Words by Richard Jones
Sunshine has been called ‘the most precious gold to be found on Earth’, and there’s no denying the positive effect that a few warm rays can have on your wellbeing.
In late January, and while millions of Brits were pulling on extra layers to stay warm and dry in the UK, there wasn’t a cloud in the sky in Tenerife as I sipped on a sweet sangria, looking out over the calm Atlantic Ocean from behind my sunglasses.
Tenerife has long been one of Britain’s favourite holiday destinations, but it’s not just the guaranteed warm weather that makes the largest of the Spanish-overseen Canary Islands so popular – particularly over the winter months.
With its golden and black sandy beaches, a world-class waterpark, golf courses, hiking and biking trails, varied food and drink, and a wide selection of hotels, Tenerife has everything families could want for a holiday.
Hotel
Following a quick four-hour flight from the UK with Jet2, we arrived at our digs, HOVIMA La Pinta Beachfront Family Hotel in Costa Adeje on the south-west coast of the island.
As soon as my wife Rachel and our two teenage daughters Isla and Evelyn stepped inside the all-inclusive complex’s foyer we felt at home. Other than its first-class service, the best thing about the HOVIMA La Pinta complex is the location. Looking out straight onto the beach, you are just feet away from the oceanfront and dozens of bars, restaurants and shops catering for the sunbathers and surfers.
There is a lovely family atmosphere at HOVIMA La Pinta, with younger children clearly having a ball with the friendly staff and mascot Globi in the kids’ club and playground, or paddling and pottering in the shallow pool. For the older kids (and adults) there are table tennis and pool tables, giant Connect 4 and chess sets and a multi-sports court with football goals and basketball hoops.
Room
After Eva on the front desk explained how everything worked, she gave us a short tour and walked us down the corridors, past the hotel’s giant marine mural to our Excellence Family Room.
The half-amphitheatre design of the hotel means that most of the apartments have ocean views, and La Pinta’s beach vista from our wrap-around corner balcony was nothing short of gob-smacking. As well as the beach, our room also looked down on HOVIMA La Pinta’s chic swimming pool.
Inside, the room itself was huge, meaning we could relax without out having to tidy up after the kids, and it had all the mod cons you’d expect from a four or five-star hotel, with a kitchenette containing a coffee maker and pods, kettle and a fridge replenished daily with water and all-inclusive sodas and Tropical beers.
Two separate bedrooms meant we all had our own space, while the two sizeable bathrooms, each with a rain shower, avoided any tetchy queues in the morning or evening.
Food and drink
Despite being an all-inclusive resort, there is plenty of choice food-wise in the large buffet restaurant.
However, you can also book a slot in the poolside à la carte themed restaurant on an evening and we spent a couple of nights there, enjoying set menus of tasty fish and seafood dishes and delicious Italian pasta and pizza.
As my eldest daughter Isla has coeliac disease, we were a bit apprehensive about heading to an all-inclusive Spanish hotel, but we needn’t have been. The chef Ana took Isla on a personal tour of the buffet, explaining what she could safely eat and what gluten-free alternatives could be quickly prepared in the kitchen. It put us all at ease straightaway.
To do
Although our girls are now both Insta-obsessed teenagers, they still like to lark around in the pool, while Rachel and I were just spoilt for choice when picking which south-facing lounger to park ourselves on. In between splashing around in the water and relaxing on a sun bed, we made the most of our all-inclusive package by chilling out with a cheeky cocktail, cold beer, mocktail or ice cream.
Although HOVIMA La Pinta is a haven, you’re missing out if you don’t get out and about and see more of Tenerife, whether it’s strolling down past the harbour to Playa de Las Américas and Los Cristianos, or going beyond the southern strip on trips up Spain’s highest mountain Tiede, or to Loro Parque zoo on the outskirts of lively northern city Puerto de la Cruz.
While Rachel took Isla for some lane swimming at sports complex T3 Caleta, Evelyn and I explored Playa de Torviscas and Playa de Fañabé, calling into Waxy O’Shea’s on the seafront for some lunch.
Be sure to head to Siam Park – Tenerife’s world-famous water park – where you can ride Saifa, its new high-speed water coaster, powered by RocketBLAST technology, as well as Kinnaree, Mekong Rapids, Dragon and the terrifying Tower of Power freefall slide.
When adults aren’t up for joining adrenaline-junkie kids on every ride, there are plenty of places to relax between the thrills. With the enormous white sandy Siam Beach and its epic pool, Palace of Waves, being renovated ahead of the spring/summer season, we claimed a pod on the loungers beside the tranquil Coco beach and its mini wave pool.
After a relaxed dinner and our fair share of cocktails and mocktails, we strolled down to Leonardo’s and The Travellers Rest, just down from the infamous Veronica’s strip.
The next morning, it was time to get ready for our flight home, but Isla and I still had a couple of hours to get our feet nibbled by tiny carp fish and pick up some Canary Islands aloe vera after-sun specialities from the beachfront shops. Although both the tickly pedicure and soothing lotions did us good for a short period of time, it was the precious golden shot of vitamin D provided by the sunshine and the hospitality at our lovely Tenerife hotel that were the real La Pinta warmers.
Factbox
Jet2holidays (jet2holidays.com and jet2.com) offers seven nights all-inclusive at the four-star HOVIMA La Pinta Beachfront Family Hotel in Costa Adeje, Tenerife, from £1,189 per person.
Price is based on a family of four (two adults and two children) sharing a one-bedroom apartment, and includes return flights departing from Manchester on 30 January 2025, a 22kg baggage allowance and return transfers. Get more for your money on this holiday with one of Jet2’s free child places. Visit jet2holidays.com/free-child-place-finder.
Address: Av. de España, 5, 38660 Costa Adeje, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
Phone: +34 922 71 55 58
Website: homivalapinta.com
For more information on things to do in Tenerife and on the other Canary Islands, visit: hellocanaryislands.com
Hotel photography courtesy of HOVIMA La Pinta.
