HD Parque Cristobal Tenerife

HD Parque Cristobal Tenerife is a family-oriented compound ideally located in the middle of Playa de las Americas, one row back from the beach. In a tourist zone where in-your-face hotels announce themselves with neon rooftop signs and can't-miss entryways, Parque Cristobal's front door is almost confusingly discreet. Its revolving glass door is tucked into a single-story strip mall, between a Sunglass City and a Mont Blanc watch store. 

This extremely modest entry point is an accurate indicator of the low-key nature of the entire compound. It's set up like a small village, with one-story structures and several pools and sports areas scattered throughout grassy gardens. Paved sidewalks and stepping stone walkways lead to the rooms, which are simple whitewashed cube-style buildings. This bungalow concept is unusual in Playa de las Americas, an area where most hotels are big-box balconied buildings. But Parque Cristobal's low-rise layout doesn't mean it's not lively: a digital concierge in the lobby lists day's agenda, which might include water polo, yoga, sangria workshops, rifle shooting, shuffleboard, and football tournaments, and live entertainment is staged every night in a subterranean nightclub. 

The enclosed grounds mean that kids can rove about freely with newly acquired friends without parents' constant concern. For this reason, and because of its easy stroller access, Parque Cristobal is first and foremost for families with children -- from Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Scandinavia, and Great Britain -- who tend to stay for 10 days on average. The family guest base results in fewer repeat guests than neighboring hotels, since the young families drawn to Parque Cristobal eventually age out. (However, guests who stayed at the hotel as children may return years later with their own children. And even with many years between visits, it's possible that returning guests might recognize Parque Cristobal's head of housekeeping, who has been with the hotel for four decades.)

Situated on the second line from the sea, directly behind the H10 Las Palmeras, Parque Cristobal is in the center of Playa de la Americas' commercial district. It is a three-minute walk to the nearest beach, and the epic seafront promenade that runs for miles along the shore. The hotel's super central location on a main vein means finding an Irish pub, fish 'n' chips joint, dive shop, surf store, car rental, perfume outlet, or pharmacy is a breeze. A Dialprix grocery store is just across the street, so guests can stock their kitchenettes as they please, and a tourist information center is a one-minute walk away. Siam Park and Siam Mall can both be reached in under 15 minutes by car, and Tenerife South Airport can be reached in under 20 minutes by car. 

Every room at Parque Cristobal occupies a tidy, single-story bungalow with a whitewashed exterior and a grassy front yard. The bungalows are available in five categories: One-Bedroom, Two-Bedroom, Premier One-Bedroom, Premier Two-Bedroom, and Kid Suites. All are essentially identical in terms of look and feel, with the main differences being the number of bedrooms and the presence of air-conditioning (Premier rooms and Kid Suites come with it, others do not, though AC units are available to rent). 

All rooms feature tan tile floors, sage-colored wood furniture, ceiling fans, and 32-inch Samsung flat-screen TVs with 80-plus channels. Well-stocked kitchenettes open to the living rooms, and come with dining tables, marble counters, mini-fridges, microwaves, cooktops, coffeemakers, kettles, and toasters. Bathrooms have shower/tub combos and bidets. 

Kid Suites were renovated in 2015 (the hotel is in the process of adding more), and come with changing tables, high chairs, bottle warmers, and food processors. Their colorful second bedrooms feature two beds, beanbag chairs, and PlayStation 2s. Kid Suites are more centrally located near the pools, while Premier bungalows are located in the quieter edges of the property. The top-tier room -- Two-Bedroom Premier -- comes with bathrobes, slippers, and pool towels.

Safes and extra beds are available for a fee, while cots and Wi-Fi are both free.

The hub of the resort is a multi-use sports court surrounded by a high metal fence. This is where many of the hotel's activities (like basketball, petanque tournaments, and nightly mini discos) take place, but hotel is in process of rethinking the area, as the fenced-in concrete field isn't the most appealing thing for guests to first see upon arrival. By the court are ping-pong tables, pool tables, an air hockey table, and a play-hotel kids' club with a playground. The animation team also oversees events like rifle target practice and archery. Parque Cristobal's series of pools are located behind the main court, a little further into the property. The main pool is long and rectangular, and heated to winter. It features a stainless-steel water sprays and a large, attached hot tub section with sunken lounge chairs off to one side. A separate kids' wading pool is a few feet away. This kids' pool is actually one of three: There are two kids' other pools in another part of the resort. One is geared more for toddlers, with a small slide in the shape of a turtle in the middle of the water, while the other one, with a wide water slide, is better for older kids. There is a dedicated massage room, and poolside massages are also available. 

Between the two pool areas is Parque Cristobal's main restaurant, serving buffet-style breakfast, lunch, and dinner. (A short buffet in the corner lets smaller kids load their own trays.) Breakfasts typically involve crepes; fried, scrambled, and hard-boiled eggs; bacon; frankfurters; churros; and ham and cheese sandwiches, while dinners center around a different theme each night, including weekly barbecues. Adjacent to the restaurant is a pool bar -- offering ice cream and cocktails, plus self-service beer, wine, and soft drinks -- and a tapas bar that is not part of the all-inclusive plan.

Below the lobby is a nightclub with a bar and nightly entertainment, like comedy and variety shows, acrobatics, and live music. The entertainment schedule rotates on a bi-weekly basis. All nighttime entertainment is held in this underground disco, and some guests have lamented that the shows aren't mounted above ground and outside. Off the lobby is a library with three credit-card-operated computers, PlayStations, and a massage chair. A digital concierge in front of the check-in desk displays weather information, public-transport schedules, hotel maps, lists of local pharmacies, printable postcards (featuring hotel photography), flight timetables, and facts about Tenerife, like time zone, population density, and places of interest. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel.