Club Parque Mesa del Mar Tacoronte Canary Islands

Club Parque Mesa del Mar has a fine location amid the ‘Vineyard of Tenerife’ on this beautiful island’s north coast, with access to both the capital of Santa Cruz and the cool, family resort of Puerto de la Cruz. This quaint, terraced timeshare resort is wonderfully arranged around a pool area with gardens and ocean views, and features one- and two-bedroom timeshare units.

The central theme of this timeshare resort is its large terrace and swimming pool, which is heated in the wintertime and affords fine views out to sea. The area also has a child’s pool, a tennis court, table tennis, a games room and garden chess. A pleasant on-site restaurant serves up foods of the region and there is a grocery store and a laundry service.

The timeshare units here come in a few formats, including studios and one- and two-bedroom apartments. All have kitchenette with hob and oven, while the larger units feature a double sofa bed in the lounge. Satellite television is standard and some units have stunning balconies.

The beach can be walked to though there is a shuttle service right from Club Parque Mesa del Mar which stops not only at the beach but in the centre of buzzing Puerto de la Cruz. It is one of the older resort towns on Tenerife, being aimed primarily at families and older couples, unlike Playa de las Americas.

A major attraction of the town for all ages is the fantastic Lago Martianez swimming complex. Located right over the water, this huge place features vast swimming pools and lots of space in which to sunbathe, with a cheap entry fee that includes sun bed use. Lago Martianez gets especially busy though is a good alternative to the beaches.

Check out the old port area of Puerto de la Cruz for its interesting shops, bars and cafés which are popular with local tourists. Sitting at a waterside café watching the fishing vessels go out to see while sipping on a coffee is a favourite pastime, as is taking in the shops between here and Lago Martianez.

The best of the beaches are located to the west of the harbour; they have lifeguards, sun beds, showers, toilets and eateries, along with decent surf. Away from the beaches are the Botanic Gardens with trees and shrubs from around the world, while not far from the port is the Loro Parque zoo, with its dolphin and whale shows.