Vista Bonita Golf del Sur

The apartment was clean and great, and whenever we needed something, staff were there to help. They were friendly and helpful, and we had everything we needed for a few relaxing days with my partner. The late checkout was handled poorly. I asked about it when we arrived, but we only found out on checkout morning after being woken up that we could stay later, and then we were charged 20 euros. Aside from that, I couldn’t fault the stay.

Our son loved the playground, though some equipment had tape around it. If it wasn’t safe, surely it should be fixed or replaced instead of just covered with flimsy tape. The cafe restaurant had lovely staff and nice food, and we didn’t use the pools this time. The biggest letdown was cleanliness. The apartment looked good at first, with lots of space, a large bedroom, an extra bathroom, and air conditioning and heating. But when I ran a bath for our one year old son, I found hairs and dirt left behind by the previous guests. The tub didn’t look cleaned, so I had to clean it myself. We also found a very large cockroach in the room. My husband quickly squashed it with a tissue before our son could step on it. There was an open cockroach spray under the kitchen sink, which made us think this might be an ongoing problem. More frequent and thorough cleaning might mean fewer cockroaches. Cleaners apparently come every three days, but since we stayed for three days, we never saw one. The kitchenware worked fine, but I’d expected a washing machine in the apartment and there wasn’t one. Parking was about €8 a day, something we hadn’t been told before booking. You need a car or taxi to get there, so paying extra for parking on top of an expensive stay didn’t feel fair. The supermarket on site was extremely overpriced, and the so-called fresh produce wasn’t fresh. I found an orange with mould on it. There are cheaper supermarkets a drive away, but that’s no help if you don’t drive. We usually love Tenerife and enjoyed the short drives to Jungle Park, the beach and the harbour. The airport is only ten minutes away. Still, the place itself let us down with the lack of cleanliness, the overpriced shop, and the steps outside the apartment, which were frustrating with a pram. We won’t be returning.

The villa worked well for our family of four. It was spacious and comfortable, with two eating areas and a large patio, enough for six people indoors or outside. The kitchen was small but well appointed. There were two bedrooms, one with twin beds apart and one with twins pushed together as a king, and they also left extra sheets and pillows for the pull-out sofa even though we didn’t need them. The patio had a clothes line, two loungers as well as a table and chairs, and covers in an outdoor closet. Having a washer in the kitchen was a big help while packing light with kids. The cleaning staff came twice during our week and did a thorough job, leaving extra laundry and dishwasher pods, paper towels, and clean towels. The WhatsApp concierge at reception was handy too. I could text simple questions, like whether the tennis court was free, and usually got friendly, useful help within a minute or two. It was a quiet spot beside the golf course with a view of Teide, though the resort is remote enough that a car is essential for day trips, activities, and groceries unless you like long walks or public transit. There isn’t much for families or kids to do on site. Even a few cards or board games to borrow would be nice. There are several lovely pools, but only one small one is heated. Over Christmas, and presumably during the shoulder season too, everyone seemed to use that one pool, and it got crowded and looked cloudy some days. Though the posted closing time was 5pm, the lifeguard began closing it and putting the cover on around 4:30 or 4:45, which was disappointing. The jacuzzi spa also needed to be booked ahead. Each slot was 1.5 hours for one unit, but children weren’t allowed. It was always booked when we asked, so we didn’t try it. Shorter slots of 30 minutes to an hour might let more guests use it, and since it’s a private booking, families should be allowed to bring children, perhaps with a deposit or waiver if that’s the concern. Parking for resort guests was off site, down a hill and about a five minute walk away. The on-site spaces seemed mostly for condo owners. We weren’t told the cost until the end and had assumed it was free since it wasn’t on site. Friends who came for dinner were told to park at the bottom of the hill near town, about a 2.5km walk or 30 minutes away. Oddly, the on-site lot had the best sunset views. We stood there one night to watch, and an area with benches would make it easier to enjoy. Finding reception on arrival was awkward. It’s tucked off to the side, while most of the front is taken up by private businesses like the hair salon and convenience store, so the place feels a bit disjointed. There was a BBQ on the patio, but it was locked and we had to pay a deposit for the key. Even after that, it was just a charcoal BBQ and needed cleaning before use. Being near the airport was convenient for arriving and leaving, although planes flew overhead all day. That might annoy some people, but we didn’t mind and barely noticed after the first day or two.

We stayed in number 23, "Casa Palmera," and loved it. The villa looked stunning in the photos and lived up to what we expected. It’s bright and airy, sleeps eight comfortably, and is well equipped. There are four bedrooms, each with a TV, two ensuite rooms, and another large shower room and toilet. The ensuite rooms have big atriums that bring in daylight, with curtains you can close at night so the morning sun doesn’t wake you. The large patio looks out over the golf course and ocean, and the villa is excellent value for money. The Royal Tenerife Country Club is quiet and relaxing, with a small supermarket, a pool bar, and The Med restaurant, all serving good food. There’s also a large pool area with plenty of sun loungers. I’d highly recommend both Casa palmera and The Royal Tenerife Country Club.