Tenerife has never been on my list of places to go until recently. Hard Rock Hotel Tenerife kept coming up as recommended for a destination for sunshine destination in May. A good deal for just over £500.00 came up on Jet 2 holidays and we got it booked for the early May bank holiday.
We wanted somewhere hot, relaxing yet not too far away.
Jet 2 Holidays
This was our first time on a Jet 2 holiday/flight. Everything was easy and well communicated. Flights were on time and I would use them again. We also got a voucher to spend on the next holiday, a great way to encourage rebooking.
TIP: Once you book Jet 2 charge for practically any amendments even changing the board basis. So ensure you book the package you want.
For a few extra pounds, I highly recommend a private transfer – gets you to the hotel quicker and hassle free. Coach transfers are included with the package price but could take a while before you get to your hotel.
HARD ROCK hotel TENERIFE
Some Hard Rock Hotels are franchises and the one in Tenerife is too.
We booked on a Half Board Basis because the hotel is not near the main strip of Costa Adeje. There are a few restaurants around the hotel but the selection is minimal.
The hotel is suitable for all ages. I was not sure if it would be too loud/upbeat for my parents in terms of music but I can confirm that it was not. It was perfect.
There are 3 main pools. While we were there the Eden pool(adult only one) was being maintained so we could not use that one. The splash pool is more of a family pool. The Lagoon pool, which is by the beach is the best one. It is big and has a great vibe.
There is another pool (chargeable ) that is for Rock Royalty customers. We were not even allowed to see it because apparently you have to be in dressing robes while in the area. During the visit, at no point did the staff encourage us to upgrade to Rock Royalty. Whilst this was good because there was not pushy sales tactics it would have been nice to see what they actually get and if it was worth the upgrade.
The hotel has an airy lounge area and a few seating areas dotted around so you are never short of a seat indoors or outdoors.
Service during our stay was great. All staff were accommodating and happy to assist.
Rooms
We got upgraded to the Studio and it was a lovely room with a King bed. The room had a spacious seating area, whirlpool bath, a Bose sound system and a balcony which overlooked the main pool.
The room had a mini fridge, ironing board, a safe, robes & slippers. In terms of general amenities the key items were available.
Entertainment
The hotel has a kids, teens and sports area.
On the app (Hard Rock Hotel Tenerife) you can see the schedule for the activities. Do not expect a big list, especially for the sports activities.
In terms of general entertainment the hotel does not have a lot of this. Early to Late evenings they have some entertainment for children, like robots for about an hour after which they have a solo singer. This all takes place in the lounge.
Around the Splash & Lagoon Pool there is a DJ but that’s as far as the entertainment goes.
If you prefer a resort with an entertainment team and one that is more vibrant and lots of things to do then this may not be for you.
Food & Drink
The hotel has 3 fine a la carte restaurants, a buffet restaurants, a beach club, a sports lounge, a rooftop bar, a coffee shop and a bar area. There are plenty of spots for food and drink.
I cannot fault the food at Hard Rock Hotel Tenerife.
We booked on a half board basis. With this you get breakfast at Sessions (the main buffet restaurant) and dinner there too.
With dinner at Sessions, you get your first drink per person free. You can choose from soft drinks, beer, wine or cava.
On a Saturday night they have a BBQ at Sessions in addition to the buffet. The food was good here.
If you wish to dine at their other restaurants, you can do so and you will get 30 euros credit per person. You do not get a free drink at the other restaurants with the meal.
Montauk Steakhouse
On Monday we went to Montauk Steakhouse. The setting outdoor was beautiful. Sun was setting and a musician was playing in the background.
There are options for pescatarians and vegetarians here and it’s more than a steakhouse. The food portions are generous and food is delicious.
We went with the bbq ribs, slow cooked chicken & salmon. For four of us with drinks we paid around 35 euros after the 120 credit was taken. The service was great and would recommend having dinner here one day.
Narumi
On Tuesday we went for dinner to Narumi, an Asian restaurant. The service was great and we had delicious food. From Japanese to Thai, they have a selection of dishes.We had Gyozas, Bao Buns, Red and Yellow Curry and Pad Thai.
Portions were generous and flavours were spot on. The service was great and would recommend this as a dinner option too. For four of us, we paid 65 euros after the 120 credit was taken.
Please note you will not get any credit towards the Teppenyaki menu.
I noticed in both the above restaurants, those on all inclusive had to pay a surcharge. This applied to the bars too – not all the drinks were included in the all inclusive package. There was a surcharge for a lot of items.
One evening we went to The Sixteenth rooftop lounge. This is the perfect spot to watch the sun go down and have a few drinks. The vibe was great. Drinks come with complimentary snacks.
Tips on HARD ROCK HOTEL TENERIFE based on our experience:
- When looking at menus for the restaurants and pool bars in the hotel, majority of items incur a surcharge when booked on All inclusive. It’s worth checking whether the costs before booking the board basis
- Spa area: There is a pool in the spa area but it costs 25 euros for 90 minutes for non Rock Royalty guests. We weren’t even allowed to go and see it if we were not paying for the experience!
- The best pool seemed to be the Lagoon Pool. The Eden Pool, an adults only pool, was closed for maintenance whilst we were. The Lagoon pool was much bigger and had different types of loungers
- The weekends tend to be very busy at the hotel because the locals can buy a Day pass for the pool areas.
- There is a little beach area by the Lagoon pool. It’s a pebbly beach but still beautiful
- We got a Balize Bed by the Lagoon Pool, facing the beach on one of the days. It cost 108 euros and you normally get a bottle of Moët and Chandon and a fruit platter with it. I personally don’t think it’s a good policy because it basically means these beds are only available for those who drink champagne. I spoke to guest services and as the Eden Pool was closed they said they would let us have what drinks we wanted for the 108 euros (which is about 8 cocktails and water). Between 4 people this was fine. The fact that people are willing to pay and not able to book these beds should make them change their policy.
- There is a little beach area by the Lagoon pool. It’s a pebbly beach but still beautiful
- If you want a hotel with a lot of entertainment, this may not be the best one to choose. They barely have entertainment or sports activities. This was fine for us. They have kids and teen clubs but there is no entertainment team. Everything they offer is on the app – Hard Rock Tenerife.
OTHER TENERIFE TIPS
- It costs around 16 euros in a taxi to the main town of Costa Adeje where there is a beautiful beach and a lot more buzz.
- There are a couple of supermarkets across the road from the hotel where you can buy water etc from. Water is provided only at breakfast (for guests on Half Board). You can fill your water bottles with this.
- All taxis charge the same and are on a meter and they accept card payments.
