Just back from 4 nights in Gran Hotel Costa Adeje..
First off I have to say - I'd never go back to tenerife again. I have never tasted food anywhere in the world that is as bad as that - not to mention the service and general tackiness of the whole place..
BUT
The one saving grace was the Willow Tree in the new shopping centre at Del Duque. We had a look in on the first night and thought "that looks nice" but then we thought we'd try elsewhere - maybe something a bit more local than an "english" restaurant (us being Scots, that didn't exactly inspire us).
For a bit of background - I'm 27, I went with my sister (35), her 7 month old baby and my mother (older than she would wish to state). We only went for a bit of sun for a few days - the rest of europe has been cold recently. We booked the Gran Hotel expecting at least 4 star (although it's a 5!!) and ended up with 3 star rooms and -1 star food. Never eaten food as bad as that anywhere, ever. Can't even describe how bad the hotel food was.
So we spent the first 2 days eating dire (seriously dire!) food for around 16 euros a main course - by day 3 we were starving. The baby hadn't had a hot meal (we just wanted some mashed potato and/or veg for her - apparantly not available anywhere we went).
Then went back the Willow Tree and had the best meal I've had for a long while. Fantastic food - akin to any modern restaurant in the West End of Glasgow/Manchester/London. The friendliest waiter on earth (wish I got his name) and the nicest English owner you could hope to meet.
Nothing was too much trouble. You are greeted whith an apertif as soon as you are seated. The baby could have whatever she like, whenever she liked. They would puree some veg and potato if we wanted - although she loved the potato dauphinoise (sp?) so no need for that. They had fresh veg - no other restaurant did. They did a salad without the usual iceberg lettuce, pale tomatoes and grated celery (a vile combination for even the worst of restaurants). Fantastic choice of dishes, great wines, great advice on what to have.. can't sing their praises enough. Seriously quality food and service.
So just had to post here (I think a few other folk recommended it). Without doubt the best restaurant in the entire South of Tenerife. 99% of the other restaurants (for the same price) offered food that didn't even compare to a 1 star B&B in Blackpool.. seriously.
We were spending around 100 euros for 3 adults and 1 infant - a main course, their cheeseboard (fantastic it was too) desserts and a nice bottle of red wine.
Needless to say, we went back the next day and regretted going anywhere else for the first 2 nights.
It proves one thing, if we were all alike it would be a sad world to live in. But joking apart, i for one have been travelling to tenerife for over 20 years and i would never stay in a hotel for half board.
Without going on and on, there are to many top quality restaurants to have to stay in hotel.
I wont list them, it will take me to long.
Without going on and on, there are to many top quality restaurants to have to stay in hotel.
I wont list them, it will take me to long.
Actualy.. just for anyone planning on staying at the Gran Hotel -
It's not that bad - bearable. Big rooms - we had 3 adults and a baby in one double room - two singles, a sofa bed and we took our own travel cot. Clean, but dated decor.
The food is very definately bad - inedible most of it. Go B&B and even then avoid the breakfast. We ended up buying a kettle for coffee/tea and getting baguettes, cold meats, butter, milk, croissants, jam, etc from the supermarket next door which could be kept in the fridge in your room and used that for breakfast and lunch.
To get to the Willow, you literally walk straight out the front door and walk down the hill in front of you for 5 minutes until you reach the shopping centre at Del Duque - has Cartier shop, Escada, etc.. very expensive.. looks a bit like a modern football stadium. Great bar in the centre..
Beyond that you have the "proper" 5 Stars at the beach and some nice looking/bad tasting restaurants. OK for a walk at night. Very safe, and very quiet.
It's not that bad - bearable. Big rooms - we had 3 adults and a baby in one double room - two singles, a sofa bed and we took our own travel cot. Clean, but dated decor.
The food is very definately bad - inedible most of it. Go B&B and even then avoid the breakfast. We ended up buying a kettle for coffee/tea and getting baguettes, cold meats, butter, milk, croissants, jam, etc from the supermarket next door which could be kept in the fridge in your room and used that for breakfast and lunch.
To get to the Willow, you literally walk straight out the front door and walk down the hill in front of you for 5 minutes until you reach the shopping centre at Del Duque - has Cartier shop, Escada, etc.. very expensive.. looks a bit like a modern football stadium. Great bar in the centre..
Beyond that you have the "proper" 5 Stars at the beach and some nice looking/bad tasting restaurants. OK for a walk at night. Very safe, and very quiet.
dfd4004
Very sorry to hear you had a bad expeirence, dont defect, try self catering next time but look at staying in the oasis del sur district(los cristianos). Top qaulity accomodation.
Example: 2 bedroom apartment sleeps 6 with tv/dvd/washing machine/dryer/dishwasher/microwave etc cost £700 for the two weeks this price is not per person but per apartment, also flights cost me £189 each.
So there are 5 of us travelling for two weeks and the cost is £1645.
Absolute bargain, throw in the cost of eating out etc and you will still only spend in total £3000.
How much would 5 people have to pay to stay in a 5* hotel in tenerife for two weeks and eat in the same bl**dy restaurant for two weeks.
Very sorry to hear you had a bad expeirence, dont defect, try self catering next time but look at staying in the oasis del sur district(los cristianos). Top qaulity accomodation.
Example: 2 bedroom apartment sleeps 6 with tv/dvd/washing machine/dryer/dishwasher/microwave etc cost £700 for the two weeks this price is not per person but per apartment, also flights cost me £189 each.
So there are 5 of us travelling for two weeks and the cost is £1645.
Absolute bargain, throw in the cost of eating out etc and you will still only spend in total £3000.
How much would 5 people have to pay to stay in a 5* hotel in tenerife for two weeks and eat in the same bl**dy restaurant for two weeks.
Yeah, we were thinking that we would better going self catering.. and we did try 2 or 3 restaurants nearby before settling on the Willow - plus we were only there for 4 nights.
The decision not to go back is simply that it's not our cup of tea. Basically wen went for the weather - we'd normally stick to the likes of Sardinia, Milan, Venice, South Eastern France or even Croatia. Food and service is a big thing for us - I'm a chef - so it wasn't where we would normally choose. Much more into a nice fishing villlage on the coast with a quality restaurant where locals would be in the majority. Plus for the length of the flight - it would be just as easy to go to New York..
Not that I'd say it was a horrible destination - just not what we would normally look for in a holiday.
The decision not to go back is simply that it's not our cup of tea. Basically wen went for the weather - we'd normally stick to the likes of Sardinia, Milan, Venice, South Eastern France or even Croatia. Food and service is a big thing for us - I'm a chef - so it wasn't where we would normally choose. Much more into a nice fishing villlage on the coast with a quality restaurant where locals would be in the majority. Plus for the length of the flight - it would be just as easy to go to New York..
Not that I'd say it was a horrible destination - just not what we would normally look for in a holiday.
Food and service is a big thing for us - I'm a chef - so it wasn't where we would normally choose. Much more into a nice fishing villlage on the coast with a quality restaurant where locals would be in the majority
... But we have plenty of those and many fine, inexpensive restaurants where the food and service is superb.
I really am not being argumentative and I realise that you were only here for a very short time, but it's really similar to someone from Tenerife spending a few days in Blackpool and then saying that they don't like England.
Yeah, I'm not being argumentative.. but I would say that Tenerife is very much like Blackpool in the sun..
When I/we choose to go abroad, we don't wanna be surrounded by English people/food/football/newspapers..
For me (and I'm not some old prude - 27 and male) the last thing I want to hear when I go on holiday is some chav from essex shouting - "wheres me chips, bruv!".. Not my cup of tea.. Left Eastenders at home..
So, nice, if you like Blackpool Sur la Mer - not if you want a reasonable holiday.. Especially not with a chil - or anyone with tastebuds..
Sorry to be on a downer.. but it is called Holiday Truths - and thats my honest opinion.. Would prefer to pay triple the cost and go somewhere minus the chips and sunbed towel races at 6am..
When I/we choose to go abroad, we don't wanna be surrounded by English people/food/football/newspapers..
For me (and I'm not some old prude - 27 and male) the last thing I want to hear when I go on holiday is some chav from essex shouting - "wheres me chips, bruv!".. Not my cup of tea.. Left Eastenders at home..
So, nice, if you like Blackpool Sur la Mer - not if you want a reasonable holiday.. Especially not with a chil - or anyone with tastebuds..
Sorry to be on a downer.. but it is called Holiday Truths - and thats my honest opinion.. Would prefer to pay triple the cost and go somewhere minus the chips and sunbed towel races at 6am..
.. but I would say that Tenerife is very much like Blackpool in the sun..
You are so wrong ... I'll tell you what ... next time (hopefully) you are here, let me know before you arrive and I'll show you the real Tenerife ... inluding places to go, places to eat and scenery beyond your wildest expectations.
When I/we choose to go abroad, we don't wanna be surrounded by English people/food/football/newspapers..
OK ... you were only here for a few days, but you didn't stray from the resort areas - what else can you expect if you don't go farther than the end of the road? (again said in the nicest possible way)
So long as this stays friendly OK but if it doesn't it will be locked.
Hi
I agree with Mike.i have being going to tenerife for 20 years and have seen the real Tenerife which you cannot see in 4 days!!.
Blackpool in the daylight v Tenerife no contest !!.
Daveyboy
I agree with Mike.i have being going to tenerife for 20 years and have seen the real Tenerife which you cannot see in 4 days!!.
Blackpool in the daylight v Tenerife no contest !!.
Daveyboy
Hi All
Have to agree with other posters.
Tenerife is wonderful. We too have been going at least twice a year (Three if we are really really lucky) for over twenty years. We have never and would never book into an hotel, we always go self catering;not that I cook when we are away but because there are too many nice restaurants to eat in the same one each night which happens when you are half/full board.
You also state that you would prefer a nice fish restaurant in a fishing village with the locals - try the one right on the harbour in Las Galletas - you wont find any better.
Also regarding the chips and sunbed towel races at 6am. Unfortunately all I can add is that you stayed at the wrong place. Book a week or two at The Regency Country Club in Chayofa which is a 7* resort. I think you would be pleasantly suprised, there are definately no chips or sunbed races there, just top quality accomodation/service and food at the well known Le Estancia Restaurant.
I also have to agree with Mike - what can you see of a place in four days to make these judgements? as I said previously we have been going for over twenty years and are still finding some lovely restaurants and villages across the island.
Also just for the record I am from Essex. Contrary to your perception of Essex we are not all chavs who shout 'where's me chips bruv' Some of us are a bit more dignified - honestly. Also Eastenders are not from Essex, they are from the Eastend of London.
Geography lesson over I really hope you give Tenerife another try, perhaps in a different resort/accomodation, I too like the best of everything when I go away and why not, we all work hard for our holidays and believe me it is all there in Tenerife, you just need to do a bit of research or ask people who know the place for a bit of advice. Unfortunately it is not very easy to judge a holiday destination that you have never visited before on a four day trip.
Try it again some time after doing a bit of research and I bet that you will go back again and again. I have found over the years that Tenerife has so much to offer, both the old and new parts. So much so that my visits have extended themselves to three weeks now instead of the mandatory two. Well in fact that will be extended even further in the summer because my family and I love it so much that we are moving there permanently.
Hope you take peoples advice and try it again after some research.
Regards Jackie
Have to agree with other posters.
Tenerife is wonderful. We too have been going at least twice a year (Three if we are really really lucky) for over twenty years. We have never and would never book into an hotel, we always go self catering;not that I cook when we are away but because there are too many nice restaurants to eat in the same one each night which happens when you are half/full board.
You also state that you would prefer a nice fish restaurant in a fishing village with the locals - try the one right on the harbour in Las Galletas - you wont find any better.
Also regarding the chips and sunbed towel races at 6am. Unfortunately all I can add is that you stayed at the wrong place. Book a week or two at The Regency Country Club in Chayofa which is a 7* resort. I think you would be pleasantly suprised, there are definately no chips or sunbed races there, just top quality accomodation/service and food at the well known Le Estancia Restaurant.
I also have to agree with Mike - what can you see of a place in four days to make these judgements? as I said previously we have been going for over twenty years and are still finding some lovely restaurants and villages across the island.
Also just for the record I am from Essex. Contrary to your perception of Essex we are not all chavs who shout 'where's me chips bruv' Some of us are a bit more dignified - honestly. Also Eastenders are not from Essex, they are from the Eastend of London.
Geography lesson over I really hope you give Tenerife another try, perhaps in a different resort/accomodation, I too like the best of everything when I go away and why not, we all work hard for our holidays and believe me it is all there in Tenerife, you just need to do a bit of research or ask people who know the place for a bit of advice. Unfortunately it is not very easy to judge a holiday destination that you have never visited before on a four day trip.
Try it again some time after doing a bit of research and I bet that you will go back again and again. I have found over the years that Tenerife has so much to offer, both the old and new parts. So much so that my visits have extended themselves to three weeks now instead of the mandatory two. Well in fact that will be extended even further in the summer because my family and I love it so much that we are moving there permanently.
Hope you take peoples advice and try it again after some research.
Regards Jackie
I too have visited the Willow tree and agree the food is very good. Service matches too.
The only grumble I had is that its in a shopping centre. granted a brand new one, and probably the poshest in the south to date. But I couldn't get away from that UK shopping mall environment feel while in there.
having said this i would recommend The Willow Tree to anyone staying in the area.
For a more Spanish feel with equal quality try a little further along by the Riu Adeje Palace. Above the shops is "El Turito". Frequented by both Ex-Pats, holiday makers (from the hotel) and Spanish alike. Avoid December - lots of works doos.
The only grumble I had is that its in a shopping centre. granted a brand new one, and probably the poshest in the south to date. But I couldn't get away from that UK shopping mall environment feel while in there.
having said this i would recommend The Willow Tree to anyone staying in the area.
For a more Spanish feel with equal quality try a little further along by the Riu Adeje Palace. Above the shops is "El Turito". Frequented by both Ex-Pats, holiday makers (from the hotel) and Spanish alike. Avoid December - lots of works doos.
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