Just returned from a week at the Reina Isabel Hotel in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria. The hotel is first class with the best breakfasts we've ever had. The staff are very friendly, as are the residents, but bear in mind this is a capital city and not a resort so there were few that spoke any english at all. The place is so big we got lost several times The beach is absolutely wonderful, blue flag with lifeguards, and a lovely long promenade to walk along day & night. Canoeing, surfing and the beach was "hoovered" every night but as they have bins & disposable ashtrys all over the place we never saw one piece of litter in all the time we were there.
The hotel has the best terrace on the beach to sit & watch the world go by with a glass or two of wine or try their sangria - simply beautiful.
The rooms were cleaned every day with fresh towels & toilettries. There's also a mini fridge to keep your water, wine etc.
As we are not exactly beach bums we didn't go onto the sunbeds reserved for our hotel on the beach. We liked the pool area on the roof terrace best. Plenty of bamboo style sunbeds with parasols & never too busy.
At night, after dinner, we would walk along the promenade & one of our favourite places was a small local bar down on the right from the lady statue (can't remember the name of the street) They served good measures & were extremely friendly. It had big hams etc on the gantry.
I had asked about good restaurants on tripadvisor & received a reply from someone born in Las Palmas with a few good ones that we tried. We got a map at the tourist office on the promenade & they marked out where the restaraunts were for us. La Cuadra ( Mas de Graminde, 32) Good Lebanese restaraunt. Gave it 10/10. The lamb chops & the steaks were superb. As was the wine. The other one across the road that was recommended didn't open til 9 or 9.30 so we didn't get there was El Coto.
El Gallo Feliz ( white cockeral signs) & El Cerdo Que Rie ( look for the pig signs) are about 500 yards on the left coming out of the hotel on Paseo de Las Canteras ( the promenade)
One we found ourselves was the Glamour Restaraunt about 500 yards to the right as you come out of the hotel. Beautifully cooked steaks & do get the gorgonzola sauce with it. It's to die for.
As for snacks, the best cheese & ham toasties (3 euro) & a bottle of Rioja white El Coto ( 12.50 euro) & the best service, was at the Gran Terraza Lolita in Parque Santa Catalina. An outside bar/restaurant in the square. Good food, wine & T.V. screens showing football, if you're interested.
Across the road is a shopping mall with bars etc
Another restaurant that was recommended was Camilo, a fish restaraunt right at the end of Paseo de Las Canteras, La Puntilla. Turn right as you come out of the hotel & keep on going until you come to the cliffs. We didn't try this as my partner didn't want fish & this is all they serve but I believe it would be very good if you all wanted fish.
There are plenty of big shops like El Corte Engles etc in the centre and another shopping centre if you walk to the end of the promenade to the left of the hotel.
All in all it was a quiet holiday we were looking for but wouldn't recommend it for anyone looking for anything lively.

First time away for Christmas. Wonderful experience. No Christmas celebrations at all, so we could just treat it like a 'normal' holiday. Breakfast buffet enormous, to suit every taste imaginable. Had wonderful large sea view room with two balconies - no sun until late evening though, but this is because of the way the sun rises and sets over the top of the hotel. Gran Canaria is permanently windy though, so never feels hot. Large old town to explore. Took a trip to the South - horrid, as was Maspalomas. Modern, built up, overcrowded, was happy to get back to Las Palmas. Will go again.

This was our third visit to this hotel so, obviously, we are prejudiced ? The location between the prom and the shops is outstanding. The staff and service equally so - nothing is too much trouble (but you gotta be amendable !). This was our third visit to this hotel so, obviously, we are prejudiced ? The location between the prom and the shops is outstanding. The staff and service equally so - nothing is too much trouble (but you gotta be amendable !). The quality and choice for breakfast and dinner in the buffet restaurant is good & cosmopolitan. The quality in the al a carte restaurant on the top floor mouth-watering and the adjacent sea-facing bar has food & drink that makes promenade-people-watching a joy. The pool and the gym and spa are breath-taking as is the view of the sea and city. The sea-view rooms with balconies are most acceptable although the non-view rooms may be somewhat 'tired'. The clientele is mainly 'wrinklie-orientated' with lots of English, German & Sandinavian with a few mainland Spanish. The employees understood English, evern mine !
I'm going there again next month !

We stayed for 3 nights in January 07. The rooms, with balcony, overlooking Canteras beach are the best. Ask for a room on floor 5 or higher to get best sea views and to overlook the beach which is floodlit at night.
Excellent ly placed above the beach and a short walking distance to the El Cortes Ingles dept. stores. Bus ride to main shopping area.
Private sunbeds on beach plus rooftop swimming pool with sunbathing area.Well equipped gym on rooftop.
Ground floor bar/snacks very comfortable and not expensive. Also, rooftop bar.
Breakfast - the best anywhere. Cooked decent back bacon, sausages et al. Every cold item imagineable including smoked salmon, iced cava and vodka!!
Hotel used by Saga and maybe Scandinavian equivalent so be prepared to be surrounded by geriatrics. Many of these old folk seem to stay on half board and the food in the ground floor restaurant looked pretty good. We had a one meal in the rooftop restaurant which was recommended in a guide book. Superb views, good food and not particularly expensive. Empty until 10 o'clock when it filled up with locals.
We booked through Hotel Pronto in the UK which was nearlty 25% cheaper than booking direct with the hotel.