"Quiet gets the job done", according to my old boss who always insisted on taking two weeks a year vacation here in La Gomera, one of the most sparse, least populated islands in the Canaries.
Clearly my old boss never stayed at the Jardin Tecina in Playa de Santiago, about a one hour drive from the port of San Sebastian de La Gomera where I picked up my hire car from the excellent CICAR, one of the Canary Islands largest and best car hire firms.
La Gomera itself is easy to get to. You can either arrive by ferry from Tenerife, as I did, with either Armas or Fred Olsen Express. Or, you can fly over with Binter Canarias. To be honest the ferry is far less hassle and you have far more choice of sailing times.
I chose Fred Olsen as I prefer the faster catamaran type ship. They're similarly priced to Armas who operate a more conventional ferry design
The island is odd to drive around though, because it is literally volcano shaped and the roads tend to follow that order. Getting anywhere here takes time because to reach any of the seaside resorts, you first have to drive to the core of the island then drive down windey roads to reach your destination. You can't drive from one resort to another - those roads just don't exist because of the terrain. That said, the sedate pace of life on La Gomera is what first attracted me, and continues to attract me to this day. If there was ever a a place to spend time writing a novel, La Gomera is it, especially if you stay in the quieter resorts, outside of the capital La Gomera itself.
The Hotel
The four star rated hotel offers 434 bedrooms spread across a two floor estate and features a huge (and very popular) golf course which attracts golfers from all across Europe.
Whilst La Gomera is sedate, this hotel certainly is not. Even when I visited in January, checking in was a nightmare and took just over an hour - even then it took a further two hours to get my room ready and they didn't offer even a drink. The hotel has even resorted to a ticket system, similar to what you find at the deli counter in supermarkets, to allocate check in slots and for those existing guests seeking to make trip bookings etc.
The hotel is owned by the Fred Olsen group so if you are making a booking directly (as opposed to via a travel agent), you can book an integrated trip, including the ferry crossing from Tenerife, directly at Fred Olsen holidays
The Rooms
Rooms are on two levels. Entry level garden facing rooms are on the ground floor and superior or suite rooms are raised on the second floor and have a sea view.
Junior Suites have a separate living area but are of a similar design to my room, shown here.
My room design was pleasant, if a little dated and had the basics such as en-suite bathroom and small wall mounted television, along with fridge and air conditioning. I also had a safe which I had to pay a small premium of €3 a day to use.
I did sleep well in my room which cost €180 a night, including taxes, for a three night stay.
The charm of the hotel is in its history. Originally built as a wine distillery, the hotel shows some of the old machinery in the reception area.
Food and Drink
The hotel offers up to seven restaurants although they open at various times of the week, so check in advance if the restaurant you want is available during your stay.
I tried the main restaurant for dinner and had locally sourced lamb which was excellent.
Breakfast service can be a little chaotic and they'll sometimes guide you upstairs to a second restaurant when they are flooded with guests. Do note, the upstairs restaurant has less breakfast choice (but lovely views over the sea!).
If you're into activities, then the Jardin Tecina caters to your tastes. As well as five swimming pools, the hotel offers mini golf, a full professional golf course, five tennis courts and for a more relaxing experience, you can even get a massage treatment, or simply go and admire the stunning views over the sea. The resort is kept immaculate too.
Conclusion:
One of the charms of La Gomera is the sparse nature of the island. It isn't well developed like the larger islands but as a consequence, hotel choice is a lot more limited, so there's no real incentive for the hotels to look great or offer great service.
The Jardin Tecina is the best of an average bunch of hotels on the island. It's neither modern nor customer orientated, but I have yet to find a hotel on La Gomera which does offer anywhere near the standard of hotel you'd find in say Tenerife or Gran Canaria.
It shouldn't take an hour to check in, breakfast service was chaotic during my stay and the rooms are, at best, quaint. Some would say simply tired/old.
Overall, La Gomera is a stunning island to visit, especially if you are looking for a quiet retreat and staying at the Jardin Tecina is comfortable, as opposed to luxurious.
There are two options to reach the hotel from the main port in San Sebastian de la Gomera..
Directions by car:
I had a hire car so took the GM-2, then the GM-3 road - a simple drive taking about 40 minutes.
The hotel has ample free parking and for those eco-minded EV owners, also offers charging points.
Directions by boat from San Sebastian de la Gomera (the main port):
The alternative is to take the handy Fred Olsen 30 minute boat ride directly between the two ports on the Benchi Express ferry. It's a small ship that is passenger, cycle or motorbike only, so if you don't have a hire car (or don't want one), it is a very easy way of getting to the hotel.
There are two sailings per day, but at €30 return per person (non-resident rate), it isn't cheap.
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