Sensatori Tenerife?

[Whoamireally]

Has anyone been since Thomson rebranded this hotel? There are no reviews on Tripadvisor which is a bit odd.

We're booked to go in May, and have booked a Junior Suite with private garden for myself, DH, DD1 (nearly 4) and DD2 (10 months). It's our first holiday abroad as a family so keen to know what we're letting ourselves in for.

However, turns out that the junior suite is just one big room with no separate sleeping area for the kids - so just wondering if anyone's been there, done that, and barely survived to live the tale If so we are thinking of upgrading to a 2 room suite when we get there.

Also - we've booked both the girls into the Nursery every morning - just wondering what that's like?

I m not sure but I don't think this resort opens until May 2010.

I had a quick look myself, and realised thats why there are no reviews on trip advisor.

Looks lovely though!!

Ah ok - thanks for that yorkiemom. We're going on 7th May so sounds like we'll be the ones reporting back

Hi there.
I am glad i have seen this post as i live in Tenerife but had never heard of this hotel, soi looked on the website and i know it very well ... try looking for Gran Melia, Guia De Isora as that is the proper name for this deluxe hotel.

Basically, i know the hotel so well because i have a small childcare buisness in Tenerife and i get booked up a lot for families coming to this hotel.

OK, what can i tell you ... first thing is that you will NOT be dissapointed with this hotel.

The only down side is, it is not on a sandy beach. You would need to drive maybe 10-15 minutes to either Playa san Juan or the other way to Los Gigantes where both have lovely sandy beaches.

For children, the hotel is very good as in it has a fantastic kids pool with a pirate ship etc and it is heated rather than stone cold like many.
The kids club is based outside under a wicker hut and it has a nice playground with slides, climbing frames etc BUT in my opinion i think there should be an inside area for children too as even though you are covered, you are still outside and can catch the rays.

The babysitting service to me is BIG time expensive at 35 euros per hour!!!
I charge 15 euros per hour and i am from the UK with 14 years of being a nanny and 5 years being a maternity nurse.

What else ... the large pools are beautiful and have jacuzies in the middle.
The apartments themselves are very lovely with a little kitchenette area and table and chairs.

You can get con-joining rooms with a lounge in the middle.

There are many restaurants and the evening buffet opens at 7pm with a HUGE variety.
The pool restaurant is also very nice, that is called oasis.

Im not sure what else i can tell you, unless you have any specific questions etc.

Sorry to waffle on and i hope this has helped a little.

If you do want to have a peek at my website is is www.tenerifechildcare.com

Please let me know if i help you further.

Have a great holiday here.
Lisa.

Hi Lisa,
Thank you very much for that - always helps to know what you're letting yourself in for!

Your welcome.
Have a wonderful holiday and let me know if you need anything.
Lisa.

I was on trip advisor can came across this.

www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g187479-i153-k2902969-o10-Thomson_turn_Gran_Melia_Pa laciointoSensatoriResort-TenerifeCanary_Islands.html

www.sensatori.net/tenerife.html

I never went near the area when we stayed in Adjede area. I would assume its very quiet and def. a taxi ride to bars and restaurants. on the plus side you prob wont need to leave as this kind of resort caters really well for families.

I dont think the Melia was that old anyway if you go on the Melia website you can see all the photos.

I'll be really interested in the reviews of the resort as in my opinon some parts of Tenerife are really struggling by the Euro and the lack of the 18-30 crowd.

Also we had a stay at the Anthelia and we had two interconnecting room which is brilliant for privacy and if you decide to hire Lisa (who I can vouch for) at least she can have a room with the telly on.

I just did a price up for November - £2000! amazing value including flights from Bristol. I would deffo book private transfer. I promiced I would never do a coach drop off again, going around every hotel- nightmare. You can book a taxi direct which is cheaper. Tenerife taxis I think.

We found eating out very expensive for the two of us £70-£80 so same as here. If you can be guaranteed excellent varied food then its worth every penny!

The Anthelia was brill but B&B, flights, eating out - It wasnt a cheap holiday - prob around £5k. Cant wait to here the reviews!

HI Bacon,
Thanks for that - the hol has cost us a smidge over £2k for a week for the 4 of us, which if you consider it's daytime flights from Bham, 5*, full board inc drinks with meals, we have a room with a private garden and the girls are in creche every morning, was at least £1k cheaper than anywhere else of a comparable standard. It is a coach transfer but we get guaranteed first drop off.

Please post when you get back as we are thinking of booking for september would be brilliant to have some feedback!!!! x

Will do - off on Friday (can't wait!) so will report back when we get back

Well, we're back..it was great! The resort is stunning and the rooms are lovely. We needn't have worried about the sleeping arrangments - dd1 was on a sofa bed but it was tucked away around a corner so she couldn't see us in our massive bed!!

Food (buffet in particular) was really really good and the range is amazing. WE also tried the Michelin starred restaurant one night. Not with the kids though!

The Sensatori (you are a Sensatori guest if you book with Thomson - it basically just is a name they have given to their own guests) nursery and Play House was absolutely fantastic - purpose built, indoor, brand new, staffed with British nannies, brilliant activity programme. Better than they get in their nursery at home to be honest and they came home with a lovely parcel of pictures. Felt very confident leaving my two (4 and 1) there every morning. They even gave us a free evening's childcare so we got some time to ourselves! There is a covered over childcare area by the kids pool but we couldn't work out who was able to use that - it seemed to be mostly Spanish families.

If I had to pick holes, it would be that they clearly weren't ready for that number of guests, and so we often had to queue at mealtimes to be seated, and many of the staff were inpexperienced. The signing around the resort was appaulling and because it's so big it's like a complete maze. We found the kid's pool on day 1 and then lost it again until day 3! Lots of frustrated families in the same boat. Access to the pool areas with a buggy is very poor, lots of people carrying buggies with a child in up and down steps. All the tables in the restaurant have glass tops, cue several minor injuries where dd2 kept banging her chin. And no baby change anywhere in the main centre...

Other than that we had a fantastic time, those were minor things really - and we're planning to go again next year

Reading the reviews on Tripadvisor I think I'll be giving it a big miss.

www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g1064199-d1733446-r64145547-Sensatori-Guia_de_Isora_Tenerife_C anary_Islands.html#REVIEWS

They're exaggerating, it honestly wasn't THAT bad, we had a good time, it just wasn't perfect - one of those reviews is mine which says pretty much the same as above but it's gone under the hotel name rather than 'Sensatori'....have asked them to move it.

One of the reviews says sod it just enjoy it and they're right!

We will now NOT be going next year though because I went to book and not only is it more expensive for the same week, the extras (garden room, pre booked seat on plane, plane meal) are now a LOT more expensive or have to be paid for, they have taken away the drinks with meals so the same holiday is going to be about £500-600 more expensive!!

I am going in july with my husband and 3 kids and i found some realy great information, pictures, videos and a streetmap where you can actually go through the streets near the hotel and see whats around.www.sentenerife.com

Does any one know when the new Sensatori hotel opens?

Its open you can read the reviews above.

Also, Ive read people complaining about the price of drinks. Tenerife is not cheap! I would recommend filling the fridge with water from the supermarket.

We're going to the Sensatori in just over a week. Unfortunately booked before it opened and have just been reading all the reviews on trip advisor-not good! Its to late to now try and change it so feeling a little apprehensive and disappointed. Hoping they are all exaggerating!

Its our first family holiday, going with DH and DS(10 months). Just wandering if anyone has any tips for travelling with the little one and if anyone knows what baby supplies you can get over there? Dont want to use up all our luggage allowance with food, nappies and formula! DS is quite good with his food and will eat most things.

Does anyone know what time the restaurant opens in the evening? I've read its not until 6.30 so not sure DS will last until then for dinner. Whoamireally just wandering what you did regarding dinner etc? Any tips or suggestions for things to take etc? Also any recommendations in general?

Salpol the hotel opened beginning May.

There are great little corner stores and supermarkets on the main roads. Not cheap but I had a nightmare with weight when taking my 7 month old over last November. Jars were about £2.50. Puddings also available. Actually took enough nappies but these are readily available. There is an Iceland not far from the main part of the Island and taxis were great value so worth doing a big shop there. Dont forget get water too as that expensive in hotels.

I fed my 7m old at 5ish with jars as we eat out by ourselves. 6.30ish is far too late for a baby. I found with a baby in the warm sun and playing he was exhausted by 7.30pm so taking him out was hardwork as he didnt settle to well in the pushchair. Perhaps organise a babysitter everyother night. A lot less stressful.

Watch the sun! UV suits are brill also UV filter for the pushchair (I have a protect-a-bub).

mumstheword the buffet restaurant opened at 6.30 - we did what Bacon did - we tended to leave going to the kid's pool till around 4-ish when some of the families were drifting off. While DH was in the pool with DD1, I took one of those Fisher Price hot water bottle flask things and heated up an Ella's Kitchen pouch (by FAR the easiest to get in and out) and spoon fed DD2 (11 months) in her pushchair after she'd had a little paddle.

DD1 had a snack, then we all went back, showered and changed, and went to the restaurant together at 6.30 where we'd all have dinner and DD2 would have some finger food. We'd then potter about for an hour or so after dinner, the Ocean Lounge is amazing for chilling out after dinner, then all head to bed about 9. It's really dark in the rooms and the girls then tended to sleep till we woke them up the next morning!

We did all have a lie down from about 1.30-3.30pm so everyone was still in a good mood at that time of night!!

Our luggage allowance was really generous and we only used 2/3 of it - I took nappies, baby jars/ pouches for every day (the hotel shop was VERY expensive, VERY)

Lots of the problems experienced early on are easily sortable and they were working through some of them while we were there. And they were not things that would ruin a holiday, just things that you maybe wouldn't expect of a resort billing itself as 5*+ which is why everyone is making such a fuss - so go and have a lovely time!!

Thanks whoamireally and bacon, advice much appreciated. Will take a few things with us food wise and get a few more jars there if needed. Always good to know you can easily pick up extras. Dont want to use up all the luggage allowance on food! UV suits ordered along with a few other things and starting to get very excited. DS is fairly chilled and adaptable normally so sure he will be fine and it will all be great when we are there!

IIRC you can get free purees off the kids menu so if you are eating in the restaurants other than the buffet you'll be fine

I am going in September with my boyfriend and baby who will be 5 1/2 months i was considering changing the holiday after reading reviews on trip advisor, however after reading reviews on mumsnet have decided to leave it as is!! I am so pleased other people with babies have been and have enjoyed it enough to leave positive reviews.

One thing i am worried about is getting bored as i understand the hotel is in the middle of nowhere, did anybody venture out for walks??

Thanks

No, we were so enjoying having time to just lie about by the pool while the girls were in the creche

There is this path near the big pool which is shaped a bit like an inverted snail shell, and if you follow it down it takes you underneath the big pool and out an electronic gate (you need your room key to open it) onto what looks like a brand new path along the cliffs, which we think would be a really nice walk but we just couldn't be bothered . Just take a mobile phone with you if you plan to go out as a couple, as the creche will ask for a number in case they need you.

And if you need childcare whilst you are away i run a childcare buisness out here and am happy to work any hours required.
www.tenerifechildcare.com

If you do get bored i would suggest taking a taxi to Los Cristianos for the evening, it is lovely there with plenty to do.
They also have a new show on at the threatre there that i have heard is amazing!

Any questions at all please let me know and i will do my best to answer them as best i can.

Have a wonderful trip folks.
Lisa.

Thanks for the info about walks and Los Christianos, how far is it from the hotel?

When you travel in taxi's do you need a car seat for the little ones?

We have booked a garden suite, has anyone else stayed in one and if so can you advise on what kind of outside space you get and if you get a fridge and kettle in the room?

Sorry to ask so many questions but we have never travelled with a little one and i want to make sure we are fully prepared!!

Thanks

OK, the garden suites are lovely!!
You dont get masses of outside space but enough for your little one to have a run around.
You also have a bed sun lounger with the curtains around it which is very nice.

You will be rather close to the pool aswell but not that close that it is dangerous for your little one to run in.
I know that you get a fridge in every room and i THINK a kettle but i am not 100% about this ... if you dont i am sure if you ask at reception they could provide you with one!

Los Cristianos is around a 20 minute taxi drive which is not too bad and the taxi fares are generally very reasionable.
Again, i am sure the hotel would provide a car seat if needed as i know a lot of hotels that do this ... you just need to get the same driver for on the way back but again, this could be arranged through reception i am sure.

I have loaned my car to clients when i have been babysitting for them and given step by step directions on how to get to places etc.

There are several restaurants in Los Cris including a tapenyaki (sp) which is amazing! The food is delicious and you kind of get a show at the same time if you are sitting around the tapenyaki table. You do need to book beforehand though to avoid dissapointment as it is very popular.

Sorry, i am waffaling on .... again haha.
If there is anything else, just shout.

Lisa.