Accommodation Hotel Los Gigantes
In a word, excellent! Don’t just take my word for it as many people spend their winter holidays at this hotel year after year. Some people have been there eighteen times or more and others go there for four or more weeks at a time.
The hotel has hit the awards table year after year and this is not hard to understand when you consider the high standard of catering, the large bedrooms and the evening entertainment on offer in the hotel.
The food….well all I can say is that you need to put away your diet sheets until you get home. The quality and quantity on offer is amazing. Their sweets are wicked and the fried bananas in brandy are just something else ! You have been warned….
The hotel has two swimming pools; one heated sea water and the other fresh cold water….being a wimp you can guess which one I use…
There are about eight floors to this hotel and personally I tend to opt for a room as high as possible over looking the sea, where on a clear evening , sitting on your verandah with a cool drink in your hand, you can see the sun setting behind the island of La Gomera….get the picture?
I should point out that the hotel only permits children over the age of sixteen, otherwise you will need to book into the Santiago Hotel which is also excellent hotel.
Travelogue
You
really can’t go wrong for weather when considering a winter holiday
in the Canary Islands, particularly as the travelling time is about four
hours and the temperature during December-March is usually in the mid
seventies. The Canaries are on the same latitude as Florida, so you can
expect similar weather conditions without the distance of travel.
Los Gigantes is on the island of Tenerife and is a resort that I can really recommend if you are looking for a restful holiday with warm sunshine in mid winter, without the hassle of long haul travel.
There
are only two main hotels at this resort; the ‘Los Gigantes’,
and the ‘Santiago’, which is on the outskirts of Los Gigantes
at Santiago.
Both are excellent and of the two I prefer the ‘Los Gigantes’.
You’ll need to book up early as those that are in on the secret
are booking for the following year as they leave!
The resort of Los Gigantes is quiet without being isolated and tends to be more residential with many of the properties owned by English people. There is one large beach that is seldom crowded in the winter months although many people are to be found using the hotel pools. The sea is not particularly cold at that time of year although the heat of the midday sun can make it appear on the cool side. Like so many of the Canary Island beaches, it consists of black sand…a bit like sitting on a coal heap but without the black making a mess of your sun tan!
Los
Gigantes is on the west side of the island and its name is derived from
the mountain range of cliffs that border the resort. These same cliffs
tend to deflect any bad weather away from the resort and as a result Los
Gigantes has probably the best sunshine record on the island. Situated
off a spur road that ends at the resort, there is little in the way of
traffic noise or pollution.
The road ends at the harbour where you can take boat trips to see the whales. Yes, the Canary Islands are home to whales and dolphins. The harbour would seem to have a resident turtle but I have yet to see it after six years of staying there!
There are a number of shops, supermarkets and harbour cafés to wander around, many of which are still open after 7pm and the resort offers several tennis courts and even two bowls greens (although I should add that the ‘greens’ are in fact made up of green carpet!)
Must-See Attractions
Volcano
Teide: If you are to go anywhere then it must be up to Teide,
the extinct volcano. The rock formations and the colours are remarkable.
You can hire a car or, like my wife and I, take a taxi as they know
all the best sights, where you can stay for as long or short a time
as you wish.
Masca: This is only a few miles away from the resort where you in fact reach up into the Los Gigantes range of hills/mountains. The ride itself is interesting with many hairpin bends and spectacular scenery and views to be seen on the way. You can walk down the valley from here and get a boat back to Los Gigantes harbour but I should point out, this is not something to take on lightly. You will need to be fairly fit and equipped with stout shoes/boots, together preferably with a guide.
Las
Aguilas:
If you like seeing animals and birds etc. then this is a zoo with a
difference. It is set up in the hills in a ravine surrounded by lush
vegetation and palms, quite unlike anything that we have in the UK.
It probably takes about an hours travel from ‘door to door’
and is well worth the visit.
Puerto de la Cruz: Depending upon your length of stay you can always visit the other side of the island, namely Puerto de La Cruz but bear in mind, that this being on the north of the island, it is subject to rain. The guide books will give you full information on what you can see there, including the botanical gardens.
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24 detailed maps
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extensive coverage of the many activities the islands have to offer, from windsurfing to cycling
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the lowdown on the best places to experience the islands' cuisine
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everything you need to know about transport, whether hopping on a bus or hopping to another island
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handy Spanish language chapter