My husband and I decided to move the family to Europe for a couple of years to give our kids some…read moreculture. As our time is coming to an end, we decided to book an all inclusive holiday with Thomson in England. They found us a great 7 day vacation in Tenerife and seeing as we have a family of 5, they booked us accommodations at the HD Parque Cristobal Bungalows. This is not a typical hotel as we have our own private bungalow for our family and they offer many different free activities in the resort. We went with the all inclusive deal so not everything I mention may be available to all guests. There is a restaurant which serves breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner. It is buffet style and there really is something for everyone. Plus they have theme nights, Asian, BBQ, Canarian, etc. For all inclusive guests there are free drinks for adults also at the pool bar which is open until 11 PM. Beer, mixed drinks and wine are available along with soft drinks, coffee, tea and hot chocolate. There is an interactive calendar in the lobby to find out what is going on in the hotel. Every night at 9 there is entertainment in the downstairs bat that is appropriate for all ages. They also have a masseuse come by one of the pools during the day and offer some spa services. Two large pools, two kids pools and a jacuzzi on the grounds along with a kids entertainment clubhouse and a gym. Staff was very nice and friendly, always treating us when we walked in the restaurant or throughout the resort. Some cons: beds are hard, this is something I have come to expect from Europe as every hotel I have been at in Europe has hard beds...so this may not be a con to European travelers. Not many Americans visit this place as was evident by a lot of the staff telling us. I am pretty sure we were the only Americans here, not ideal for Americans who are trying to blend in....I really don't see this as a con, but some may. Pools are only open from 1000-1800. I feel they could stay open a little later. Overall I really liked this place, it is not a 5 star stuffy place, it's it meant for families and it provided me a great week of relaxation.

Just arrived today. This is a five star resort. I look forward to reporting back about the…read moreamenities and food.

Not a purpose built Riu. We expected the same facilities etc that we had in Riu Cancun, but sadly…read moreno. Not at all what we expected. The hotel was at the bottom of a hill so if you you didn't have a car it was quite a long hike up and nothing at the top apart from a main road. There was a village in the bay along but that was just British pubs and souvenir shops. Back to the hotel. The staff were amazing. We were celebrating our wedding anniversary and my birthday. They booked us into a direct sea view room and on my birthday delivered a bottle of champagne and 2 champagne flutes. We booked a table in the themed restaurant and they treated us like royalty. Excellent staff. Shame about the facilities and location of the hotel.

From the owner: The Hotel Riu Buenavista, located within the Playa Paraíso resort, boasts stunning sea views. This…read more24-hour all-inclusive hotel in Tenerife stands out as one of the best hotels on the island, offering you the exclusive services of RIU Hotels & Resorts so you can enjoy a true holiday experience. This 24-hour all-inclusive hotel has more than 500 rooms fitted with everything you need for maximum comfort. All the rooms have air conditioning, satellite TV, a safe and a balcony or terrace, among many other features. And if you want to cool off and bask in the island sunshine, the Hotel Riu Buenavista has 4 swimming pools with sun loungers for you to choose from, so you can relax to your heart's content. But if you prefer the sea, you can head to the beach, which is just a short distance from the hotel.

First I would like to say this hotel is in the perfect location. The moment we (my mom) and I…read morewalked in the front door, it was like the staff would move mountains to make this the perfect vacation. The room was great with views of the beach and marina. The breakfast and dinner were satisfying as well. I have to throw a shout out to Yassin,David, Miguel and Tamara in the bar and restaurant, you guys were fabulous. I honestly believe the highlight to this hotel is a lovely lady named Renate. She is by far the best front desk agent I have ever encountered. From the moment we walked in till the very moment we left she not only became a friend, but I felt like she was my personal assistant. :) Thanks again for a great vacation!! JIll San Diego, Ca.

From the owner: The Hotel Riu Vistamar is located on a cliff with incredible views of the sea. In this hotel in…read morePuerto Rico, Gran Canaria, you'll find free WiFi, a varied gastronomic offer, fun entertainment programmes and the best 24-hour All-Inclusive service of RIU Hotels & Resorts. The more than 450 rooms of the Hotel Riu Vistamar have the best amenities for you to enjoy your stay with us, such as air conditioning, a mini-fridge, and a balcony with lovely views of the sea. And, among the facilities of this hotel in Puerto Rico, Gran Canaria, you'll find a pool for babies and two outdoor swimming pools for luxuriating in the warm climate of the Canary Islands on your holiday. And if you want to visit the Playa de Amadores beach, located less than two miles from the hotel, we provide a free bus service for getting there. At the Hotel Riu Vistamar you'll also have the chance to enjoy authentic gastronomic experiences thanks its varied culinary offer. In the Amadores restaurant, you'll savour wonderful breakfasts at the buffet with show cooking stations; at the Kai restaurant, you'll discover delicious Asian dishes; and at Sea Breeze, you'll get to try the best recipes from Canarian cuisine. Plus, in the bars in the hotel, you'll find a wide variety of snacks and appetisers.

A good sized beach resort made up of two hotels, the Mediterranean Palace and Cleopatra Palace…read more The Mediterranean is a bigger resort, with lots of rooms, however they are very old inside. They should have been upgraded years ago. However, the central lobby area and the huge chandeliers are quite amazing to see at night. It also has a huge central party pool, is kid friendly, and has lots of activities. The tennis and gym are an extra cost. There's entertainment for a couple of hours at night (such as a singer). The Cleopatra is more suited to adults with a quieter environment with more modern architecture and nicer rooms. The pool is outstanding, as well as the Spa (extra charge) where we had a nice massage and hung out in the salt water pool, sauna, and steam room. The breakfast here is much better here than at the Mediterranean. Both hotels are located directly across from the beautiful Playa del Camisón beach. You can easily get towels at the resort, then walk across to the beach and hang out there for the day. As a guest of the main resort, you can use the facilities at either hotel. Staff here are nice, Eva, Miriam, and Julia were amazing and easy to talk to-hats off to them. But, I do want to mention that all staff at the desks seem to have been trained to be in a sales-type role. Anytime you ask for things, there's usually a mention of an extra charge. I think if they charged a bit more for the room and weren't so concerned about getting guests to pay extra for little things (like the fitness room, tennis, etc), it would make for an even better resort experience!