All you need to know about a family holiday in Tenerife

Chayofa / Los Cristianos

If you’re looking for a family holiday in Tenerife that’s not too far from the action, but also a bit of a retreat, I would highly recommend the Regency Country Club in Chayofa. It caters perfectly for families looking for a relaxing stay with a touch of good value luxury too. This Bali-inspired hotel oozes a laidback, boho vibe and features wooden fringed huts that surround the pool, one housing a soothing jacuzzi, another a large day bed and in a third, you can experience a range of beauty treatments and massages. One of the highlights of the hotel is the infinity pool with a swim up bar that has underwater bar stools and serves a range of drinks and snacks throughout the day. There is also a useful shop on site that sells freshly baked baguettes each morning. Unfortunately, the restaurant and onsite entertainment were not running when we visited in October 2021, but I note that they are due to reopen in April 2022. Having experienced these offerings previously however, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend both. We did not take advantage of the kid’s club during our visits, but there is usually one available so something to check before booking. There were plenty of activities to keep the children occupied however including the swimming pools, the playground, crazy golf and table tennis.

My top tip for a stay at this hotel is to book an apartment with pool access. If you are like us, making multiple trips back and forth, this is an absolute game changer as some of the furthest rooms are a steep walk up the hill near the road. The kitchenettes are fully equipped including cooker, toaster, fridge/freezer and microwave. We usually self-cater and take a taxi to a main supermarket, but usually the one big shop and a daily minimarket run sees us through the week. Chayofa itself is a small village within walking distance of the hotel. It also offers a minimarket, a small central area and two restaurants that are particularly suitable for families, the Treehouse bar and grill and the tapas-style La Tasa deal Arte de Chayofa. On the odd occasion we found it pleasurable to venture into Los Cristianos to enjoy a livelier vibe and a wider choice of both shops and restaurants. I particularly enjoyed my paella from the Sol y Luna which was conveniently located next to the beach and a playground! Los Cristianos is also very popular with tourists due to the beautiful beaches and the family friendly atmosphere. Many of the touristy activities and trips will collect holidaymakers from Los Cristianos.

Adeje

It’s possible to have two or more very different experiences of Adeje, depending on the part in which you are based. We have previously stayed at the Iberostar Las Dalias which I would recommend for a first family holiday in Tenerife as the location is ideal and the hotel itself is exceptional – the kids club, entertainment, food and standard of cleanliness. A simple ten-minute stroll out of the hotel will take you straight to shops and restaurants. Another holiday of ours was spent at the Dream Villa Tagoro, which we also found to be excellent, although we felt that the restaurant was not quite as well organized and relaxed. Overall, it didn’t quite live up to its slightly higher-rated neighbours. It is also a little more ‘out of the way’ and most of the trips from here do require a taxi. Due to the amount of time I’ve spent looking for the best mid-range family hotels and luxury family hotels in this area, top suggestions for a stay in Costa Adeje are the Iberostar Las Dalias, the Green Garden Apartments (private pools available), the Hotel Isabel or for a special treat the Gran Melia Palacio de Isora.

For more than a slice of glamour, you might want to book yourself into the high-end hotel the GF Victoria, which proudly displays its gleaming gold stars in front of the tall glass doors and white marble approach that greets you. I made a beeline for this hotel due to the glass swimming pool that is suspended from the top floor ‘Zambra sky bar’. This is the other side of Adeje where the exclusive shopping centre Plaza Del Duque can be found, so if you are looking to pick up a new LV bag or cute Gucci trainer, you are in the right place! The hotels surrounding the GF Victoria, all have a large helping of class, if not a fifth star, and it is clear as the sports cars drive past you, that this is one of the places you must see and be seen! I think to get the true taste of Adeje it’s important to take a walk or a cycle along Fanabe beach, and to explore this area. Personally, I find it helpful to look at the map beforehand, so I can choose whereabouts I liked to be based. Please click on more information to have a look at the map.

I have not yet stayed in the capital Santa Cruz de Tenerife or the most popular resort on the north of the island Puerto De La Cruz, but they are in my sights for our next family holiday in Tenerife and so are firmly on my wish list for 2023. Despite the huge choice of family hotels in these regions, it might make for a nice change and an authentic experience to hire a private villa. I also thought that hotel Landmar Costa Los Gigantes looked very nice if you wanted to explore the Los Giagantes area, although I have been advised that the area is a little quieter and so my advice is to view the Los Gigantes cliffs via a whale watching boat trip or by car, and to stay somewhere more central. Finally, we have also stated at the Golf Plaza hotel in Golf Del Sur, which again was a perfectly pleasing hotel and a lovely holiday but (on reading reviews) some people have found the noise from the nearby airport to be a slight red flag, and again you are a little off the beaten track. On the plus side it’s an exceptionally short airport transfer and a spacious plot!