Hotel Gran Oasis Resort

The Gran Oasis Resort is situated in a quite area of the southern resort of Playa de las Americas, right next to the Golf Las Americas course. It is one of the furthest hotels from the beach but this is perhaps made up for by the views of the surrounding area (the hotel is built on a hill). The immediate vicinity of the hotel holds nothing of note, although the town centre and the closest beach (Playa Las Vistas) are around a 15-20 minute walk away. The hotel has a secure underground car park for guests for which you will be given a key at reception. The island's southern airport is 10 and a half miles away while the northern airport is just under 50 miles away.

The Gran Oasis Resort is part of a small group of hotels in Tenerife comprising the Green Garden Resort and the magnificent Royal Garden Villas. Although there are some rooms adapted for use by wheelchairs users, getting around the hotel might be tricky due to the number of stairs in the hotel. Of the three, it is this one which really has animation and entertainment at the heart of its philosophy, catering to families with several children. The hotel's slogans of ?Be happy' and 'Happy holidays' encapsulate the atmosphere and the sense of fun that is sought, and achieved, by the management.

It is actually quite a nice little drive up to the entrance of the Gran Oasis, winding up the roads past local residences. First impressions are excellent, with a floral-clad fountain just outside the front door and then inside a bright, clean and fresh-looking lobby with inviting sofas, greenery and cute lamps and vases dotted about the place. It also has some of the same features as its sister hotel the Green Garden in the form of the singing bear and parrots in cages. It is from the hall, where you'll be greeted with a big smile by the reception staff, that you'll first get an impression of the type of atmosphere at the hotel as you listen to the noise of laughter and splashing coming from the pool area just out the back. There are three heated pools in total, one of which is reserved for children, around which there is plenty of space to lay back in one of the loungers and spend the whole day bronzing without worrying that the surrounding buildings will block the rays. We're not going to lie, during the holidays when the hotel is full of kids, it can get pretty noisy, but nevertheless the atmosphere remains jovial. The area is kept clean and safe and is surrounded by palms, with the odd elephant state poking its head through here and there. Note that there is a 10? deposit for towels and a 2? charge for changing them. Also surrounding the pools are plenty of games to keep those who don't fancy a dip bust, including ping pong, pool arcade machines, as well as a massage cabin and a mini supermarket selling a wide range of supplies and souvenirs.

The entertainment works exactly as it does over at the Green Garden. During the day kids can either play out in the open next to the pool with the animation team, or, if the weather doesn't permit this, there is an indoor area with everything necessary to occupy the over-excited young ones. The small outdoor stage within the pool bar is where the animation team puts on shows at night including a minidisco followed by either bingo or show such as acrobatics, Brazilian dancers or song and dance. The setting is perhaps not the best we saw, but it certainly pleased the crowd. These same animators put on activities during the day for everyone such as shuffle board, aqua gym and ping pong tournaments. They seem to have a great rapport with both the crowd and between themselves which certainly comes through in their enthusiasm. While the hotel doesn't have its own sports and wellness centre, guests do have access to the Aqua centre, about a 15-minute drive away on the free shuttle bus. One of the best facilities in the south of the island it has several pools, a gym and a host of wellness treatments. Admission is 27? for two people or 40? for a family of four. (Note that guests have to make their own way back from the centre, there not being a shuttle bus for the return journey).

Other services at the hotel include a mutli-sport pitch for football/basketball, complimentary wifi at several public areas around the property and a safe room for guests' belongings.

The accommodation setup at the Gran Oasis is almost an exact copy of that at the Green Garden, just doubled up. There are 200 one- and two-bedroom villas each with two floors, the only difference being, aside obviously from the number of rooms, that the two-bedroom villas are accessed by a flight of exterior stairs. It s also worth pointing out that only around half have been renovated, although the others should also be renewed before too long. On the first floor of all villas you'll find a bright, spacious living area complete with a full set of wicker furniture (table and chairs, sofa, armchairs, coffee table), a buffet on which is a regular television set and various lamps which, together with the tasteful upholstery, create a warm atmosphere at night. Adjacent to the living area is the balcony, a relatively large one with garden furniture and, sometimes, an astroturf type finish on its floor. If it has a view it will look out over the sea or the interior of the island and the hotel's pool area, which is actually quite pleasant with a lot of greenery in sight. Also on the top floor of the villas is the fully equipped and generously-sized kitchen with everything you need should you fancy cooking for yourself during your stay. The two-bedroom villas have the second bedroom (with two single beds and a wardrobe) and bathroom (with shower cubicle) on the first floor. Downstairs you'll find the master bedroom and en suite bathroom. Well-appointed, the bedroom features marble bedside tables, a baldaquin curtain above the bed, soft lighting and quality fabrics, while the bathroom is nicely tiled and boasts bathtub with shower, bidet and a good selection of toiletries well presented. Those with babies will be pleased to hear that there are protective stair gates available stop infants from tackling the interior flight of steps.

The hotel has just one buffet restaurant, Veranda, which is located at the end of the hotel lobby. The interior, although comfortable and welcoming, is fairly small, although there is a terrace on which guests many prefer to dine. It's true to say that the choice at both lunch and dinner is not huge, however the quality of the dishes are reasonable and the staff helps to make the experience of eating there a pleasant one. The breakfast offering is the usual mix of cold continental bites and warm dishes while several nights per week there is a themed dinner at the buffet including Canarian, Mexican, Oriental and Italian cuisine. For when 'hunger strikes' between meals, or indeed, if you fancy something light at lunchtime, then head to the pool bar at the far end of the pool area where there is always a good atmosphere and, more importantly, something to satisfy your appetite such as sandwiches and various kinds of beverages. The bar has a long undercover seating area where many people choose to spend time relaxing playing cards, reading or, in the evening, enjoying the evening's entertainment. For a refreshing ice cream then the place to head for is the 'Oh La La' parlour which also serves cakes, shakes and other sweet snacks. An additional bar in the lobby is open in winter.

The closest beach is Playa Las Vistas. Stretching for around a third of a mile, this beach is pretty flat and has plenty of loungers and parasols (available for a fee) and is close to a host of shops, bars and restaurants. It has a special decked area for disabled users, a water sports centre and very little wind.