Dear all
I posted a couple of questions before my week long stay in Tenerife that has recently taken place (returned 22nd Sep so a bit delayed with this post), and each response was really helpful, so together with what I read on this message board about touts, restaurants etc (was reading almost twice a day up to the day we departed) and the info I was supplied with together with my experience I wanted to let you know whats what....
Scratch card /questionnaire touts... we are a couple aged 24 years old (myself) and 27 (finance), and we never ever got bothered once, anywhere. (I was worried about this as I do have a short temper and understand how bad they can be from my visit 8 years ago). They stuck out like a sore thumb so were easy to avoid, but when they weren't so easy to avoid they still didn't even look at us. Very pleased
Restaurants.... each one we tried was superb - first was Deborah's on the raised beachfront walkway just along from hotel Tenerife Sol in PDLA was the perfect place for a pizza lunch and ice cold drink together with amazing ocean views.
Bianco (or is is Blanco?) very modern establishment serving posh Italian food (upper level opposite Mare Nostrum resort on the Safari Centro Commercial centre - same level as Harrys bar) was superb, for both cocktails, atmosphere and food.
Harrys... best cocktails in town, and I say they are worth the extra euro or two for the view (of dancing fountains/Mare Nostrum fountains & pyramid) and atmosphere complete with Spanish man playing saxophone.
El Faro (upper level, just along from Centro commercial at Mare Nostrum resort, in front of the parquet Santiago crazy golf) was brilliant for food and service. We each got a glass complimentary champagne/cava at the end of the meal which was a nice touch - and that was before we left a healthy sized tip.
If you are in the Mare Nostrum resort (big round blue one - Mediterranean palace) try the open top bar on the roof of the 4th floor. We weren't staying there but whilst we were having a sneaky look in at the huge circular pool of the hotel we spotted the rooftop bar - so managed to sneak our way up. When the barman produced a card for us to sign the drinks to our room a polite "can I pay by cash" gets you through rather than have to say that you aren't a hotel resident. I say this as I don't think we were supposed to be up there really, because on a second occasion when we tried to chance it we were asked by a hotel security guard as we casually walked through the rotating doors into reception "can I see your room key" but when we said we just wanted to pay for a drink in the hotel bar we were turned away.
Tip - go later on. The first time we were lucky it was well close to midnight and there wasn't a security guard in sight.
Save the best til last:
Il Molino Blanco (restaurant - "the windmill")."¦what can I say. I was there as an adolescent teenager on holiday with parents 8 years ago and really didn't want to be on holiday at all (As you do at 16 years old), but 8 years on with my finance admiring the amazing food, Service (we could have been at the Ritz) and all round perfectness, I was blown away. It was superb. We were even serenaded by 3 beautiful spanish men on Spanish guitars as well as a singing chef. May sound tacky to some but it really wasn't. All washed down with a complimentary jug of champagne-sangria.
First negative - the bus service. As in one of my posts I wanted to go to Santa Cruz, but we didn't make it. No signs for Santa Cruz and then waited what seemed like a day for a bus at the "bus station" just up from Sol Princesa Dacil and when it finally turned up we weren't allowed on due to lack of seats therefore we never made it. Maybe next time? It didn't spoil the holiday as there was plenty to see and do throughout the combined resorts of Los C/PDLA and Adeje.
second "negative" but you have all commented on this recently - are the people who stand outside restaurants getting you to go in. They can be a nuisance. If anything it makes me feel "sad" as they are beggers in my eyes (only my opinion thought!). Walking past the same guy night after night/day after day trying to get you to eat/drink in his restaurant is a shame if nothing else. It wont stop me going back but its just sad to see. Maybe I'm just the sensitive type.
Hotel - H10 Oasis Moreque in Los C. "cheap and cheerful, small and friendly" is my opinion of it. Needs a slight refurb but still fine. Staff very helpful to the point that they technically let us in our room a day earlier as we cheekily booked 6 nights rather than 7 due to the time of day our flight arrived (6am - why should we pay for the first night in the room when we wont actually be there!) He let us in after a couple of minutes confusion and we even got a pool and sea view. Good location - through the back gate via the pool area and you are right on the main seafront and promenade. Saying that, don't venture left of the hotel in the direction of the Arona Gran Hotel - there is nothing there and if anybody can call it a beach in front of the Arona Gran they must be mad. The best nearest beach is Playa la vistas just through the tunnel from Los C.
Thanks for all you helpful info before I went and happy holidays
The best nearest beach is Playa la vistas just through the tunnel from Los C.
anyone else heard anything about this???
P.S last time I was there they seemed to be building some retail units there along the promenade are they finished yet???
Yes, it has been in the local paper, had to wait until a check was made on the wildlife and fish population, but all was passed, only a matter of Tenerife time now. Carole
This development of the beach between the harbour and Arona Gran Hotel has been 'in the pipeline' for some years. I was speaking to a restaurant owner in Los Cristianos a couple of weeks ago and he was telling me that there are plans to develop the whole of the front of this area as part of the refurbishment that the town is currently undergoing. He said that there have been some delays due to problems with properties standing in the way but they are working on buying these up so that they can be demolished.
How did you avoid the touts so well? How come they didn't approach you?
How did you avoid the touts so well? How come they didn't approach you?
They are the wrong profile.
we are a couple aged 24 years old (myself) and 27.
They are looking for slightly older couples.
the retail development between oasis moreque and arona gran - yes it seemed to be almost finished off and looks to be a nice addition to that part of the resort, but none of it was occupied yet.
beach just before the tunnel - nice if you like a bit of "activity" with regard to ferrys/boats (be prepared for the ferry suonding its horn once or twice throughout the day!), immigrants and tourist boat touts. we never went on it as it wasnt really up to much compared to las vistas, but again thats only my opinion. great if you do like to pass the time by watching the activity on the harbourside.
also one other thing - while we were there there was a BBC reporter/news crew stood right on the harbour side reporting on the daily boat loads of immigrants arriving into los C (it was wierd as one day in or hotel room we had bbc world news on and there was this reporter stood half a mile away on the harbourside in loc cris - its was a rather surreal situation to be in that place at that time being able to see the reporter live on the news), anyway, then 2 centrefold articles in the Sun newspaper all about it and how loc christianos was bracing itself for the enslaught of immigrants. it mentionned that if you sit outside chicagos /burger king you get the best view of all the "action".
well this was not exactly true - IMO it was the BBC trying to tart up the whole story for those back home - as we were at oasis moreque right on the sea front yes we did see the guarda civil and coast guard boats, as well as a few low flying helichoppers obviously guiding in the boat loads of immigrants - but we did not actually see one immigrant and it did not spoil our holiday.
avoiding touts - yes they always seemed to be approaching people older then us, and maybe they could sense my temper a mile off!
They are looking for slightly older couples.
I now feel old.
Next time you want a bus to Santa Cruz, get a bus to the terminal in Las Americas.
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