Arona Gran at Christmas · Tenerife
A favourite.
A festive
glow.
Four nights between Christmas and New Year, a hotel full of beautiful decorations and a familiar favourite seen in a different season.
Back to a favourite
Quite a welcome.
We stayed at the Arona Gran from 27 to 31 December 2025, giving us four nights to enjoy the hotel between Christmas and New Year. It is probably our favourite of all the hotels we’ve visited so far, so we were looking forward to seeing it in its festive colours.
The decorations were stunning. The huge Christmas tree in the foyer was the centrepiece: the sort of thing that makes you stop and look as soon as you enter. And the life-size Father Christmas? Too good an opportunity for a photo to walk past.
Arona Gran is an adults-only hotel in Los Cristianos, in southern Tenerife. That is the setting; the story here is our own experience of a short winter stay.
“The decorations around the hotel were stunning.”
Chris & Sarah
Our Christmas room
Room 051.
Handier than we expected.
Not our first idea
Initially, we had wanted a sea view on a higher floor. Room 051 was on the ground floor, so it was a different position from the one we had in mind.
The advantage of being downstairs
Easy access to the pool, restaurant and bar soon made us appreciate the location. For getting on with the holiday, it was actually a very good room.
Choose what matters to you
A higher floor might be your preference, but convenience has its own appeal. If room position is important, discuss your priorities with the hotel before travelling rather than assuming every room will offer the same outlook or access.
From our Christmas camera roll
Sunny days.
Twinkling nights.
The little details of our four nights: festive corners, a good breakfast, time by the pool and the hotel lighting up as evening arrived.
What we’d tell a friend
Eat early.
Bring a layer.
Give dinner time to be enjoyed
The food was, as always for us here, very good. Our advice is to get to the restaurant in good time for the fullest choice and freshly available dishes. We wouldn’t leave it until the last 15–20 minutes before closing: during our stay, clearing down could start while you were still eating. Go earlier, settle in and enjoy it.
Evenings around the pool
The entertainment was outdoors, with a stage set up by the pool. With everything lit up, it was a lovely setting for the evening. There were heaters around to help keep everyone warm.
It is still winter
The evenings could feel chilly, even after a sunny day. Pack some warmer clothes and check the forecast before travelling. The heaters were welcome, but we’d still take a layer for sitting outside.
A different season, a different feel
The winter atmosphere wasn’t quite the same as summer. The smells, the vibe and that summer buzz felt different; we couldn’t quite put our finger on it. That didn’t stop this being a great stay. It was simply a reminder that a favourite hotel can feel different at another time of year.
Watch our Christmas visit
Come along
for the stay.
Our Arona Gran Christmas film brings you along for this festive break in Los Cristianos.
Watch on YouTubeThe Chesters verdict
Still a favourite.
A great hotel, and probably our favourite from all those we’ve visited so far. We would happily go back—although Sarah does like to try somewhere different, so there may be another hotel or two along the way.
This is our experience of 27–31 December 2025, not a Christmas Day or New Year’s Eve stay. Decorations, entertainment arrangements and restaurant schedules may change.
For current facilities, Spring Hotels lists outdoor heated pools and the Las Vistas Buffet Restaurant on its official Arona Gran website. Check current details directly before booking.