Santa Catalina, A Royal Hideaway Hotel

“A Truly Grand Hotel”

Upon arrival, the aspect that hits you immediately is the sweeping driveway and wonderful original Canarian architecture. It really is a grand, traditional and imposing property. The staff at this hotel are friendly and welcoming - obviously well-trained and this is maintained for the duration of y… more

Upon arrival, the aspect that hits you immediately is the sweeping driveway and wonderful original Canarian architecture. It really is a grand, traditional and imposing property. The staff at this hotel are friendly and welcoming - obviously well-trained and this is maintained for the duration of your stay (in our case, ten days). The rooms are styled in accordance with the rest of the hotel decor - some brighter than others - we had four rooms to make the comparison. One aspect of the furnishings that would benefit from a change are the rather old-fashioned settees and armchairs in the suites. A colourful, modern replacement would brighten up the rooms - maybe with tartan cushions, that would fit in with a theme that runs through the staff's uniform. The roof terrace with one of three swimming pools is a stark contrast to the rest of the hotel, with ultra-modern decor and almost a Miami-vibe ambiance. A great place to sunbathe, relax and have a cocktail or two. In the evening a DJ hits the decks and the whole terrace comes alive. Breakfast is a lovely experience with attentive staff, a tasty omelette station and even a Spanish guitarist playing. As we were booked on half-board, we ate dinner in the main restaurant. Food was good, but over ten days became repetitive and we couldn't get in to the Michelin-starred alternative. However, the hotel manager, Manuel arranged all sorts of alternatives to keep our palates satisfied. On that note, whilst there are so many fantastic staff members to mention, Manuel is the shining star who will not only go the extra mile to keep guests happy, but also run a marathon. Thank you to all.

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“The Gem of Gems”

A good while since we reviewed one of our ultimate favourites……Hotel Santa Catalina. This is truly what 5 star hotels should be about. Excellent accommodation, old world charm, stunning architecture with modernised facilities. It reeks of quality from start to finish and gives most larger citie… more

A good while since we reviewed one of our ultimate favourites……Hotel Santa Catalina. This is truly what 5 star hotels should be about. Excellent accommodation, old world charm, stunning architecture with modernised facilities. It reeks of quality from start to finish and gives most larger cities a run for their money value wise. Our go to place to escape poor British weather, this really is one of the very,very best properties. Las Palmas….take a bow

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“Christmas sunshine break”

The hotel building is lovely and the room we stayed in was very comfortable - it included a balcony which proved to be a sun trap. I have seen another review which mentions a slight lack of privacy regarding the bathroom (in terms of the doors) which I agree with. The shower was excellent though. … more

The hotel building is lovely and the room we stayed in was very comfortable - it included a balcony which proved to be a sun trap. I have seen another review which mentions a slight lack of privacy regarding the bathroom (in terms of the doors) which I agree with. The shower was excellent though. The staff at the hotel were great: we dealt quite a bit with the Reception team; the concierge team; and the staff at one of the restaurants (1890 La Bodeguita). Everyone we dealt with was pleasant and happy to help. We also enjoyed delicious coffee at the main ground floor pool throughout our stay. The hotel is located a little out of town - I have seen other reviews mentioning a circa 40 minute walk to the old town. There is a bus stop along the main road outside the hotel: we made use of that to get to the old town in around 10 - 15 minutes. We also took a private tour to see nearby towns - Arucas and Firgas - and el roque nublo. The hotel group tours were fully booked so the concierge recommended this as an alternative option. Our driver, Sergio, was very friendly and a great tour guide. It's definitely worth seeing some of the lovely sights if you have a chance. In terms of downsides, it was disappointing to have to pay for water - I'd have thought that would be provided daily (it was only provided in the room on arrival). The upstairs bar area is only available to all hotel guests from 17:30 onwards and service can be a little slow. While breakfast was delicious, the huge selection felt a little overwhelming and it was quite chaotic, particularly at the egg station (the lovely chef clearly handles stressful situations well!) Overall, a lovely break.

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