If we're honest, we never expected it to be open this year. When the Wennas investment group and the Radisson chain announced that they'd have it built from scratch within a year we, along with the rest of the island, raised an eyebrow. It seemed a tad ambitious, to put it lightly. 

But open it is, right on schedule and all shiny and new. 

And, as we walked around, the first guests were already sitting out by the pool with a bottle of local wine. It was a Bermejo from Lanzarote. Good choice!

Five-star sunshine

The Radisson Blu Resort & Spa is Gran Canaria's first brand new hotel for a decade (the last one was the Lopesan Baobab) and the only 5-Star hotel in the Mogán Municipio.  

It has over 400 luxury rooms and suites, almost all with huge terraces facing the swimming pools, along with a wide range of sporting facilities, two big heated swimming pools, a kid's pool, and several in-house restaurants and pool bars. 

The new Radisson a big hotel, but it doesn't really feel like one because it's low rise and designed around a big central garden and pool area. It has an outdoor atmosphere and there are plenty of places to sit around in the sun and the shade. 

Amongst the things that really impressed us were the Filini Italian restaurant, the best-decorated hotel restaurant we've ever seen, the splashy things in the kid's pool (guaranteed to keep them busy for hours), the beach volleyball court, and the overall level of detail in things like the lighting, garden planting, and outdoor furniture.

Sleek, open, elegant; this is a smart hotel that just lets you get on with your holiday.  

Oh, we forgot the rooms. They are big!

Big enough to walk around in and flop about and relax and do all the things you want to do in a hotel room. And well-decorated with huge showers, comfy sofas (we tested them), enormous beds, etc. Each room has a big terrace with loungers off the living area so you are never more than a few seconds from the sunshine. 

Gran Canaria's newest 5-Star hotel is in Puerto de Mogán just a few minutes stroll from the beachfront and the marina at Playa and Puerto de Mogán.

For more details and direct bookings (always try going direct), see the Radisson Blu Resort & Spa, Gran Canaria, Mogan online.