Los Cristianos

I think that Los Christianos would meet my criteria for "too tacky and too British" so it might be helpful lazybones if you could provide a bit more detail about your expectations and perhaps give us some idea about other resorts you've stayed in and that you would like something similar too. These things are always matters of opinion and we don't all reach thev same judgements about the same resorts.

SM

thanks for your quick replies. Wish list is:

plenty of nice restaurants to last a week of eating out (not british though)
beach or v. nice pool
good weather
some shopping
a few bars - relaxed cocktail bars, not sports/karaoke bars/british pubs
trips available

usually go to Greek islands but won't be warm enough in Mar/Apr

don't mean to sound anti-British as i am British, just want to be aware that i am on holiday!

Try Fanabe or Costa Adeje

The North Purto dela Cruz fails on nice beach but might suit for the rest.

Los Cristianos so is fanabe and adeje nice but still a big British influence. However there is so much choice you can find nice places that are not British and cocktail bars etc but it is amongst the british style bars and nightlife but it is there and on this board they should be able to tell you where it is.

the resorts will certainly not be too quiet or hotel based but as previous psoter has said where have you been before because although all resorts mentioned achieve nice beach lots of restaurants etc they are very British.

Kind Regards
Stewart

Puerto de la Cruz, would fit your criteria in the north of the island and is a working fishing town. There are plenty of restaurants there. Wherever you go in Tenerife read the notices on this website concerning "Holiday Clubs" and their touts. It is better to be forewarned.
Puerto de la Cruz can be quite hilly and most the the hotels are situated on the hillsides with a few on the sea front and just behind. Otherwise I have found it not as "touristy" as the south.

I would say Costa Adeje. There are some very nice restaurants near the back of the Bahia del Duque with plenty more in next door Fanabe and some smart shops in the new Duque shopping centre. Duque beach is also one of the best on the island.

Los Gigantes (and neighbouring Puerto Santiago/Playa de la Arena) is a nice resort and meant to be the hottest spot on the island, but the beach at neighbouring Playa de la Arena is black sand.

Mother in law went to Puerto last April and it rained nearly all week. It simply doesn't get as good weather as the south/south west.

Bear in mind that the first week of April is the lead up to Easter, so expect..
a. high flight (if you DIY) or package prices
b. lots of children as the schools break up on March 30th.

Lazybones

To add to my earlier post I would just like to add that we holiday in Tenerife every year at least twice and have done for years. Like you we avoid the British Bars etc because when we are on holiday they do not appeal to us either. As a previous poster has said there are plenty of 'non English' places to eat and visit. To be honest, although obviously there are a lot of British visitors in these resorts I wouldn't call any of them 'tacky', they all have their good and bad points. I think you would be happy staying in any of these resorts, they all have nice beaches. It would just be a case of reading the reviews for apartments/restaurants etc to decide what is best for you. If you don't mind being right away from everything and are able to hire a car try Chayofa. We stay at The Regency Country Club which is beautiful. It is about a 5/10 minute drive to the main resorts but so peaceful with beautiful scenery/views.Although not near a beach, it has a very large infinity pool which on first sight will take your breath away, also the world famous restaurant Le Estancia next door. If you go for this sort of option then you can drive where you like for restaurants and there are plenty of them in the surrounding villages which would be off the normal tourist track. Hiring a car would also give you the option of visiting many places that some tourists just don't get the chance to see. You could also do your own excursions at a fraction of the normal cost and take your time instead of being hurried back to the coach.

Hope you find what you are looking for
Regards Jackie

I agree with Fanabe or Costa Adeje

Yes so do I........been there twice and definitely nicest beach and shopping centres.
But there is still no getting away from the British pubs (we don't like them either - I don't go on holiday to watch football on a big screen!!!)
Anyway - wherever you go I'd suggest hiring a car and seeing a bit of the culture of the island. Some lovely little villages with quant pubs & restaurants.

Returned on Friday from our first visit to Tenerife. Stayed about 10 minutes walk from Silencios/Las Galletas. Plenty of local restaurants near where we were, a few 'full English breakfast' type places, but easily avoided. An work colleague moved to the area in September so he had loads of info on where to go and where to avoid. When we did eat out we found restaurants full of local Spanish families.

Had a car for three days and the north coast was beautiful, but weather not brilliant - far cloudier than the south and very windy.

Went to Los Cristianos and didn't enjoy it - too many touts, too many British pubs, too many menus with pictures on (a definate put off for us). Eventually found a nice local bar on a quieter back street away from the front which did excellent tapas.

If I were to go back I'd seriously consider staying at Medano which has a nice beach and some restaurants - only downside to this area and Las Galletas is the aircraft noise as it's near the airport. Didn't put us off but I could see some people of a more sensitive nature demanding money back and full Watchdog investigation!

The problem is that Tenerife is basically a Tourist Island. If you want somewhere totally off the beaten tracek, try the Cape Verde Islands or somewhere really un-touristy. Don't have any suggestions as I only ever go to Tenerife. We rarely eat in English type places as we don't really like them. But remember Tenerife is a Tourist place

Without doubt Adeje.

You don't have to go as far as the Cape Verde Islands to get off the beaten track or find a more Spanish environment than on Tenerife, you just need to go to one of the smaller Canary islands such as La Gomera, La Palma or El Hierro. And in fact, having had a look at the Cape Verde Islands I've been rather put off by the fact that most of their developments aimed at tourists seem to be based on building hotel resort complexes that really insulate you from local life and culture and I haven't yet worked out how to get to stay in local pensiones or small self-catering apartment provision cloe to the centre of their twons and villages though Cape Verdean Experience - a new subsidiary of Gambian Experience looks promising but expensive.

SM

SMa

The only problem with Medano is the wind. It is well known as the place for wind surfers. We looked at some properties to buy there but it was so windy I think the furniture would have been blown about if we had opened the windows. It is a lovely area though.

Regards Jackie

Yes Medano can be windy but not nearly as much as its reputation would have you believe

Its really become a Canarian resort / dormitory town for local workers

A really great place to live

All good advice from the previous post.
My humble advice.
If Tenerife is your choice. Then Los Cristianos would be ideal. Boat trips to see the whales & Dolphins. Ferry trip to La Gomera to see a totally different island, which has a rain forest.
Plenty on non Brit places to eat in Cristianos.
Bus or taxi ride to Adeje. Los Abrigos and El Medano, all well worth a visit. Go a street back from the front, as in many resorts, wherever you go in any country. The plastic menu of pictures vanish, even if they don't, and you like the look, try it, you may be supprised.
It's your holiday, these posts are only the findings of others who have ventured and shared our experience to help you make up your mind.
Have a great time.

Hi JackieUK-Tenerife,

Thanks for the info but I'm not sure why your reply about Mendano was directed to me :-) Once I arrive at Tenerife South I just switch onto autopilot these days! Out to the taxis, 'El puerto, por favor, Senor' and another blissful, chilled out week on La Gomera beckons! The siren call is too hard to resist!

SM

SMa

Sorry - should have been to Daveyjp. Forgive me - I too am in that sort of mode, we fly to Tenerife on the 15th

Regards Jackie