Elba Costa Ballena Beach & Thalasso Resort

The Elba Costa Ballena Beach Hotel is a modern resort with a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. The chain hotel blends contemporary and classic décor to create an eclectic appearance; stained glass windows, funky chairs and painted bamboo stalks fill the large, open lobby.

While there’s not much for entertainment directly surrounding the hotel, there are several activities to keep travelers busy on-site. The 14-room Thalasso Spa has several treatments to choose from and the surrounding golf courses are a popular outing for guests. There’s also a Children’s Mini-club with a jungle gym and games to keep the little ones busy. Hotel entertainers put on nighttime shows and there's latin dancing by the pool for those inclined to join.

The Elba Costa Ballena Beach Hotel is a short five-minute walk to the gorgeous sandy beach. Being next to the Costa Ballena Ocean Golf Club, a 27-hole championship course and 9-hole Par 3 course, it’s a popular destination for those wanting to go golfing on their vacation.

A notable drawback to its location is the lack of commercial shopping and entertainment in the immediate area. The hotel is situated in a quiet residential neighborhood that’s about a 10-minute drive from the shopping centers of Rota. It's about an hour drive from the historical centre of Cádiz. Many guests rent a car for their stay so they can easily travel into town for shopping or dining outside the hotel grounds. Note that use of the parking garage does require a fee.

The rooms are all decorated in the same color scheme of green, blue and yellow to create a beachy but contemporary design. The modern wooden furniture is accented with colorful comforters and curtains and some painted walls. The rooms are spacious and all have a balcony either overlooking the ocean or pool and golf course. Some of the Standard Double Rooms are actually just two twin beds pushed together and many travelers have complained that the beds weren't very comfortable. Bathrooms are clean and decorated simply with up-to-date appliances, a hairdryer and a shower/tub combo.

It may be worth it to upgrade to a Junior Suite, which has a living room area and larger balcony. For ultimate privacy, upgrade to a Senior Suite where the bedroom is completely separate from the living room and dining table area.

All rooms come with a telephone and free Wi-Fi, air conditioning, flat-screen TVs and a minibar. There’s also a safe in the room, but it costs a fee to use.

The hotel has an irregular-shaped pool with lounge chairs and straw sunshades and is a short five-minute walk down a pathway to the beach. The resort features many on-site restaurants and bars, including a buffet breakfast, although many travelers haven't been impressed by the food. Guests can also dine at Ballena Beach Club, which as its name suggests is situated by the beach and serves a variety of dishes, including local favorites like tapas and pinchos. An outdoor cocktail bar is next to the pool and has ample seating and umbrella shades. The simple and modern lobby bar features an outside terrace and a large projection screen for movie and sport watching.

The crown jewel of the features offered at the hotel is the spa. The Thalasso Spa takes water from the Atlantic Ocean, purifies it, and then uses it for its extensive list of services offered. For a fee, guests can take advantage of the Turkish bath, ice showers, algae- and mud-based treatments, among many others.

For more sport-like activities, the hotel has a light-filled fitness center, tennis courts, and a game room with pool, ping-pong and air hockey tables. Although the hotel is popular among couples for romantic getaways, families like the resort for its many amenities geared toward children. Aside from having a children’s pool, there’s also a playground and children’s club that offers babysitting services for a fee. Meeting spaces are also available for business travelers or party functions.