Escape to Paradise: HL Miraflor Suites Awaits in Gran Canaria!
Escape to Paradise: HL Miraflor Suites Awaits in Gran Canaria!
Escape to Paradise…or Is It? A Messy, Honest Review of HL Miraflor Suites, Gran Canaria
Okay, buckle up, buttercups. This isn't your average sanitized hotel review. This is a REAL person’s experience, warts and all, of the HL Miraflor Suites in Gran Canaria. Yeah, the official brochure looked glossy, promising "paradise." Let's see if it delivered… or just another Instagram facade.
First, the Essentials (Accessibility & Cleanliness - Because Let's Be Real, They Matter!)
Right off the bat, I gotta say, accessibility seemed genuinely considered. They claim to have facilities for disabled guests, and I saw elevators everywhere. That's a huge plus, especially for older folks or anyone with mobility issues. I didn’t personally require it, but seeing that effort was reassuring. Also, I’m betting the exterior corridor design makes navigation easier, even with minimal mobility. Now, I don't know if all rooms are fully accessible, but the fact that it's on offer is a good start.
Now, the burning question for the post-pandemic world: Cleanliness and Safety. Listen, I was obsessed with this. They ticked a lot of boxes, which was both comforting and… honestly? A bit overwhelming. They’ve got:
- Anti-viral cleaning products: Good. Less chance of catching some dreadful germs.
- Daily disinfection in common areas: Excellent. I appreciated seeing (and smelling!) the efforts.
- Rooms sanitized between stays: Okay, this is what I want to hear!
- Hand sanitizer: Plentiful. Never had to hunt for it.
- Staff trained in safety protocol: Felt like it! Everyone seemed on-the-ball, which is a major relief.
- Physical distancing of at least 1 meter: Mostly adhered to, though the buffet during breakfast did sometimes feel a bit… "elbow-to-elbow."
- Cashless payment service: Appreciated. Less faffing with cash.
- Sanitized kitchen and tableware items: Good, good, good.
- Room sanitization opt-out available: I'm all for choice!
So, yeah, they were hitting the mark. It all felt… safe. Maybe a little too safe sometimes, like I was living in a hospital ward. But hey, I'd rather be safe than sorry, right?
The Room: My Little Sanctuary…or a Prison Cell with a View?
The Available in all rooms list reads like a novel. Let's dive in!
- Air conditioning: Thank God. Gran Canaria sun is brutal.
- Wi-Fi [free]: Hallelujah! No hidden costs, finally.
- Desk: Needed it. I’m a sucker for working on vacation.
- Mini bar: Essential for those late-night snacks.
- Hair dryer: Woohoo! No more post-shower frizz-fests.
- Coffee/tea maker: A morning essential!
- Free bottled water: Saved me a trip to the store.
- Blackout curtains: Sleep! Thank you!
- Seating area: Room to just chill.
- Balcony: Ahhhh, the fresh air!
- In-room safe box: Nice to keep valuables secure.
- Slippers & Bathrobes: The little things, am I right!
My room actually was pretty decent. But here's the thing… it felt a bit sterile. Like those perfectly staged hotel room photos you see on Instagram. You know? No character, no… soul. It was clean, and functional, don’t get me wrong. But the walls were a little beige-ish, and nothing really popped. I was missing those special touches that make a place feel really homey. (Speaking of missing things… I almost died when I couldn't find any outlet near the bed for charging my phone. This is a major design flaw, people!).
Internet Access: A Mixed Bag, Honestly…
- Internet [LAN] and Internet access – wireless: Both available, which is good for options.
- Free Wi-Fi in all rooms!: Woo hoo! And it actually worked… most of the time. Listen, I travel a lot, and slow hotel wifi is my biggest pet peeve. The internet was acceptable for most things. Email, social media, that sort of thing. But I tried to have a video call with my mother once and it was a disaster. And when trying to upload some photos, it was so slow that I gave up.
- Wi-Fi for special events: Good for business travelers. I'm guessing this is stronger, given the nature of these events.
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking: Let's Talk Food!
Okay, the food. This is where things got… interesting.
- Breakfast [buffet]: Yes, a buffet! And yes, it was a bit of a scrum at times. BUT. The sheer choice was impressive. Western breakfast, Asian breakfast – it was all there. I grabbed a bit of everything. It was a pretty standard spread: eggs, bacon, pastries, fruit. But the sheer volume of food available felt almost obscene after a while. It’s like the HL Miraflor was saying: ”Eat EVERYTHING!!! You will never be hungry again!”
- Restaurants: Several options, which is always good.
- A la carte in restaurant: It was a bit fancier than buffet.
- Poolside bar: Yeah, this was the dream. Sipping cocktails by the pool. Pure bliss.
- Coffee/tea in restaurant, Coffee shop: Always appreciated.
- Snack bar: Convenient for a quick bite.
- Happy hour: YES! This is not a drill!
Now, the imperfections… The food was… okay. Not exactly Michelin-star quality, but perfectly edible. The international cuisine in restaurant was ambitious, but a bit bland at times. I had a particularly underwhelming Pad Thai one night. But hey, there’s always the desserts in restaurant to save the day.
Things to Do (And Ways to Relax): Did I Actually Relax?
- Swimming pool [outdoor], Pool with view: Beautiful! The pool was gorgeous. It's one of the main reasons I booked this place!
- Spa, Spa/sauna, Steamroom: I had the massage. Oh my god, the massage was AMAZING. I thought I’d died and gone to heaven. It was heaven! I'll make sure to book one of those again.
- Fitness center, Gym/fitness: Never went. Guilty.
- Sauna: Nice that they had.
- Ways to relax: I did. My body and mind were in a good place!
Services & Conveniences: The Little Things
- Concierge: Super helpful. They arranged a boat trip for me.
- Daily housekeeping: The room was always immaculate.
- Laundry service, Dry cleaning, Ironing service: Helpful!
- Currency exchange, Cash withdrawal: Useful.
- Convenience store, Gift/souvenir shop: Handy for picking up essentials and presents for home.
- Elevator: Yay for accessibility!
- Luggage storage: Easy peasy.
- Room service [24-hour]: Essential. Perfect for a lazy day.
For the Kids: Meh, Didn’t Matter to Me.
- Babysitting service, Family/child friendly, Kids meal, Kids facilities: Don't have kids, didn't care. But I saw a lot of happy families, so that's a good sign.
Getting Around
- Airport transfer: Super smooth. Made arrival and departure a breeze.
- Car park [free of charge], Taxi service, Car park [on-site]: The fact that parking was free was a huge plus in a resort area.
The Verdict: Paradise Found? (Mostly)
So, was it paradise? Well, my stay had both ups and downs. The HL Miraflor Suites is a solid choice. Everything was meticulously done, and the staff were lovely. But, and it’s a big but… it lacked a certain spark. It wasn’t the wild, exciting adventure I was hoping for – more a comfortable, well-organized stay.
Would I go back? Probably. Is it a good hotel? Yes. Is it perfect? No. But maybe that’s okay. After all, perfection is boring, right? And if you’re looking for a safe, clean, and convenient base for your Gran Canaria adventure, you could do a lot worse.
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HL Miraflor Suites: My Glorious, Messy, and Possibly Sunburnt Gran Canaria Adventure
Alright, buckle up buttercups, because this ain't your average, clinically-perfect travel itinerary. This is my experience, Gran Canaria-style, and it's gonna be a glorious, messy, probably sunburnt ride. Expect tangents, opinions, and the occasional existential crisis sparked by a particularly potent cocktail. Let's GO!
Day 1: Arrival & the Great Balcony Battle
- 10:00 AM: Arrive at Gran Canaria Airport (LPA). The moment I stepped off the plane, BAM! Sunshine in my face. Instant mood booster. But also… whew, humidity. Already regretting the heavy sweater I wore on the flight.
- 11:00 AM: Taxi to HL Miraflor Suites. The driver was a chatty charmer, regaling me with tales of Canarian life. I understood maybe a third of what he said, but smiled and nodded enthusiastically anyway. Made him think I was a genius.
- 12:00 PM: Check-in. The hotel lobby? Spotless. Smelling faintly of… well, I’m not sure, but it was a good smell. Smooth and efficient. My little oasis of calm before the chaos.
- 1:00 PM: Suite reveal! A glorious, spacious apartment, complete with a kitchenette and… a balcony! A balcony promising sun-drenched mornings and sundowner cocktails. Except… there was a problem. The balcony had a slight, ahem, view directly into a construction site. I mean, literally, cement mixers and screaming workers. My first reaction was pure, unadulterated RAGE. I stormed back to reception, fuming! (Okay, maybe not stormed, the heat was getting to me, mostly ambled with a hint of a dramatic eye roll to the manager.) Finally, after some negotiation (read: me channeling my inner Karen, a little), they swapped me to a different suite. MUCH better! The balcony now offered a pristine view of the pool and a sliver of the ocean. Success! (And a little bit of guilt, I admit. Sorry, construction workers!)
- 2:00 PM: Lunch at the hotel restaurant, Esencia. Honestly? Pretty meh. I went for the paella, a classic, and should’ve probably ordered something else after it came undercooked. BUT, the sangria was AMAZING. Liquid sunshine in a glass. Forgiven.
- 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM: Poolside lounging. Ahhh, pure bliss. Sun, pool, book, repeat. I also witnessed a truly spectacular backflip attempt by a rather portly gentleman. The splash was legendary. Definitely worth the price of admission.
- 7:00 PM: Dinner & drinks at a nearby tapas bar (name forgotten, too many sangrias). Tried the papas arrugadas (wrinkled potatoes) with mojo sauce. Delicious. Seriously, these potatoes were life-changing. I could eat them for every meal. Ended the night with a conversation with a fellow traveler, a charming elderly woman named Agnes. She told a story about her wedding proposal underwater. Magical.
- 9:30 PM: Crash. Slept like a baby.
Day 2: Beach Bumming & a Cactus Catastrophe
- 8:00 AM: Woke up, and it was time to head down to the buffet for breakfast! The options…overwhelming. I grabbed some fruit, some pastries, and some eggs. Ended up regretting the eggs, but the pastries were chef's kiss.
- 9:00 AM: Beach day! Playa del Inglés, here I come. The beach was… HUGE. And packed. Finding a spot was like a treasure hunt. I swear, everyone had some kind of inflatable, from giant flamingos to gargantuan unicorns. I, alas, had only my humble towel.
- 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM: Sunbathing, swimming, and people-watching. I saw a guy trying to juggle coconuts. (He failed spectacularly.) Also, a near-miss with a rogue volleyball. The water was glorious, warm, and salty. The best kind of water.
- 1:00 PM: The Great Sunburn Emerges. I thought I was protected with sunscreen, but NOPE. My shoulders were starting to resemble cooked lobsters. Mistake #1, underestimating the Gran Canarian sun.
- 2:00 PM: Lunch at a beachside restaurant. Ordered the grilled fish. Delicious, but my sunburn was starting to make me feel like I was on fire. Pure agony!
- 3:00 PM: The Great Cactus Catastrophe! I decided to take a shortcut back to my hotel, and in doing so accidentally walked right into a collection of cacti. PAIN. Spines sticking out like tiny needles. A local kindly helped me pluck them out, but the memory still haunts me (and my leg!).
- 4:00 PM: Back to the hotel, slathered in aloe vera. Looking more like a green alien than a sun-kissed goddess.
- 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM: Rest time. Read my book, feeling slightly miserable.
- 7:00 PM: Dinner & drinks at a restaurant near the hotel. This time, I went for the grilled chicken to avoid any further culinary perils. The chicken was… chicken.
- 9:00 PM: In bed, wishing I could rewind the day and avoid the cactus.
- 10:00 PM: Lights out
Day 3: Exploring, Hiking, and the "What IS That?!" Incident
- 9:00 AM: Breakfast at the hotel. Pancakes. The staff was not overly friendly, but the pancakes were fine.
- 10:00 AM: Went to the dunes of Maspalomas. It was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. The sand…so soft. The wind…so gentle. The air…so clear. I spent hours just walking and watching the waves and the sunset.
- 1:00 PM: Quick lunch. A sandwich. Nothing special.
- 2:00 PM: Hiking in the mountains. I decided to take on a bit of a hike. It was beautiful, but the climb was grueling. My muscles screamed. I nearly fell a few times. At one point, I saw a very strange-looking bird. I don't know what kind it was…but it was definitely very… strange.
- 4:00 PM: Reward time. Ice cream. Sweet, delicious, cooling ice cream.
- 5:00 PM-7:00 PM: Relaxing by the pool.
- 7:00 PM: Ate dinner at a restaurant. It was good. I don't remember what I ordered.
- 8:00 PM: Tried to relax back in my room. I began to feel a headache start to form.
- 9:00 PM: Lights out.
Day 4: More Exploration, a Boat Trip that Wasn't, and Departure Anxiety (Already?!)
- 10:00 AM: Breakfast at the hotel. Trying to make the most of it. Trying to think of how I want to spend the last day to make it memorable.
- 11:00 AM: Went to see if I could go on a boat trip, but they were sold out. I was sad.
- 12:00 PM: Last meal at the hotel. Salad.
- 1:00 PM: Checked out.
- 2:00 PM: Packed up, feeling all sorts of mixed up emotions, happy about the trip but sad it was ending.
- 3:00 PM: Headed for the airport.
- 4:00 PM: Plane ride. I fell asleep.
- 5:00 PM: Land.
Okay, so maybe the structure isn't exactly tight, and yes, I got a little carried away. But that's travel, right? A chaotic, exhilarating, sometimes painful, always memorable journey. This trip to Gran Canaria was exactly that, a series of moments and stories that, in an imperfect way, created memories that I will treasure forever. I’ll be back, Gran Canaria. And next time, I'll wear more sunscreen, steer clear of cacti, and maybe, JUST maybe, learn some actual Spanish. And I'll take a deep breath and embrace all the wonderfully messy moments.
Now, where's that sangria?
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Escape to Paradise: HL Miraflor Suites, Gran Canaria - The Real Deal (and the Occasional Hiccup)
1. Okay, spill the beans! Is this Miraflor place *actually* paradise? Or just Instagram-filtered paradise?
Alright, alright, settle down! Look, Gran Canaria itself is pretty darn close to paradise, let's get that straight. And Miraflor? Well, it *tries* to be. I went with my girlfriend, Sarah (who's got impeccable taste and a very judgmental eye), and, honestly, our room was *gorgeous*. Ocean view, huge balcony, we were practically living the Insta-life! But… (here comes the REALITY check, folks!) Remember that ridiculously oversized suitcase you swore you'd pack light? Yeah, try hauling that up a winding, sometimes-steep path to your room. My lungs are still recovering. So, paradise? On a good day, with a stiff drink and a porter? Yeah, probably. Without those things? More like *aspiring* paradise. And don't even get me started on the tiny elevator.
2. What are the rooms actually *like*? I'm terrified of a shoebox.
No shoeboxes, thankfully! We had a suite, and it was spacious. Big bed (important!), a comfy sitting area, and a bathroom that actually wasn't cramped (another win!). The décor… let's say it's *refined*. Neutral tones, clean lines… a little… beige? Sarah felt it could have used a splash of *something*. Maybe a vibrant painting? A quirky rug? She's got these ideas, you see. Personally, I was just happy for a clean space to collapse in after a day of sunbathing and pretending to be cultured. The balcony, though? That's where the real gold is. Ocean views, seriously! We spent hours just chilling out there, watching the sunsets. Forget the beige, just get the view!
3. The food! That's crucial. Tell me it doesn't involve lukewarm mystery meat!
Okay, food. This is where it gets… complicated. Breakfast buffet? Solid. Tons of options, from the usual suspects (bacon, eggs, pastries) to healthier choices. Coffee? Decent, but you *will* crave a proper Italian espresso eventually. Lunch and dinner? Hit or miss, honestly. We did the all-inclusive thing (because, you know, *holiday*), and sometimes the food was amazing. Fresh seafood, local specialties… other times? Let's just say, I saw a chicken nugget that looked suspiciously like it had been around since the dinosaurs roamed! Sarah was very particular. She kept insisting she was a foodie, she kept nagging me about the quality of the ingredients. She made me try some "artisanal" olives she bought at a grocery store. I didn't get it. Also, the *service* in the restaurant. It felt like they were *trying* to be attentive, but sometimes it fell a bit flat. We had to flag down a waiter once to get our drinks, and they clearly weren't thrilled to have us interrupt their gossip session. Hey, nobody's perfect!
3.5 About the Pool... tell me about it, is it a big brawl?
So the pool situation is a tale of two realities, or rather, a tale of pre-breakfast and post-breakfast. Before like 9 AM, bliss, absolute bliss. You can have a dip as long as you wish. You can relax, bask in the sun, and drink in the early light. Then you're going to have to fight for a chair. Honestly, the struggle is real. People are out there, setting up their towels at dawn like it's the Hunger Games. It's like a full-contact sport. Some are even using some kind of clamps. Sarah's gotten so fed up with her fights for a chair. She even decided to get the best chair with a towel on it, and she managed to hold it throughout the entire afternoon.
4. Is there anything to do *besides* lie around the pool/beach? Because I'm not a total couch potato.
Gran Canaria, thankfully, offers a lot! Miraflor is a good base for exploring. We rented a car (highly recommend – freedom, baby!) and drove around. The dunes at Maspalomas are incredible – a mini-Sahara! We hiked in the mountains, which was a bit of a challenge (remember those lungs I mentioned?), but the views were *worth it*. There are water sports, boat trips… lots of stuff to keep you busy. Evenings? Plenty of restaurants and bars nearby. You can go full tourist, or find some hidden gems. We mostly did a bit of both. Just be prepared for the occasional tourist trap. Sarah, bless her heart, dragged me to at least one souvenir shop. I'm still recovering. They even tried to get me to buy a fake Rolex. I was so tempted!
5. Okay, the staff. Are they helpful? Or do they just look at you like you're an annoyance?
Mostly helpful! The reception staff was always very nice and spoke great English. Other staff members are generally helpful, although maybe not *overly* enthusiastic. You get the feeling they're used to dealing with, well, *tourists*. There's a genuine friendliness there, though. One time our air conditioning broke, and we were sweating like pigs in a blanket. The maintenance guy, bless him, fixed it right away. I gave him a generous tip. I think he was the only person who truly appreciated my efforts, more than Sarah!
6. The Entertainment... do they have cheesy shows or something more genuine?
Oh boy, the entertainment. It's a mixed bag, let's put it that way. They have the classic stuff: karaoke nights. Theme nights. The occasional magic show. Some of it is charmingly bad, some of it… well, it's cheese. Sarah loved it. She was getting up and dancing every night, so that's a win, I guess. You just have to embrace the silliness. Think of it as performance art. I recommend a couple of cocktails before attending.
7. Anything REALLY bad? Any dealbreakers?
Nothing *truly* awful. As I said before the hills can be a real slog. The food can be hit or miss. But honestly? The big dealbreaker for me, personally, was the lack of good coffee *within the hotel itself*. I'm talking *desperate* morning searching for caffeine. ThatEscape to Paradise: ZYA Regina Resort & Aqua Park, Hurghada!
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