Review #2 for La Fuente, Banos de Fortuna

Country: Spain

Co-ordinates: N 38 12 24 W 1 6 26

Address: Camino de la Bocamina, 30620 Los Baños de Fortuna, Murcia, Spain

Good for visiting: Murcia, maybe Cartagena (my post for what we did the 1st time round is:- Relaxation in Banos de Fortuna and a post for the 2nd time round is coming soon 🙂

Website: http://www.campingfuente.com/

Date Visited: 29th February 2019 (after a 1st visit at the end of November 2018)

Questions:- (This review is from the point of view of motorhomers driving a Bessacarr 769 tag axle – 8.56m)

What are the pitches like?

Good – hardstandings (small stones). Mostly a good size. This time we stayed at the back (where we wanted to be), but didn’t have electric for a couple of nights. We were happy with this (especially as it meant a rate of 15Euros including entry to the pools), so were disappointed when we had to move! We were moved to the same area ‘on the road’ that we were in during our first visit.

There is a large area enclosed in a wall where many pitches have their own bathrooms (not available on ACSI of course – and quite tight for manoeuvering) and then there are pitches along the road down towards a large open area outside the walls – we would aim for this area again when we come back.

Is there water on each pitch?

Yes or easily accessible

What is the electric like?

16A – BUT only 4kw per day included in ACSI price – excess charged at 30c per kw. (However, we didn’t pay anything extra for either of our visits)

Drainage?

Yes – on each pitch so excellent if you have a pipe. Also a big drive over drain in the new open area.

What’s the site access like?

Good, but a bit tight if you go within the walls. Approach is through the small village of Banos de Fuente, with narrow roads (but only a short distance) – however if you go past the turn-off to the village there is another approach off the main road that is more suitable (we left this way – it’s a slightly longer way round but far more suitable).

What are the Sanitary facilities like?

There are just a couple of toilet blocks, and being in completely different areas of the site you really only have one available depending on where you are.

Clean and with a big stove for heating. Old fashioned

Really not adequate for the number of people using them. Even now in off-season there are queues for the mens showers… (1 morning I came out of the toilet to find a man clad in his dressing gown in the ladies block!)

Toilets: Just 2 cubicles (in each of the ladies and gents); almost enclosed, but door doesn’t completely fill the frame. Toilet paper provided. Plus soap and hand-drier

Showers: Again, just 2 cubicles. Fairly large with a big central shower tray. Nowhere really to put your clothes and towel without it getting soaked. Although there are several hooks in the communal area….

What other facilities are there?

Bins and CWD

Dishwashing area (and laundry sinks)

Laundry (3.50 Euros wash, 3 Euros dry) – 1 block in each ‘area’. 2 washing machines and 2 driers in each

Reception

Thermal Swimming pool, jacuzzis etc. (This is the pulling point for this site and is used by those not staying in the campsite). Calv states that it’s the best swimming pool he has EVER been to…!)

Bar and restaurant

Wifi area with plentiful seating and tables to use (quite weak signal)

Mini-market (we’ve yet to catch it open), children’s play area

Several traders visit in the morning, driving around the site selling bread, croissants, oranges, eggs, papers etc.

All open out of season 🙂

Lots of tasteful bungalows for hire

Is there any internet; if so how much and how good?

Yes; don’t know how much – sorry (free by the pool and in an area near the bar). I am having no problem with ours

What’s the welcome like?

Actually much better this time around. Very good information provided and very helpful

How much is it?

We paid 15.00 Euro per night including 4kw electric. The pool is extra but definitely worth it! If you don’t intend to use it every day though it’s probably worth just paying for what you do use.

What’s the area like?

About 3km from Fortuna, which we weren’t keen on.

On the way to Fortuna you will see ‘Tina’s Cafe Bar’ – an English owned establishment serving fish and chips on a Friday and a roast on Sunday (there is a large contingent of ex-pats living in the area). This time we actually managed to have fish and chips – which was excellent!)

There are the Cuevas Negro close by, up in the mountains, and this time we actually found the actual original Roman thermal spa ruins – which were surprisingly comprehensive having been ruined by an earthquake).

The rest of the town of Banos de Fortuna is a spa town with numerous people wandering around in their dressing gowns! It’s rather lovely and I do need to read up on it’s history some more.

I did manage a couple of longer runs this time, but it wasn’t easy this time because of the increasing heat. I did find a nice, fairly flat, route though 🙂

Suitable for 5th Wheelers? There is one here, but it would be a definite call ahead.

Would we return?

Well as this was a return visit this is a resounding yes (although we thought not on our 1st couple of days of our 1st visit – it is probably one of our favourite sites in Spain)

Drive over drain, La Fuente

View from the more open area at La Fuente

View from our window at La Fuente – it never got old 🙂

Our pitch at La Fuente – we would go elsewhere if we returned

The ‘inner’ sanctum’ at La Fuente

More detail:

This site is mostly frequented by German campers – probably 90% of the vans on here are German. We have seen 1 other British van, a couple of French and Dutch, an Austrian and Italian. There are also a fair number of Spaniards using the site.

We liked:-

Some of the history in the area

The pool is absolutely amazing

We didn’t like so much:-

Nothing this time – apart from having to move from the separate area at the back (which is much nicer!)

We hated:-

Nothing

Moving On:

We headed on towards Valencia for our last stop on the coast