Centro Vacanze Pra delle Torri

Centro Vacanze Pra' delle Torri is a family-friendly playground spread across 296 acres of beachfront property. At its core, it's a large holiday campground that has grown over the years into a resort with different types of lodging for diverse budgets and needs, but a casual and sporty atmosphere remains. The main entrance looks like the fortified gates to large festival grounds, with flags and flowerbeds lining a boulevard that ends at a building with ticketing and check-in counters between toll-style car entrances. Inside, families with children of all ages, along with old and young couples, mingle in the same meticulously tended green spaces between the golf course and the beachfront water park (which covers eight and a half acres alone). Brick paths connect three distinct areas -- the hotel, the village, and campground -- together with all the shared facilities and on-site attractions. Renovations ongoing through 2017 cover updates to some units and the addition of another entire mobile home village.

Centro Vacanze Pra' delle Torri is set on private beachfront along the Adriatic Sea between Venice and Caorle. The area is touristy in general, but there's nothing within walking distance from this isolated property. It's a 12-minute drive to the ancient seaside town of Caorle, which has several historic Roman and medieval-period sites, a water park, and plenty of restaurants, bars, and shops. The huge Levante Beach is there, too. Venice is about an hour away by car in the opposite direction, and can be reached on public transportation in just under two hours (there's a stop outside the hotel's main gates). Venice Marco Polo Airport is about a 45-minute drive away.

There are upwards of 2,000 units here in total, split between three distinct lodging areas, with a range of decor and amenities, but Wi-Fi costs extra in all. The hotel has simple, air-conditioned guest rooms, with twin or double beds, small desks, seating areas with wicker chairs, and balconies furnished with plastic chairs and tables. They also have mini-fridges and small flat-screen TVs. Some have a dated, traditional look, while others are updated and minimalist, with a white-and-gray palette and orange or blue accents. Bathrooms have heated towel racks, bidets, and walk-in showers. 

Amenities in other units are mixed, and many have older, tube-style TVs. There's an annex with dated two-story apartments with full kitchens and furnished patios. These sleep up to four guests in bedrooms with double beds atop spiral staircases and living rooms with sofa beds. 

The Village, which lacks daily housekeeping and the basic services of the hotel, has more self-sufficient apartments and bungalows. The two-bedroom apartments have separate living rooms with sofa beds, furnished patios, and either kitchenettes or full kitchens. Smaller one-bedroom bungalows have living rooms with sofa beds and kitchenettes only; upgraded two-bedroom bungalows add second bathrooms. The Village also has two-bedroom mobile homes with furnished patios, kitchenettes with dishwashers, and separate living rooms. Some larger mobile homes have three bedrooms. The cramped bathrooms have walk-in showers, and they lack bidets. There's also a huge campground with bays for tents or RVs, with shared public bathrooms. Upgraded bays have hook-ups for electricity and water. 

Centro Vacanze Pra' della Torri's main draw is its slew of on-site amenities. A long stretch of sandy beach is covered in two sections of loungers and orange-and-white striped umbrellas. One section is free to guests, while the other is reserved for a fee. Water sports like parasailing, windsurfing, banana boats, and old-fashioned regular boating are all available for a fee.

Right along the beachfront, the massive water park spans more than eight acres with waterslides and a pirate ship with interactive water features. There's an Olympic-size lap pool, along with a half-Olympic size pool that's seasonally heated, and a hot tub. The whole area is surrounded by a brick sundeck with plenty of loungers and shade umbrellas. 

Another main attraction is the Sporting Centre, which has six soccer fields of various sizes (some on synthetic grass), one cement tennis court, and three mini tennis courts, along with paddle tennis. There's also badminton, volleyball, and two basketball courts. In a separate area there's a skate park for skateboards and BMX bikes. Jogging paths wind all around and playgrounds can be found throughout the grounds. Other activities include beach volleyball, archery, ping pong, and a climbing wall. There's also an amusement park with inflatable play areas and go-karts.

The fitness center is outdoors under a tent, with a lot of older cardio and weight-training machines, while a massage center offers traditional Thai massage, but there's no full spa. Yoga, aerobics, and Zumba classes are offered. For the youngest children, a kids' club has supervised entertainment and activities, and there are nightly shows in an outdoor theater.  

For dining, five different restaurants are spread across the property in each of the different areas, including the beach and the campground. Most of the restaurants have their own bars, and there's also a pool bar, a bar at the golf course and an ice cream parlor. There's an on-site supermarket for groceries and snacks, and for emergencies, there's a medical clinic and a pharmacy. Many activities require an extra fee, and Wi-Fi throughout costs extras. Free on-site parking is available.