Galeon Playa Apartments

2 readers found this review helpful

Just arrived back from a great two week stay at the Galeon Playa. These apartments are spacious and clean, nice friendly bar with the usual type of entertainment. However, this year we had the pleasure of Jerome being the on site entertainment co-ordinator and he was a great laugh! The apartments are in a good position with a choice of two (windy) beaches nearby, plenty of bars and restaurants and a surprising amount of good quality shops! Our children really enjoyed the kids' club, mini disco, play park and choice of clean swimming pools. This is definitely one of our best holidays and I would highly recommend it.

1 reader found this review helpful

We went for a family break as we hadn't had a holiday this year due to having a baby.
We went with our 3 kids aged 7yrs, 6yrs, 4 months old and my husband’s mum and brother.
We found the hotel very clean and the rooms were very spacious also. We were lucky enough to have rooms overlooking the pool and with it being later on in the year the hotel was very quiet.
There were a few kids however not enough to open the kiddie area in the hotel restaurant which caters purely for kids.
My kids found the restaurant food not to their liking however breakfast wasn't too bad. The adults found the food very nice.
Costa Teguise is a very nice resort and we were lucky to have lovely warm weather for the duration of our stay. We went on a few trips to the markets and the Timanfaya Volcano, the Texas Ranch Park was fantastic and the kids loved it.
All in all, I would recommend this hotel for families and the resort of Costa Teguise; however if you like more action Puerto Del Carmen is probably more your cup of tea as it’s a much livelier resort with more going on at night.
Bit of advice, arrange your excursions yourself as through the reps is very expensive and can be nearly double what you would pay if you arranged them yourself. The hotel can arrange your transport to the markets and there is a lady that sells your tickets to the Timanfaya, she lives in the resort and is very friendly and helpful.
The Thomson Reps are very unhelpful and reluctant to tell you anything about the excursions if you haven't booked with them.

1 reader found this review helpful

2nd visit in 2yrs, need I say any more? Everything was of a very high standard, it didn’t cost the earth and it makes me wonder what people want for their money.
Staff were very pleasant and rooms were cleaned as stated. We will be returning again, our only moan was that the sun stayed in 1 day. Recommend the "Galeon Playa" to anyone wanting a quiet holiday with some fantastic eating places.

2 readers found this review helpful

Even though I have just found this site (our holiday was in May 06) I really felt that I had to make my views known to you all.
We stayed at the Galeon Playa for two weeks self catering and after reading a review of a family we met out there I have to agree everything.
From the cleaning, the staff, the pools and even the shop just outside the hotel were fab. Outside of the hotel was just as clean and friendly even when two tired kids played up a bit.
Another must thing to do when there, is shopping for perfume I got some amazing deals which changed from day to day and got better and better. We only had one half day outing, as we enjoyed lazing by the pool so much and this was at the Texas Rancho Park which was full of animals even I had not seen, they also put on some really good shows which we enjoyed just as much as the kids.
Eating out at night is great and cheap for a family of four and one fab place is opposite the kid’s playground on the main walkway by all the shops.
If you have booked your holiday and are reading these reviews just remember your holiday is what you and your family make of it not just where you stay. We will be back next year at the Galeon and I for one can’t wait.

1 reader found this review helpful

We went back to the Galeon Playa apartments for the second time this October. The previous being three years ago.
We've been to Costa Teguise itself 5 times now - and having been to all 4 main Canary Islands over the years, it's my favourite resort of the lot (obviously!). It's totally family friendly, quiet but not too quiet, clean, good beaches - just all round good really.
I like the Galeon Playa too - Location wise it's great, it's well run by the local management, and whilst the accommodation is nothing special - It's nothing to complain about either.
Last time we went this was a Thomson Super Family resort (not even sure if they do those anymore) - but now it's not - and it does seem to make a bit of a difference to the atmosphere.
The entertainment was generally very poor this time - mainly in my view because it was left to the locals rather than the Thomson reps - which I think was a real shame.
The Kids Club reps were great, and built up a real rapport with the Kids, which was not carried through into the evening entertainment, because it was left to some Spanish women to run the mini-disco!!
All in all, I think you could do a lot worse than the Galeon Playa - provided you're Ok with entertaining yourselves in the evening!
Costa Teguise is great - The Cutty Sark, and the Dolphin are my two favourite Canary island bars of all time!!

1 reader found this review helpful

My partner and I are in our 60's. This holiday being our first in Lanzarote and self catering.
We had a wonderful relaxed holiday, the staff at reception were fab can't say about reps as we have learnt not to bother with them.
We were in block 11 on top floor in an apartment which was more than adequate but there were no instructions for hot plate or microwave and it was obvious that no safety checks had been made on any equipment provided as saucepan handle fell off because screw had come loose, very dangerous.
Our room was always cleaned last as no rota system but Olga on reception got it cleaned earlier for us so we could enjoy our lunch on balcony in peace.
Best restaurant has to be El Patio in the little square where there is a market every Friday night which is a must.
Would go again now we know that any problems will be dealt with quickly by reception and resort itself is really great.

The apartments themselves are quite big inside and kept clean. We had a small problem with ants and within minutes of telling the reception they sent someone up to sort it.
The people were friendly, the reps were not up to much. They hardly spoke to you but the reps changed over a few days before we came home and the new ones were better.
We never eat at the apartment restaurant we went out and tried local restaurants and the food was always nice and the people kind and friendly.
The pools were clean the best one for children who can swim but not strong swimmers is the largest pool. One end is the right depth and because it is in like two circles I could set boundaries for my two eight year olds.
We didn’t think much of the night time entertainment at the apartments. The mini disco started at eight thirty much too late and the adult or family entertainment didn’t start till ten, again way too late if you got kids they get board and tired by then.
We liked Saxons because we could play bowling, pool, air hockey and if we didn’t fancy that just watch a film on the sky channels or dance in the disco part next door but most importantly, have a drink in a family friendly place.
Warning: there are people on the street who give you a scratch card you win one of three big prizes all you have to do is go over the road to the office fill in a question form only takes an hour and you get a soft drink ye right we were sat there three hours while they try to sell you membership to an internet holiday company so be warned don’t fall for it as you don’t win anything, all you get a free bottle of wine yuk and a voucher for a holiday whoopee it will still cost you money.
Our two trips we went on were to the volcano’s they were brill so interesting and the experiments were fun and the camel ride was lovely, but could have done without the last stop at a wine place. The samples you taste are horrible and I’m a wine lover.
The other trip was to the Rancho Texas night it was really nice. Food was brill drinks all night were free, entertainment was good but the kids were disappointed as the horse riding was sit on, walk ten steps, get off and the bouncy castle was not on as it was wet.
We enjoyed our holiday but have been on better and Porta Del Carmen would have been better, there looks like much more life and fun up there for both adults and kids.

Having just returned from the island of Lanzarote we stayed at the Galeon playa well what can I say? the 1st room they gave us was painted that day, my young son and wife got a few items of clothes covered in paint.
I went to the reception explained what had happened and they moved us to a new room, this I found was a great room next to the children’s play area and the soft play area, this was great because we could sit on a terrace area watching our son play on the slides without a worry we was also near to the swimming pool and again this was fine as when it was time to get out dinner we was not that far away, I found the hotel staff were great to talk to and at one point the receptionist was teaching me Spanish they wee great and down to earth we are also looking at going back
We did not use the cafe in the hotel but we did use the pool bar again a great deal and cheap.
Great holiday had by all.

1 reader found this review helpful

My Husband, my two boys aged 14 and 9 and I have just returned from two weeks at the Galeon Playa. We had two great weeks the apartments were very clean & tidy, the maid service was brilliant. The pools were cleaned every day as witnessed by ourselves as we overlooked the smaller of the 3 pools. Hotel staff were friendly enough.
The Tompson reps (& Kidzone Reps) were 5 star they were around the complex every day. The trips were a little expensive but when in you are in another country we like to explore. The Submarine Safari was great this is a half day trip were you go 25 metres under the sea in a yellow sub-marine, the fish that you see are amazing.
We also took the kids to the aqua park, a little disappointing as there weren't as many slides as we thought, but still enjoyed it. You can also catch a local bus into Porto del Carmen we paid 9 euros for the 4 of us (about £6.40). This is a very busy resort lots of shops & arcades but a nice walk down along the beach. Also some nice views from the bus as you pass through the capital of Arrcifie.
We ate out every night as you had a wide variety of restaurants to choose from (even for the fussy eater). Two to recommend are The Atlantic Fish Bar (Great British Food) great value for money and the 2 girls that work there were brill, and The Cutty Sark (Great Steaks). All in all we didn't have a bad meal and were all reasonably priced.
The only thing you have to be careful about out here is the breeze; it can burn you without you knowing it (I should know I burnt with factor 20 on).
All in all a great holiday would recommend.

My wife, two sons aged 12 and 14 and I have just returned from our 2 week holiday at the Galeon Playa, Costa Teguise, Lanzarote (our first holiday abroad in seven years).
Reason for the low score was the complete incompetence of the apartment maintenance and ants, the rudeness of the receptionist at the Galeon Playa.
You tell me how you can have a self catering holiday without a cooker that did not work at all and the rings did not work for five days. When reported the maintenance person told us we had got water in the electrics (not even used it then), he then reset the fuse and left. This happened on continuous days till eventually on the Saturday the staff told us we would have to wait till the Monday for an electrician to repair it with no explanation on how we were going to cater for ourselves. Only with the intervention of the Thomson Rep we got a free meal.
Other occurrences happened throughout the holiday with the apartment but the complaints fell on deaf ears and in the end I just gave up.
The entertainment during the day for the children was excellent - they joined in all the water sport activities, football, squash and even tried scuba diving in the pool. But the entertainment at night was a let down - there was nothing for there age group. They had singers on 3 times a week but this was very poor.
The best word for this complex is that it is clean. But I would not recommend it as it is very noisy at night till at least 2.00am
But to be honest Thomson have let there standards drop with this accommodation, the Reps were basically unfriendly and none existent.
On the plus side Costa Teguise is lovely resort and plenty of places to eat, Splash is nice and also try Tex Mex but this is busy so be prepared for at least a 40 minute wait.
Try out the snorkeling and swimming. Weather is hot with a nice breeze.
We went on four trips - we really enjoyed Rancho Texas (recommend), Volcanic Grill was OK but a little disappointed with the entertainment side. No free booze which we were told there was. Southern Sights was a bit rushed but overall not a bad day out. If you have children do go to the Aqua Park but the downfall of this is the rudeness of the staff with there constant blowing of there whistles. Watch out for the hard sell on the sun tan cream by a lady who scares you into buying expensive sun tan creams.
We will not be recommending Thomsons to our family and friends ever again.