A new look at an old favourite

I was lucky enough to travel to the Island of Gran Canaria in June courtesy of the Spanish Tourist board. Although I had been before, many years earlier, I didn't stray far from my hotel which was such a shame as this lovely island is very diverse and well worth exploring.

We were based in the south of the island in Melonares, close to the sands dunes of Maspalomas. A lovely promenade now links these two areas, and offers lots of bars restaurants and shops along the sea front.

Our hotel for the duration was the Seaside Palm Beach, a member of the design hotels group. This hotel is in a quiet area, but within easy walking distance of amazing beaches, bars and nightlife. The hotel was very comfortable, service was excellent, the staff made our stay extremely comfortable. The food in particular was of a very high standard, breakfast especially was excellent with huge variety.

On our first full day we travelled up through the interior of the island, starting in the very dry southern part most popular with tourists, and driving up to almost 2000 metres in the very centre to see the spectacular views of their mini "Grand Canyon" and the Roque Nublo which stands as one of the tallest points of the island. Quite remarkable that in the centre and the north of the island it is so much greener with pine forests and palm trees, in fact the island boasts over 1000 species of flora that are exclusive to the island.

We visited the capital Las Palmas on our second day, to learn more about Christopher Columbus and the importance that the Canary Islands played in the discovery of the New World. A visit to Columbus House and a tour of the beautiful old part of Las Palmas is definitely recommended. We stopped at one of the indoor markets and were blown away by the rich variety of fruits and vegetables on display.

Our third day took us on a boat trip along the coast, past the hilly resort to the lovely quaint Puerto Mogan. Referred to as "little Venice" this beautiful low rise resort is built around a harbour, and is a charming low key destination perfect for a relaxing holiday with lots of small boutiques and restaurants. Even if you don't stay here it would be well worth a day trip.

Lunch on that day was at the spectacular Gloria Palace Amadores with stunning sea views. The hotel is built above a perfect beach of golden sand and would be an ideal family destination.

Our trip might have been fairly short but we saw a lot of this lovely island, and visited a great variety of hotels. Wherever we went the food was excellent, and the hospitality superb. Gran Canarian hotels are currently experiencing a boom in bookings even in the summer which is considered their low season, and it's not hard to understand why. Highly recommended! Contact me on 01905 888450 for further hotel recommendations.