to choose from (4 different types of lettuce), there was a pasta station, a bread station and there was a section that always had mini appetiser style dishes and there seemed to be different themes from time to time, one night there was sushi even. There was always a rice dish, varied between meat and fish. There was a grill station where they would cook to order. There was always 2 choices of meat and 2 fish choices. Other types of items on offer where roast meats, casseroles, stews, bbq ribs. There was always at least one type of potato, often more (mash, fried, chips, curly fries, wedges). The dessert selection was always very impressive a huge range of cakes, tarts, mousses, meringues. Some nights there was a special dessert (chocolate fountain and fresh fruit and another night crème catalana). There was a freezer too with tubs of ice-cream and always a selection of fruit. If you specifically want a gluten free cake, ask one of the staff when you arrive and they will drop it down to your table for you.  In the restaurant, if you were on the all-inclusive package you could get a glass of house wine, beer, water or softdrinks for free. You could pay a small subsidised fee if you wanted something else and the prices looked quite reasonable. There were only 2 of us so we never had an issue getting a table, usually opting to eat in the outside section.   We found the drinks choice great in the bar for the all-inclusive. House wines, cava, beer, soft drinks, spirits and mixer were all included. There was also a cocktail of the day included, if you want something else you will have to pay but the cocktail of the day was usually something nice and to be honest the cava was delicious so we mostly drank that. Bottled water was also included as was tea, coffee etc. We didn’t avail of any snacks from the bar other than the ice creams. The all-inclusive ends at 11pm, we knew this before arrival and were reminded on check in. Some guests seemed annoyed by this, however any all-inclusive resort I have stayed in before had a cut off time of either 11 or 12, so it is totally normal, sure otherwise the bar would be open all night. This wasn’t an issue for us at all. 13 hours off all-inclusive per day is more than enough.   The staff were all very nice and helpful during our stay across reception, restaurant, bar and entertainment team. We couldn’t complain really.   The hotel has a good location, depending on the holiday you are after. For us, wanting a chill out week, it was perfect. It is 2 minutes from La Pineda beach. From the beach you can get a bus to Salou, Cambrills and the Port Aventura theme park. La Pineda itself is a bit dead, most bars and restaurants were either closed or empty. There are 2 supermarkets, a pharmacy, a lovely gelato shop and a few little beach clothes boutiques but as a town it lacked an atmosphere.  So if you want nightlife you will need to go into nearby Salou. We got a taxi in two nights and it was only €10 each way. You are looking at about €2.50 per person if you want to get the bus. However, we found there was a good buzz in our hotel and enjoyed the bar there a lot of nights which was great.   I would definitely return to the Golden Costa Salou if I wanted a relaxing break away in the sun, we really enjoyed our stay and I would highly recommend.  

We had two weeks at the Golden Costa in Oct, we had no issues at all. We loved our room over looking the pool area, very quiet, cleaned every day clean bedding and towels. All of the staff, reception, entertainment, bar, restaurant, housekeeping and pool / spa / gardening areas, all of the staff behind the scene in the kitchen thank you for making our holiday a great one. Great choice of food for breakfast and evening meals. Great walk around the bay, catch a bus into Salou and walk back on the coastal path, Worth a visit to Tarragona, lots of history in and around the Cathedral. We made use of the gym and spa area every other day, We would recommmend this adult only hotel.