GETAWAYS
ALMERÍA’ S BARCELÓ CABO DE GATA:
The Ultimate Family Holiday Destination
SEARCHING FOR A FAMILY HOLIDAY THAT SUITS EVERYONE IS AKIN TO SEARCHING FOR THE HOLY GRAIL: NEVER-ENDING. WHAT SEEMS LIKE AN EXCITING PROSPECT CAN END UP FRAUGHT, ESPECIALLY AS YOUR CHILDREN START TO GET OLDER – ONE LOVES SWIMMING, SO A BIG POOL IS YOUR PRIORITY; THE OTHER LOVES KIDS’ CLUBS, SO ENTERTAINMENT NEEDS TO BE HIGH ON THE AGENDA. AND WHAT ABOUT US PARENTS? IT’ S NOT FAIR THAT THOSE OF US WHO ARE TRULY IN NEED OF A BREAK GET PUSHED INTO THE BACKGROUND JUST BECAUSE IT’ S‘ EASIER’ TO RELENT. LAST SUMMER, I MADE IT MY MISSION TO SEEK OUT THE ULTIMATE FAMILY HOLIDAY … AND I FOUND IT AT THE BARCELÓ CABO DE GATA IN ALMERÍA, WHICH HAS EVERYTHING YOU COULD NEED FOR A FUN-FILLED BUT RESTFUL HOLIDAY. BY POLLY HUMPHRIS
Of course family holidays are subjective. For some parents, the aim of a summer holiday is to lavish their kids with their every attention, which is great, but isn’ t for me. Although of course I adore my children, I can’ t deny I feel happier and more‘ on holiday’ when I’ ve been able to read a few chapters of a book daily. Some like to see egg and chips on the menu, or a dedicated kids’ menu; I don’ t, which leads me to the first thing that drew my attention rapidly to the Barceló Cabo de Gata … Although the Trip Advisor reviews were, in the main, hugely positive( the hotel scores a whopping 4.5 with over 50 per cent of reviewers rating it five star), the only negatives came from those holidaymakers at odds with the fact that the hotel is‘ mainly Spanish’ serving‘ mainly Spanish food’ to which, at odds with those holidaymakers, I say‘ thank goodness’ – Almería is in Spain, after all.
I’ d go as far as to say that the authentic‘ Spanishness’ of the hotel is one of its biggest draws. The staff are brilliant – if your child asks for a drink or an ice cream in English, they’ re cheerily encouraged to repeat their request in Spanish; who knew sugary snacks could be educational? Similarly, I attended the‘ aquagym’ aerobics and Zumba sessions held in one of the smaller pools every morning, which were entirely conducted in Spanish to a Spanish soundtrack and kept up every step of the way. It was refreshing and actually made the classes more accessible because I was as focused on picking up some basic Spanish as I was trying to squat underwater without suffering any embarrassing bikini wardrobe malfunctions.
The food is absolutely not‘ mainly Spanish’ however, and … big statement … is hands down the best food I’ ve eaten on an all-inclusive holiday. Each evening is themed, but only as far as‘ BBQ night’, or‘ Mexican night’, and there’ s a massive effort made in terms of variety – I still miss the salad bar, which overflowed nightly with fresh greens, peppers, beautiful ripe tomatoes, chillies, gherkins, olives and every other accompaniment and condiment you can think of. The barbecued ribs – slow-cooked over hot coals and basted regularly with a sweet and salty marinade until they began to fall off the bone – were a huge hit too. The absolute favourite for every member of my family, however, was‘ seafood night’. Expecting a few prawns and some hot fish dishes, we were instead greeted by mound upon mound of mussels, clams, huge langoustine and lobster sat proudly on crushed ice with all manner of interesting salads to accompany them; it was exceptional.
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