During a summer on Tenerife when temperatures of 30C are starting to feel almost pleasant when wave after wave of searingly hot weather taking a vacation from Africa have pushed thermometers closer to the 40C mark, we thought it would be the perfect time to chill out, cool down and find out what the Hotel Fañabe Costa Sur, a family hotel in the centre of Costa Adeje, has to offer visitors to Tenerife.
A Sanctuary from the Sun
In the mid-afternoon our “pleasant” stroll from Playa de las Américas to Fañabe has become more of a Foreign Legion route march. The sun’s rays are relentless and hot ““ perfect if you’re sprawled out on a Balinese sun bed on Fañabe beach, less so if you’re desperately seeking shade. By the time we reach Playa Fañabe you could pour us into a glass, but only a few more metres up the hill and we know we’ll reach sanctuary.
The bright, colourful lounge at the Hotel Fañabe Costa Sur is welcoming and cool and the smooth curves of the bar invite our presence. We ignore their call and head to our room where we know a bowl of fruit and two sun loungers are waiting.
The sun loungers are perfectly placed for ‘bronzing up’ but we decide we’ve already had enough sun. We cast off our shoes, grab a couple of ripe nectarines from the fruit bowl and drag the table and chairs on the wide terrace to a spot in the shade overlooking the pool. In front of us, the peaks and troughs of the Adeje Mountains shimmer in a heat haze whilst children’s laughter drifts up from the hotel’s pool below us. We sigh… we’ve reached our sanctuary and it feels fabulous.
The Essentials
Location: A five minute stroll takes you to the sands of Playa Fañabe. After that there’s the choice of getting prone on its wide expanse or heading right where a short-ish walk leads to upmarket Playa del Duque. To the left is the marina at Puerto Colón and the small beach of Playa Pinta.
There are restaurants galore close to the hotel and for those seeking a lively nocturnal scene, the live music bars and clubs at San Eugenio are less than 15 minutes away.
A tourist train departs from outside the hotel and there’s a taxi rank nearby. Even shopping is covered with a good supermarket in the shopping centre across the road and the swish, designer shopping kingdom of the Plaza del Duque also close by.
Rooms: Rooms are arranged in a U shape around the large swimming pool and are bright and light with a friendly and colourful sun-kissed holiday vibe. They have satellite TVs with some English channels, hairdryers and furnished balconies, essential for relaxing with a glass of vino (cool beer or whatever) on a sultry summer’s night. Ours had a huge terrace as well as a hydromassage bath (blissful after the long walk along the promenade) and a second flat screen TV above the bed. There are double rooms, family rooms, suites and specially designed rooms for guests with disabilities. There’s no wifi in the rooms but there is free wifi in the lounge area.
Service: The Fañabe Costa Sur is a popular family hotel and was jam-packed when we were there, yet the staff were always smiling and friendly. Considering the amount of guests they had to deal with (at this time of year many families are all inclusive and a lot tend to stay around the hotel), they were impressively efficient. This is something we’ve noticed that is typical of all of the GF Hoteles we’ve stayed in. Breakfast was particularly busy but plates were cleared away smartly and buffet choices kept stocked.
Food: The Hotel Fañabe Costa Sur is very clearly aimed at the family market, especially during summer months, and as such the choice and quality of buffet meals occupies a sort of inoffensive middle ground that is designed to offer something for all family members. For those who want to explore the culinary scene outside of the hotel, there are plenty of restaurants nearby.
Facilities: Where the Fañabe Costa Sur excels is with its ability to give families a happy holiday, day in and day out. The pool is large with a separate section for younger children. The area around the pool can be very busy but there are also rooftop terraces which are tranquil and have their own small pools and a bar. They also have super views of the Adeje Mountains and there is a discreet nudist sunbathing section. For adults there’s a gymnasium, tennis court and a spa. But it’s the younger guests who are really spoiled for choice. With mini golf, a football and basketball court, adventure play areas, video game zone, pool tables, table football, mini club and mini disco, boredom just isn’t on the cards.
Overall: The Hotel Fañabe Costa Sur is an excellent choice for a mid price hotel for people who want to get the most of all the tourist attractions in the Fañabe, San Eugenio, Torviscas, Del Duque area of Costa Adeje. The hotel has all the right trimmings for a fun family holiday in the sunshine.
Hotel Fañabe Costa Sur; 4 Star; Avenida Bruselas,13, Costa Adeje; www.gfhoteles.com ; (+34) 922 71 29 00 ; email [email protected]
