We recently took a winter sun holiday as a family, booking cheap flights to Tenerife with Jet2. A four-day quick escape from Bristol to Tenerife was precisely what my family needed. Think 25 degrees in January and drinking margaritas around a heated pool. This is what we experienced with our getaway to the Canary Islands and Barcelo Tenerife.
Jet2 Holidays from Bristol to Tenerife
Let’s rewind to the beginning before I get to the pools and the drinks! As a nervous flyer, I cannot recommend flying with holidays Jet2 enough. We looked at flights from Bristol airport with Jet2 and found they were leaving at really reasonable times (we are not good with 6am flights!). The morning we were due to fly was the tail end of storm Isha and hail battled our faces as we entered the plane. We were advised take off might be turbulent and in truth the fasten the seat belt sign did go on twice in our flight.
I’m not sure if it was the staff or because the pilot was so thorough when he was talking to us during the flight but despite a storm, it was just brilliant. The check-in was also really smooth and all the staff were so friendly. It was also the longest journey we had ever flown and the kids were thankfully totally entertained with their audiobooks and games.
When we arrived at the airport in Tenerife the Jet2 Holiday reps were easy to see and guided us the our coach for transfers. It was all a smooth process and the transfer was only ten minutes which meant we were able to have a cold pint by the pool within the hour.
One thing I would note is that although the transfer is only ten minutes you do have to wait until passengers get onto the coach. We were some of the first out of the airport but others took longer meaning we were sat on the coach for around 45 minutes. Not the end of the world but for this location it might have been easier to jump in an UBER as they were also readily available.
The Resort at Barcelo Tenerife with Jet2Holidays
Barceló Tenerife is situated in the south of the island, on the seafront next to the San Blas Environmental Reserve. The resort has been designed to respect the natural and cultural heritage of the area, integrating Barcelo Tenerife into the landscape while reducing its environmental impact. We went on an excursion there which explains a bit more about why (but more on that later!)
The family room was an interconnecting one with two outside spaces. I found it spacious and clean and I loved that the main room had a large bath within the bedroom. It also had two balconies with sun loungers which was perfect for relaxing in the afternoon after a day in the pool.
We went for the all-inclusive full package with Jet2Holidays which included all meals and drinks at the resort. Full board meant we didn’t have to worry about what to eat or when. And with picky eaters among us, we were genuinely surprised at the vast variety the restaurant offered. My twelve-year-old enjoyed trying out new foods as well as sampling all the cakes breakfast pancakes and churros. My eight-year-old ate chips daily but that’s fine when you are on holiday right?
We are a vegetarian family and found loads of options to try each day. My daughter is also dairy-free and the staff were brilliant in getting her alternative puddings when she wasn’t able to find one she could eat. I think you would find more than enough delicious options as a vegan too.
Holidays with Jet2 – The pool moments
I could take you through each day, hour by hour, but let’s just say we spent most of our time splashing! The pool at Barcelo Tenerife was the crown jewel for the kids. There are seven pools at the Barcelo Tenerife resort one of which is heated all year round. A few of the pools have a no under six policy but there are two designated kids pools and one adult-only pool.
Our favorite pool was the heated one and it was situated at ‘Breeze bar’ where I got the tough job of reading my book, sipping cocktails, and applying sun cream every so often whilst my husband and kids played in the pool.
Jet2 Package Holidays
Excursions at Barcelo Teneriffe
For the most part, this was going to be a very relaxed swim, eat, and drink type of family holiday but the tunnels tour was recommended to us on the plane so we decided to give it a go. The Barcelo Tenerife resort is different as resorts go as it features a museum on the second floor as well as a nature reserve.
Originally the resort was designed to be a golf hotel like many in the area but an incredible archeological found was discovered and so the surrounding landscape was protected. Our guide was fantastic and taught us all about the Guanches who were the indigenous peoples of Tenerife. We learned about how they lived and the history of the people whilst walking among the most incredible rock formations that felt like we could be in the Grand Canyon!
My favorite part of the tour was the boat ride across the lake. The expanse of water is man-made and attracts birds of all sorts who are on their migration to Africa. After this our guide showed us where the Gaunches used to pray, he recited a prayer for us and the whole experience felt very special.
A short walk to Los Abrigos
If you fancy a short stroll for a change of scene or to see the local shops then there is a boardwalk straight from the bottom of the hotel to Los Abrigos. We were really happy to eat all our meals at the resort but there were plenty of cafes and restaurants in this sweet little fishing town.
We loved the walk for a change of scenery and there were plenty of beauty spots to sit and watch the sea. It wasn’t quite sea swimming temperatures but would it be a great spot for it in the summer.
A resort with a difference
Not only did we have the unique experience of learning about this island’s cultural past the hotel also has another original element in its kayaking lake. This is included for free in your stay and I would highly recommend a go, it was such a fun family moment. Although my son has berated me since about not understanding how to row!
Little elements like this make holidays with Jet2 feel so special. We were able to spend lazy moments by the pool, eat delicious food, and have some really unique experiences too. This was our first experience with a package holiday and I can see why families book them. For a relaxing break I can’t fault our time there at all.
Tenerife with Jet2 Holidays
It was a quick but lovely break from the everyday – a much-needed dose of Vitamin Sea and quality family time that recharged us. I’d highly recommend holidays with jet2. Our full board four-night stay in Barcelo Tenerife costs just under £2,000 for a family of four including flights from Bristol and transfers. This included taking advantage of the £50 off per person sale.
We’re back now, back to Cardiff weather (rain), getting back to our routines, work, and general life admin but it was such a lovely break. I highly recommend booking winter holidays to have something to look forward to in the coldest months.
If you’re looking for all-inclusive holidays to Tenerife, I can’t recommend Jet2Holidays Tenerife and the Barcelo Tenerife resort enough. For more details or to book the package we did click here.
(this post contains affiliate links)
If you enjoyed this post you may also like:
A Treehouse in London
Travel with kids in Europe
Magic in Efteling
this post contains affiliate links