We didn't even bother to look for different hotels in the north of Spain - it seemed like a no-brainer to book the Golden Taurus again. We'd never previously booked a 'resort'-type hotel independently, and we weren't quite sure how it worked, but at least this one was tried and tested. We knew we'd get a big-enough room, we knew the food was good and we knew they had plenty of kids' facilities. Most importantly, it wasn't far from France, we knew how to get there and it had plenty of free parking. Our time in Spain went very smoothly - we found the hotel without any problems (obviously), our room was actually bigger than during our previous stay (a benefit of booking direct, perhaps?) and the boys were even allowed to join the Thomson's kids' club, despite not having booked with the company. Even better, the whole three-week holiday, including diesel and campsite fees, cost a fraction of what a week in the same hotel would have cost via a package deal.
Apart from the occasional night here or there, that's the only time we've been to the same hotel twice. We tend to prefer to try new destinations rather than go back to places we've already been. It's not that we don't like the hotels we stay in and would rather not return - after all, I normally do enough research to ensure we're going somewhere we'll enjoy. We just like the variety, and it's always nice exploring a new hotel in a new resort. But still, there was something really comforting about returning to the Golden Taurus. We didn't have to waste time looking around the hotel to see where everything was. We knew exactly where to go for breakfast, where to find the kids' club and where the toilets were. We knew how the restaurant arrangements worked (always a minefield) and what time the mini-disco started. We knew where the hotel was in relation to the beach, the town, the train station. We recognised lots of the staff, and some of them seemed to recognise us. After the long drive from France, there was something really nice about rocking up at a familiar hotel - like seeing an old friend for the first time in ages, or getting changed into your favourite PJs after a long day.
And so it is that this year we're going to do it again. Not the Golden Taurus (although I did previously look into the logistics of staying there again this summer) but to the Bitacora in Tenerife. We first went there last October, through a package deal again (see my previous review, Spring Hotel Bitacora, Tenerife). As usual, I did my research before booking and scrolled through Trip Advisor. The overwhelming pattern was that everybody seemed to be repeat customers - 'This was my fifth time at the Bitacora', 'We come here every year', etc. I found it a bit sad, to be honest - with so many places to see and so little time, why waste that time by going to the same place over and over again? But I took comfort in the fact that it was good enough for people to come back, and didn't hesitate to book it.
But as our week progressed, the idea of coming back became more and more appealing. The hotel itself was fairly faultless - the rooms were large and clean, the food was good, and there were plenty of facilities. The location was also great - close enough to plenty of shops and bars, a short walk from the sea and in an area that has clearly had a lot spent on it in recent years. Funnily enough, I hadn't realised at the time of booking that it was actually directly opposite a hotel we'd stayed at in Tenerife previously. We may well have booked that hotel again if it had been available, as we had really liked both the hotel and the location, but it was nice when we arrived at the Bitacora to find that we already knew where we were and what was around us. The weather was also amazing. We regularly go away in October, usually to mainland Spain or the Balearics, and the weather varies from pleasant to fairly hot to downright cold and rainy. We were particularly lucky during our week in Tenerife, though, and it was in the thirties every day. We were easily able to swim in the pool and the sea, something we wouldn't normally do on holiday in October (although Lee has been known to go in the sea on principle). The resort was also busy - not uncomfortably crowded but with plenty of life. Resorts are usually closing in October - we tend to find only a few of the shops and restaurants are open, and there's the feel of a ghost town - so it was a pleasant surprise to be somewhere that was still 'in season'. But the thing that really clinched it for us was the staff. The animation team in particular were the best I have ever seen at a hotel - they quickly knew our sons by name and would make sure they stopped to chat when they saw us around the hotel. The boys loved going to the kids' club and soon made lots of friends, most of whom asked if the boys would be coming back next year, because they were. On our last day, waiting for the coach pick-up, the boys asked for the umpteenth time if we could come back next year. Two of the animation team had just stopped to say goodbye, and the hotel was busy preparing and decorating, ready for Halloween. It suddenly seemed stupid to say no just for the sake of it - why shouldn't we come back next year? We'd had a lovely time, the boys had had a lovely time - it seemed like an obvious decision. Although we usually like to pack lots in during our holidays, it's also nice sometimes just to relax, especially after our manic five-week camping trip in the summer. Going somewhere you've been before takes the pressure off visiting lots of places, as you've done them all already. There's no guilt in spending the days lying by the pool, as you don't feel you're missing out on anything and you know the kids are having a whale of a time. Add the almost-guaranteed good weather, the comfy rooms, the delicious food and the friendly staff and it really was a no-brainer.
Once at home, I was scrolling through the hotel's Facebook and I saw a video of the Halloween entrance to the restaurant. So much effort had been put it into it (see it for yourself at the bottom of the page!), and I realised I was missing the Bitacora already. It wasn't long before I'd booked up to go again this October (this time direct and not through a package, saving at least £1,000...), ensuring we'd be there for Halloween this year! Funnily enough, a friend booked to go to the same hotel this summer, without having realised I'd been there too. She was keen for reassurance that the area (and the hotel) was okay, and of course I waxed lyrical about how much I'd enjoyed it. Then I panicked - had I oversold it? What if she didn't like it? Nothing worse than recommending somewhere only to find out you clearly have weird taste. I needn't have worried - not only did she have a lovely time but she also intended to book to go again the following year! Not just me, then!
Anyway, this time next week, I will be getting ready for dinner in the familiar Bitacora restaurant, having spent the day by the pool or on the beach. The kids will have been to the kids' club and seen their old friends from last year, and I will be looking forward to a drink and a game of cards on the balcony, looking out at the familiar view. It may not be new and exciting, but sometimes you just can't beat the same old, same old. If it ain't broke, don't fix it!
No comments:
Post a Comment