Hi Lee.

You'll be very pleased to hear that you've picked lovely accomodation, in a great area of Playa Blanca. You are really close to Playa Dorada, which some say is the best beach in Playa Blanca. Ther are sea walls that make it into a bit of a cove... and it's fairly shallow... so less worries about kids being swept off to sea.

You're also close to the Papagayo beaches, so if you take your family in the car it'll cost you around €3 to get your vehicle in. it's a bit of a hefty trek to do it on foot.

Foodwise - well - you're close the brand new Rubicon marina there... so do give anything in there try. There's a newly opened bowling alley too... so the kids might like that.

Heading towards the other end of PB, you have oodles of bars and restaurants to try. We love La Brisa Marina, which is on the beachfront in the main town. if you like steak... you'll love it! 2 of us had a 2 course meal, with wine... and it cost €35. Not bad eh! I can also highly recommend the China City... which is a bit further along again. they do takeaway too... loved ours on Friday night! Massive portions!

Oh god... where do I stop? There's just so much... and it's beautiful here. The kids'll love it... and you can chill out with a beer or glass of wine, and look across to Fuerteventura. Children are welcome pretty much everywhere. Oh, and there's a Burger King in the Commercial centre right by Playa Dorada, if they're craving it. We normally head to the Wax Bar. It's run by Phil, who yes is a friend now, but he's got Sports Screens, friendly and attentive staff... and a welcoming atmosphere.

Have a fantastic time!

Elle xx

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Fiona ht mod

I am also going in May 07 and value your comments.
Can you let me know, is there a playground for the kids? If not, do you know if there is one closeby?

Many thanks

Hi

We stayed in the Sun Tropical which is just up from your apartments and we absolutely loved it. We fell in love with Playa Blanca too, it really is lovely.
If your after a good night out for you and the kids I'd reccomend The Rancho Texas evening excursion. This was easily the best night of our holiday.
All of the food and drink are included in the price and the drink flowed freely in big jugs on your table and the food was plentiful and really tasty (like a bbq).
All the kids there were having a ball (but saying that the adults were too).
After the country and western type show they take the kids out into another room for a disco with a bouncy castle and they have horse and pony rides outside for them while you can carry on with the entertainment in the main room.

As Elle said Playa Dorada beach is one of the best.
There is a restaurant by the beach that does the best carbonara and garlic bread that I've ever had. We went there a few times and all kept having the same thing.
You can't miss it - it is the one where they have the bungee trampolines for the kids outside. My 2 loved those aswell and went on them a couple of times a day.
Theres also a Carte Dor icecream hut right outside there that sells every flavour of icecream that you could imagine.

If you want to do the submarine I would suggest that you prebook because even in May when we went down there on the day it was booked up and that was our last day so we couldn't do it.
No doubt we'll be back to Playa Blanca though. My other half wanted to go back this year but I'd rather go back later on when the Marina Rubicon is finished.
It was nearly done when we were there but not all of the shops were open or the bowling alley wasn't complete.
You really must go down there it is beautiful in the day and night.
We took the kids one lunchtime and all the fish swim around you in the bay as your eating. The waiter brought them some bread to feed them.
We had a babysitter one evening and went for a meal down there on our own, we were sat in Cafe del Mar drinking Margaritas and we felt as though we were in Monaco with the lovely views of the yatchts

Anyway have a lovely time I'm sure you will, and remember to take a jacket for the evenings because its quite chilly in the wind when the sun goes in.
The wind is quite welcome in the daytime to cool you off but not so much in the night.

There is a play area for kids.
Its not on the seafront road but on the road behind that runs paralell. You can't miss it. If I remember rightly its a big ship with slides etc.

Thanks Alex, great post!

Pippy

Great post many thanks .. 1 week till we go

Lee.
Have you got back yet? Have you had a good time?
We go to PB in 1 week with 2 kids 6&4 and would be grateful of any tips/restaurants/trips/play areas/warnings etc before we go,

Many thanks in advance

Hi,
Got back 9pm last night

PB is an awesome place. First off ill start with a warning if I can, When we used a number of shops in PB we learnt very very quickly to check change before moving from the tills, On a number of occasions once to many to be coincidence I felt we got given change for 10 euros' when we had given over a 20 note so just more of a watch out than a problem (Mainly the Burger King by Dorada Beach we heard a few complain of it happening there).

Now the good stuff

Food & Nights out!

The place is so friendly and cheap it's unreal, ill do a full review within the next 24 hours but on the quick, Nights out Texas rancho is a must real big hit with the kids and adults alike. PB itself is great for eating out, depends what tastes you have we used a different restraunt almost every other night all were a hit there was 5 of us (2 adults 3 children) meals vary from kiddies 2.50 Euro almost every where to adults averaging at approx 5 euros' up to what we saw 10 euro max per head depends what you went for from pasta to full blown mixed grills just try to stay clear from the fixed menus's they tend to be a little duff but ill get the names of some of our favorite restraunts and make a better post.

Bars!

Wow... so many. We used the Old Mill (Irish Bar) the most the entrance is a small door right in PB centre near the Taxi ranks heading towards the shopping centre on your left, once in you'll see the building is open fronted once your in there and you can sit near the open big windows and look out over the sea to Fuerteventura whilst sipping a beer and listening to some great live music (kids welcome)
Also try the Nags Head that's on the strip opposite the Taxi rank right opposite the kiddies play ship (playground) its upstairs and well worth a visit even if its to just support a ex pat great company and real nice atmosphere again great views out over PB and the Harbor just look for the St Georges flag and go upstairs tell him Ben sent you (Ben is our son you'll see his picture on the wall he gets all the kids to color one and blue tac it up) he also has a pool table up there and free games to keep the kids occupied for a while well worth a visit .
Again there were others we used ill do a better report but those 2 stood out to us the most. Quick tip kids drinks can be almost twice your beer cost for a small coke or fanta we got advised by a few families while away to get the kiddies drinks from the local shops and take them with you non of the bars seemed to mind this just wish some one had told me sooner you could get 3 x 1litre of pepsi for what a small glass fanta or coke would cost in the bars and every family we saw seemed to be doing the same.

We found PB to be very reasonably priced , very child friendly we used Taxi's almost every night as our hotel was a good distance they are so cheap why walk don't think we ever paid above 2.20 a trip , If your self catering Spar in PB town was by far cheapest to get goods from.

Excursions were cheaper booking with a company called Last Minute only thing we found annoying with most excursions were they charge you adult price over age 11 some times 12 which is unfair I felt as usually child prices were 1/3 of the adult price and adults paid more due to free beer on nights out etc .. But shop about before you book with your rep.

Like I said if there is anything you want to know before I make a full read up post up I have a few pics ill put on gallery later also of PB area , what hotel you staying in ?

Lee

Many thanks for posting your report Lee

Hi Lee,

Thanks for a comprehensive post, especially the tips (I will definitely heed your warnings about change and kids drinks!)

We are staying at the Sun Royal, not sure exactly where it is in relation to the centre but I am sure we will be able to find the taxi rank you mentioned and get our bearings.

Couple of quick questions,
1. Did you go to the beach? If so which is the best one?
2. What time did the bars close? Did they have acts on etc?

Thanks again,

Simon

Hi again Simon,
We also stayed in the Sun Royal (say hi to Sarah the rep from Ben for us please tell her he was the one who got the cokes from the Texas night for her lol) Dorada Beach by far the best in PB very very clean 5 min walk away , Go out the hotel entrance and then turn right and youll see it pretty quickly within a minute or so walking.
As for the Town centre , Its approx a 15 min walk away very nice walk along the sea front but after the first few times it does become boreing so we tended to use taxi's more as the holiday went on approx cost 2.20 euro's either way not a lot really.

Be warned tho Sun Royal is a awesome Hotel very well maintained and clean with nice apartments but all entertainment and food facilities on site have been suspended till the end of next month , This all happened on our first week with many complaining, You are told you can use other hotels within the Sun Group but they are all German based for entertainment and its not much fun if you cant speak German the on site bar also closes at 9pm sometimes before and no entertainment what so ever on site apart from that and a few ants all was great there so dont worry too much.

Bars in PB its self tended to open till 1am with entertainment going on till Midnight sometimes a little longer sometimes a little earlier dependent on how busy the bar was. There are a few night clubs open also till 5am i believe but with children that was a no go

Any other questions plz dont hesitate to ask i have put a few pics up on gallery of hotel for you >> link >> SUN ROYAL HOTEL PB hope these are helpfull i found a lack of pics of the sun royal available.

Couple of Dorada Beach for you, the best and closest beach to Sun Royal by far>> Dorada Beach with my son Ben in forground , also the view across to PB from Dorada Beach with all 3 of my lads in it. All the Pics with Playa Blanca May 07 are from our stay there hope they are helpfull.

Lee

Wow, thanks Lee for the comprehensive report and pics etc.
Why has the entertainment/food stopped????? Sounds strange!

Did you go across to Fuerteventura by the ferry? If so how much was it and did you have to book well in advance or turn up on the day?

Was the apartments busy when you were there? Was there enough sunbeds etc? I have kids 6 & 4, was there enough to keep them entertained round the pool or would I be better off at the beach?

Thanks again,

Simon

Sun Royal was pretty busy , Sunbeds were in plenty we even had one on our Balcony , Ferry you could book there and then pretty much like buying a train ticket , Fred Olson runs every 30 mins or so, 12 min Journey either way or there was another company which i believe was a little cheaper but took a little longer to cross but hey your on Holiday whats the rush , for the cost try this link Fred Olson Ferries .Hope thats useful to you as i believe its diffrent costs on certain days though im not 100% sure.

Entertainment in hotel stopping was strange i agree , I , along with a many other guests confronted the manager or some senior within the hotel named Oscar but he was as much help as a chocolate fire guard , So make sure you get your complaint in on the day you arrive and complain hard and remember to fill in your complaint sheet with the rep after all if you booked with the same brochure we booked it was advertised as Bar till midnight , entertainment and childrens entertainment of which non was provided we were just glad Playa Blanca had plenty to offer like the Friday night concert in the main town , It was something to do with the Local Voteing but it was awesome anyone else there who saw it ? just out of interest..

Lee

Cheers Lee, fly in about 10 hours so I will let you know how we go on.

Thanks for all your help,

Simon

Hi Lee,

Just got back this evening after a wonderful week at the Sun Royal.
All your hints and tips were adhered to, especially the prices of kids drinks - we took out their plastic football water bottles filled with pop and that kept them (and me!) happy.
The Sun Royal was fine, the childrens club was running all week and both kids went morning and afternoon.
Ate in an array of restaurant including Lanis (in Marina Rubicon) and also spent many a night in the Kings Head, Old Mill, Mollies and Wax Bar (watched England match here - great atmos)
Last night (Sat) the on site bar reopened and we noticed that there was a mini disco everynight from now on - I got talking to the staff and they said the bar/entertainment/restaurant was closed due to massive under occupancy - in fact we thought it was really quiet with rarely have the sun beds taken all day and the bottom pool being totally unused. We were told we could use other Sun group hotels and went to the Sun Tropical one night for the entertainment (big white dome) but this was very much like 'Butlins by the Sea' and didn't go again - too much going on on the front to be bothered there.
All in all a great holiday and would definitely go back.
Thanks for all your help