Marina Suites features nautical-inspired Family apartments where everyone can stay together in one place. Perfect for a big family vacation or celebration… CONTINUE READING >>
We travel all over and almost all of the time, but one thing we don’t do very often anymore is travel with our whole family. These days, as empty nesters, it is usually just the two of us when we travel. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining. It is fantastic to have this time together after spending so much time raising three children.
But we do also love spending time with our kids, and their kids, so we are happy to plan multi-generational family vacations from time to time. Granted, it is hard to do sometimes because everyone is busy with jobs, school, and in our case, traveling, so when we all manage to get together for a big trip we like to find someplace really great.
That means we also want to stay somewhere very nice, which is why we are so thrilled to find a wonderful 4-star family hotel in Gran Canaria. Marina Suites features nautical-inspired Family apartments where everyone can stay together in one place. And they are decorated in modern styles and an attention to detail that is sure to make us all feel right at home.
These units have absolutely everything that we look for when we planning a family getaway. More than just rooms, Marina Bayview offers fully outfitted luxury apartments with a complete kitchen, a well appointed bathroom, and plenty of living space to spread out and relax, which makes us feel like we are in a vacation home rather than a hotel.
There is also plenty of outdoor space on the private, secluded balconies or by the spectacular seaside infinity pool and children’s outdoor pool. When any of us parents, from either generation, want to really relax there is an amazing adults-only relaxation area with its own pool, along with jacuzzis and Balinese beds.
But wait, who’s going to keep an eye on the kids? Marina Suites has that covered too, with their Octopus Kids Club. It is a perfect place for the younger set, thanks to Jack the Octopus and his helpers. Our little ones will not only be safe and sound, they will have a tons of fun creating arts and crafts, joining in group activities, and playing games with all of their new friends.
The bigger kids will certainly love the play area and game room where they can compete at more grown up games like ping-pong, petanque, foosball, pool, and good old video game machines. Clearly they will have a ton of fun.
But no worries, there is still having plenty to offer the adults, like maybe a round of golf, or an assortment of beauty treatments and messages, or if we get the desire to explore the island, Marina Suites can arrange car and bike rentals right on site.
Speaking of bikes, they also offer something that is new to us, Virtual Cycling on KICKR smart bikes. The sensation is as real as it gets with integrated slope changes, gears that can be customized and simulated gear changes. This allows each rider to create an incredible personalized and realistic indoor training experience.
That ought to make us work up an appetite. Good thing the Best restaurant in Puerto Rico is right on site. The EL PUERTO RESTAURANT kitchen produces an amazing variety of dishes that combine Canarian cuisines with international style in a fusion of flavors served by the sea.
The fun, seafood-oriented menu has collected rave reviews from locals and travelers alike. Perfect for any occasion, especially a special one.
Like say, getting the whole family together for a big vacation.
At Buendía Corralejo, the apartments and duplexes are specifically designed so that each guest can relax and enjoy their escape at their own pace. The idea is to feel like you are right at home… CONTINUE READING >>
Think about this. What if you could travel and still have all of the comforts of home? We tried to accomplish that a few years ago by bringing our home with us everywhere we went while we spent the better part of a decade running around in a motorhome.
But that really isn’t quite what we’re talking about. No, we are looking for more than just a place to spend a holiday. We are thinking about a nice, spacious, well appointed home where we can spend a relaxing vacation. That’s why we were so excited to find these Apartments with sea views in Fuerteventura.
Just to be clear, these are not regular hotel rooms, no, these are apartments with magnificent views of the Atlantic Ocean at Buendía Corralejo, Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands. Picture this, your very own duplex or rooftop apartment with a private entrance. Every one is a complete, ready to live in residence that includes your own private terrace, balcony, or solarium, so you can relax, sunbathe, or just hang out and dry off after a day of surfing or swimming at the beach.
At Buendía Corralejo, the apartments and duplexes are specifically designed so that each guest can relax and enjoy their escape at their own pace. The idea is to feel like you are right at home while taking in all of the beauty and fun Fuerteventura has to offer.
We love how the units are all so spacious and airy and come with with a fully equipped kitchen because, believe it or not, there are some days that we prefer to go to the local market and enjoy doing a little home cooking. Of course, all the other amenities that we look for when we are traveling are also at your fingertips, such as fast, free Wi-Fi, a coffee maker, a hairdryer, and even an iron and ironing board.
For us, the apartments with a rooftop terrace are just about the perfect place for a getaway. We can just go up the spiral staircase and bask in the sun and sea breeze without ever leaving our “home away from home.” And should we decide the bring the grand-babies along, the apartments are available with either one or two bedrooms. It is so far above and beyond any typical hotel that we have ever stayed at that we like to call it a No-hotel.
But as great as all of that sounds, that’s not why we travel. We want to see new places and try new experiences, which is perfect because Fuerteventura and the Canary Islands have a ton of fun, interesting, and even challenging things to do.
We’ve been thinking about trying to sharpen our dude skills with some surf lessons. That works out perfectly since Buendía Corralejo is the only No-hotel with surf school in Corralejo. They have absolutely everything that we need, like boards and wet suits ready and waiting at Point Break Watersports. Great, there is no need to pack any of that big, bulky stuff in our luggage.
And if it turns out that we are just not good at surfing, well then we can try out one of the many other exciting activities available, like kitesurfing, paddleboarding, windsurfing, or maybe some yoga classes.
But come to think of it, this a vacation so maybe we should go for a more relaxed option and just take a dip in the pool and grab a bite or a refreshing cocktail from the Waves Food & Drink menu at the pool bar.
Yeah, that sounds pretty great. So good we might just never want to leave our new “home away from home.”
An experience that will live in our hearts forever.
In Tanzania, we spent mornings teaching English and afternoons refurbishing a classroom.
Each of these tasks offered unexpected rewards and challenges and resulted in emotions and memories that will last our lifetimes… CONTINUE READING >>
The idea of voluntourism is just what the newly invented word implies, tourism that incorporates volunteer work.
This concept is fast becoming popular among travelers, and we were thrilled at the opportunity to join with Discover Corps, an organization that works closely with highly vetted, local community leaders.
Of course there are many other opportunities to volunteer available, such as this one that our friend Agness at ETramping.com enjoyed in Guinea – West Africa.
We traveled to Tanzania to experience the phenomenon firsthand.
As tourists, we would see and climb (half way) Kilimanjaro, spend a day with the Maasai people, learn how to make batik, watch and join in dances, go on safari, and immerse ourselves in the day to day life of the Chagga who inhabit the region.
The volunteer portion of our trip was focused on the Lunguo Primary School near the village of Rau.
We spent mornings teaching English and afternoons refurbishing a classroom.
Each of these tasks offered unexpected rewards and challenges and resulted in emotions and memories that will last our lifetimes.
Luckily, Discover Corps works with a local leader, the incredible Mama Simba, who was on hand to help us with the language barrier, provide us with lesson plans, and instruct us on the local customs we needed to know to be effective in the classroom.
On the teaching front, we encountered several obstacles the school has been unable to overcome.
There was a woeful lack of supplies and workbooks at the school.
In our class there was only one ragged book for every six students, and many of our students shared pens and paper.
Our temporary solution was to integrate visual aids and edutainment into our teaching methods.
Our fellow teammate, Jeff, took charge by enlisting help in finding the items described in the workbook while Veronica wrote out the sentences from our lesson plan on the blackboard.
In no time Mama Simba found drums, Jeff’s daughter Annie picked flowers, and a couple of kids produced a pair of buckets (seemingly out of nowhere!).
We then replaced the fictitious characters from the textbooks with our pupils’ names and suddenly the kids really seemed to enjoy the task of repeating the questions and answers such as “Whose drums are these?” and “These are Luc’s buckets.”
The children took new interest in writing the phrases in their notebooks, most with remarkable penmanship.
As we began our second day of teaching the children greeted us with a song.
After blazing through their lessons of the day, sixty pairs of third-grade eyes looked to us for guidance.
It soon became obvious that our attempt to skip ahead to the lesson planned for the following day wasn’t going to work – another few rounds of writing questions and answers on the chalkboard and in their notebooks wasn’t going inspiring any of our little guys.
They were getting a tad restless.
Teachers are Hilarious!
Then it hit us, let’s sing!
David is an ex-music teacher, so incorporating music into our lesson easily comes to him.
Learning animal names was the day’s agenda, so a spirited rendition of Old MacDonald’s Farm was just the ticket to burn off some excess energy.
After a bit of a pronunciation snafu (we wrote “e i e i o” on the board, rather than the common international vocalization of “i e i e o”), acting out the animal sounds was a big hit, especially when Jeff led a procession of chickens around our classroom.
Clucking and flapping ruled the day!
After a few days the kids were beginning to know us a bit better, and the natural leaders (and class clowns) stepped up in their roles.
Their examples seemed to help the more timid students come out of their shells as well, so all of the class was now participating.
Even if our teaching methods were somewhat unconventional for Tanzania, we hoped to impress memories that our kids would retain, and recall the English names of everyday items such as musical instruments, farm animals, and body parts (Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes was another greatest hit in our repertoire).
David’s hat was a hit!
As the days went by and we grew closer to the teacher in charge of our classroom, we felt comfortable asking if we could purchase additional workbooks for the kids.
When she gave the go-ahead, we found a store that sold school supplies and bought all twenty copies that they had in stock.
The additional books, while not enough to bring the total up to where each pupil had their own, helped immensely. Little things, like handing out pencils, pens, and paper that they kids could call their own, also garnered great excitement.
Perhaps we learned the bigger lesson that day: appreciate the simple things.
The little guys absolutely lit up when receiving the simplest gifts.
A cute little sticker for a job well done, brought smiles that would rival any child’s Christmas morning grin (and often ended up on a forehead!).
Their happiness was completely contagious and without a doubt we received as much from them as they did from us in our short stint as teachers.
Getting to Know You
Our English lessons were the last class before lunch and we had time to socialize with our students during recess, as well.
Students bring bowls from home and carry them to the school kitchen.
One of the many challenges that Longuo Primary School faces is no electricity, so the kitchen is outdoors and the food is cooked over an open fire.
Provisions have been donated for a year by a good samaritan so the children can have a good meal.
For some, Mama Simba told us, it is the only meal they get all day.
Older students help out in the kitchen.
We were moved by a little one who had a tiny ball of rice.
Instead of eating it by herself, she shared with many other children.
Mama Simba explained to us the concept of chakula ni mavi – food is nothing; remember what is important.
Food is always shared and given freely.
The noon meal almost included ugali, a staple of the Tanzanian diet that is a thick corn meal porridge.
Other ingredients can be added, often provided from the garden at the school.
The children tended to the plants each morning, watering from jugs that they bring from home.
After lunch, we had a bit of time to play soccer (we got owned), bang makeshift drums (David’s favorite pastime), or simply sit under the trees and enjoy each other’s company.
Our rockstars!
WATCH: A day in the life with our wonderful students!
Donning our Construction Helmets
Our classroom “before”
Our afternoons were filled with reconstruction.
Changing from our more formal teaching clothes into our work duds, we got ready to get dig into some serious renovations.
The original project was to be a simple painting job of a classroom, but as we surveyed the situation it quickly became clear that we wanted to go beyond that on our own.
We decided that painting would be nearly futile unless we repaired the leaking roof and replaced the rotting ceiling panels.
But funds for this were not available in either the Discover Corps or the school’s budgets.
Our new buddy Jeff stepped up big time though, and took the lead. His experience as a remodeler kicked in and next thing we knew we were pricing materials at a hardware store a few miles away in Moshi.
Looked like the project could be tackled for a reasonable price and everyone in our group excitedly threw in donations to cover the costs.
The distressing condition of our project classroom was unfortunately not an outlier at Lunguo. The school had no electricity or running water, and we don’t even want to get into the toilet situation – we’ll let it stand as heartbreaking.
But, we had seen what the prior Discover Corps teams had achieved in other classrooms, and were heartened by the results.
With our assessments made, the first item on the agenda would be the easiest, and cleanest, task that we were likely to encounter throughout the job, take the “before” pictures.
We could hardly wait to see the “after.”
Armed with fresh supplies, our band of volunteers divided into groups and dug into our initial tasks.
While some of us were cleaning and sanding the walls to prepare for a new coat of paint, others were painting the new ceiling tiles before installation, and the rest of us were tackling tearing out the old ceiling.
Kicking up dust: Veronica learns to use an African broom.
The old saying, it’s a dirty job but someone’s got to do it, certainly described our efforts and, by the end of day one, we could have been called the dirty dozen.
Over the next few days, our Discover Corps team stepped into the role of construction crew with gusto.
With the old ceiling removed we could seal the holes in the tin roof and avoid any future water damage to our new panels.
By the end of the first week we felt like we had things pretty well in hand and would be ready to paint the room and install the panels when we returned the following Monday. But there were unforeseen roadblocks ahead.
We had overlooked the fact that the beams that held the panels in place were far from straight, so aligning the ceiling was almost impossible. David and Jeff had expected the installation to be relatively simple.
Wrong! That same crooked wood was also incredibly hard, making driving nails quite a chore, especially from underneath… while standing on rickety desks.
After an entire afternoon we only had handful in place. Mama Simba was correct when she had suggested that perhaps we had bitten off more that we could chew.
The school’s headmaster suggested a carpenter friend to come help and we gladly accepted.
By the end of the next day, we had nicknamed him “Nail Gun” because we have never seen such a machine when it came to driving a nail, he was nothing short of awesome.
Without Nail Gun we never would have finished.
Learning to Pick Corn with our Pupils
One of our days was spent in a different kind of lesson – harvesting corn on a donated plot of land.
Our crew fanned out, each of us joined one of the many teams of two kids that shucked and bagged cobs row by row.
Once the corn is picked, it will be stripped off of the cobs, dried in the sun, and ground into flour.
The corn meal is mixed with water to make the staple dish ugali, which serves as a huge part of the kid’s lunches.
This is served with stew or beans and is sometimes supplemented with vegetables from the school garden.
However, most of the produce that the kids help grow is sold to raise funds for the school’s operation.
We were going to Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire National Park for safari over the weekend of our second week of teaching, returning for our last day on Monday.
Our students run to the classroom windows to say goodbye as we drove away in the bus. We were a little disruptive. 😉
Upon our return on Monday, we stopped by to say goodbye to our students and had a chance to take some “after” photos. The room looked great, the kids were happy, and we all felt satisfied with a job well done.
The Water Problem
But there was still one more thing nagging at us.
While inspecting the grounds at the beginning of our visit, we learned that the lack of running water was just a matter of hooking up to the city lines at the road.
The other plumbing was already in place within the compound.
All that was required to alleviate the need of the students transporting water from place-to-place was about a hundred yards of pipe and a connection. We were out of time to do the job ourselves, but perhaps we could leave a lasting mark on the school by providing such a basic need as running water.
As it was, the children carried the water needed to wash up and water their garden in buckets and plastic jugs.
The solution seemed simple to us, but life is much different at the school, so a combination of lack of funds and no one overseeing the maintenance of the school made the problem out of reach to the teachers and students.
Once again Jeff took the lead. He spoke with the headmistress again, who got a plumber to come take a look at the situation and give us an estimate. As we thought, it was not a huge problem, at least not to us. However, a few hundred dollars can be overwhelming for the school.
With another collection we easily gathered the funds and, by the time we returned to the States, an emailed photo showing running water at the school awaited our arrival.
The email was certainly not the only way that good feelings followed us home, we are left with lasting memories that we hold close in our hearts.
The kindness of the teachers (and the incredible work they do with so little), the feeling of making a difference and, most of all, the honor to get to know our hardworking students.
Children that we will never forget, that we will continue to hear news of through Mama Simba.
Knowing that more Discover Corps teams will pick up where we left off makes us proud – and a little bit jealous.
We should never feel the least bit guilty about taking a kid free vacation. It is a great way to rest up, relax, and recharge so that you can return home more refreshed and ready to get back to raising those kids or work with new found energy… CONTINUE READING >>
Our children are all grown up now and well into adult lives of their own, so you could say that we now live our lives mostly as adults only. We chose to embrace that several years ago when we set out on our Gypsynester adventures. We call it “Celebrating Life After Kids.”
That means that these days taking an adults only vacation seems perfectly natural to us. It is a great way to embrace our time as a couple, enjoy it, and dare we say celebrate it. With that in mind, we have discovered an Adults-only hotel in Puerto Rico, on Gran Canaria that just might be the best way ever to make a special grown up getaway great.
The Marina Bayview Hotel has absolutely everything that we look for when we plan an adults only trip. I mean, after all, we spent a lot years raising our three kids so there is no way we are going to feel even slightly guilty about going to an adults only hotel and enjoying all that they, and Canary Islands have to offer.
Let’s start out with a private jacuzzi because we love a hot tub. Who doesn’t? But that is only the first of the many amenities that make for an ultimate relaxing stay in the idyllic setting of the marina at Puerto Rico.
This escape revolves around the fact that Marina Bayview is so much more than a typical hotel. Guests can really spread out in well appointed apartments that are specifically designed with all the comforts of home in mind.
There are always secluded balconies or terraces in each suite. perfect for lounging outdoors in the Canary Islands sunshine. We love to bask in the peaceful privacy while taking in the breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean. Or we can pamper ourselves at the adults only pool and unwind with an adult beverage. It’s easy to see how the cares of the everyday world just drift away.
But that doesn’t mean that we don’t remember what it was like to run ragged chasing children all over. So we completely understand that younger parents with their kids still at home need a break every now and then too. Everybody needs some time just for themselves now and then or the burn out could become overwhelming.
Parents should never feel the least bit uncomfortable or guilty about taking a kid free vacation. It is a great way to rest up, relax, and recharge so that you can return home more refreshed and ready to get back to raising those kids with renewed vigor or back to work with new found energy.
We like to think that a big part of that renewed energy can come from removing the day to day chores that we have at home, like cleaning and cooking. That’s why choosing a Hotel with buffet breakfast in Gran Canaria is so important to us.
Everyone should start the day in the best way, that means a big breakfast at La Ballena in the open air and with amazing sea views. But it is really all about the food. The Buffet features everything from freshly baked pastries, fresh fruit, or yogurt and cereal, to hot dishes like scrambled eggs, bacon and sausages. Because it is always a good idea to start your day on the right foot.
And for those folks who are lucky enough to live on Gran Canaria, you’ll love the fantastic offer of a special discount for residents. It can’t be any easier to enjoy an incredible vacation while saving 10%.
Just enter the promotional code RESIDENTE, or check the box when you search and relax. But hurry, the offer ends when 2025 turns to 2026.
That almost makes us want to move to the Canary Islands. Who wants to come along?
From our base in Paddington, we set out to see as much as we possibly could of London in under 48 hours. We think we did pretty darn good, see if you agree. Did we miss anything?
From our base in Paddington, we began our assault by entering Hyde Park through the Marble Arch. The park is the largest of the Royal Parks that surround of Kensington and Buckingham Palaces, which were definitely two of the items on our checklist, but we found discovered several distractions along the way.
The first being Speakers’ Corner. This corner of the park, right by the arch, has been a haven for open-air speaking, debate, and discussion for several centuries. In 1872 it was codified into law with the Parks Regulation Act that guaranteed the right to meet and speak freely in Hyde Park.
This freedom has brought out everyone from the famous, infamous, crazy, confused, intelligent, or just plain unintelligible, including some historic figures such as Karl Marx, Vladimir Lenin, and George Orwell, to take part in protesting wars, supporting suffrage, or just advocating or opposing current conditions.
After receiving our own earfuls on several subjects from the current crop of orators, we moved on toward Kensington Gardens and the palace of the same name, but there was more to see before we could get there.
As we made our way, it was impossible not to notice the Albert Memorial and the giant golden Prince sitting gazing toward the concert venue that bears his name. We don’t know about him, but we were unable to look at the Royal Albert Hall without the realization that now we know how many holes it takes to fill it.
Popping out of the park’s woods, we came to Kensington Palace. Royals have been residing here since the 17th century, including kings and queens, and now it is the residence of Princes William and Harry, along with Kate Middleton (Duchess of Cambridge) and various other Dukes, Duchesses, princes, and princesses.
Sounds crowded, but with multiple apartments divided in at least a dozen different wings and buildings they most likely have to try pretty hard to bump into each other.
By this time we had walked enough, so the time had come to board one of London’s iconic double-decker busses.
This is not the fastest way to get around the city, but it is the cheapest, and most fun.
Our goal was to catch all of the sights across town near the Tower of London, so we hopped off at St Paul’s Cathedral.
Long one of the most famous of landmarks in London, the dome is still among the highest in the world. For a long time, from 1710 to 1967, it was even the tallest structure in the city.
Right across the Thames River, the Globe Theatre stands out starkly against a background of modern buildings. Actually, the theater we saw is more modern than many of those new arrivals because this is only a replica built in 1997.
The original, or more accurately the two originals, disappeared over 350 years ago. The first stood from 1599 until it was destroyed by a fire in 1613.
The second, which is recreated in the current reproduction, was built the following year and was torn down by Puritans in 1644. It would seem as though Shakespeare’s popularity must have been on the wane at that point in time.
Well, even had the theater been left standing it might have burned down a few years later in the Great Fire of London in 1666. A monument to the fire was erected near the source of the blaze a few years later in 1671.
The huge Doric column provides some of the best views of the city anywhere, as long as one is willing to climb the 311 steps up the spiral staircase to reach the viewing platform near the top.
One building mostly spared by the fire is All Hallows-by-the-Tower, acclaimed as the oldest church in London. Established in 675, the church was built on the site of a Roman building. We know this because some remnants remain in the crypt.
Since it is right next to the Tower of London, it also became the temporary burial site for many of the beheading victims of the castle.
While the Tower does have many classic castle characteristics, it is really more of a complex of buildings than a single fortress.
Even though it was once officially Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and is still home to the crown jewels, its beginnings certainly do not bring pride to any British hearts.
It was built by William the Conqueror in 1078 after the Normans overtook England, ushering in a succession of French speaking English kings until Henry IV took the throne in 1399.
It also has a dark reputation as prison where many heads were separated from their bodies, perhaps most famously Anne Boleyn, King Henry VIII’s second wife who was beheaded in 1536. She is said to still be seen roaming around the Tower carrying her head under her arm.
All we know is that if we had seen her we would have high-tailed it across the Tower Bridge so fast that head she was toting would be spinning like a top!
And it wouldn’t be much of a run since the bridge is right there. Perhaps the most recognizable of London’s thirty-three spans across the Thames, it is often mistakenly called London Bridge. But since it is certainly not falling down, nor did it ever get moved to Arizona and rebuilt, we are certain that it is not.
Of course back in the days when the Tower was still being used to fend off invading hoards there was no bridge. It would have made it too easy to storm the castle, so the bridge is a relatively new one hundred and twenty four years old.
To take in the second round of the London landmarks on our list we took the tube to Westminster.
This allowed us to pop up from underground right in the political heart of Great Britain, directly beneath what just might be the most famous clock in the world, Big Ben.
Actually, the name was originally given to the largest of the bells in the tower, but has come to refer to the entire structure of Elizabeth Tower and is now most often associated with the giant clock. The rest of the building below houses the British Parliament but is technically still a royal residence, the Palace of Westminster.
The government has been convening here officially since 1295, so we have to think they have settled in, unlike the monarchs, who have moved on to Buckingham Palace.
On our way to see the queen, or at least her house, we passed by Westminster Abbey. Calling it all the abbey is really a misnomer. There are several buildings combined within the complex, one of which is the abbey, others include the church, sanctuary, chapter house, and cloister.
All in all these make for one of the most honored locations in London because this is the traditional site for both the coronation and burial of British monarchs. In fact, since 1066 every coronation has been here, along with sixteen royal weddings.
For nearly two hundred years those sovereigns have moved into Buckingham Palace after ascending to the throne. That meant we might have caught a glimpse of Queen Elizabeth, or one of her sons, Princes Andrew and Edward, who also live in the palace, but no such luck for us.
Guess we’d have to satisfy ourselves with a bit of a different variety of royalty, the Beatles. We hopped on another bus to Abbey Road, where an old townhouse was transformed into the Mecca of modern music when four lads from Liverpool recorded for eight years in it.
The culmination was the album they named after the street. From then on the studio itself became known as Abbey Road. It was a little underwhelming to visit, we were only able to peer through the gates, still we couldn’t help but feel privileged by our proximity to the spot where some of the greatest music ever recorded was captured.
Definitely worth including in our landmark itinerary.
The Marina Suites Hotel features family apartments so that feature magnificent views, which means the incredible Atlantic Ocean can be your background for the entire vacation… CONTINUE READING >>
We are probably pretty biased when it comes to our opinions about travel. Let’s just say that we are almost always in favor of it. And yes, this applies to traveling with family. These days that means adding a third generation to our vacation plans, but you don’t really think that we are going to spend an entire vacation without seeing our grandbabies, do you?
But we do understand the challenges that a bigger group, and especially when they are all related and some of them are still under five years old, bring to putting together a family getaway. We have learned that a lot of those problems can be solved by finding the right place to stay. That’s one reason why we are so happy to have discovered the perfect Accommodation in the south of Gran Canaria.
The Marina Suites Hotel includes family apartments so that everyone can stay together in a stylish, contemporary flat that is sure to make the whole group feel right at home. They feature magnificent views, which means the incredible Atlantic Ocean can be your background for the entire vacation. Just relax and enjoy the sea breeze from your private balcony or terrace.
Everyone from toddlers to grandparents will find more than enough to stay busy and entertained, or simply relaxed, throughout the entire stay. All ages love a pool, so the infinite horizon infinity pool is sure to be a hit.
Need stuff just to keep the kids happy and having fun? Look no further that the Octopus Kids Club, it’s the perfect place for the younger folks. Jack the Octopus and his helpers will make sure that they have tons of fun playing games, expressing their artistic sides with arts and crafts, and plenty of group activities. A whale of a good time will be had by all.
Older kids won’t miss out either, with their own play area and game room where great games likee pool, petanque, ping-pong, foosball, and good old video game machines are all ready and waiting. Who knows, some of us very big (as in old) kids might even want to join in the fun.
Speaking of grown ups, the adults have not been forgotten. Marina Suites has plenty to offer, like fabulous Jacuzzis, a round of golf, an wide array of beauty treatments and messages, or world class dining.
There is so much to do that they even offer a Day Pass so that guests who are not staying at the hotel can enjoy all of the amenities as well.
Want to hear something really great? Marina Suites has put together an Offer hotel and flight to Gran Canaria that not only makes your trip incredibly easy to book, it also saves money. You can’t beat that!
Just click the link above to check out their exclusive offer that combines flight and hotel by using the “Flight+Hotel” option on the booking bar. There you will find the very best flight options to go along with your hotel accommodation. Then be sure to use the promo code to redeem the additional discount for your travel package.
It is easy to see how Buendía Corralejo is not like a typical hotel or resort. These charming accommodations feel a whole lot more like a properly appointed vacation home than a regular hotel… CONTINUE READING >>
We travel. It’s what we do. It’s what we have done almost nonstop for nearly the past two decades.
So much so that when we tried recently to figure out just how far we have gone, the best we could come up with is well over two million miles. That almost ten times of going to the moon!
But as the years keep going by we have begun to notice a change in our style of traveling. We are definitely slowing down a little bit, and also have become a bit more concerned with the comforts of home following us along when we go gallivanting across the globe.
That means we always look for a hotel that has a coffee maker in the room, and a refrigerator and microwave are nice to have as well. And, depending on the weather where we are going, we really like to have a pool too.
So it sometimes surprises us how often hotels, even the nice, upscale ones, don’t have these amenities. That is why we were so happy to find a hotel in the Canary Islands that does. Actually, it is more than a hotel, that’s why we feel like we found a No-hotel with pool in Fuerteventura, The Buendía Corralejo Hotel.
A No-hotel you might ask? Yup. A No-hotel is much more than a regular place to stay the night.
It is easy to see how Buendía Corralejo is not like a typical hotel or resort. No, this is more like a group of apartments, all of which feature a private terrace or balcony with panoramic sea views of the picturesque Isla de Lobos, or overlooking the peaceful inner courtyard of the complex.
To us, these charming accommodations feel a whole lot more like a properly appointed vacation home than a regular hotel. Each and every unit has a full kitchen with all of the necessary equipment and utensils, including the all important coffee maker. This works out perfectly for those times when we would rather try a bit of home cooking than have another meal out in a restaurant.
OK, OK, we know, who do we think we’re fooling? We say that we’ll cook but everybody knows that we are usually going to dine in one of the fine restaurant choices available on the grounds. But whether we use the kitchen or not, the home style touches don’t stop at there, every room at the Buendía Corralejo Hotel is also supplied with a hairdryer, an iron and ironing board, and fast, free Wi-Fi.
And guess what? In order to make your stay feel even more like home the whole family is welcome. Yup, that means your furry family members have a place to stay too because Buendía Corralejo is famous for being the pet-friendly accommodation in Fuerteventura.
Best of all, it turns out that there are some of the best hotel offers in Fuerteventura happening right now. This means that saving some money can play a big part in your vacation planning. Be sure to book now to get this special offer for Early Booking. Get a special 10% discount on your stay if you book a visit between now and April 30th 2026. That means rooms for as low as €89 with taxes included!
Wow! As my mother used to say, “When I can get a great deal like that, I can’t afford NOT to take it.
After receiving our own earfuls on several subjects from the current crop of orators, we moved on toward Kensington Gardens and the palace of the same name, but there was more to see before we could get there.
One building mostly spared by the fire is All Hallows-by-the-Tower, acclaimed as the oldest church in London. Established in 675, the church was built on the site of a Roman building. We know this because some remnants remain in the crypt.
For nearly two hundred years those sovereigns have moved into Buckingham Palace after ascending to the throne. That meant we might have caught a glimpse of Queen Elizabeth, or one of her sons, Princes Andrew and Edward, who also live in the palace, but no such luck for us.
The culmination was the album they named after the street. From then on the studio itself became known as Abbey Road. It was a little underwhelming to visit, we were only able to peer through the gates, still we couldn’t help but feel privileged by our proximity to the spot where some of the greatest music ever recorded was captured.
