Sunshine break over Christmas - Tenerife?

[Blues]

Due to my wife passing away this year, my daughters, (19 and 16) and i have decided that Christmas at home would be too much, so want to ignore traditional Christmas and have a sunshine holiday for about 10 days.

I did consider the Caribbean, but don't really want to do long haul, so the Canaries seems the most logical alternative. We visited Tenerife last year, and was suprised at how nice the "good" part of Playa de las Americas is these days. Has anyone been over Christmas and is it really sitting by the pool weather? Any recommendations on hotels? The Mare Nostrum resort hotels look good, if a little pricey, but are in the non-chav area

Or, can you suggest an alternative venue?

Thanks for your help

[cinque]

Good place to go over Christmas.

Temp. will be around 17-22 degs.

The Mare Nostrum resorts are good for their locations, right on top of the "strip" with the nice shops/fountains etc.

I've been to the Cleopatra, which backs onto the beach, so if you stay there, ask for a seaview room, its worth the extra. The other 2 or 3 that make up the "resort" are all much of a much tbh, they are good 4 star hotels and breakfasts are all standard fare etc.

Another option is Villa Cortez, which is a much nicer hotel, however it is more expensive, but i would call it a proper 5 star resort, with nicer pool area and furnishings. (This fronts onto the Southern beaches and is aat the very bottom of the "nice" area you described.)


Just stay away from The Veronica end (West side) and you'll be fine.


Enjoy

[havoc]

We were in Sharm El Sheikh the first week of December a couple of years ago, and the days got up to late-20's, with perfectly clear skies.

+
- Great weather
- Cheap
- Snorkelling was fantastic
- Water was really buoyant, which helped this not-very-good swimmer

-
- More northerly than canaries, so sun sets earlier
- ...and the evenings can be cooler too. (Could be a + in a non-aircon'd place)
- (Some) Locals can be very pushy - restaurant owners particularly
- Hygiene isn't as good out there (although we used alcohol-based hand-gel all week and didn't get ill at all)

...you could also consider one of the other Red-Sea resorts (Hurgada?) - less touristy, less hassle from shop-owners, perhaps more £££. But unless you want to go snorkelling, there's nothing else there that the Canaries don't offer.


PS - Lanzarote was pretty nice too - Timanfaya National Park was really eye-opening - felt like you were on the moon!

[Blues]

Many thanks Cinque and Havoc.
We did consider Sharm, but had heard about the earlier sunsets and cooler evenings, and thought Tenerife was probably a better bet. I agree about Lanzarotte, i think it is a lovely place, but went there with the girls a couple of years ago - and they would like to try somewhere different.

[mike325112]

A word of warning though. We went to the canaries early jan this year and had terrible weather for the whole week. I know you could get this anywhere but if you need a sunshire break you may be better going father afield - the caribean is only a couple of hours more than the canaries...

[Tuscanless Ali]

Blues said:

I did consider the Caribbean, but don't really want to do long haul,

It really is worth it David, especially Barbados

[Mr Sea]

Blues said:

Due to my wife passing away this year, my daughters, (19 and 16) and i have decided that Christmas at home would be too much, so want to ignore traditional Christmas and have a sunshine holiday for about 10 days.

I did consider the Caribbean, but don't really want to do long haul, so the Canaries seems the most logical alternative. We visited Tenerife last year, and was suprised at how nice the "good" part of Playa de las Americas is these days. Has anyone been over Christmas and is it really sitting by the pool weather? Any recommendations on hotels? The Mare Nostrum resort hotels look good, if a little pricey, but are in the non-chav area

Or, can you suggest an alternative venue?

Thanks for your help

My parents have a place in Playa de las Americas and they go over a lot inc every Xmas, they always have a great time, they love a place called 'Banana Gardens' I think it's still there. We the kids have to run the family business at Xmas so I’ve never seen Playa de las Americas at Xmas but we get to go twice a year at other times, I love it there. Recommend!
Me and misses have stayed at the Princess hotel and that's nice, breakfast and dinner inc but dinner is a bit sameish after a week or two but the hotel is spotless!

Also I hear Rhodes is nice at Xmas we went last year in July, the old town is stunning.

[CaptainSlow]

I went to Fuerteventura for Chritmas a few years ago. Stayed at the Jandia Princess and was very impressed.