A summer holiday has been a yearly staple for me, and I’ve been really lucky to travel to some amazing places over the years. After having my little girl in December 2022, myself and my boyfriend were determined not to give up our jet setting days and began to think about family-friendly holidays. We spent a while searching for a hotel brimming with first-class facilities, which was in a close-to-town location and wasn’t too far from the airport. Travelling with a five month old baby also meant we didn’t want somewhere that was super hot. Our holiday search led us to the Maspalomas and Tabaiba Princess in Gran Canaria, and all I can say is ‘WOW’.
Getting There
Our flight departed from Newcastle Airport, which is one of the closest airports to where we live. But not only is it really convenient to get to, the check in process was so well organised, and we didn’t have to queue, not even through security! Getting onto the plane was seamless, even as a family of six with a small baby, and the flight team were amazing.
As many parents know, keeping children entertained on a flight can be pretty difficult, especially when they’re very inquisitive. My eight year old brother, Alexander, was particularly interested in knowing what it’s like to be cabin crew for TUI. The amazing team allowed him to help out on the flight by collecting the passengers’ rubbish, and he was even treated to a bag of sweets as a thank you. Once we landed in Gran Canaria, Alexander was also invited into the cockpit to say hello to the Pilot, which he thoroughly enjoyed. It was the perfect start to our getaway!
We landed around 10pm, and were quickly through security and at the baggage carousel waiting for our luggage. We also needed to collect our buggy, which was surprisingly easy and it arrived in one piece. The Las Palmas Airport staff were very friendly, and were more than happy to show us where we would find the buggy, as it arrives on a different carousel to the luggage.
The Hotel
Although a coach transfer is included in your TUI holiday package, we decided to opt for a private transfer to ensure we arrived at our hotel as quickly as possible. The hotel was around 25 minutes from the airport, and upon arrival we couldn’t believe that this was our hotel!
The Maspalomas and Tabaiba Princess are two hotels on the same site – they’re a mirror image of each other, and you’re welcome to use the facilities on both sides of the hotel throughout your stay. The Tabaiba side is where you’ll find the adults-only pool, piano bar and Italian specialty restaurant. The Maspalomas side is home to the splash park, kids’ club and Asian specialty restaurant.
Between the two is a beautiful shopping parade with a range of shops where you can get your hands on some unique clothing pieces, gifts for your loved ones back at home or even a special treat for your other half from the jewellery shop.
The Room
When we checked in, to our surprise, we received a complimentary upgrade to a Junior Suite for both rooms. This was great news, as with three people in each room, the extra space was definitely welcomed! We couldn’t wait to head upstairs and check out where we’d be sleeping for the next seven nights.
We were staying on the Tabaiba side as we really liked the contemporary feel of the rooms. As we were travelling with a baby, we also wanted to be on the quieter side so that during the day Mariella could nap without being disturbed. Though the hotel is quite large, it was really easy to find our room, and when we opened the doors, we were so excited!
We had a beautiful walk-in rainfall shower, large king-sized bed and sofa, which turned into a bed if needed. The room was super clean and modern, and it was great that the hotel put our two rooms next to each other – very convenient when wanting to leave the baby with my mum for a night…though she may disagree!
Food and Drink
Upon arrival, it was unfortunately too late to enjoy the hotel’s amazing dinner selection. We were pleasantly surprised when the kind member of staff at reception let us know that there was a cold buffet in the Food Market for us to enjoy, to ensure we didn’t go to sleep hungry.
We headed downstairs to have a midnight snack, and were really pleased when we saw the delicious dishes on offer. There were fresh, colourful pasta dishes, tasty antipasti, sweet fresh fruit and so much more. It was a welcome treat, and it was great to get the chance to suss out the Food Market before the morning hustle and bustle.
At the Maspalomas and Tabaiba Princess, you’re required to book your breakfast and dinner spots via the app or the interactive screens in the hotel. You can choose the same time each day, and you’re also given the opportunity to book into the Italian and Asian specialty restaurants too. You can dine once in each for every five nights you stay, so for our seven night stay we enjoyed a delicious meal in both places.
At breakfast time, there was also the option to book La Choza, one of the poolside bars, so you could enjoy a delicious coffee and freshly prepared breakfast with a stunning view of the pool.
The Pool and Bars
The main pool was absolutely huge, and took pride of place in the centre of both hotels. The pool floor was sloped as you walked in, and in front was a man-made beach, which really made you feel like you were at the shore. Towards the Tabaiba hotel, there was also a super shallow pool surrounded by beautiful palm trees, which was a great spot if you had small children as it provided lots of shade while they were paddling.
The splash park was amazing – lots of choice for both younger and older children, with plenty of chairs surrounding the pool for mums and dads. The lifeguard team were great, and were always keeping a keen eye on everyone splashing and sliding around to keep everyone safe.
There are a selection of pool bars, serving delicious drinks and snacks. Drinks are mostly on a self serve basis, and there was a great range included in the all inclusive. You could opt to upgrade to all inclusive plus, which gave you more options when it came to branded spirits and freshly made cocktails, but we didn’t think it was necessary as the standard range was great!
The Entertainment
During the day, around the pool the entertainment team did a lovely morning welcome, and let everyone know the entertainment for the day. There were lots of sports options, however for those who just wanted to chill out, it wasn’t overly boisterous. Saturday was the main day for pool games and music, but during the week the games were mainly held on the hotel beach.
Each evening there was a fantastic family-friendly show in the outdoor theatre on the Maspalomas side of the hotel. This was great fun, and often very interactive, and didn’t go on too late!
The piano bar on the Tabaiba side is where we enjoyed lots of live music by a range of acts. This had a very classy feel to it, and was a great place to enjoy a glass of wine to end our evening before heading to bed. Though our room was right above the bar, everything wrapped up around 11pm, so our sleep was never disturbed.
The Local Area
The Maspalomas and Tabaiba Princess was around a 20 minute walk to the Meloneras beach front, which was the closest place for a wide selection of restaurants and shops. It was really easy to find, we just headed out of the hotel, turned right and followed the dry river bed. The walk was fairly flat, and it was great to take in some of the local area as we headed down to the sea front. The walk took us along the sand dunes too, and past a nature reserve which was great to stop and take in some local wildlife.
Before we travelled, we joined a Facebook page, Friends of the Maspalomas and Tabaiba Princess, to get some tips and tricks from hotel regulars. Someone from the page recommended we visit Maximillians restaurant in Meloneras, and we were so glad they did! The food was delicious, the staff were super friendly and the view from our table was amazing. We loved it so much, we went back a second time!
There were some great shops to pick up a bargain or two, including Ale Hop which is one of our favourites when on holiday. Next to Maximillians restaurant, we found a beautiful high-end shopping parade which was home to some designer stores, perfect for a bit of window shopping.
Add Gran Canaria To Your Travel Bucket List
If you’re stuck on where to go for your next family getaway, and want a luxury feel with child friendly facilities, then you should definitely consider the Maspalomas and Tabaiba Princess in Gran Canaria. It was the perfect choice for us, and with some amazing deals to this stunning hotel, it’s hard to say no!
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