Photos from www.jardin-tropical.com

 

Many of you have asked about our honeymoon in Tenerife, 3 years ago, and I did provide some useful information. Glad to see everyone who spent their vacation/honeymoon there, were as enchanted as we’ve been. I’ve decided now to go public with my insights, recommendations and overall buzz, because people are still asking me and because travelers should know more about this amazing land.

Location

 Tenerife is the largest and most populated island of the seven Canary Islands. It is also the highest island – the Teide rises to 3718 m and is Tenerife’s symbol as well as being the highest peak, not only of the islands but also of the whole Spain. Tenerife is known internationally as the “Island of Eternal Spring”. The island, being on a latitude of the Sahara Desert,  enjoys a warm climate year-round with an average of 20–22 °C in the winter and 26–28 °C in the summer and high sunshine totals.

What to do in Tenerife

It is the perfect place to practice golf and water sports any time of the year. The Island offers visitors a never ending array of ecosystems, landscapes and micro climates: from black-sanded coves in the north to vast golden beaches in the south, volcanic landscapes, charming footpaths, abrupt ravines and a great variety of protected spaces. In addition, Tenerife invites adventure and all kinds of sports, including hiking, sailing, surfing, horse riding, paragliding, free flight. the possibilities are endless.

I have long searched for the best accessible hotel, having in mind 4 conditions:

• Accessible price
• Good reviews
• Breathtaking scenery
• All inclusive/half board

After reading about hotels too bad, too expensive or too common, I found the amazing hotel Jardin Tropical. The first photos seen online blew me away. It looked perfect, just the way I wanted, Moroccan style, all white with exotic scenery, ocean view, first class stays with the maximum comfort, so you can give in to rest and relaxation. As you approach Hotel Jardín Tropical, the Adeje Coast in the south of Tenerife Island becomes an orchard, a paradise of light and greenery where you can enjoy all the benefits of the Canary Islands. All rooms open out onto the sea or the luscious gardens and natural spaces so you can enjoy Tenerife’s spectacular light, the warmth of its sun rays and the Atlantic breeze.

Getting to Jardin Tropical Hotel

The hotel is located on Adeje coast, the most populated area of Tenerife. The closest airport is called Reina Sofia, within 17 km. We took a taxi, the cost was around 25 euros (2010). When we returned home, we booked a flight from Los Rodeos airport, 80 km far, we paid a fortune for the taxi, so make sure your flight is closer to the hotel.

Hotel reservation

You can either book your vacation with a travelling agency, or plan the trip yourself. We flew from London and we bought the tickets a couple of months before the wedding. I booked the hotel online and they do offer a honeymoon package all board (breakfast, lunch and dinner, no drinks for the last two meals of the day), sea view room, 25% off the total price, fruit and champagne box. Everything went smoothly, staff really friendly and helpful.

Restaurants

The hotel has five restaurants. Las Mimosas, the hotel’s gastronomic heart, pampers its guests every morning with a generous breakfast in a light atmosphere. Whether we are talking about dishes prepared before clients’ very eyes or about fine fruit and sweets, guests can choose from a great variety of food. This buffet-style restaurant is open for breakfast and dinner. Los Cucuruchos offers a wide selection of snacks and lunch dishes in a very relaxed atmosphere. Eizo, Las Rocas and and El Patio serve an à la carte menu. Depending on the booking (all board/half board), the stuff will offer information on where you can have your meals.

We had breakfast and dinner every day at Las Mimosas, the best ever with a wide choice of freshly cooked dishes, fruits, champagne, meats and diverse meals. We had lunch at Los Cucuruchos on a few occasions, but my husband is not a big fan of seafood and fish in general, which are the mains here. I loved it! For honeymooners, the hotel offered a dinner at Las Rochas, the best restaurant in Tenerife (drinks not included). We had the perfect dinner, by the sea, wishing we can never leave. We had there the tastiest calamari, cooked to perfection.

Swimming pools

We spent our vacation sunbathing by the pool. The two elements on which Hotel Jardín Tropical is inspired, the land and the sea, merge in the saltwater pool, creating a whole sea of sensations you may never forget. These can only be compared to what you will feel in the tropical heated pool, which has a separate children’s area. A veritable paradise surrounded by over 1,700 plant and tree species – the perfect place to relax and enjoy moments of great peace. Other pleasures awaiting visitors to Jardín Tropical range from immersing yourself in a book on one of the sun loungers in the sun lounge, where you can take advantage of the free sunshade, sun lounger, mat and towel service, to delighting in the spectacular Ocean views from the balconies. 

Tropical wellness

Staying at Hotel Jardín Tropical is not only a pleasure for the mind: it is also renewal for the body. Relax with a swimming pool massage surrounded by tropical plants, shape up in the fitness area, receive next generation treatments such as lymphatic drainage, reflexology and hot stone massage (among others), or treat yourself to a Turkish bath or algae bath. Hotel Jardín Tropical’s Wellness Centre will restore the energy lost by your body during the year.

During our stay, we bought a package for visiting two of the main attractions on the island: Loro Park and Siam Park.

Loro Parque

An area of more than 50.000 sq.m., houses more than 300 species of parrot in a collection considered to be the best in the world. There is also a dolphin park I simply adored, a magnificent orchid garden where a wide variety of beautiful, delicate flowers may be admired and facilities for other species of animals and plants.

Siam Park

This is a water park were Gabi had the best day of his life. With the Tower of Power, The Dragon, and the Mekong Rapids to set your pulse racing, Siam Park is an exciting adventure land set in its very own tropical paradise. We’ve had so much fun, there are plenty of activities. You don’t have to be an adrenaline addict, or surfer to enjoy the Park. You don’t even have to be a swimmer! The magical world of Siam, with its Thai theme throughout, is set in a lush, green and tranquil environment that the whole family can enjoy, young or old. Stroll around the winding pathways where you will discover the sea-lions from Loro Parque and the Koi Carp swimming beneath the wooden walkways as the lazy river flows gently by. Visit the authentic Thai themed floating market and be taken back to the magical kingdom of Siam! Fancy a dip? Then get yourself off the beach and into the warm waters of the wave pool. It’s just a few steps from the beach and is the perfect place to cool down and enjoy the man-made waves!

Downsides

It seems too good to be true, right? Well, there are a few things I didn’t like during our vacation: first of all, the hotel is being frequented by families as well and middle age people. So don’t expect to be surrounded only by young couples. Also, every evening, the hotel hosted some musical events that ruined my sleep. I was tired of too much sunbathing, but got used to the noise eventually. The last thing we didn’t like is we got so bored, we’ve visited pretty much every important place on the island, shopped everywhere, took all the sun we could get and then the second day came. BUT, these are just small things that show we are spoiled. 

To summarize, I dream about going back to Tenerife and stay at Jardin Tropical. Excellent food, lovely room, friendly staff, heated pool and beautiful places to visit. The beach is really lovely, with black sand, but I don’t fancy the mess and the ice cold ocean, so for a walk is superb. If you are still not convinced, this island has no taxes, so I did a lot of shopping, as the prices were low on clothes and electronics. It is indeed, a small island but we’ve had there the best vacation yet. What are you waiting for?

 Sources: Jardin Tropical; Trip Advisor; Siam Park

 

 

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• tenerife
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