Gran Hotel El Tope  - Puerto de la Cruz, Spain     

El Tope is well situated for Puerto de la Cruz and seemed to be the only place we did not have a problem parking as there is free parking for residents. The rest of the town is diabolical. Not a problem if you are fit and like walking up and down hills. The rooms have no Tea/Coffee making facilities but do have a fridge and are quite spacious and comfortable. The double bed was two singles zipped together. There were two lifts but one had been broken 8 days before we arrived for our week's stay and was still not repaired when we left. Luckily the hotel was not full. The restaurant had nice long opening hours (3 hours each breakfast and dinner) so you didn't feel tied down. Food was good with a fair selection of choice self service so you could eat as much as you liked. Pool not very big so could get a bit crowded during busy seasons. Some evening entertainment but apart from pool table and table tennis there was nothing for kids. Staff did not seem particularly knowledgeable and gave wrong information a couple of times. Generally had a good holiday and enjoyed our stay there.

We stayed for 2 weeks wife and I plus 78 yr father in law so the steps to the hotel from the main street were pretty daunting but there was always a taxi parked at the bottom of the steps? The food was first class and very plentiful. The staff were not only efficient they were kind as well. The shows in the evening were watchable. We had a great view and balcony spoiled at first by the cockerels crowing in the gully below but after a while they seemed not so bad and an indication of how laid back the Canaries are. Shut the window if you don't want local sounds. I would say this was more for couples or older people but as there were so few children there while we were it was hard to judge. Staff coped with everyone so they probably dealt with children just as well. The hotel was clean perhaps some of the carpets needed an update but they were just worn not dirty. How many hotels have you stayed in where the cleaner finds a small fault with the plug in the sink and without being asked arranges for it to be fixed next morning by maintenance? Definitely worth a stay as long as you treat the steps as a workout for the good food. Probably so far the best value for money we have had anywhere