Canary Islands 2023 Holiday Thread

[Carl_Manchester]

it has rained for four hours solid in the north today so that should help with keeping the fire away.

[Carl_Manchester]

heatwave gone time to get slap bang back on it. beach bars serving unlimited draught dorada especial are behind the camera.

[Carl_Manchester]

The Sheraton in Adeje, Tenerife that was purchased and closed for re-furb has re-opened and retained its 5-star rating.

It is now called the 'Tivoli La Caleta' and a sea view room goes for about 400 eur a night (gulp).

A new heat wave is arriving just in time for this weekend, if anyone is bored of the British weather.

[eddietiv1]

Costa Teguise or Playa Blanca In Lanzarote this November, just booked our flights and already been to Costa Teguise twice in last 12 months, we really like it there as a family of 4 but open minded about trying another resort or perhaps even a private villa with pool, plenty of availability in Arecife also but doesn't really appeal, any ideas more than welcomed.

[omniflow]

eddietiv1 said:

Costa Teguise or Playa Blanca In Lanzarote this November, just booked our flights and already been to Costa Teguise twice in last 12 months, we really like it there as a family of 4 but open minded about trying another resort or perhaps even a private villa with pool, plenty of availability in Arecife also but doesn't really appeal, any ideas more than welcomed.

Maybe not quite the idea you're after, but Bar Rincon in Costa Tequise is fantastic. Food is amazing.

[andye30m3]

We went to baobab hotel in Meloneras this summer, not normally one for sitting around doing nothing but after the last year of work it was just what I needed, couldn't really fault the hotel at all, so much so we've booked for next year, wouldn't normally return to the same place.

https://www.lopesan.com/en/hotels/spain/gran-canar...

[rustyuk]

andye30m3 said:

We went to baobab hotel in Meloneras this summer, not normally one for sitting around doing nothing but after the last year of work it was just what I needed, couldn't really fault the hotel at all, so much so we've booked for next year, wouldn't normally return to the same place.

https://www.lopesan.com/en/hotels/spain/gran-canar...

Don't go in the winter as the open plan nature of the hotel means its constantly windy and cold.

[Gareth1974]

It's my birthday at the start of January and I fancy going away for a few days to escape the cold and have a few birthday beers.

The best deals I can find from my local airport are for Lanzarote (Costa Teguise).

I'm a keen cyclist and would try to hire a bike - has anyone go any experience of Lanzarote as a winter cycling destination? Some of the routes here look good https://www.komoot.com/guide/827/road-cycling-rout...

[LuS1fer]

Gareth1974 said:

It's my birthday at the start of January and I fancy going away for a few days to escape the cold and have a few birthday beers.

The best deals I can find from my local airport are for Lanzarote (Costa Teguise).

I'm a keen cyclist and would try to hire a bike - has anyone go any experience of Lanzarote as a winter cycling destination? Some of the routes here look good https://www.komoot.com/guide/827/road-cycling-rout...

The weather can be cold in January and early February. Not always, of course. Fuerteventura might be a better cycling destination.

[Carl_VivaEspana]

Some Tenerife tid-bits.

The Med Palace refurb on the Golden Mile looks like its almost nearing the end of its total refit. I went past the same site in August and it was under heavy construction. For this one they stripped it back to the concrete.

The booking website is up and taking bookings from March 2024. Looks like the base pricing is far lower than the newly finished Antony at around half the price.

https://marenostrumresort.com/en/accommodation/med...

[markymarkthree]

Carl_VivaEspana said:

Some Tenerife tid-bits.

The Med Palace refurb on the Golden Mile looks like its almost nearing the end of its total refit. I went past the same site in August and it was under heavy construction. For this one they stripped it back to the concrete.

The booking website is up and taking bookings from March 2024. Looks like the base pricing is far lower than the newly finished Antony at around half the price.

https://marenostrumresort.com/en/accommodation/med...

Just tried booking 2 weeks Oct or Nov, no availability.

[Carl_VivaEspana]

This year's Conde Naste excellence award nominees for the Canary Islands are as follows, they are nominated alongside 3 mainland Spain hotels and a bunch from the Balearics.

- Best Spa Hotel: Hotel Botánico & The Oriental Spa Garden (Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife)

- Best Gastronomic Experience: Royal Hideaway Corales Resort (Costa Adeje, Tenerife)

- Best Service: Bahía del Duque (Costa Adeje, Tenerife)

- Best Service: Santa Catalina, a Royal Hideaway Hotel (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria).

Bontanico and Bahia being previous Conde Naste winners in previous years.

[Portia5]

Carl_VivaEspana said:

This year's Conde Naste excellence award nominees for the Canary Islands are as follows, they are nominated alongside 3 mainland Spain hotels and a bunch from the Balearics.

- Best Spa Hotel: Hotel Botánico & The Oriental Spa Garden (Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife)

- Best Gastronomic Experience: Royal Hideaway Corales Resort (Costa Adeje, Tenerife)

- Best Service: Bahía del Duque (Costa Adeje, Tenerife)

- Best Service: Santa Catalina, a Royal Hideaway Hotel (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria).

Bontanico and Bahia being previous Conde Naste winners in previous years.

We're dining in their Michelins on 10th and 13th

[bernie_eccle]

The wife to be and I have the first week of December off and are looking for a good value 4* AI in the Canaries. Flying from Scotland, so will probably book via Jet2.

I did fancy Costa Adeje but nothing really coming in at our budget of about £900 each. We can get the Barcelo Margaritas Royal Level in Play Del Ingles, Gran Canaria within budget but have never been to GC and am a bit worried that the weather might not be as good as Tenerife? We have been to a Barcelo in Fuerteventura a couple of times and the hotel was excellent.

Another option was Barcelo Corralejo Bay in Fuerteventura however it is a bit more expensive and Fuerteventura has been a bit windy when we have been there previously (Callers de Fuste).

We aren't foodies so an AI buffet suits us fine. We like to do a bit of wandering and walking so not too keen on a remote resort like Jandia. Not looking for a lively night scene although some shops, bars and restaurants would be good.

Any recommendations on resorts or hotels, particularly with regards to trying to get the best weather?

[Ziplobb]

eddietiv1 said:

Costa Teguise or Playa Blanca In Lanzarote this November, just booked our flights and already been to Costa Teguise twice in last 12 months, we really like it there as a family of 4 but open minded about trying another resort or perhaps even a private villa with pool, plenty of availability in Arecife also but doesn't really appeal, any ideas more than welcomed.

Lanzerote Villas direct - we stayed in Nazerat just up the road from Costa Tequise - Think it was Cas Luca - good base for going out and about but you will need a car IIRC the lady that rents the villas arranged that it was cheap and no hassle at all

[Narcisus]

Lanzarote week after next then Tenerife in early Jan both in Riu's i'm ready for it !

[Carl_VivaEspana]

bernie_eccle said:

Any recommendations on resorts or hotels, particularly with regards to trying to get the best weather?

Cost is a problem this year as everywhere seems over-priced, make sure you use mobile apps to book as there is can be, currently, a large difference between mobile app price and using your PC web browser to book.

The Barcelo in GC is excellent.

The Barcelo in Tenerife is excellent (its 5 stars with a Royal Level also) but its also a bit remote and tad windy, its a bit of a dice roll for December on the weather but its been well above average and the first week in December could be smashing.

The Riu Gran Canaria 4 star Maspalomas is brand new and has just had a refit, a week there is in your budget. Will be a bigger dice roll on the weather.

The best weather will be further up the Tenerife coast where the H10 and Hard Rock Hotel is but you will need to stump up an extra 500 sheets over the Tenerife Barcelo and they are both the similar price as the upgrade to Royal Level.

Also, two of the pools are heated at the Tenerife Barcelo......

[LuS1fer]

Here in Lanzarote for a week and the weather has been stunning. 30 degrees today. Not a drop of rain.

We have Fuerteventura booked for December as the weather last December was also unbroken sunshine and high temperatures.

[stevemcs]

bernie_eccle said:

Another option was Barcelo Corralejo Bay in Fuerteventura however it is a bit more expensive and Fuerteventura has been a bit windy when we have been there previously (Callers de Fuste).

We stayed there a few years ago and its a nice hotel, the room was nice, the food was typical hotel food.

We are off to Playa Blance in December, we were going to stay at the new Barcelo but after seeing the latest videos of it i'm not sure its going to be open.

[bernie_eccle]

stevemcs said:

We stayed there a few years ago and its a nice hotel, the room was nice, the food was typical hotel food.

We are off to Playa Blanca in December, we were going to stay at the new Barcelo but after seeing the latest videos of it i'm not sure its going to be open.

Thanks all. The Riu was within budget but from Glasgow on the Friday. We really need a Saturday flight and Edinburgh is our preference, particularly at this time of the year.

The new Barcelo in Playa Blanca wasn't coming up in any searches, so didn't know about it. I went into their app and found it. They had recently sent me a 5% discount code so I have just booked the AI Royal Level for a week at a cost of £831 each and added Ryanair flights from EDI for £144 each including 20kg luggage each, so more or less in budget. We will of course need to add transfers but can't imagine they would be more than €30 each way.

We previously stayed in the H10 Rubicon Palace and whilst it was ok, it was out on its own with nothing really in walking distance, so dismissed Playa Blanca. Looking at the map, there seems to be quite a bit more nearby the Barcelo.

A bit of a gamble as it only opens on 1st December, so no doubt there will be a few teething issues, but I don't mind that.

Thanks again, really looking forward to it now.