My husband and I went on 27th December so missed christmas but we were there for the New Year as we left on the 3rd of January. It's certainly not a ghost town! There were plenty of firework displays going on for New Year and quite a few people about although it wasn't as crowded as I thought it would be. There is plenty going on, the restaurants and clubs are open and the weather was good.

As for Parque Santiago 3, we stayed there with some friends a couple of years ago in early November and thought it was great. We did find that the apartments are not all exactly the same. We were next door but one to each other and they had two balconies, one leading from the bedroom and one from the lounge. Our apartment had only one balcony, with the only window in the bedroom being a small round one, like a porthole, so high up the wall that the only way you could see out of it was to stand on the bed and then you could only see the roofs opposite! Our apartment also had only half a wall in the bedroom meaning that we could look over it into the lounge below. I thought this was very dangerous if you had adventurous children. The bedroom had no door, it was straight up the stairs and there was the bedroom which meant that any noise downstairs would probably disturb someone upstairs.

I don't know if you have read this but there are no lifts, except in the tower blocks. We weren't in the tower blocks but I had asked for a high floor and we got one, about the 4th I think which meant we had to lug the suitcases up at least 40 steps. It rained while we were there, very heavily, and as the corridors are open to the elements they were awash with water. The bathrooms were peculiar because the shower head was at about crotch height which meant that you either had to take it off the wall or sit down in the bath to have a shower! Don't let this put you off as Parque Santiago is great. The pools are fantastic, although the big one was very cold the other one was like walking into a bath - lovely! There's a big shopping centre underneath with lots of shops to look round as well as the other designer-type shops along the street nearby. The beach is very close so I would think you'll enjoy it.

Thanks for that, we are going to go ahead with the booking, can't stand yet another winter in this country!!

PS, is the weather any use at that time of year?? Not that i'm really caring, just curious if anything.
I'm sure it's hotter than the Shetland Isle!!

we went to tenerife 2 years ago for xmas and new year the weather was wonderful came back with great suntans. you will love it. have a great time. parque santiago is lovely we stayed at the mare nostrum resort just along the front

hi ilwtb weve been goin to pdla for the last 3 years always fly out on boxing day best thing we ever did youll love it got a 5yr old she perfers going away than staying ay home she takes a few toys with er she loves it every is open bars resturants water parks weather can be hot but gets overcast its what you make it have you booked prauqe santigo111 with a travel agent and what date are you traveling weve booked independtly this year got are flights booked for boxing day your hotel is in a good area surounded with nice bars and resturants the pool is supposed to be biggest on island

Hi Murgy, we have booked a private apartment and we leave Scotland on the 22 nd Dec and return on the 5th Jan. Excellent deal and much cheaper than going through a travel agent. Where we live it cost's 300.00 per adult for a return flight from where we live to get to Aberdeen! Mental!!!

Glad the weather is still nice, it's only march and i'm already looking out swimwear! My son will be 18 months old at christmas and i can't wait to see his little face this year!

Do you know if the Loro Parque is open in December, you know the one in the North of the Island.

Where are you staying this year? Are you going with the whole family?

Hi Loro Park is good don't drink to much nite before you go am sure it took about 2hrs to get there if am right and the same back dolphin show at water park is good my partner is originally from Glasgow when our daughter was born we priced it up to fly from Leeds to Glasgow thought it would be easier with travel cot half of mothercare ha the price was £460 so we sat on train 4 4.30 hrs saved a fortune waiting for alpha rooms to bring winter accommodation out to choose hotel we to will save a few £100 by booking it ourselves if you've got a Primark they've got loads of nice swimwear in cheap as well.

Please do not post in capitals see Rules of Posting No.1.
If you post in this way again your post will be deleted
allmen

sorry left cap lock on

hi there, i thought you were allowed to write in caps as long as it wasn't the whole message?

anyways, we have no primark up here, this islad really is rubbish for shops but is brilliant as a place to bring up children. it's a safe place to live, most of the time.

we will be hiring a car for 3 days so we thought we'd tour the island and possibly go to loro parque. have looked at there website and it looks amazing.

never heard of alpha rooms, are they any good?

Hi Murgy
No problem it happens to us all
ilovethewindsorbar
Yes you can use capital letters but only to emphasise a point and as you can see from murgy's last post he left caps lock on resulting in the whole post being in capitals.

allmen

hi iltwb thanks for your replie alpha rooms is website that deals in hotels all over the world hopefully get a good hotel booked they do your appartments prauqe santiago 3 thinking of going in hotel this year you.l have to post me what weathers like when you get there have a lovley time any more info you need just post and il replie

Hi there. I am also spending christmas 15th to 29th december at parque santiago 3 with my family (husband and children 10 and 14) have been to playa de las americas before in january 1991 and loved it-very hot! does anyone know if the restaurants and bars are open as normal on christmas day? We also booked directly with villa owner and got a much better deal.

Everything is open as normal on Christmas Day. The Canarians celebrate their christmas day on 6th January.

Rgds Jackie

Thanks Jackie, that's really helpful!

i know a few bars that are closing..... and we havent decided what to do yet, but as jackie said generally speaking its action as usual !

Just booked for christmas and new year,this will be our 5th year running we will be in tenerife.Its just wonderful.

^^^^^
It certainly is !!!!!

I keep reading about how busy tenerife is at christmas but I am actually
coming out on 2nd Jan for a week. Could anyone tell me if it is still busy and also as the Canarians celebrate christmas on the 6th are the bars and things still open and are there any fireworks or processions going on.