The state's hotel chain, Paradors, is quite a dependable way to get good quality accommodation all over Spain. This was our third Parador so everything was already quite familiar -- the shower gels and the typical eau de cologne, huge towels, big bathrooms, bad hairdryers (if you ask your travel companion to blow on your hair, that will be faster . . . ), lack of irons, great breakfasts and an overall feeling of a nice hotel. The Parador El Saler is located in the natural park of Albufera, right on the beach and surrounded by a very nice golf course.
All rooms have large balconies, either with a golf course or ocean/golf course view.
There's a pool (open 10am-8pm). Parador guests get a good discount on the green fees at the golf course -- the winds make the course difficult and the roar of the waves may distract you when putting -- play it!
The hotel location is not very convenient to Valencia, you need to use your car to get to town. There is supposed to be a bus too but as we had a car we used that. There are plenty of parking garages in downtown Valencia.
Check how to get to the hotel -- the signage starts downtown Valencia but gets worse when getting closer, in a natural park not too many signs are allowed and the instructions on the Parador website are NOT sufficient, especially if you're coming from Madrid! As when going anywhere in Spain, you need to know several village names that are in the same direction in order to know the right exit from traffic circles -- it may not be the village you are heading for . . . But this is Spain! :-)