Where We Stayed
Hotel Los Gigantes in the village of Los Gigantes on the west coast of Tenerife. We have been three times now and keep coming back.
If you can, try to get one of the corner rooms ending in 011 on the harbour side. Rooms 3011, 4011 and 5011 all have wraparound balconies and the sunsets from up there are unreal. You can pay a bit extra to request a specific room and for your first visit it is worth doing. Sea view rooms are the most popular but worth knowing they get properly hot on the balcony in the summer months. Village view rooms are cooler and surprisingly good for people watching if you are happy to trade the sea for something a bit more lively.
The rooms themselves are clean and well kept. One thing that took us by surprise the first time was the heated mirror in the bathroom. No misting up after a shower. A small thing but it felt like a proper touch.
What We Did
Los Gigantes is a village and it feels like one. It is not like the big resorts further along the coast. There is no strip, no boom boom, no hen do chaos. If that is what you want then this is not the place for you. But if you want somewhere to properly switch off then it is perfect.
The harbour is a short walk from the hotel and you can book boat trips from there. We did a sunset boat trip on our second visit and it was one of the best things we have done on any holiday. On our last trip we went out on a boat to watch the fireworks and it was fantastic.
The village itself has a good mix of little shops, bars and cafes and you can spend a few hours just wandering about. It is hilly in places but manageable as long as you are not trying to do it in flip flops.
If you want a day out, there is a bus stop a few minutes from the hotel that runs to Adeje, Los Cristianos and Las Americas. And if you only do one excursion, do Teide by night. Best value for money of anything we have done in Tenerife and a genuinely incredible experience.
On clear days you can see La Gomera from the hotel and sometimes La Palma too. It never gets old.
Food and Drink
The food at the hotel is buffet style and there is a really good selection. Something different every day and it never felt repetitive. The breakfast is solid with all the usual options and then some. The honeycomb honey at breakfast is a lovely touch. They also put out little taste testers on the way from the lift to the dining hall which is a nice surprise if you have not been before.
The staff in the restaurant are brilliant. Friendly, attentive, nothing is too much trouble.
One honest note. The coffee from the machines at breakfast is not great. If you care about your coffee then head to Huggin a Mug in Pasaje Jacaranda in the little development opposite the front of the hotel. Much better and it has become part of our morning routine now.
The bar does generous G&Ts. No measuring, just a healthy pour. And the prices across the board felt very reasonable for what you get.
Costs
We have always found the hotel to be good value for money. The drinks are well priced and the excursions from the harbour are reasonable. Paying a bit extra to book a specific room is worth it if you want one of the corner balcony rooms. We have never felt like we were being ripped off for anything in the village either.
Would We Go Back
Already booked. There is something about this place that just keeps pulling you back. The hotel is comfortable, the staff remember you, the village is exactly the right size. It is not trying to be anything it is not and that is what makes it work.
If you are after a quiet, relaxed week with good food and proper scenery then you will not do much better than this. We went for the first time on a whim and we have not seriously considered going anywhere else in Tenerife since.