If you’re after a place that’s relaxed, slow moving and toasty enough to crack out the bikini, then Costa Adeje, Tenerife, during the last 3 weeks of December will suit you to a T.
Costa Adeje is in the South West of Tenerife and part of the Canary Islands. It’s most likely you’ll land at Tenerife South airport and it is then a quick journey to your hotel and depending on who you’ve booked with, it’s also likely that you’ve got a bus or coach waiting to whisk you straight to your hotel.
As hinted in its name, Costa Adeje, is right by the sea. It’s not hard to find the sea either – you just need to walk away from the giant looming Mount Teide in the background. If you don’t mind dirty looking sand, then the beaches are pleasant. For some of them, sand has been imported from the Sahara desert, but they still look a bit grimy. However, don’t let that deter you.
There is a fight between the greenery and the concrete. The tough, short grass is carefully placed, as are the sub-tropical palms and bushes. The shops are touristy, reek of tack yet are worth a stroll around. Old people are everywhere (and by old*, I mean people over 50 – apologies to anyone I offend) so be prepared for a few tuts at breakfast time (especially if you bring your laptop down), dangerously placed walking sticks and a traffic jam in narrow corridors. However, they are delightfully charming sometimes grumpy, yet for the most part, hugely friendly. Personally, I much prefer the wheezing and creaking of joints to the drunken, badly behaved chavs that I feared would be found roaming the place. Luckily, I don’t think school had finished for winter just yet…
Where to stay in Costa Adeje
I can only comment on the Bahia Princess hotel, but I would highly recommend it. It looks ridiculous from the outside, especially if you approach it in the dark – tall, lanky columns frame the entrance, but it is impressive.
If you plan to visit in the run-up towards Christmas, the decorations are amazing. Fake snow seems to have been carefully placed on everything and anything, there is a Christmas tree centerpiece, complete with fuzzy deer, cherubs hang from the ceiling and even the pictures on the wall haven’t escaped the Christmas cheer.
The rooms are spacious and clean, the staff are helpful (there seem to be a lot of them!), the food is hugely varied and appears fresh, there are enough pools and sun loungers to go around and it’s in a good location. Read a more in-depth review of the Bahia Princess hotel here >
Things to do in Costa Adeje
Costa Adeje was set up for tourists. It’s the island’s main source of revenue so there’s plenty of activities to keep you busy, such as whale watching, submarine rides and also shows. Whilst I didn’t get round to doing everything (I was only here a week!) I have shared with you the things that I did. If however, you’re after a spot of culture, you may need to hunt harder.
- Local markets
- Walk to La Coleta
- Teide by Night
- Cycling
- Siam Water Park
- Take a walk around Barranco de Infierno
There are full descriptions of each activity here >
The food in Tenerife
Due to a lack of exploration and interest on our part (the food at the hotel will more than keep you happy), there weren’t any restaurants of note. Having said that, if you’re a fan of chips, fish and also steak, you’ll be fine. Having said that, there were two places we ate at outside our hotel, on recommendations from the Thomson reps and they were fantastic: Restaurante Sebastian – great paella, smiley waiters with carefully prepared and fresh food. Otelo – cheap and cheerful with great views. Famous for their fried chicken and chips!
What’s the temperature like in Costa Adeje in December?
Don’t do what I did and pack winter clothes. Even though I had looked up the weather reports and seen it say a balmy 20’, my winter mind just couldn’t comprehend this. It’s warm enough to wear a dress during the day – and most definitely bikini weather. Just take a cardigan or scarf for slightly chillier times, such as mornings and evenings. If you do decide to visit Tenerife following my review, please let me know if it was useful!
The holiday I went on was via Thomson, cost around £350 including flights, hotel, half-board (breakfast and dinner) and transfers.
* I have also classified ‘old’ by their ability to drink, stay up late and be rowdy. Whilst I know many people who can do several of these things, none of them can do all and so I know they are not too much of a threat to my sleep.
Please note: this is a personal view of my experience of Cost Adeje. If you disagree on any point, then I would love to hear about it. I am also sorry if I have in some way offended anyone.
Leave a Reply