Archive for May 2nd, 2015
Thirty Years Of Partying At Arona Gran Hotel

You know it’s going to be a good party when within a few minutes of arriving you are watching female synchronized swimmers with a glass of champers in your hand. This was the first time I had such a welcome but this was no ordinary party, Spring Hoteles were combining their 4th annual music celebration with a lavish bash to mark 30 years of welcoming guests to Tenerife. Arona Gran Hotel was the venue, a short walk from Kirby Towers in Los Cristianos so I scrubbed up and even had a shower – and it wasn’t even December. After another glorious sunny day the evening was warm as I made my way through the impressive interior of the hotel to the outdoor terrace overlooking Las Tarajales beach. The guests were leading lights from the main tour operators in Tenerife and we took turns in small groups to visit the glittering spa where the ladies were performing in the heated pool. There was a piano music background, I almost expected to see a pianist submerged in a wetsuit.   Back at the main party I mingled with the glamorous guests and was glad I had dug out some proper trousers and forsaken my CD Tenerife shirt. Sampling nibbles and drinking Estrella beer while a musician coaxed some tunes out of his saxophone was very relaxing and at 10.30 we were treated to a spectacular firework display that was more than a match for the New Year pyrotechnics. It was the signal for us to head for the Las Vistas restaurant and the buffet meal. It was quite a spread, I don’t think I have seen such a range of fish, the lobsters looked like they would pin me down and eat me, the salmon proved to be an easier conquest. I did well to resist the chocolate fountain, well almost, it would have been rude not to have a little dip. Attention to detail is one of the founding principles of Spring Hoteles and it was in evidence all night. A talented artist, Rafa Gamez, flitted between tables sketching complimentary caricatures of guests and magician Steve Johnson bewitched people with his close up sleight of hand. After the feast, and a few Dorada Especials, I waddled after the main group into the Salon Teide for live music from house band Los Salvapantallas. Their mix of 70’s and 80’s ballads and classics got people up and dancing, they were spared my dad at a wedding impression, well I didn’t want to mix my cheese with walnuts up with my chocolate marsh mallows. It was well into the early hours when I wobbled home up the hill, what a top night.