We have recently returned from our first visit to the Arona Gran Hotel. We stayed for 11 nights half-board and, although we liked many things about this hotel, we left feeling disappointed.
The least enjoyable aspect was the dining experience. The dining room is very big and packed with tables, so that mealtimes were noisy, cramped and lacking atmosphere. We frequently felt as though we were eating in a very large works canteen. The arrangements are totally self-service, so that there is constant hustle and bustle and the dining experience as a whole is stressful rather than relaxing. We have stayed in numerous 4 and 5 star hotels across the world, many with buffet restaurants, but the cramped conditions and lack of any personal service here made it one of a kind.
The food itself was mass-produced and of variable quality: breakfasts were generally good, offering a variety of cereals and pastries, branded yoghurts, cheeses and other continental breakfast items. The omelettes and fried eggs were freshly prepared to order and the premium bacon was good.
However, the sausages, hash browns and baked beans tasted cheap, and the “fresh” pancakes were cooked in advance and left to become rubbery. The fruit juice was not fresh, most of the fruit was tinned and the fresh fruit was often under-ripe and tasteless.
In the evenings we became increasingly disappointed. Certainly, some of the food on offer was good: the selection and quality of bread and salads was excellent, also the tuna and cold meats and cheese selection. There was a good variety of cold desserts.
However the hot food was not up to the standard that we expected, particularly the meat, which was often tough and/or fatty. Vegetables were of variable quality: for example we were surprised to find tinned/frozen carrots on offer. There were no prepared pasta dishes eg lasagne, cannelloni, though plain pasta was available with a choice of sauces. Overall, we felt that although you could certainly not fault the quantity of food available, the quality of most of the produce was disappointing and much of the food on offer lacked flavour.
A combination of warmish plates, pre-cooked food presented in metal tureens without lids and a very congested dining room, meant that by the time a hot course had been assembled and we had negotiated a path back to our table, the meal was frequently warm rather than hot, so this again made it less appetising. It was also quite difficult to co-ordinate the timing for the assembly of the various courses, so that we frequently felt that we were not actually eating together as a couple!
Although we could have chosen the salad and fish options each day, this fare becomes monotonous after a few days and in fact we ended up eating 5 out of 11 of our main meals in excellent local restaurants where we enjoyed truly delicious, freshly-cooked food and personal service.
On the positive side, outside the dining room, the hotel has much to recommend it: the pool area is excellent; the situation good, with lovely sea views available; the bar and pool bar staff were friendly and efficient; the restaurant clearance service efficient; the hotel was clean and the maid service excellent. We spent some pleasant evenings in the piano bar and the hotel drinks are inexpensive.
We are unlikely to return to the Arona Gran, because of the dining experience and food quality. This is a pity as it is a pleasant hotel in many ways.
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