Hotel Jardín Tecina

We paid over 5,300 Euro for our stay at Hotel Jardín Tecina, and it was a massive disappointment. The food was a letdown for a hotel at this price: most of the meat seemed pre-boiled or pre-cooked, with little culinary quality. It felt like a mass-production canteen, not a 4-star experience. A lot of the activities on-site also cost extra, so expect added charges despite the high room rate. The worst part was how our stay was handled. Reception verbally confirmed we could shorten it and get a refund, so we rebooked our flights. Later, the hotel went back on that promise, pointed to the "non-refundable" terms, and essentially called us liars. That's unacceptable dishonesty for a high-end resort. There are far better places to spend your money on La Gomera where guests are valued and promises kept. Stay away.

Everyone working there was so much fun, and the staff were incredibly welcoming. Marco played beach volleyball and table tennis with us, bringing such friendly, positive energy. I loved watching Miguel and the other performers in the shows. Miguel is an incredibly talented dancer, and the shows were a lot of fun. 'Moulin Rouge' was our favorite! Juan's exercise classes were challenging, just what you want when you're trying to feel healthy. Aqua Fit in the pool was fun too. We had an amazing time in a gorgeous location. I'd highly recommend it to anyone staying on the island!

The hotel refunded the night I missed on its own, even though the cancellation wasn't its fault. I found that incredibly generous. The food was good, though the atmosphere felt completely impersonal. My flight to Gomera was cancelled because of a storm, so I only had one day at the hotel. After a long trip, check-in took ages: I waited about half an hour in line, then the receptionist couldn't find my reservation, which added another half hour. It's a huge hotel spread over a large area, with hundreds of rooms and guests, but apparently not enough staff to manage the arrivals. Whenever new guests come in on one of the only two flights each night, things turn chaotic. By the time I got through check-in it was dark, and I was left to find my room in a maze. Another guest tried reading room numbers in the dark to help, without success. Eventually a couple happened to know where my room was. Finding it took another 20 minutes. That kind of welcome is unacceptable for the price and for the island's supposedly best hotel.

The only real downside is how far it is from town. The resort has several restaurants and bars, well-kept rooms and gardens, and lovely, attentive staff. The food was delicious, except at the buffet.