In summer we spent one week as a family of five in Tenerife at the Alua Atlantco Golf Resort. Here is everything you need to know about the hotel and our honest review because, let’s face it, holidays aren’t cheap these days and the websites never tell you everything!
For reference this is based on one week in August with 3 children aged 4, 11 and 14, we booked through Jet2 and paid full price, no press trip for those wondering.
Distance to Alua Atlantico Golf Rest from the airport
For me one of the most important things when booking a holiday is that there isn’t a massive transfer when you get to the other side, especially when travelling with small kids. Thankfully the Alua Atlantico Golf Resort is situated in the Gulf de sur region of Tenerife which is approximately a 20 minutes drive from the nearest airport. We had a Jet2 transfer included with our package deal and even after making a couple of stops we were still at the hotel in under 30 minutes which is ideal when travelling at night with children. You could hire a car and do it a bit quicker but unless you are planning on driving round the island during your holiday it really wouldn’t be worth it, neither would the private taxi be at the extra cost.
Check in
We arrived late and although check in was busy the staff were helpful and efficient. Unfortunately everything was closed for food but we were able to grab a drink from the bar before heading to bed. If you are going to arrive late then make sure you either grab some food on the flight or pack some in your luggage just in case you or the children get hungry.
The family rooms at Alua Atlantico Golf Resort
One of the hardest things for us when booking a holiday as a family of five is finding somewhere that can accommodate us adequately. We find we are either advised to book two separate rooms with no guarantee they will be near each other or they want to cram us all into one small room with lots of put you up beds and no space to move. However, the Alua Atlantico have family rooms that consist of a large double room and a separate lounge area that has a sofa that turns into two beds, plus a third bed can fit in either room easily. Although this set up did mean we didn’t have a sofa for the holiday the room was still plenty big enough that we didn’t feel like we were walking through their bedroom all the time. We also found that the sofa bed was just as comfy as the double bed so everyone was happy and got a good sleep each night.
We decided to have all three kids in the lounge but you could put one of the put you up beds in the bedroom if you prefer as it’s plenty big enough.
The accommodation also has a dinning area with a dinning table and mini fridge to one end, so we still had somewhere to sit together inside, plus a large balcony with plenty of space to sit together outside too. The private bathroom is also really big and the showers feature rainfall showerheads, which is amazing after a day in the sun.
This is one of the best family type rooms we have stayed in abroad due to the sheer size and cleanliness and we would highly recommend for anyone with 3 kids, even teenagers.
The rooms are also well equipped with a flat-screen tv, hair dryer, plenty of plug sockets, satellite channels and air conditioning.
The view from our balcony.
The swimming pools at Alua Atlantico Golf Resort
There are a number of swimming pools at the Alua Atlantico Golf Resort in Tenerife.
An indoor pool that is actually a heated pool, this is only open for a few hours a day and is relatively small so can get busy quickly but is good if you want to swim lengths. We did find that it smelt like chemicals in there though and my son said it hurt his eyes so we only used the indoor swimming pool once.
On the far side of the hotel there is a large outdoor swimming pool and a smaller baby pool. These are classed as the quiet pools as they don’t have the music or entertainment on. There are plenty of sunbeds as well as a bar and snack bar and beautiful views of the ocean. We did enjoy this pool but found that as it is on the coastal side it can get windy.
On the other side of the hotel nearer to the main reception area is another large pool. This was our favourite as it had a shallow end near the seating area which was perfect for our little girl to get in and out independently. This is also where you will find the music playing and the activities taking part like water polo and aqua aerobics. Again there is a nearby bar and snack bar as well as the main restaurant.
Up above this pool is a small and shallow adults only pool. This isn’t adequate for swimming and I think it was once a toddler pool but it is perfect for just relaxing in and taking in the views when you get too hot and don’t want to be splashed by kids.
There is also a splash park which is great for the under 7’s. Lots of things to run through and get splashed by including a giant tub that empties itself every so often.
The pools are brilliant and there is plenty of choice for the whole family. I would recommend swim shoes for the little ones though as it does get very slippy and we saw lots of people falling over, usually excited little ones that were running around.
The fitness center
We used the gym a few times and it was always quiet and clean. There is a treadmill , cross trainer and bike, free weights and weight machines. Everything you need for a full body work out.
The entertainment at Alua Atlantico Golf Resort
There is a full entertainment program with a variety of activities for all ages. The staff go round the main pool and get people to join in and are really encouraging if you have nervous children. If you prefer the quieter pool then they wont come over there so make sure you check the list of activities on the app or on the board by the dinning hall so you can come over at the right times to join in.
There is also a kids club where you can drop younger children off but this is inside by the gym and we didn’t use it so can’t review it.
In the evening there is a mini disco that the little children love. They play the usual holiday songs and all dance along. Then there is a variety of shows from a magician to dancers and even a silent disco. Al the entertainment we watched was great however the seating is poor, there isn’t enough and there are pillars blocking the view making it difficult to see what’s going on, so either get there early to bag a seat near the front or entertain yourself somewhere else. There are plenty of bars and places to sit across the complex.
There is also a table tennis table by the main pool, this is used by the entertainment staff for competitions but when it’s not in use by them you can use it yourself for free, which we loved.
A football pitch is also available for use all day and night which was popular with our boys and a great way for them to make new friends.
Inside the main bar there is a small arcade with a few machines and games that you can use for an additional charge.
The Restaurants
There are two buffet restaurants offering international cuisine, one on each half of the complex. Both are lovely and have a great selection of foods, even the fussiest member in our family could always find something to eat. We preferred the smaller buffet restaurant by the quiet pool for the buffet breakfast as it had proper English sausages and hash browns where as the other one didn’t but other than that they were very similar.
There are also two al la carte restaurants at the Alua Atlantico Golf Resort that you can use once during your stay. These get booked very quickly so I would recommend booking them when you arrive or the next morning if you arrive late like we did.
Top Tip – If reception tell you they are fully booked ask if you can leave your details and ask them to ring you if there is a cancelation as this is what happened to us and within a couple of days we got a spot thanks to a cancelation. We only tried one of the al la carte restaurants but we loved it. The kids had carbonara and we had pork, both were lovely.
The all inclusive package at Alua Atlantico
The all inclusive package at Alua Atlantico Golf Resort includes breakfast, dinner, tea and snacks. From 8am till 10pm you can always access food. As for drinks the all inclusive includes soft drinks, cocktails, mocktails, spirits, beer (San Miguel), wine, water, tea and coffee. We were very impressed with the selection of food and drinks and all 5 of us could always find something we liked.
The check out process
We were very pleased to learn that the check out is later than it is most hotels we have stayed at as it’s a 12pm check out and if that’s still not late enough you can actually book a later check out for an extra charge if the room is available. If the room is not available for a later check out and you have a late flight you can still book a thirty minute slot in one of the designated guest rooms to get showered and changed before you leave at no extra cost.
Things to do near Alua Atlantico Golf Resort in Tenerife
There are lots of great things to see and do near Alua Atlantico Golf Resort so if staying on the site isn’t for you then don’t worry as you wont be bored. Firstly there is a lovely coastal walk that you can do from the hotel that leads to the next town where you will find a few shops, bars and restaurants. It is a 15-20 minute walk and is a bit steep in parts but it does have wonderful sea views and is worth the walk.
Obviously the hotel is in the golf del sur region which means the golf del sur golf course and many other golf courses are nearby if that’s your thing. You can book most of them online but if you get stuck ask at reception and they will happily help you.
The Alua Atlantico hotel also offers a free bus to both Las Americas and Los Cristianos but you need to book your spot in advance and they do go quick so try and organise your trips at the start of your holiday to secure a place. We booked on our second day for the next available but with 5 seats which was 4 days later!
We went to Los Cristianos and spent the day there. We found the bus was on time and efficient, it took about 30 minutes and was air conditioned. If you want to get a taxi it’s about $30 so the bus is a good saving. We went on the early bus and cam home on the evening one and found plenty in Las Cristianos to keep us busy all day long. We walked down the prom, swam in the sea, relaxed on the beach, played crazy golf, enjoyed lunch and drinks in the sun.
Siam Park is an award winning aqua park and it is also in the area but we didn’t manage to make it so can’t review, however we hope to go next time.
Overall we had a wonderful stay at the Alua Atlantico Golf Resort we particularly loved the spacious family rooms, the cleanliness of the hotel and the number of pools and activities that were available. We would definitely return and highly recommend it to others who are looking for an all inclusive holiday for a larger family. If you are going to book then have a look at Jet2 as we went with them as they offer free child places and organise your transfers too and they came in a lot cheaper than some of the other holiday sites.
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