Winter Sun and seeing in the new year!

We have just returned from a fantastic week at the Hotel Botanico. Weather was a blissful +24 all week with clear blue skies every day! Hotel is beautiful and deserves its 5* rating and 'Great hotels of the World' classification. Staff are very attentive and professional. The hotel is traditional in its approach and focuses on service, excellence and quality surroundings. Food is good - the hotel has 3 restaurants, Oriental, Spanish and Italian. Breakfast is buffet style and over the post-Christmas - New Year period was huge and apart from all the international morning foods you would expect to see also included a chocolate fountain and champagne. This was scaled down after January 2 but there was still a huge choice. We ate in all 3 restaurants and the food was excellent in each - our favourite was the Italian restaurant as the ambience and general feel was a little more relaxed. We chose to finish with a coffee in the bar lounge which is full of large sofas in groups to allow for intimate chats or large groups. Nice touches always serving a few biscuits with the coffee or nuts with drinks. The spa area is a haven and the treatments are very good. I joined in the yoga/pilates sessions and also used the gym. We stayed in room 152 which overlooked the spa area. If you are looking for full sun in your room all day try the other side of the hotel. The New Years Eve Gala was great fun including a 7 course meal, wine, champagne, and the usual goody bag of hats, masks etc. Black tie dress code so good that we knew in advance! it is difficult to find fault with anything but if I were to make a comment it would be that there are not any tea/coffee making facilities in the rooms - however the room service delivers quicker than you could have made it yourself !! We looked at the suites and will probably have a suite next time - nothing room with the standard 'executive rooms' they are spacious and well fitted - if you can afford a little more luxury the suites have it!! only other comment to make would be that the lighting in the room isnt particularly good and although all the wardrobes have glass doors - the nearest free plug socket is too far away to be able to be able to use GHDs or other hair products and see what you are doing! Lots of activities taking place if you want to be active but lots of space to just rest and relax. Gardens are spectacular and beautifully maintained. Will certainly visit again.