Playa Blanca, Holiday Village Sun Tropical Review

Overall Rating

We chose a self-catering option and haven't eaten in Sun Tropical once, so no complaints about the food. Self-catering facilities were OK, had everything we needed (kettle, toaster). 1-bedroom apartment was specious with nice balcony overlooking the pool, very clean. Staff at reception was friendly, First Choice holiday reps were OK. We visited the Dome only once - it's like being in Butlins - very tacky. Our advice - get out of the hotel and go to town where there is much more fun! Sun Tropical is about 15-20 min walk from the town centre, so bear this in mind if you have mobility problems or have small children. Free bus from hotel is available 9-6 daily. You can also get a taxi. There is quite a lot of building work going behind the hotel, but we did not experience any problems with noise. Playa Blanca is a lovely quiet resort, ideal for families and couples. There are plenty of good restaurants by the sea. Both beeches are quite small, but weren't crowded in November. Weather: it was a bit windy for a few days but still very warm at +26-28C. There are some nice perfume shops and lots of camera shops but please be wary of very dodgy sellers. They lie into your face about how good their products are and exaggerate the price - so negotiate if you really want to buy something. However, you will not get a warranty from them and if you eventually decide to return your merchandise - forget about it - not a chance: customers have no rights there after they have parted with their money. Buy your digital stuff in UK even if it is a bit more expensive. We did an island tour - highly recommended (€45 pp including lunch and entrance to various sites). It is one of the best ways to see the island if you do not rent a car. The tour in Timanfaya National Park was absolutely amazing - never seen anything like this before! Camel ride was also an interesting experience - very smelly though! You can also visit Fuertaventura island by ferry (€9 pp return), which is quite a nice day out and provides some lovely views of Playa Blanca. You will appreciate this once you arrive to Carraleo! We also recommend to take a boat trip to Papagayo beech (takes about 40 min, €12pp return). Awesome! Good for swimming. During our stay we also visited Puerto del Carmen which was much livelier (more bars, more restaurants, crowded beech) but did not have such a nice atmosphere as Playa Blanca. We would definitely recommend Playa Blanca and Sun Tropical.