Visited Hotel Santa Monica Playa at start of busy season last year. Situated at top of a hill but it's really not that bad. Bus service at bottom which goes directly to Theme Park and pick ups for Barcelona are at hotel next door.

Beach lies at bottom of the hill across the road, 2 minutes walk. All bars and clubs within 5 minutes walk but it was not too noisy during our visit.

Food and drink good in hotel, buffet style which has a varied selection each night.

Staff very pleasant and helpful and hotel/rooms kept very clean and tidy.

The only negative thing about this hotel is the size of the pool. It is quite small. However, there is a large amount of loungers and parasols on the poolside.

Would reccommend this hotel for all types. We are coming back to Salou in September this year but unfotunately we could not get a room for the times we are visiting.

This was a very high standard quality 3 star hotel, which I think if they upgraded it a little with the basic facilities of a fridge, and tea and coffee in the room then it would definately deserve to be a 4 star hotel. Needless to say, my family and I enjoyed the hotel. The rooms that we had were 1 large size room which accomodated 3 twin sized beds and a cot. The other room had 2 twins in and was a little on the small size but big enough for my two sons. We had a balcony and were pleased to be situated on the side of the pools. There is plenty of entertainment at the hotel with a board to which is displayed for everyday of the week. There is a childrens club that starts around 11ish to 1pm.

Food is served buffet style and there is a wide range of choices available. However, there is one small critisim to which I must put forward and that is that where the hotel is so open to everyone, they need to provide some sort of identity as to whom is to be catered for. I know that everyone has a restaurant card but it is not used, and this mean't that on several occassions (talking to others) half boarders were getting full boarders deals.

They also have a children's disco which starts at about 9pm - 10pm and after you can enjoy the entertainment for the night which the hotel has organised. The bar was also good too because they have happy hour everynight at 8pm - 9pm which meant you had 2 drinks for the price of 1. The first week was absoloutely brillant because there was a multitude of different nationalities,i.e Spanish, English, Scotish, Irish, German and Swiss, which made the environment pleasant.

Most of the staff were pleasant and helpful, although not all staff can speak english, but if you work with them and try the lingo then they will help you. If however, you feel like you are not being english enough and can't be bothered then they won't be bothered either. So go on give it a try...... You may come back feeling spanish.

On arrival, we were greeted politely by the reception staff but were understandably asked to wait a short while in the smart but rather hot entrance hall for our room to be prepared since we arrived before midday. A lobby exists for cases and the cleaners