Playaballena Aquapark & Spa Hotel

This large hotel offers a relaxed setting for guests and is a short walk to the beautiful beaches. Daytime and evening entertainment is available for both adults and children. Families frequent the hotel and can take advantage of the children’s pool and game areas. The courtyard-like lobby and public areas are bright and open and have unique features like birdcages and a marble staircase. Although it’s mainly catered toward tourists, locals often are present and it does get crowded in the pool, beach, and dining areas.

An appealing feature of the Playaballena Spa Hotel is its setting on the beach, making it a quick walk down to the sandy ocean. It’s also a short 1.3 miles away from the Costa Ballena Golf Club, a 27-hole championship course and 9-hole Par 3 course. Since it’s located in a primarily residential area of private homes or other hotels, there’s no commercial shopping or dining in the immediate vicinity. The historical center of Rota is seven miles away, so guests wanting to travel into town may want to rent a car. Parking at the hotel is available for a fee.

The rooms are all decorated similarly with colorful features and dated bedding. The Double Room has green furniture and the bed is two twin beds pushed together, typical for hotels in Spain. All rooms have a balcony with seating and suites have large terraces with tables and lounge chairs, creating a bright, open space. The bathrooms are clean and complete with granite countertops and colorful marble walls and floors.

Families may want to check out a Junior Suite, which has a bedroom separate from the living room area that contains a sofa bed. They have two bathrooms, one of which is inside the bedroom. Although the rooms are decorated in a traditional manner, they have unique décor like birdcages and painted tile walls. They also contain a flat-screen TV, mini-fridge, ceiling fan, and a safe that requires a fee.

Differing from other hotels in the area, the Playaballena Spa Hotel has a very large pool area complete with a hot tub and lounge chairs. The children’s pool is adjacent and has a fun shipwrecked boat structure functioning as a waterslide. There’s also an indoor pool and hot tub. The AcquaPlaya spa has a laguna vibe with fake rocks and plants interspersed through the pools and hot tub. A medium-sized sauna is also at the spa.

For sports and entertainment, guests can visit the indoor game room with computers or the outdoor games area that includes mini golf, ping pong tables, and a tennis court. There’s a small fitness center and bikes are available for rent. A shop and meeting rooms are also located at the hotel.

El Arpon is the huge buffet restaurant with black and white checkered floors and wicker seating and is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The Beach Club is open for breakfast and lunch during the high season and has outdoor seating. A Pool Bar is open during the same hours and palm trees surround the outdoor tables for a true beach setting. Additionally, the Ahab Lounge Bar, which is good for a cocktail, has indoor and outdoor seating with red patterned sofa chairs that are positioned facing a stage where hotel entertainers perform.