I want some sun but don't want to flog all the way to the Caribbean...is there anywhere nice in the Canaries or somewhere that is not all big hotels etc?

[CountessDracula]

Really looking for somewhere small with a pool and nice beach near a few restaurants etc. Does this exist in the Canaries?

Mrs R that looks good but I want something on the beach

Went to a lovely little hotel on Tenerife in October - Hotel Patio, has its own website www.hotelpatio.com (sorry not very good with links). It's small, family run, in a colonial-style house and outbuildings around a large patio shaded by enormous palm trees. We had a lovely superior double with terrace for around 100 euros a night bed and breakfast. It's in the middle of a banana plantation!

It's about 20 mins drive to Puerto de la Cruz, and you can walk through the banana plantation to a rocky cove where swimming is possible if the waves aren't too rough. The hotel has a lovely pool area (though pool is small). We ate in the evenings in Garachico or another nearby seaside village which I can't remember the name of.

It was far superior to the other hotels I've been to in the Canaries, and very peaceful and tasteful. We had a lovely stay there..

The weather in October was hot and a mixture of sun/cloud. You'd need to check the temps for Jan.

It is indeed really paradise CD, with some of the nicest people I have ever met

Copied from a website about la palma - And talking of chilling out - don't expect the near-perfect climate that you'll find on the neighbouring islands. La Palma is much greener and wetter than the "big four" (Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Tenerife and Fuerteventura). It can rain here for several days at a time and visitors expecting a cloudless sky will be disappointed by frequent grey skies and mists.

It's a common mistake to believe that the Canaries, because they're part of Spain, are in the Mediterranean. In fact they're in the Atlantic - the nearest land west of La Palma is Brazil! Consequently you must expect decidedly chilly seas in the winter and often rough waves.

also Calete de Fuste and Corralejo in fuerteventura are quiet.

I went to Tenerife just before Christmas and stayed here

It was lovely, it is a fairly big hotel but has villas for families. Not very many English people and not at all typical of Tenerife! Private beach, excellent kids club and restaurants. I would reccommend it to anyone! Oh and it has an awesome spa and the weather was great, bikini on the beach weather and we went 8th December.

ok forget canaries
Weather not hot enough looks like

There's a lovely parador on La gomera. Don't know how child friendly though. We went in Feb (although stayed at a fairly large hotel as couldn't get into the parador) and weather was lovely. There are lots of lovely small B and Bs there too, but don't know any names (sorry to be unhelpful, but tourist websites might list a few). Most of the island really unspoilt

I've never had a problem with the Canaries in January weather wise - in fact have always come back with a nice tan (and have been about 5 times before at this time of year - it's my birthday next week and dh always liked to surprise me!). They are actually off the coast of Africa.

Went to same place as Missing - was fab. The villas are a bit misleading - they don't have kitchens and are just slightly larger hotel rooms/ suites.

It's too big for me though
I wouldn't like it!

www.thomson.co.uk/destinations/africa/egypt/egypt-red-sea/marsa-alam/hotels/iberotel-lamaya-resort.h tml

A fabulous resort, not much in the way of evening entertainment, but the day trips and the snorkling are fantastic. Sun tan weather all the way. Fantastic food. Restful. Maybe not for teenagers.

That is huge too!

sorry! (and thanks)

What about The Gambia - should be hot enough in Feb - is this small enough??
Clients of mine went and had a great time ( 2 years ago).

Ahh Eygpt is okay as long as you don't mind tummy bugs my and DH were both ill on our honeymoon

We stayed in this lovely SC accomodation in Gran Canaria, non tacky tourist area at all, no flashing neon lights, if you wanted any of that a taxi ride away...beach a nice walk, out of the apartments left for loads of pubs and restuarants and right for a few on the beach...

Very quiet resort, its only available till April this year then UK tour operators have lost the place to book. It had a few pools, apartments there was 4 adults we had a 2 bed apartment and it was lovely. Don't eat in the restuarant on site food was yuk! bar was okay, but plenty of lovely bars in the town short walk....

www.holidaywatchdog.com/7522-Maspalomas-Cay_Beach_Melonaras_Aparthotel-Holiday-Re view.html

We booked through Thomson, the only place you can book through now (unless direct) is Portland Direct.

(I only know this as MIL is a Travel Agent )