daisy88

Need to take a break soon and dying to go to the beach. Which has the best beaches, vibrant nightlife (not as wild as Ibiza), great restaurants? Mallorca, Marbella or the Canary Islands? Any recommended hotels/resorts in these areas? Leaving in 2 weeks for Spain so need to know now. Pls help.

m_kingdom2

I cannot endorse Northern Tenerife enough, please find below my previous postings on this topic:

"North Tenerife is rather beautiful, the South is vile, don't touch it!

Stay at Hotel Botanico (www.hotelbotanico.com and also at www.lhw.com) - around 150EUR a night B&B, they now have a spa, and the restaurants are all superb as is the service.

Weather won't be very hot, but pleasant and sunny.

Any more info required - please ask. Make sure you GO ! It's an underrated destination.
"

"Take the bus (210 I believe) from Puerto to Santa Cruz - this place is right by the sea and has such a wonderful South American, not Spanish, feel - great little places to eat, and El Corte Ingles - as on the mainland, makes a good escape from the heat of the sun!

Hotel Mencey isn't bad either, in fact it's rather good, but if you are staying in Puerto, Hotel Botanico is the only place to stay. The prices are 4* for 5*GL (gran lujo) and the service and cuisines are of the highest standards, as well as the beautiful gardens and Oriental Spa (newly opened) it is set in - you will be impressed with the whole experience on this delightful island.

As for renting a car, the concierge will organise several trips for you which allow you to see everything worth seeing, and of course you can take the frequently timetabled buses all over the island, even to the vile and common south!
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"The reason that I bring this post up again, is because Northern Tenerife is such an underrated destination - people are put off by the terrible (and indeed true) images of vulgar behaviour from mainly UK/German holidaymakers in the South.

The North has a few good hotels - Mencey in Santa Cruz, Botanic in Puerto de la Cruz, and two boutique hotels in Garachico - La Quinta Roja, and San Roque. I always stay at Botanico.

I'd like to see some more posters on this board travelling here and sharing the wonderful times they will have.
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"I''d get the hotel to organise the transfer. Stay at Hotel Botanico, a Leading Hotel of The World, they offer fabulous packages - it is in Puerto.

Go on a tour (escorted tours are good to get an all round flavour of the place) to Mount Teide - this takes in other places enroute. Costs around 50EUR per person for a whole day, the concierge will organise this for you. Take a tour to Taganana and Santa Cruz - a contrast between the capital, and a tiny village that can only be reach through a mountain tunnel. It was here I met Norman Wisdom (did he ever make the US?) yet again!

I'd take buses to Garachico and Santa Cruz if you wish to take a trip at your own pace and itinerary. I've never felt the need to hire a car. Walk into Puerto, touristy, not too tacky, and relaxed. See the old fishing port, shops are not great. Sit by the sea, relax, watch locals fishing off the pier. Return for some relaxation in the spa- try the hotel's Italian restaurant - their Spinach and mushroom lasagne to start, followed by veal is superb - reminds me of the classic Italian restaurants that one used to find in London, now, sadly, only a handful exist, and all dreadfully expensive. A meal at the hotel will cost 60EUR for two, so reasonable. Another evening sample to Oriental - exotic, fragrant, superb once again!

Any more info, just ask!
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"I second that suggestion, Masca is a superb excursion.
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As it says above, more questions, please ask!