Hotel Playa Sol

Hotel Playa Sol exudes coziness, with a relaxing, homey atmosphere. Beyond the small reception area is the hotel’s bar and lounge, with overstuffed couches upholstered in warm neutral shades of taupe and chocolate, and coffee tables with little driftwood ornaments. The hotel’s restaurant is a similarly decorated space, with simple, blond wood tables draped with powder-blue striped linen, and bright paintings of local scenes, and there are views out over the Badia de Cadaqués and the Playa Es Pianc. Outside, a lap pool is set in verdant lawns shaded by gnarled trees, from which stripy hammocks swing. The hotel tends to attract art-lovers making a pilgrimage to Salvador Dalí’s nearby house, and French tourists who have popped across the border.

The hotel is set on the tiny but attractive Playa Es Pianc, and with views over the Badia de Cadaqués. The location is ideal for guests looking to explore Cadaqués; it's a six-minute walk to the town center and its shops, bars, and restaurants, and to the sandy Playa Gran y Esportal, which is a busy, large, sandy beach. The Casa-Museu Salvador Dalí, meanwhile, is on the other side of the headland, a 15-minute walk or a five-minute drive away. Girona is a 90-minute drive away, while Barcelona is two hours away by car. Expect transfer times of 75 to 85 minutes to Girona-Costa Brava Airport, or just over 90 minutes to Perpignan-Rivesaltes, across the border in France.

Guest rooms are done in similar decor to the hotel's public spaces, with warm neutral tones, bright whitewashed furniture, and splashes of jazzy color to liven them up a bit. This means that although the rooms are somewhat cramped, they are nonetheless bright and and airy. Interior rooms are small, but have space for double beds, reading chairs, and tea tables, and they face out onto little interior courtyards with tables and sun loungers. Their bathrooms offer very little privacy -- toilet doors are made of frosted glass, and mullioned windows look into the area with sinks and the glass shower cubicles. There is a blind, however, for some privacy, but no door. That said, the bathrooms are equipped with walk-in rainfall showers with removable showerheads, and black marble countertops, which contrast with rows of small white, subway-style tiles. Standard amenities include AC, flat-screen TVs, mini-fridges, safes, and free Wi-Fi, and bathrooms have hairdryers and toiletries. Garden view rooms have shaded balconies that look out over the hotel’s lush, verdant grounds and its swimming pool, and sea view rooms have a terrace that faces the Badia de Cadaqués.Interior suites have second bedrooms with two single beds separated from master bedrooms by sliding doors, and large, luxurious corner tubs with hydromassage jets, and their own private interior terraces. Meanwhile, suites that look out over the sea are larger, with mezzanine levels that contain single beds, as well as couches and armchairs, which can be moved to make room for third beds. 

Easily the best thing about the Hotel Playa Sol is its pool terrace, with hammocks, benches, and sun loungers dotted all around the gardens. There’s also a hot tub sunken into a wooden deck and a pool bar that serves snacks, sandwiches, and drinks. The tiny beach that the hotel is situated on is good for a quick dip, but it isn't sandy or ideal for swimming. For dining, the hotel’s restaurant serves a free hot breakfast buffet gets good reviews, but that's the only meal that's served. Guests will have to go elsewhere in search of lunch and dinner, although the hotel's proximity to the center of Cadaqués means that sustenance is unlikely to be difficult to find. The hotel also has a hammam, a tennis court that can be booked, an outdoor ping-pong table, and a lobby lounge with books, a pool table, board games, and a business corner with a Mac and printer, but there's no fitness room. Wi-Fi is free throughout, although some past guests have reported difficulties accessing the network, and on-site parking is free.