Club La Santa vs. Las Playitas

Olympic Pool:

Club La Santa 1
Great conditions, but generally too crowded.

Las Playitas 2
A lot less crowded, and under water windows for the coach to check your technique, video recording for later view and for you to check the Pro's technique under water.

Cycling - Lanzarote vs. Fuerteventura:

Club La Santa/Lanzarote 2½
In general the roads are very good. There are many good climbs, and it is possible to vary your route a great deal. The traffic is not bad, all though there is more traffic on Lanzarote than on Fuerteventura. There is a lot more life and culture on Lanzarote, which can make a 5 hour ride seem shorter.

Las Playitas/Fuerteventura 1½
Was dissapointed with the roads. Some roads have very rough surfaces, and it feels like riding on cobble stones. The island has all kind of roads and gives you the opportunity to really have specific bike sessions. You can ride specific TT sessions and specific climbing sessions. But the island looks the same all over, and there is not a lot of action, people, cities, life or in general not much to look at while you are riding. There are great views, but have you seen it once, you have seen them all. But the traffic is almost non-existing, and that is a great luxury. There are not many roads, so it can be difficult to very your route each day.

Running conditions:

Club La Santa 1
It is not easy to run different routes each day, all though it is possible. The run around the lagune is decent, but boring long term.

Las Playitas 2
The canary islands are not know as the perfect area to run. But if you enjoy trail running this is a great place. Many different paths to choose from, and the run around the golf course is legend.

Gym:

Club La Santa 1½
Good size gym. Indoor spinning room with good bikes and decent instructors. This is important if the weather and wind has a bad day, which is not rare on the Canary Islands.

Las Playitas ½
There are only spinning bikes outside, and they are at a very poor standard, and is really a joke. New swim orientated gym has just opened.

Apartments:

Club La Santa ½
CLS is newly build, and even though the apartments are at a good standard, they are not a place to spend much time. It is only a few, which has any kind of view or placement that makes them useful for anything else than to sleep in.

Las Playitas 2½
Even though you normally go to a sports resort to train, it is off course also nice to have a good base to relaxe in between training sessions. Las Playitas is new and that really shows. The apartments are at a good standard, and they all have a balcony with either ocean or garden view.

Internet and TV:

Club La Santa 0
No tv in the room and the internet connection is crap. Should be minus points...

Las Playitas 1½
Tv in the room and internet connection, which works the majority of the time... But we are in 2010, and to sit in your room in the evening on the internet relaxing and recovering for next day is a must in a sports resort.

Buffet:

Club La Santa 0
Very un-interesting and boring buffet. The standard quality is low, and it is in general just not good.

Las Playitas 2½
This is probably one of the best buffets, I have ever tried. There is something for everyone, and the quality is at the absolute top.

Other leisure activities:

Club La Santa 2
Activities included in the price. 400 meters athletic course. Football pitch at a poor standard.

Las Playitas ½
The activities are not free. Very beautiful golf course. Not many tennis courts.

Supermarket:

Club La Santa 1
Not a big supermarket, but it has a good baker, which can make or break a crisis... But still difficult to eat food just from there, and the transport to the nearest supermarket is not easy, unless you rent a car.

Las Playitas ½
The staff are very pleasant, but the product range is very little, and it is difficult to cook anything if you just buy the food there. Gran Tarajal is 10 minutes away by bus, and there are some good super markets.

Price:

Club La Santa 0
CLS is too expensive. One week there is a hard blow to the bank account, so two weeks is almost mandatory if you decide to go. But believe that with the other opportunities around for training camps, then CLS has become a bit too pricy.

Las Playitas 2
They will for sure become more expensive as the time goes by, but as a new sports resort, they have started off with some very attractive prices.

Overall score:

Club La Santa 9½
http://www.clublasanta.com/


Las Playitas 15½
http://www.playitas.info/

Even though Las Playitas wins this head-to-head quite clear, there is no doubt that Club La Santa is an amazing sportsresort, which anyone should visit if they get the opportunity.