Rethinking Staying Cadaques - Need Feedback
 

Background -

Hubby and I on trip away without small kids (at home with Grandma). Want lots of wondering small towns, seaside, good meals, relaxing. We're going mid September

Current itinerary has us in Begur at Aiguaclara for 2 nights. In Cadaques at hotel Rocamar for 2 nights and then Barcelona 2 nights. A little bit jumping around but I just thought we don't have kids so how hard is it to move around. I wanted some of the time to be right on the sea but I also wanted charm and ability to wander in charming town and have dinners etc.

The issue -

Hotel Rocamar is our reservation in Cadaques. The reviews are mixed but location good and we have a seaview terrace suite reserved. Again from my earlier postings some may recall I was pretty intense about some of the time having a sea view. Some recent tepid reviews have shaken me, but when I look to alternatives in Cadaques all seem pretty mediocre, good value, modern setting.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...Catalonia.html

The whole thing has me rethinking the Cadaques part of the trip. I had planned to go to the Dali museum but I am not wedded to it. I just wanted something really on the sea and I followed somewhat the NYT article itinerary from a while back. But now I have read some of Maribels postings of the rural converted monastery hotels that seem so luxurious ( my budget now suddenly less of an issue ) and they are tempting me but more remote, requiring cars. Or I could just stay 4 days in Begur (I haven't checked on availability).

I know there is no right or wrong answer here - I would just love some thoughts as I consider this.

Thanks so mcuh

My husband says let's not rethink

Are you going to Cadaques without a car? I've never crunched the numbers getting in and out of there with public transportation, but I would imagine it would eat a lot of time.

I enjoyed staying at the Playa Sol with a sea view, but I am often less fussy about hotels -- and downright find it amusing to stay in quirky ones. (Playa Sol had amazingly neon orange curtains that lit up the room at sunset).

A town on the coast that I really enjoyed, although it is smaller than Cadaques, is Calella de Palafrugell. I think if you want a lot of wandering and exploring and shops, etc., Cadaques might be better. But if you want a romantic spot, without a lot of shops but with enough restaurants and a variety of walks, Calella de Palafrugell might work. I don't know if you can find a hotel you'd like.

However, since you are taking this trip with your husband....

I've not been in Begur.

Thanks - we'll be driving

I don't think your concerns about the hotel should change your plans to go to Cadaques. Most of your time will not be spent in the hotel, and it would be a shame to miss Cadaques because you couldn't find a suitable place to stay. Of course if you just stay in Begur you could make a day trip to Cadaques, but others on this forum talked me out of that and I'm glad they did. (We ended up not going, and it's on our list for the next trip.) Apparently the road to get there is very winding, and going there and back in one day is exhausting for the driver. Having done a number of those types of daytrips when we were there in May, I highly recommend staying overnight. Maybe you should plan to spend just one night there, and add a night to Begur?

I went to Cadaques as a day trip from Barcelona and wasn't wild about it. Maybe because we were just driving through we missed the beauty of it. I did really enjoy the Dali house (we went to the museum as well but that is in a separate location) and think the house is well worth seeking out. I don't know where you are traveling from but it wasn't a spectacular beach if you are used to nice beaches.

We stayed at the Rocamar for 5 nights (with our family of 6 - we had 3 rooms) in 2007. My review on Tripadvisor is dated from 21 Apr 2007 (same screen name). I also uploaded pictures of the hotel, the rooms, the pool, the public rooms and the beaches.

We enjoyed the hotel thoroughly. Yes, I have read the negative reviews and all I can say is, we encountered nothing negative - and we usually stay in 4-star and 5-star hotels and are spoiled.