We stayed at the Green Garden Resort in Tenerife. We had seen this advertised and debated booking several times previously but had always decided that we weren’t brave enough to take our daughter away abroad just yet. It was a huge stroke of luck that we were able to test the resort for Mumsnet!
We asked for everything on the Essential Kit List, partly to be able to test it, but mainly to have everything on hand “just in case". Ironically, the two things we really needed/wanted weren’t in the room when we arrived (bodyguards and a DVD player for “essential” Frozen and Peppa Pig viewing), but when we call reception about this both were brought to us surprisingly quickly.
The accommodation was relatively spacious and well set up for a family group. The two bedroom apartment clearly used to be a one bedroom apartment, with the original bedroom being used as the twin room for children and the original living space which is open plan with the kitchen area becoming the main bedroom. The bed was king/superking size with curtains across the footboard to give a little privacy from the area with the children’s toys and small sofa. My daughter is two and a half and once asleep rarely wakes and doesn’t usually get out of bed, but if I had older children prone to wandering about or trying to escape, I may be a little mindful that the door to the room is right next to the children’s bedroom and the opposite end of the apartment to the adults bed and the outdoor terrace. The apartment layout also meant that the audio monitor for the children’s room has to sit on the kitchen worktop as on either of the bedside tables, the receiver was out of range. This was a little annoying as I am the sort to have the monitor next to my side of the bed (and I am used to a video monitor anyway), and the monitor was no good if you wanted to sit on the terrace after your children’s bedtime with the monitor nearby.
We occasionally heard other children from the apartment above and next to us, but on the whole we found the room surprisingly quiet given we were in an area specifically for those with children. Our only other comments on the accommodation were that we would have liked to have seen air conditioning in the main bedroom as well as the children’s room, and we would have liked there to be some storage for clothes in the main bedroom. All the storage was in the children’s room and was completely open, so not ideal if your children like to rearrange things! There was no storage, drawers or hanging space in or around the main bedroom. A safe in the room would have also been useful/reassuring
Having the play corner in the room was wonderful. I had also brought a few toys from home, largely for bribery purposes, but I needn’t have done as the selection of toys was great. We had a table and chairs, a little wooden house with plastic animal toys, megablocks, wooden blocks, a selection of wooden cars and peg dolls, a selection of books, a wooden rainbow and a couple of dressing up capes and masks. My daughter loved playing with these and all the toys were impeccably clean. Outside were some foam mats and a plastic elephant.
The playzones were appropriate and engaging for our daughters age group, but I would say that there was something for all ages from just sitting to beyond pre-school age. We were at the resort the week before half term but found that none of the areas were ever especially busy. Tots Boulevard is between the terraces of one row of the Tots to Travel rooms and the entrances to the other row. It isn’t permanently “manned" by anyone from the resort or Tots to Travel so there was no way of policing its “exclusivity" but we didn’t see it being over run with children staying at the hotel but not with Tots to Travel.
The playmakers activities were varied throughout the week and they appear to run a two week timetable sonic you were there longer than a week there was a bit more variety. Things ranged from treasure hunts, messy play, film viewings, making play dough and parachute games. The playmaker at the resort was lovely, really friendly and great at engaging with the children. Tots to Travel also offer two beach trips a week where you turn up at the hotel reception and a coach, water and bucket and spades are all provided for a trip to the local beach before it gets too hot in the middle of the day. We found this way of going to the beach really made it so much easier and more enjoyable as we didn’t have to negotiate public transport or fit in with the timetable of shuttle buses. The playmaker held the fort where families could leave their things on the beach and dug out a boat and suggested games to the children, but we were free to wander down the beach and do our own thing for the duration too.
Having the guarantee of the essential kit was great and made packing so much easier. We have always holidayed in self catering lodges in the UK since having our daughter and I find the stress of remembering everything and having to squeeze high chairs, travel cots etc into the car so stressful and I then start the holiday still feeling stressed! That these things and more were all provided and in fact I took snacks and toys “just in case" and needn’t have done as the resort all inclusive included snacks being available between the main mealtimes.
As a family we had a lovely stay and just wish we had a few more days there – a week was just long enough to relax in to holiday mode, by which time it was time for me to start thinking about packing and the journey home. The pools were lovely, and despite the resort being seemingly quite full, it never felt over crowded. The food was generally good and being all inclusive really helped with the being relaxed as it is just so easy to turn up and eat whenever suits you and not think about where your next meal is coming from! The hotel staff were friendly and the housekeepers did a great job, the room was very clean and stayed that way throughout the week.
It was the first time we had flown with our daughter and the first trip to the Canary Islands for all of us. We found the flight time easily manageable with a toddler and the lack of time difference was great as it was one less thing to factor in to the travelling. The weather was perfect for us as a family and we enjoyed our stay so much we have actually booked to go back to Green Garden at a similar time next year but for a few days longer. I’m sure that there are other great resorts out there which are perfect for families with kids, but it is reassuring and less stressful to go somewhere that you have been to before and know exactly what to expect!
We really couldn’t fault the hotel, we had a great stay, our daughter had the best time and we are very much looking forward to going back again!