Changing mature destinations

By Luke Durden in Destination

The Balearic Islands, Benidorm, Eastern Spain, Marbella, Malaga coast or the Canary Islands are usually called the mature tourist destinations in Spain. Overexploited tourist areas are called mature areas, where average age of hotel facilities is over a decade and they offer traditional holiday concepts from the 60s.

A lot of areas are starting their reconversion and a renewal process to offer travellers new attractions apart from their natural resources (amazing beaches).

Views from IBEROSTAR Bahía de Palma Hotel

Views from IBEROSTAR Bahía de Palma Hotel

 

A great example of a mature tourist area is Playa de Palma, offering a great location in Majorca, near the centre of Palma (ten minutes drive) and the airport, and with the biggest beach in Palma Bay. The developments made by the private sector in this area are committed to the hospitality industry. Therefore, there’s an increasing number of spa hotels in Playa de Palma like IBEROSTAR Hotels & Resorts, which offers a different type of hotel for each traveller group: Adults Only hotels, athlete hotels, family hotels in Playa de Palma… Their hotels meet all travellers needs.
The other mature tourist destinations are committed to develop higher quality hotels offering more competitive facilities and attracting travellers with high purchasing power.  We are talking about areas of family hotels in Costa Adeje, the exclusive Adults Only hotels in Costa Adeje, the hotels in Marbella and other places in Costa del Sol -mostly addressed to golf travellers- and some exclusive areas in Benidorm.

 

The complementary offer is also increasing: more beach clubs, chill outs and new bars and restaurants oriented to people looking for exclusive places with a relaxing atmosphere at the beach.  Design cafes, international brand shops, sport schools offering a wide range of activities (for example cycle tourism in Playa de Palma is really important, and hotels have special facilities for cyclists).

The public sector still needs to be more committed to this new business development in Spain, as tourism remains as the main economic activity in areas like Majorca, the Canary Islands or Benidorm. This could accelerate these changes and the new direction of the tourism industry, but we are on the right track.

Enjoy Fuerteventura with your family at Iberostar

By Loren in Family holidays

This beautiful island in the amazing Canary Islands offers you a wide range of familiy activities. It’s known as the “quiet island” and families are expecting it to give them the renewed vigour to face all future problems. It’s the island of contrasts and impressive landscapes. Famous for Tindaya’s Mountain, where local aborigines used to show reverence to it, as they considered it magical.

Fuerteventura is also called the island of the mills, as its flat but sometimes undulating terrain was perfect to build mills that use the power of the wind to grind the flour included in many typical dishes in the island.

Tindaya Mountain, Fuerteventura

Tindaya Mountain, Fuerteventura; picture: holaislascanarias.com

Iberostar gives you the opportunity to explore this wonderful and unique island.

Available Iberostar hotels

Iberostar offers you three amazing hotels in Fuerteventura, where you can spend a memorable holiday with your kids.

These 4-star hotels are located at the same beach in Fuerteventura, where the sun rises every day and you will enjoy this amazing moment with your family.

What to see in Fuerteventura with your family?

There are many must-see places in Fuerteventura. Below you can find a list of the must-visit places that your family cannot miss, especially if you have children or if you want to have a great time with your couple:

  • Oasis Park: a themed tropical park in La Lajita. 150 hectares home to hundreds of species. Giraffes, chimpanzees, gorillas, crocodiles and the biggest herd of camels in Europe live together in Oasis Park in Fuerteventura. There are crocodiles and sea lions shows every day, which will amaze the whole family. Its botanic garden hosts one of the biggest cactus in Europe.
  • Acua Water Park: popular water park in Corralejo, Fuerteventura. There are lots of water slides, wave pools,… Everything you need to have fun on hot days in the island.
  • Windsurf: Fuerteventura is full of incredible places to practice windsurf. Every place is perfect. no necesitas preguntar el lugar perfecto para hacer windsurf en Fuerteventura. Todos los lugares son perfectos. For this reason, Fuerteventura hosts windsurf world championships.

What to eat in Budapest?

By Loren in gastronomic hotels

This post is dedicated to gourmet lovers wherever they travel. Those adventurous palates willing to taste everything and experiencing new flavours and typical dishes even in places hidden to tourists. Those who want to live their holidays to the fullest. Particularly, we dedicate it to those travelling to Hungary this summer and dying for an accommodation in Budapest. Here’s a piece of the best Hungarian gastronomy to pamper your palates.

You cannot leave Hungary without tasting a good Goulash. This is the most international dish and one of the most delicious stews you can taste in the world. It’s only suitable for meat-eaters and those who like spicy food. Although it’s not too greasy, it’s really hearty so you will feel full easily. There are many places where you can taste it, but if you are an expert gourmet, you must try Hungarikum Bistro or visit Grand Hotel Budapest restaurant , where this dish is excellent. Stay at least one night in this hotel in the centre of Hungary’s capital: its rooms in Budapest are amazing and this hotel also includes one of the best Spa centres in Budapest.

Borkakas Restaurant, Iberostar Grand Hotel Budapest

Borkakas Restaurant, Iberostar Grand Hotel Budapest

There’s nothing better than Hungarian rices…. Are you surprised? Not just in Valencia know about rice. Rice tradition in Budapest is long-standing and they create great dishes with this ingredient, such as rice and meat balls accompanied by tejföl, chicken with rice and paprika, the colourful rice salad (includes yellow rice) with pepper, raisins, dried tomatoes, parsley; Hungarian style rice with mussels…

Everything cooked with…tejföl (bitter cream essential in the typical Hungarian sauces) is worth tasting. Its intensive and delicious flavour combines with everything -meat, fish or vegetables- and it’s the perfect garnish for the traditional Hungarian gnocchi, which are smaller than the italian ones.

 

Playa Pilar Beach, the most beautiful beach in Cuba

By Luke Durden in Uncategorized

Playa Pilar Beach is world-renowned as the best beach in Cuba. Located in one of the best preserved islets in the Cuban archipelago Jardines del Rey (Cayo Guillermo, next to Cayo Coco), this beach is a hidden oasis of calm, fine white sand, lazy coconut palms, crystal clear waters and, facing it, a beautiful island that gives way to the second largest barrier reef in the world.

A tropical paradise to immerse yourself and forget about the rest of the world. Perfect to escape from the routine and relax. There is little tourism infrastructure and the environment is pure jungle, paths and beaches, with only 4-5 resorts that have been settled in the area and provide all the services that the visitor may need, but without disrupting  the magic that can only be found in Pilar Beach.

Water sports like scuba diving and windsurfing are outstanding in this area of Cuba, as well as sport fishing (in fact, every year, close to Cayo Guillermo, one of the most important sport fishing competitions in the world is celebrated), canoe routes or hiking.

Enjoying its tranquillity and the beauty of the landscape of Playa Pilar Beach is a luxury and little or nothing has to do with the Caribbean crowd that can be found in other famous tourist spots in Cuba. Pilar Beach is conceived to relax and make the most of your free time doing all those things that we can do because of routines and work. You visit Pilar Beach to give yourself a few days of rest and relaxation, to lie down all day in hammocks on the beach, to swim, float, and sunbathe. To smile every morning and say to yourself that paradise exists.

 

Hotel Iberostar Playa Pilar, Cuba

Hotel Iberostar Playa Pilar, Cuba

 

What to see in Playa Pilar:

Cayo Guillermo Dunes

Colonies of flamingos

The barrier reef

Cayo Media Luna

Cayo Guillermo Natural Park

Accommodation in Pilar Beach:

One of the last resorts opened in Cayo Guillermo is IBEROSTAR Playa Pilar Hotel, the only one which is located right in Pilar Beach, with direct access to its paradise of white sands and turquoise waters, surrounded by tropical vegetation and perfectly integrated in the environment. Its Cuban-inspired architectural style, Caribbean nature and soft colours give it that unmistakable touch of oasis of peace created for those travellers that really want to enjoy the destination.

The rooms and suites in Pilar Beach in this exclusive resort of IBEROSTAR Hotels & Resorts chain combine the innovative design of this company, with cutting-edges facilities, and Cuban Caribbean style. In this way, they provide a place of relaxation and comfort full of authenticity that allows guests to be constantly connected to the roots and traditions of this amazing place in Jardines del Rey.

Services in Playa Pilar Beach offered by this resort are the complement that this area of Cayo Guillermo needed, because they offer the facilities to make the most of its attractions: local cuisine, water sports, activities to discover its most hidden treasures… In addition, common areas (bars, restaurants, terraces…) designed in full detail to avoid contrasts which ruin the charm of this paradise.

To take advantage of the offers in this hotel in Pilar Beach, you just need to visit the IBEROSTAR Hotels & Resorts official website and arrange the accommodation directly from there: besides ensuring the lowest price online, all guests can personally communicate with the hotel, avoiding intermediaries.

Playa Gaviotas, luxury at a good price

By Loren in Fuerteventura

Today’s post is dedicated to the IBEROSTAR Playa Gaviotas Hotel, one of the 3 hotels in Jandía managed by the Majorcan hotel company IBERORSTAR Hotels & Resorts, of which we have talked before in our blog. In this case, we have chosen a family hotels next to Matorral beach, which has received good reviews especially because it can offer luxury services a very affordable prices.

It is a 4-star hotel in Playa Gaviotas, one of the quietest beach areas in the south of Fuerteventura, with more complete tourist services. It is very close to the famous Matorral beach, you only have to walk the promenade of this coast to easily arrive there. Gaviotas beach is the smaller but more suitable for those travelling with children, since it gives you the possibility to enjoy the sea at one step from the hotel. At the Matorral beach, whose dune area is being regenerated, we do not find hotels next to the sea.

Hotel IBEROSTAR en Playas Gaviotas

Another outstanding characteristic of this resort at the seaside in jandía is the All-inclusive service and the Premium version: Star Prestige, which gives the possibility to enjoy personalised holidays with top quality, comfort and attention for a bit higher accommodation rate. According to its individual website, this VIP plan includes free wifi, bar with dinks and fruits during the entire day, a special room to relax, Bali beds for each customer, late check-out, access to private swimming pool and VIP solarium, free newspaper…

Nevertheless, general services of this hotel in Jandía represent an interesting and varied range: spa, babysitter, daily entertainment for all ages, sports such as scuba diving in the Atlantic Sea, special services for children, gym, shows, meeting rooms… Everything you can need.

It is worth mentioning the breakfast, since it is one of the few hotels in this area of Jandía that serves it in flexible breakfast hours, until midday, so you don’t have to get up early to enjoy the buffet, which includes show cooking and hot dishes.

Rooms are also worth of attention. Although decoration is nothing special, they are really spacious, with natural light, and most of them have furnished terrace, many of them with sea view. Their most exclusive room in Jandía is the suite, specially recommended for those who want a private and quiet holiday with everything within reach.

For further information about this hotel, we recommend you to visit their website or the official page of IBEROSTAR Hotels & Resorts.  There you have the best price online guaranteed and, in case of finding a lower rate in other booking website, the hotel chain is committed to make the price equal, and apply a 5% discount.

Urban hotels: the Pinterest model

By Loren in Urban Hotels

How many times have you been in a hotel and you couldn’t resist to upload a photo to Instagram because it was incredibly beautiful?  Many? So you are probably a traveller that prefer a hotel in the city, an urban tourist that have travelled a lot and is demanding. Yes, a Pinterest model that appreciate design, architecture, spaces, décor details, daily art, the magic of those places where you always leave a trace.

Pinterest is one of the social networks with fastest growing and, despite the years, it has not lose an inch of interest from its users, gaining always more followers, collecting some of the best images in the world in terms of interior design, architecture, fashion and decoration. Pinterest has created its own style: crystalline, bright, full of attractive details, small touches of craftsmanship coexist with the most frenzied technology and modernity. Colours, forms, textures…

The Pinterest model is the model that prevails in shops, coffee shops, restaurants and hotels from all over the world.  First Ikea with its Nordic taste. Now this style between hipster, naif and minimal. When you arrive to a hotel perfectly decorated and designed according to the basic canons of this social network, it is almost irresistible to share that detail that captivate us with the rest of our followers. It is impossible. It is necessary.

Hotels know this and have seen it. The coffee shop recently renovated, investing in decoration, in furniture and curtains. The coffee shop full of visitors, although coffee is more expensive. Well, it is the same with accommodations.  As we have previously mentioned, this is more usual in urban hotels, not only because the tendency has been implemented before, but because coastal and beach hotels are always fighting with the beauty of the surrounding landscape: the sea that captivate everyone. Besides, it is not easy to transfer the Pinterest design to traditional beach resorts, where tropical model still prevails. Now, we must bear in mind that this is what many of their visitors are looking for.

This is different in cities. That design and décor invites and evoke experiences. It offers an extra benefit to guests, a differential touch that leads them to share, to think: I want everyone to see this incredible hotel where I am. We are not talking about services or about the deep details, we are talking about the superficial, the image. It is true that the image without a good service is not useful at all.  But we must also recognise that those who are investing in this type of design hotels are doing it really well.

Searching in portfolios, we have found some Catalonia Hotels: design hotels in Barcelona, some of them are business hotels; hotels in the centre of Barcelona offering fashionable services such as rooftop pool, Japanese restaurant, gym, spa, beauty salon… Everything in one accommodation (in this case, Catalonia Barcelona Plaza). More examples: Catalonia Sagrada Familia and Catalonia Ramblas.

We cannot forget Petit Palace: hotels such as Museum Barcelona are a treasure not only of the Pinterest model (it is impossible not to share the beauty of its spaces) but also of the Barcelona’s modernism, since this hotel is situated in the old Garriga Nogués house, one step away from Ciutat Vella. But in Madrid is where we find the most outstanding ones: the emblematic Posada del Peine, with an exquisite refurbishment; Art Gallery or Embassy Serrano can fill the Instagram gallery of any self-respecting traveller.

Even hotels with a lower category such a modern hostels (Generator Hostel in Barcelona, for example) are joining this fashion. And they are even competing with really affordable prices. Big chains of beach resorts are beginning to apply this tendency: IBEROSTAR Hotels & Resorts has just opened this year a renovated and charming hotel in La Gran Vía, next to Barrio de los Poetas, following this trend: IBEROSTAR Las Letras, with a rooftop where you can contemplate the centre of Madrid.

Some may think this is a passing fashion or a simple detail, but in our opinion this is an extra benefit you should appreciate. And it is on the rise.

Fuerteventura Family hotels: beach, sand, water and tons of fun in the Playa Gaviota Park

By Loren in Fuerteventura

Share with your family in the hotel IBEROSTAR Playa Gaviotas Park, a place that offers us great facilities (plenty activities for all tastes and all ages) and a lovely beach, the perfect places to spend holiday.

The beaches of the Fuerteventura Island gather millions of children, families and couples during the year. There is a 4 star family and couples hotel in one of the most touristic zones of Playa Jandía. Enjoy the view, the warm weather and peace of mind, the right place to have some fun. If you’re looking where to spend an unmatchable holiday full of fun activities, Playa Gaviotas Park is the perfect accommodation for you and your loved ones.

Family hotel in Fuerteventura

Family hotel in Fuerteventura

Looking for a place where you have to do nothing, but relax and enjoy? This hotel in Fuerteventura has just the right formula for the perfect plan: fun+unique environment=the perfect plan. Break the monotony and get away to enjoy yourself with all kind of services and entertainments: ping pong, water polo, aerobics, beach volleyball, football, and many others. Enjoy not only the island recreations, but its flavour as well. Do you have a soft spot for food? Do you believe the way to your heart is through your stomach? The gastronomy is one of the hotel’s specialty (and delightful too). Restaurants are famous thanks to their Spain and international cuisine with Canary typical dishes that are a whole new experience to please your palate. Tempting isn’t it?

This all inclusive family hotel in Playa Jandía has a million of activities to enjoy with family as well as offering different sports, and an incredible spa to harmonize your body and mind leading you to an absolute comfort. Are you excited to have a unique place where you can be 100% relaxed? In here you can have a Thai Zen Sensations session with our therapeutic staff specialized in zen massages, facial treatments, body wrap treatment, water treatments, among others.

Rejoice yourself in the best places of the island with our hotels, a place that has it all: a cozy environment with a modern touch. The Playa Gaviotas Park has 206 bedrooms with all the amenities you need. (134 suites… 56 junior suites and 16 senior suits) distributed in 6 floors, several restaurants and open terraces, disco, shows, bars, parties, and engulfing environment with a good vibe.

Life is not about fairy tales, it’s about memories that brings us those little details that worth live them. The Iberostar Playa Gaviotas Park bets for a memorable unique experience. Are up to?

Come to our website and book now for an unmatchable Price. Hurry up and start living the best family holiday! This is the best choice when it comes to enjoy the beach, the sun, the water, the sand, all at the same time.

 

 

GASTRONOMIC CYCLE “WOMEN WITH STAR”

By Luke Durden in gastronomic hotels

The Majorcan hotel chain Iberostar Hotels & Resorts is organising, as part of their commitment to offer their guests unique experiences, a gastronomic cycle with the best known female chefs in Spain called “Women with a Star”. The venue chosen for this gastronomic event is the island of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, in one of  the most spectacular hotels of the chain, the Iberostar Grand Mencey Hotel.

Women with a Star

“Women with a Star”

This initiative is part of the many proposals already offered by the hotel and its Cookery Classroom, managed by the Canarian Chef Juan Carlos Clemente. Without a doubt, the Grand Mencey is a reference for gastronomic hotels in Tenerife. At the same time, the hotel also has 3 other restaurants and 3 bars, considered as some of the best restaurants in Tenerife.

This gastronomic cycle was inaugurated the 7th of September, featuring the Galician chef Beatriz Sotelo, from the restaurant A Estacion, with a Michelin Star. The Master Class aimed to  bring the world of haute cuisine to Tenerife, as well as some of the most emblematic dishes of this restaurant located in the old railway station of Cambre, Galicia.

Chef Macarena de Castro

Chef Macarena de Castro

The mont of October is reserved for the Majorcan chef Macarena de Castro, from the restaurant Jardin in Alcudia, Majorca. The Master Class of this Michelin Star chef will be held under the title “Pure Mediterranean Sea”. On Saturday 26th of October, starting at 11.30, the attendees will enjoy the cooking class of this renowned chef and will then be able to enjoy a degustation menu, including a wine pairing.

The cycle of “Women with a Star” is open to the public and can reservations can be made through the website of the restaurant La Cocina del Mencey. Places are limited, and due to the great success of the previous event, we recommend you book in advance. This gastronomic cycle aims to bring the world of fine dinning restaurants to Tenerife.

The Thai Zen SPAce at the Iberostar Gaviotas Park

By Luke Durden in Spa & Wellness Hotels

When choosing a hotel, the facilities and services offered by the hotel have a growing influence among travellers. The conversion factor fluctuates towards the smaller details that make a difference in an accommodation, rather than the traditional aspects relating to rooms or even, the destination. The large amount of competition nowadays, in destinations such as the Balearic Islands, Canary Islands or the south of Spain, make them determining factors.

The hotel industry in Spain is and has been a pioneer in many aspects, something that they have managed to export in their expansions throughout other areas of great tourist interest, such as the North of Africa or the Caribbean. One of those great advances has been the determination to offer services orientated to health and wellbeing tourism.

Iberostar Playa Gaviotas Park

Iberostar Playa Gaviotas Park

Wellness area, spa centres, beauty treatments, relaxing rooms… All these services were initially extremely demanded by the clients of luxury hotels but, with time, have become almost a necessity for those hotels that want to offer their clients an experience beyond accommodation.

One of those spaces created to offer that extra quality to their guests is the Thai Zen SPAce at Iberostar hotels. Most concretely, in this post we will evaluate the Thai Zen SPAce of a beach hotel in Fuerteventura, the Iberostar Gaviotas Park Hotel, that combines the services of a hotel for couples with the best details of a hotel for families in Playa Jandia.

Hotel con spa fuerteventura

THAI ZEN SPACE

The spa centre is only accessible for over 16 year olds and offers Jacuzzi, a thermal circuit, saunas, aromatic showers, feet pealing… A complete centre regarding installations and professional service, something very unique as in many hotels it is frequent for these type of wellness services not to find specialised staff.

Nonetheless, the element that makes the difference in this spa is its massage menu and therapeutic treatments, based on ancestral well being techniques that originated in Asia. A combination of actions that aim to relax body and mind and offer clients a unique experience.

Who is Luke Durden?