Arrived, 2/2/2015 after a flight from Stansted. lI had asked the agent for a quiet room, overlooking the pool; I had checked the hotel web site and liked the rooms I had seen. Unfortunately, like so many time before, the room expected was not the room selected!
Accommodation: Bathroom, very good but bedroom poky, tired, no air conditioning (even in winter I am hot), safe did not work neither did bedside lamp or radio and the bed was so hard. It did have a patio, which looked onto a traffic roundabout! – I discussed these issues with management, that night and following day after which, I was moved to a nice room on 4th floor; lost luxury bathroom but gained light, spacious bedroom, good size balcony facing south and the electrics worked.
Food: Each of the three restaurants tried, food is good, enough variety for all and they are not stingy with the drinks. They even have snacks available from 00:00-06:00.
There is a very nice Champagne type wine for breakfast, the Red wine was excellent, with a lot of self service or plenty of waiter service. The Al la Carte, Kristel, is called Fusion cooking (look it up). The Appetiser, was tiny Samosa, a drink of sorts and the Tuna Teriyaki was served on a large teaspoon and measured 1/2 a teaspoon. The following Pea Soup, Norwegian Salmon was good size and Apple Crumble & Ice Cream had a twist, that being the Apple was on a small pastry base and the Ice Cream was on a Crumble base; all was very tasty and surprisingly feeling and unlike any other All Inclusive hotels I have tried, this Al la Cart was included in the All Inclusive cost!
Entertainment: Tends to be hit & miss, but there is a good trio, who play older songs most nights, which many liked and danced to. The other acts that pop in for an hour/45 minutes and some were very good and a very credible magician.
The staff I have met are extremely polite and very helpful.
The area has plenty of restaurants, shops, hotels, apartments and a bus station round the corner. There is a good public beach, sun beds 4€ each per day but hold on to your ticket, as they check half way through the day but these costs go towards keeping the town & beaches clean and as much as possible trouble free – I was told though, to be aware of a group of African women, on a sea path, as you could either come away with less valuables or with a chargeable ‘friendship bracelet’ (do not shake their hands was the Rep’s tip).
Another tip or two: if traveling alone or as a couple, the buses are reasonable but if more, the regulated Taxis may work out cheaper, there is a price list at the taxi rack.
If, like me, you check the weather before and after you book; I discovered that Gran Canaria is made up many micro climates; cooler in the north, windy on the East coast, snow in the middle but South is about 7 decrees high than the North. Weather forecast is taken in the north of the island and as I write this; it was supposed to be 18c possibly rain – I had blue sky’s and it felt like 26-28c.
A final note: yes in places, it does look tired. If you do not like your room, politely and calmly discuss chances of upgrades.
What you do get is good personal service, quality service, and customer service that is obliging as it is courteous.
