The Best Costa Brava Beach Hotels

Sun, sea and sand are guaranteed on the Costa Brava, Spain’s first - and still the leading - holiday coast. Stretching from Blanes, an hour’s drive north of Barcelona, to the French border, this was one of Europe’s first package-tour hotspots. And for good reason: warm seas, miles of soft sand, glorious sunshine. So, a Costa Brava beach hotel is still one of the best choices for a seaside break.

Image by falco from Pixabay

But it’s not all high-rise hotels and jam-packed beaches - although you will find plenty of cheerful fun around Lloret de Mar, if that’s what you want. There are wooded coves and pretty beaches around Palamós (where chic Barcelonians hang out) and more rugged coastlines to the north, around the Bay of Roses, for the more adventurous. This was also home to the maverick surrealist, Salvador Dalí. We’ve been up and down the coast and rounded up some of the best beach hotels on the Costa Brava.

Best Costa Brava beach hotels for value

• With 20 simple, white-on-white rooms, Hotel Casamar, overlooking Llafranc Bay, is terrific value for a holiday where you want to hop from room to beach and back again, with minimum effort. All rooms have balconies, plus there’s a breezy restaurant and local watersports.
• Nearby Hotel Terramar, with the same matchless location, is slightly larger with unfussy, contemporary rooms. Opt for a sea-view with balcony. Family-run, its excellent-value fish restaurant has a lovely dining terrace.

Best moderately priced Costa Brava beach hotels

• Overlooking the Bay of Cadaqués, on the northern stretch of the Costa Brava, Hotel Playa Sol has large and airy rooms with splashes of bright colours. Most have balconies, plus there are four-person apartments; great for families.
• Perched above a small, sandy beach, family-run Hotel Tamariu has bright, nautically themed rooms. Relaxed and low-key, it has a restaurant offering Catalan specialities and ready access to plenty of watersports.
• In the north, on an unspoilt curve of beach near L’Escala, family-friendly Hostal Empuries offers cool, modern rooms and terrific eco credentials. It also has a sleek spa and a choice of two restaurants.

Best luxury Costa Brava beach hotels

• Stay at Hotel Aigua Blava, overlooking the bays of Fornells and Aiguablava, and there’s no need to go anywhere. Everything is on site, from watersports and tennis to a kids’ club and outdoor pool. Rooms are large and contemporary-Catalan in style.
• Sprawling above the beach at the Bay of Roses, Hotel Vistabella has just 29 luxurious rooms and suites - think sleek greys and creams, marble or polished-wood floors, large balconies. With watersports, four restaurants, a spa, and close proximity to eight golf courses and Dali Museums, it’s perfect for both romantics and the more active.

There are hundreds of Costa Brava beach hotels but we’ve sifted through them all to come up with the best to suit every pocket. Now all you need do is find your sun cream and your shades. Or if you can't find what you're looking for check out all our Costa Brava recommendations.

 

Written by Helen Pickles

posted Tuesday, 27th July 2021