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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Anyone been to Gran Canaria?

11 replies

gregssausageroll · 22/05/2011 08:15

We generally don't do package holidays but with a 3 year old who only wants a pool and beach, we are going down this route for our holiday in August - pain in the arse timing but that is DHs allocated holidays.

So I have been searching and came up with 2 weeks AI in Gran Canaria. The hotel has pretty good 4/5 on trip advisor but I have never been to the island before. It is a Thomsons holiday so has a kids club for DS so DH and I can have time to ourselves too.

Is the island a nice place to go?

OP posts:
Lisa2 · 23/05/2011 11:49

Hi there i cant speak on Gran canaria but i do live and have a childcare buisness in Tenerife and can say that it is a wonderful place for families with children so if you have seen any hotels there or you would like some recommendations just let me know and i will be happy to assist.

Lisa.

mosschops30 · 23/05/2011 11:54

Where in gran canaria is it? There are nice parts and not so nice parts.

My only concern would be the heat, it will be blisteringly hot in the canaries in august, we went in january to tenerife and it was 26 degrees then!
Would you consider somewhere a bit closer and cooler like majorca/menorca or evencroatia?

tiredemma · 23/05/2011 11:56

whereabouts is it? I lived on GC for about 6 months. Some places are nice, some places are dire.

GetOrfMoiCase · 23/05/2011 12:04

Some places are nice, some are awful.

Puerto Rico is an absolute hole. You may be un;lucky enough to have a hotel right at the top of the resort, making it a hike down to the resort proper.

I quite liked Maspalomas for the dunes, was better than Playa del Ingles.

It's not the nicest place in the world, tbh, but if you have a cheap and cheerful AI deal it may well be worth it. But Lanzarote or parts of Tenerife are nice imo.

gregssausageroll · 23/05/2011 13:49

The hotel is Hotel Taurito Princess in Playa Taurito, Gran Canaria.

Lisa, I've been to tenerife a few times. Mainly in Adeje and would consider again. We particularly liked the look of Thomson's Sensatori but the cost for 1-2 weeks was massive.

Gran Canaria although not our first choice of island is coming up with pretty good deals for high season.

Thanks everyone.

OP posts:
tiredemma · 23/05/2011 16:39

ah now that it one of the nice resorts. Very small and quiet.

Close to Puerto Mogan which is beautiful.

If you have a good deal there then book it.

Lisa2 · 23/05/2011 23:59

The sensatori is a stunning hotel, very beautiful but it does not have a beach. You need to drive around 5 minutes by taxi to get to a beach.

Adeje is a great area with so much to do.

Have a great time wherever you go. x

bacon · 24/05/2011 10:48

August - may be hot and windy so be extremely careful. I went to Tenerife in November and it was boiling so I wouldnt dream of going there in August. Not fun when chasing after young children and worrying about the power of the sun on their skins.

Childrens club - ensure the age - many dont do under 4. Some shut for lunch too.

I'm also scepticle on AI at cheap prices - read some appauling reviews and 2 weeks of endless boring buffets - food left in heat and belly problems is not for me.

We did B&B but to be honest I cant see the point of AI with very young children. I found they only eat 3 meals and be took squash with us and and made that up with bottled water. Because they are busy and in the heat they werent interested in additional food (not one for children snacking anyway). Same for us really.

My mum is a big traveller and hated Gran Caneria thought it was a dump.

Half board is worthy value. You can make up some sarnies in your room if you get a fridge. ALso watch for dinner times, 7pm is far to late for little ones. I found this the hardest battle and being out all day by 8pm totally on their last legs and not worth the stress of going out.

In rind sight a villa complex may be a better option some are aparthotel. Make sure you get a ground floor balony so you can sit out in the evening while he children are sleeping.

QuintessentialOldMoo · 24/05/2011 11:07

I have been to Gran Canaria a few times, as my sister lives there.
Make sure you dont forget your European Health card, in addition to your travellers insurance. Also bear in mind that your travel insurance is unlikely to pay the private ambulance that restaurants, pools, etc, will call on your behalf if you get hurt (they are on commission), and the bill is from £200 and up. Just to be transported to the local private clinic, which COULD be 10 minutes away, or less.

If you go to the Aqualand in Maspalomas, be very careful, as they are not that hot on safety on the rides, and staff are rude and have no sense of customer service. My dh got a head injury there, because they had not gauged the speed his float came down the funnel, and he hit his head against the concrete stopper at the back.... They sent him by cab to hospital and got free ex ray and treatment, but, it should not have happened in the first place. And when it happened, I ran down to him, forgetting our bag at the top, as I had the kids in tow. He was taken away to the first aid room, the staff refused to pick up my bags at the top of the ride for me, because it was not their job to fetch stuff for their customers. So rather than going with my injured husband to the first aid room, I had to traipse all the way up again, with my scared and crying kids, while the staff shrugged their shoulders and chatted between them. Non of them were helpful in then afterwards telling me where the first aid room was, they just shrugged and carried on with their stuff.
The other drawback is that the pools are grouped according to age, which is fine if you have different pools age groups spread across, but all the young childrens pools were in one area, so if you have two children of different ages, you have to split up as a family. The younger children are not even allowed to dip their feet in the shallow pool (kneehight), because the rides in that pool are for over 5s only. Nothing really for under 5s. My son was 3. Horrible lay out, horrible place. Avoid avoid.

Sorry, that turned into a rant.

Also, restaurants are expensive. Lunch out was usually around £50 for two grown ups and two kids, and that was without wine and icecream, and rarely something "fancy". This relates to Puerto Rico, Mogan and Maspalomas tourist traps. If you go somewhere "off the beaten track", you can go into a pub and buy lovely baguettes for a £1 each, and 50 pence for drinks, or a supermarket to pick up food for a picnic.

gregssausageroll · 24/05/2011 13:33

Thanks everyone for your input. We're now considering staying at home and getting a dog instead!

OP posts:
QuintessentialOldMoo · 25/05/2011 08:35
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