Disclaimer: I was invited to Tenerife with Jet2holidays as a part of a gifted press trip whereby our flights, transfers, accommodation, food and activities were complimentary. I was not paid for this collaboration and all opinions, photos and comments are my own.
HECTIC. That’s exactly how I’d describe 2019 so far. From flat viewings every night to making offers (yep you have to do this for rented too), to being beaten to the post to finally finding THE ONE to signing the contract to packing, unpacking, packing, unpacking, cleaning, working and zzzzz. Yep. I’d say that has been an accurate representation.
So last month when I was invited for a few days of relaxing under the Spanish sun with Jet2holidays, I thought ‘hey, what’s one more suitcase to pack?’ and off we went for three nights on the beautiful Canary Island of Tenerife.
Jet2holidays fly from various locations across the UK spanning the midlands and London and so we booked our Jet2 flights from Birmingham, seeing as it was a meer one hour train ride from our new pad. Having flown with the airline before I knew we’d experience the care and hospitality that is normally only reserved for high cost airlines; inflight food and drinks that aren’t double the price of your local cafe as well as generous baggage allowance that doesn’t cost a bomb. Within five hours we were basking in temperatures almost triple that of the UK on the south coast of Tenerife.
With a reputation of being a bit, dare I say ‘tacky’, Tenerife isn’t just where Brits go to burn. With a volcanic National Park, tropical sunshine, rich whale and dolphin life as well as some of the Canary Islands’ most beautiful beaches, it’s an ideal winter sun destination for couples, families and anyone who needs a little bit of time out.
Spring Arona Gran Hotel & Spa review
The interiors
Not wanting to do anything but lie horizontal covered in factor 30, we decided to check in at Jet2holidays’ adults-only Spring Arona Gran Hotel & Spa. Featuring on their Luxe collection, this 4 star hotel is located on the Los Cristianos seafront but what really took our breath away was the entrance.
When I get around to doing a mini-tour of our new flat on Instagram, you’ll see I’m a slight foliage fanatic and Spring Arona Gran really got my vibe. Seven open floors, each overflowing with greenery fill the lobby, with natural light that twinkles off of a gigantic chandelier. Take the wide marble staircase down and you’re immediately found wandering an indoor zen garden complete with a cascading waterfall.
The rest of the interiors are simply styled with neutral colours and pleasing patterns. Our spacious guest room on the top floor also came with a beautiful bay view to watch the sunset. My only critique was not having a bath to soak in after a day in the sun however a walk-in rain shower was blissful.
Restaurants and dining
After immediately stripping to our swimsuits we spent the next 48 hours between a sun bed and one of two outdoor pools, only sitting up to demolish a poolside pizza; a benefit that complimented the fresh towel service and cocktail bar. If that isn’t enough, the resort also features an exclusive rooftop terrace complete with an infinity pool and complimentary food and drink.
The Spring Arona Gran has two restaurants. Unfortunately the a la carte eatery was closed during our stay (open Wednesday to Saturday), but La Vistas, a spacious buffet style restaurant with everything from Spanish tapas to British favourites, did more than suffice. We were generally impressed with the food at both dinner and breakfast, eating copious amounts of fresh fish and cheese boards.
The rest of our evenings were spent perched at the Palapa Bar where we found a love for Alexander cocktails (basically alcoholic chocolate milk) and guessing the next song of that night’s live entertainment – one point to me for Elton John’s ‘I’m Still Standing’. As well as music, quizzes and a piano bar, the resort offers access to a two-lane bowling alley and various games rooms where I ‘beat’ Allyn at ping pong and discovered that I am never going to enter a snooker tournament.
The vibe
Now it may have been the time of year, but I humorously have to point out that we were the youngest guests by approximately three decades, however being surrounded by retired companions was definitely not a negative. At no point were we woken in the middle of the night by chanting lads on tour and the fight for a lounger in the blistering sunshine was an easy race to win. In fact if anything it made us feel like young lovers on a mini-moon.
The spa
Whilst sunshine was our main attraction to Tenerife, a rainy afternoon spent in the Thalasso Spa didn’t disappoint. This was probably the most luxurious looking space at Spring Arona Gran and after a helpful tour of the facilities we spent two hours (€12 each) between a heated salt pool, muscle relaxing lounger and steam room. Feeling completely at one, I then left Allyn for a 60 minute shea butter massage that almost had me snoring.
Safe to say our mini winter sun break was exactly what we needed and we’re back in our new home feeling refreshed, energised and ready to nest, albeit a little sunburnt.
If you’re looking for some not-too-far-away sunshine or simply a few days of pure chill, Jet2holidays to Tenerife are a bargain and one of the most streamlined trips I’ve ever been on. If you’d also like to stay at the Spring Arona Gran Hotel, you can receive extra deals for staying more than 7 nights including a complimentary a la carte meal and spa treatment.
A big thank you to Jet2 for our incredible break away!
Spring Arona Gran Hotel & Spa
Av. Juan Carlos I
38, 38650 Arona
Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
