I've just returned from 2 glorious weeks in Tenerife.
This was the first time my family had even considered it as a holiday destination. People we had spoken to had given us the impression that it was the Canaries answer to Blackpool. Not our cup of tea.
So what swung it for us? The price.
Now that my daughter is 15 we are finding it more and more difficult to find holidays where we can get her free in anything other than self caterering. As we have gone all inclusive for the last couple of years this has spoilt us. So I searched the NET and found two all inclusive hotel, Paraiso Floral, in Tenerife and the El Greco in Ibiza.
As
we had been to the El Greco last year we decided on the Paraiso Floral. What a great decision!
We arrived at 9pm to be met by the extremely helpful and friendly reception staff. Nothing was a bother. After quickly unpacking we decided to have a tour of the hotel. Found the bar straight away!!!
Although the main bar and entertainment room was a throw back to the days when we went to Butlin’s Skegness every year, it was spotlessly clean and the staff couldn’t do enough for you. Needless to say by the time the bar stopped serving free drinks at midnight, I can’t remember much about returning to my room.
The next day we went down for breakfast. First disappointment. I thought maybe the pig that had provided the bacon was still running around out back. Never mind a quick word with the waitress and every morning after that the bacon was great.
Although my mother would tell you the meal were not great there was always something you could eat and with 3 course meals at breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack available most of the day there was no fear of going hungry. (My husband opinion is my mother would twist on 21).
The kids were entertained day and night by the resident Fiesta entertainment team as well at by the Thompson kid club reps. Hardly saw them all holiday. (My type of holiday). But it wasn’t only the kids that were kept entertained. Everyday around the pool there was organised activities around the pool. I managed to win a couple and be presented with a bottle of champagne? and a certificate. Made loads of new friends as well.
The maids came and cleaned the room every day and changed the linen every other. The whole hotel was spotless. Only downside was the lifts. They didn’t always work and one night a family got trapped in one for about 10mins. A big problem if you were on the 16th floor but not so much for us on the 3rd.
Playa Paraiso itself is a small resort with just one main street. There are couple of bars and restaurants which were reasonably priced, although being all inclusive we did not use them often.
If your looking for a beach holiday this is not the place for you. The brochure insinuated that the beach was a couple of hundred metres from the hotel. It took us until the end of the first week to find it and it wasn’t worth finding. You do however have the use of the Lido across the road, which is fabulous. It is free entry if you are staying at the Paraiso Floral and there is a bar at the rear, were you can still get your free drinks. No snack though. We did try it a couple of times, but really preferred the pool in the hotel.
Las Americas is only a 10 min bus ride away and we had a couple of day there shopping, but found that the duty free was cheaper in Paraiso. Went one day though have a day on the beach. Can’t go on holiday and not go to the beach.
One of the highlights of the holiday was a trip to Mount Teide and then an hour on a boat. We shopped around for prices and finally went with a company Miller Tours. We couldn’t believe the price 8 euro each. About 10 euros cheaper than anywhere else. We found out why. Part of the tour took you to a meeting where you were given a talk on a special bed and pure wool bedding. There was no hard sell and we received a meal and a free gift of wine, video of the island and a mini personal radio. Well worth it for the price we paid and the trip up Mount Teide was fabulous. Although we didn’t see any dolphin whilst on the boat trip.
Well all I can say is that we are planning going back next year, even though my daughter will be 16 and able to get free.
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Hotel - Calle Gran Bretana - Urbanización San Eugenio, Costa Adeje, 38660 Tenerife, Gran Bretaña, s/n, 38660 Playa de las Americas, Spain - 4 Stars - 404 Rooms
Hotel - Quinto Centenario, 7, Playa de Las Américas, Adeje, 38660 Tenerife, Avenida V Centenario 7, 38660 Playa de las Americas, Spain - 2 Stars - 165, 147, 115 Rooms
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Jul 22nd, 2004
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