Canary Islands 2024 Holiday Thread

[CardinalBlue]

Hope I'm not stepping on any toes by starting the 2024 thread...

Booked 10 nights in Costa Adeje at the GF Isabel for me, my wife and my young son. We've got unlimited tickets to Siam Park which I've been to a few years ago - but I expect it might be a different experience with a toddler in tow....

What's everyone else got booked?

[Robbiebgc]

Just booked GF Fanabe for February, had a stressful period recently so looking forward to some winter sun.

[Boringvolvodriver]

Booked a small villa for 3 weeks in Corralejo Fuerteventura in February - the benefit of being retired!

Had 6 weeks there last winter which I actually found too long (3 lots of kids came for 3 weeks as well) but all ready thinking 3 weeks might not be long enough………

[chip*]

CardinalBlue said:

Hope I'm not stepping on any toes by starting the 2024 thread...

Booked 10 nights in Costa Adeje at the GF Isabel for me, my wife and my young son. We've got unlimited tickets to Siam Park which I've been to a few years ago - but I expect it might be a different experience with a toddler in tow....

Stayed at Isabel back in May with my 2 girls. My quick feedbacks:
Hotel is geared towards families so your son will enjoy the young but friendly staffs running the kids club + disco, kids pool, and decent secure playground (nicely in the shade after lunch). An older hotel with old styled apartments / bungalows which are fairly spacious, but some could do with a refurb (I believe some has been refurbed). We went HB for convenience sake with my girls, but it was just adults, I would select B&B. Would I go again? Not for an adults only holiday, but definitely if I was taking my girl's!

[omniflow]

I'm idly contemplating doing a very last minute bargain week in the Canaries in Jan / Feb. It will be something that we book literally 2 or 3 days before we go, and if there's nothing appealing available we'll wait a few days and then look again. I'm leaning towards something 5* and all inclusive, but I have absolutely zero experience of that type of holiday, so I am looking for some guidance on how to sort the good from the mediocre.

Our requirements are as follows:

A hotel directly on the beach - no road or even pedestrian walkway between the hotel pool and the beach itself.
A sea view room with a balcony - preferably not one that overlooks the pool area with the sea off somewhere in the distance.
No interest in "top shelf spirits" - whatever that actually means. Drinkable local wine and lager that's not Carling or Amstel are all we need
Decent Spanish food.
Walkable to a local town / village in case the catering isn't great
No kids

Also - what's the best way to look for this kind of thing. Is it just Jet2 and Tui or are there other tour operators? Should I just be looking on their websites, or is somewhere like Lastminute.com worth bothering with?

[markymarkthree]

omniflow said:

I'm idly contemplating doing a very last minute bargain week in the Canaries in Jan / Feb. It will be something that we book literally 2 or 3 days before we go, and if there's nothing appealing available we'll wait a few days and then look again. I'm leaning towards something 5* and all inclusive, but I have absolutely zero experience of that type of holiday, so I am looking for some guidance on how to sort the good from the mediocre.

Our requirements are as follows:

A hotel directly on the beach - no road or even pedestrian walkway between the hotel pool and the beach itself.
A sea view room with a balcony - preferably not one that overlooks the pool area with the sea off somewhere in the distance.
No interest in "top shelf spirits" - whatever that actually means. Drinkable local wine and lager that's not Carling or Amstel are all we need
Decent Spanish food.
Walkable to a local town / village in case the catering isn't great
No kids

Also - what's the best way to look for this kind of thing. Is it just Jet2 and Tui or are there other tour operators? Should I just be looking on their websites, or is somewhere like Lastminute.com worth bothering with?

I have found some gems by using Google maps/earth/street view, in areas that i fancy.

[Andy_290]

We're giving the new Barcelo in Playa Blanca a whirl in May/June, given we booked before it opened, we have an amazing deal for 9 nights AI

Finger's crossed they have ironed out most of the niggles that comes with a new property, by then

[abucd4]

omniflow said:

stuff

These things are obviously personal but we liked the iberostar selection sabila for a reasonably priced bit of winter sun last year. 5* service with lack of pretentiousness, clean, decent breakfast etc… but too close to the karaoke bars and clone-a-restaurants with the same huge menus outside (due to allergies we don’t go all inclusive and prefer to explore local restaurants).

Wouldn’t recommend it based on your list and the location wasn’t the best, but I would take a look at the Iberostar Grand El Mirodor further up which is in a nicer spot and only a path between it and the beach (the path runs the length of the coast so unavoidable).

We’re staying next door in the Beryl villas soon, after preferring the el duque location and restaurants last year. Have a look around there on google maps maybe.

[Carl_VivaEspana]

omniflow said:

Also - what's the best way to look for this kind of thing. Is it just Jet2 and Tui or are there other tour operators? Should I just be looking on their websites, or is somewhere like Lastminute.com worth bothering with?

I am not sure that list ‘discount’ and ‘all inclusive’ work with your list

Red level at the gran media Isora is what you seek, all inclusive,

If you get change from 5 grand a week be happy. I always fly with jet2 if I can but the seat layout on some of the TUI flights are superior if you are travelling as a couple .

Edited by Carl_VivaEspana on Sunday 31st December 16:56

[omniflow]

Carl_VivaEspana said:

I am not sure that list ‘discount’ and ‘all inclusive’ work with your list

Red level at the gran media Isora is what you seek, all inclusive,

If you get change from 5 grand a week be happy. I always fly with jet2 if I can but the seat layout on some of the TUI flights are superior if you are travelling as a couple .

Edited by Carl_VivaEspana on Sunday 31st December 16:56

Hmmm - not sure if you've misread the brief, or if I'm missing something or have misread what you've written.

I've had a brief look at the Gran Media Isora - and like all of these hotel websites - it's a bit cryptic. However, I don't think I want / need "Red Level", although I say that without really knowing what it means.

I definitely don't want Thai / Indian / various other cuisines at the hotel - Spanish / Canarian cuisine is what I will want to be eating when I'm on holiday in the Canaries. Maybe All Inclusive isn't actually what I want.

I've always considered the Canary Islands as somewhere you go on holiday between November and March - and you go there for some cheap Winter sun. It's definitely not somewhere where I would be happy spending £5K for a week - at any time of the year. I can't understand why anyone would visit the Canaries in June or September (or even July / August if they have school age kids), when there are much nicer places in Europe with reliable weather at that time of year.

[Carl_VivaEspana]

You need Red Level (and an upgraded room within Red) as its Adult's only. You if you are happy to drop the Adults only requirement you won't need the Red Level.

The Canaries used to be cheap but with occupancy levels almost touching 90%, the prices have gone up 40-60% since COVID.

[Zero7]

Andy_290 said:

We're giving the new Barcelo in Playa Blanca a whirl in May/June, given we booked before it opened, we have an amazing deal for 9 nights AI

Finger's crossed they have ironed out most of the niggles that comes with a new property, by then

Who did you book through?

[GreatGranny]

Hoping to get over to Tenerife February.

Wife's friend has a flat in Golf Sur Mer which we can rent very cheaply.
Decent pool, lots of choice to eat out and drinks, last time we hired a car but that was a few years ago and they've gone up a lot since then.
May be able to manage without one for 4 nights.

Flights are coming out at approx. £130 rtn.

Is just going on Skyscanner the best bet?

[Carl_VivaEspana]

I think so but don't book via Skyscanner just use the search facility . always book direct.

[GreatGranny]

Carl_VivaEspana said:

I think so but don't book via Skyscanner just use the search facility . always book direct.

Cheers

[Mercdriver]

EasyJet in Feb, my seat £36, my case £44.

We rent an apartment in playas las americas for four weeks.

Venture group for dining for us, all restaurants in group are first class, try Thai botanica, best Thai food and service we have had.

Don’t do whale watching on a big boat, not worth it go for smaller boat, dearer, food better and better seeing the whales

Enjoy!

[Gareth1974]

Off to Lanzarote for the first time on the 8th. Have airport transfers included (to Costa Teguise) but was thinking of hiring a car for a few days. Any recommendations?

[LuS1fer]

GreatGranny said:

Hoping to get over to Tenerife February.

Wife's friend has a flat in Golf Sur Mer which we can rent very cheaply.
Decent pool, lots of choice to eat out and drinks, last time we hired a car but that was a few years ago and they've gone up a lot since then.
May be able to manage without one for 4 nights.

Flights are coming out at approx. £130 rtn.

Is just going on Skyscanner the best bet?

Hire cars - Autoreisen.com or Payless.es

[Earthdweller]

Gareth1974 said:

Off to Lanzarote for the first time on the 8th. Have airport transfers included (to Costa Teguise) but was thinking of hiring a car for a few days. Any recommendations?

This is who I always use https://www.cabreramedina.com/EN

No hidden fees or deposits, always had a great experience with them

It can be cheaper to rent from the airport for the whole holiday rather than for a few days from a resort shop/hotel though

Even though I’ve had transfers included in the past I just walk out and tell the rep I don’t need it and take the car to the hotel

[Mr Tom]

Hi All, what’s the weather like feb time?