The Hotel El Paso PortAventura comprises white buildings with red tile roofs and wrought-iron balconies, giving it the look of a Mexican hacienda. The spacious earth-toned lobby has a rustic style, with iron light fixtures and wooden beams; fresh flowers add pops of color throughout. Traditional tile and pottery continue the hacienda theme in some restaurants, while others are less stylish, with salmon-colored walls and framed movie posters. Most guests here are families with young children, so expect a lot of little ones running around the crowded pool areas. Note that there have been complaints of long lines at check-in and check-out.

The Hotel El Paso PortAventura is located in Salou, a five-minute walk across the road from Costa Caribe Aquatic Park and PortAventura Park, though the hotel is technically one of the park's official lodgings. Downtown Salou -- where guests can find all manner of bars, restaurants, and shops -- is within a five-minute drive. Beaches such as Levante and Capellans are also a five-minute drive away. Aquopolis is 10 minutes away by car, and Reus Airport and the historic town of Tarragona are both 15 minutes away by car. Barcelona-El Prat Airport is a one-hour drive away, while getting to Barcelona’s city center takes around 80 minutes by car, though trains from Salou and Port Aventura station can make the trip in about the same amount of time.

The El Paso has 501 rooms with the same Mexican hacienda look found throughout the hotel -- they are far more stylistically appealing than many of the outdated all-inclusive resorts that fill Salou. Decor includes terra cotta tile, rustic wood and iron furniture, along with patterned fabric wall art. The look is mostly modern, though the red and tan striped bedspreads aren't the freshest we've seen. Hot pink accents have been added along the doorways. All rooms are air-conditioned and have safes, flat-screen TVs, and narrow balconies. Some come with welcome gifts for kids, but English-language television stations are in short supply. The authentic tiling continues into traditional bathrooms, with mosaic-tile shower/tub combos alongside spacious wooden vanities. Note that there have been some complaints of noise from the hallways and nightly entertainment.

All guests of the El Paso receive free entry to PortAventura Park and discounted tickets to Costa Caribe Aquatic Park. Half-board and all-inclusive packages are also available; full board includes buffet-style breakfast, lunch, and dinner, plus wine, beer, nonalcoholic drinks, and scheduled snacks. The buffets can get monotonous. A la carte dinners at El Coyote are also an option for all-inclusive package guests staying more than four days. The on-site restaurants all serve international and Tex-Mex fare and the three on-site bars offer cocktails and beer. 

Other features include two seasonal outdoor pools: a large, free-form pool with an adjacent hot tub, and a kids' pool offering a sunken pirate ship climbing feature. There's also a sandy faux-beach area and plenty of lounge chairs for sunbathing. Freebies include Wi-Fi, shuttles to downtown Salou and the Park, and a kids' club, though activities are limited, Three's also a business center and nightly live entertainment, which can be noisy and isn't that great.