13 independent reviews for Catalan horse riding holiday in Spain
Reviews for Catalan horse riding holiday in Spain
Patrick Edmond review 25 Jun 2022
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The accommodation is wonderful. Fiona and Gareth put their heart into the place and it shows. We really enjoyed our stay there and would love to go back.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
The horse riding activities are provided by an external stables which has clearly gone through a lot of adverse change since COVID. The description of an intensive week of equestrian activities on the Responsible Travel website (which is what we thought we would be getting) bore essentially zero resemblance to what the stables actually provided. Hence advice to other travellers: caveat emptor. Go for a lovely week of relaxation and other sporting activities. Just don’t expect the description of horse riding activities to bear any relationship to reality.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes. The accommodation is off-grid and is very focused on sustainability, local sourcing, and reduced impact, which we greatly appreciated.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
It couldn’t have been better and we loved it. The third-party riding stables was frankly very disappointing. Our daughters were the ones looking forward for 2 years to a riding holiday, and our rating is heavily guided by their reaction: while the riding was not remotely as good as they expected, the other aspects of the stay helped to make up for that. We are therefore giving the holiday five stars based solely on the accommodation. If we were rating the riding element in isolation (alignment with programme on website, English skills, pedagogy), that would get perhaps 2 stars.Read the operator's response here:
We are really glad you enjoyed your holiday with us in Catalonia. We are sorry the horse riding did not live up to expectations. After Covid they have a new guide, but after talking with you we realised you were being taken out with the new guide who was not good enough and had no English, I know for the last few days you had the owner rather than the new guide and things improved. We are sorry you had the issue with the new guide and the owner now knows of the issue so it was great that you informed us of the issue so that we could let the owner know and he could make changes. Small businesses here were given almost no help, so it is difficult for them now to find the correct staff, as most tourism staff have quit the industry and gone into other sectors. We do apologise and we look forward to seeing you again. Have a great Summer.
Victor Zambrano review 16 Jul 2021
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Fun for all family: kids had horse riding lessons and enjoyed the pool. Adults mountain biked and ejoyed activities at lake Banyoles2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Look for an activity for every day, fun does not stop!3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes, all of the above4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Excellent!Marlene Jackson review 22 Nov 2019
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The drive from Barcelona. The hospitality. The cycling. The horseback riding. The kayak on the lake. The food and local wines. Our hosts2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Rent a car even though the hosts are very generous it's nice to have your own vehicle3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
The hosts are VERY environmentally conscious. The power is mostly solar with some wood stoves. All sports they promote are silent sports (paddling, horseback, cycling and mountain biking)4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Absolutely lovelyTulin Ozen review 2 Sep 2019
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Jane Ludford review 24 Jun 2019
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Riding in the mountains and through the river beds, lovely horses and charming guides.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
We wished we had hired a car as the hotel is quite remote. We walked to the stables but if it was very hot this would have been quite tiring.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
The hotel employed local people and the stable was run by locals. The hotel ensured that they supported local businesses eg local produce and craftsmen .4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Our hosts at the hotel could not have been more accommodating or friendly and really wanted us to have a good time. We will definitely try to return as soon as we can.Sue Patterson review 12 Aug 2019
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The accommodation was perfect. Amazing location and great hosts. The horseriding was fantastic and we really enjoyed exploring the area.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Hire a car to explore the surrounding areas3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes. We used local services and restaurants etc.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
9 out of 10Deborah Wareham review 29 Jul 2017
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Rowing.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Try the rowing on the lake.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Great.Jane Nair review 13 Apr 2016
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
All of the holiday was memorable, from the wonderful service provided by our hosts Gareth and Fiona, who went out of their way to make sure that everything went smoothly, to the superb horses that we were riding and the expert help of the stable owner, Rafa. The weather was great, the scenery spectacular and the food wonderful and very plentiful. Didn't want to come home again. Thank you to everyone.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Go for it.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
It helped local people in that it provided them with a living and helps them to conserve their way of life.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Fantastic, didn't want to come home again.Joy Scurr review 6 Sep 2016
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Walking in the lower slopes of the Pyrennes2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Go for two weeks not one- you will not want to leave3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes it was very much in tune with the local community, taking guests to local restaurants, recommending local attractions and enabling guests to meet together and enjoy local events4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
BrilliantAngie Johnston review 17 Apr 2016
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The great people, the great food, the wonderful views and scenery and the good family friendly activities.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Bring money in cash as cards not accepted in more rural places.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
It was an eco hotel so this benefitted the environment and local people benefitted through our custom and the way the hotel used and promoted local produce.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Absolutely brilliant! We loved every part of it!Matthew Gobey review 28 Mar 2016
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Horse riding and kayaking Great massages and advice Meeting nice and interesting people Getting some tips on how to better undertake sports2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Take riding lessons rather than day trips Go cycling and getting some on site training3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Helped local people in terms of activities and spending4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Very interesting with plenty of activities and many lovely peopleVanessa Richards review 19 May 2015
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
We spent a lovely 6 days with Gareth and Fiona. The best bit was the communal meals and camaraderie between all the people staying there, whatever activity they were taking part in. Oh, and the adorable labrador pups. And the fantastic horses splashing through the river. And the friendly people. And the fantastic views of the Pyrenees. I just can't choose!2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Book a car. The owners are really good about giving you lifts, but it can be difficult to get back in the evenings. We ended up having to cadge a lift with the son of a friend of the restaurant owner one evening, which was an experience. If you are riding, plan what you want to do in advance and let Rafa know - he has to get another job when the riding stables are not busy, so he needs to know in advance if you are doing a full day tour, or just a couple of hours riding in the morning. The itinerary on the website is (presumably) all possible, but they don't assume that's what you want to do. We arrived expecting a structured "today we will do this", but it's very much more "what would you like to do today?"3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
We spent our days at the riding stables. We were out of season & I think the only business that he had Monday to Friday that week.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Would definitely go back. Next year we might try and overnight horse riding trip into the mountainsCaroline O review 3 Aug 2013
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Communal meals with so many colourful and friendly people! The wonderful family who ran the hotel who couldn't do enough for you, but didn't crowd you. The beautiful landscape in the middle of nowhere ,only 10mins from the nearest town. Every sporting facility provided, pool, gym, cycling and running and horse riding locally. Even in you're not up to treading the boards, the terrace and poolside are wonderful places to chill out.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Preferably have a car, though owners are helpful in proving lifts. Take day trips early morning or late afternoon as it can get quite hot. Be prepared ...plenty of flies and mosquitoes in summer months!!3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Closing shutters during day reduced solar gain during day and so helped keep hotel cooler in evening. Local horse riding stables were superb.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Hats off to Fiona and Gareth, they really got the formula of a home from home with the conveniences of a hotel spot on! Five star, definitely five star, every bit of it provided what my family, from 4 to 40 years old, needed for a perfect holiday. They gave us a list of great places to visit, they had horse riding just down the road where my daughter would spend the day there if she could! It is definitely a place we will go to again.Holiday Reviews
You can trust Responsible Travel reviews because, unlike many other schemes, reviews can ONLY be written by people who we have verified have been on the holidays. In addition, we don't run these holidays ourselves - our only interest is giving you the best independent advice.
