Having spent many a family (and non-family) holiday in Tenerife, we bring you our compilation of what we consider to be the best hotels in Tenerife.
Tenerife is just a short flight away – within just a few hours you could be enjoying the largest of the Canary Islands and its wonderful beaches, warm weather, and Spanish culture. Famed of course for its year round pleasant temperatures, you’ll find plenty going on in the winter months as well as the summer months.
Amongst the many hotels on the island, we’ve selected the best hotels in Tenerife. Take a look at why we think they’re worth some serious consideration.
Our Top Picks In Tenerife
Best For Families – Gran Meliá Palacio de Isora
Best Luxury Hotel – The Ritz-Carlton Tenerife, Abama
Best For Adults – Royal River, Luxury Hotel
Best For A Peaceful Retreat – Parador de Las Cañadas del Teide
1: The Ritz-Carlton Tenerife, Abama
The Ritz-Carlton Tenerife has a dramatic sea view that’ll notice as soon as you arrive. As well as the views, the hotel itself has well-kept and lush gardens, and elegant architecture.
The grounds are huge – everything about The Ritz-Carlton Tenerife of course feels luxurious. The beach club was perhaps my favourite spot. It sits right on the sand. You’ll also find seven different pools scattered around, which all offer something a little different in design.
The room I stayed in was very comfortable, had wonderful sea views, and was decorated in calm, earthy colours.
The food and drink here scored highly for me. M.B, which is the hotel’s two Michelin-starred restaurant, was easily my favourite. Expectations were high, and easily met with incredible food and wonderful staff.
You can also opt for less fussy dining in other areas, especially the beach club, and also Txoko, which is Basque cuisine with some local dishes to enjoy.
This hotel is very family friendly, with the chain’s largest Ritz Kids program in Europe right here. All staff were kind and helpful, and were keen to help me when I needed advice on the local area and transport.
Location: Calle María Zambrano 2, Carretera General, TF-47, Km 9, 38687, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
Contact: +34 922 12 60 00
2: Bahía del Duque
Bahía del Duque is in a great location, overlooking the sea in Costa Adeje. I’d say it’s the best area in Adeje. The hotel itself is beautiful to look at, especially with the sea views and landscaping.
There are 4 well-maintained pools here, and the hotel always looked clean and tidy throughout my stay. There’s also plenty on offer for food and drink, with eight restaurants and seven bars, one of which is a juice bar.
The spa is definitely worth a visit. Staff were excellent here in all areas of the hotel – attentive, friendly, and also give you space.
This hotel’s location is perfect. You’re right on a beautiful beach, so you can easily explore the local area.
Location: Av. de Bruselas, s/n, 38660 Costa Adeje, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
Contact: +34 922 74 69 00
3: Gran Meliá Palacio de Isora
The Gran Meliá Palacio de Isora is a neat, calm location, with sensational views of the sea. Even when the lobby area got a little busy, it still felt peaceful and relaxed, while staff were quick to help us guests.
You only have three pools here. One of them is enough for plenty though, and spans across the hotel. Another pool for kids which has slides and a splash park, and a third heated pool.
The gardens are lovely, and you can get straight to the beach from the hotel. Dining was very good here, with plenty on offer in 7 restaurants and 3 bars. The buffet was regularly topped up and tidy, and food was always fresh.
This hotel seems more suitable for couples, but they welcome families too – you can opt for the RedLevel add-on, which gives families their own lounge areas, extra facilities in their family rooms, plus exclusive breakfast areas and even a PlayStation room.
Location: Av. de Los Oceanos, 38686 Alcalá, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
Contact: +34 922 86 90 00
4: Royal River, Luxury Hotel
Royal River, Luxury Hotel is what you’d expect it to be in terms of luxury – very peaceful and private, and it’s adults-only.
The villas are spaced out, and each has its own private pool. I stayed in a Grand Pool Villa, but there are River Villas that join onto a river-like pool and Lagoon Villas are on a lake.
The rooftop infinity pool is stunning. It has panoramic views that look over the Costa Adeje Golf Course and the sea – it really is a great spot for watching the sun go down.
The four restaurants were amazing, as was the spa. The decor throughout was simply beautiful, and cleanliness was first-class.
It’s a little further from the beach, but it offers a tranquil space of luxury away from the crowds in return.
Location: C. Alcojora, s/n, 38670 Costa Adeje, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
Contact: +34 922 78 77 65
5: Iberostar Heritage Grand Mencey
Iberostar Heritage Grand Mencey does things a little differently; it’s an urban hotel in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, with a ‘colonial’ design and peaceful gardens. I loved this hotel for how different it is compared to the typical look of many others.
The spa is worth a visit, especially the hydrotherapy circuit. They only have two pools here, indoor and outdoor, which are small and intimate. Dining is good, with four restaurants. I can recommend the Papa Negra Sprunch experience, and the breakfast was standout.
The Iballa lobby bar is a great place to have coffee (and study the photos of famous guests who have stayed here). The hotel is full of character and charm, and is very clean, too.
It works for both leisure and work trips, with spaces for events and plenty of quiet corners for relaxing.
The hotel’s in a great location, and if you’re driving it’s perfect for a decent parking spot.
Location: Google Maps
Contact: +34 922 60 99 00
6: Hard Rock Hotel Tenerife
I’ve been to a number of Hard Rock Hotels, so I knew what to expect with this one in Tenerife – lively vibe, modern and cool, but comfortable too.
This hotel is on the beachfront, and has 3 very clean pools which are on the luxury end and very spacious too. You’ve also got an adults-only pool and a kids’ one, which is a bonus.
This place always has enough sunbeds, and staff were on hand if you needed anything. Even during busy times, the pool area never felt particularly crowded.
There are 12 restaurants to choose from and bars, all well stocked with plenty of variety. On some nights there was live music, which is expected from any Hard Rock Cafe establishment, and makes a good night even better.
My room felt fresh and roomy, with music-themed decor that was fun but not over the top, plus some decent facilities.
Location: Avenida Adeje 300 300, Av. Playa Paraiso, s/n, 38678 Adeje, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
Contact: +34 922 74 17 00
7: Parador de Las Cañadas del Teide
Parador de Cañadas del Teide is in a league of its own in terms of location in Tenerife. It sits within Teide National Park, surrounded by mountains and nature.
It’s far from the city and typical tourism spots, in a quiet part of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. My room looked out over the park and Teide itself.
It felt cozy here, especially after a long day exploring. The mountain air made it easy to sleep, and the silence at night was wonderful – at most you’d hear the trees and the odd animal.
The hotel’s restaurant serves local dishes. I spent some time in the indoor pool after hiking. They even had a small exercise room, though I didn’t use it myself.
You’ll need to drive to get here, but the roads are good. Staff were helpful, even with advice on good walks and the park.
The whole experience felt authentic and very different from your standard hotel stay.
Location: Las, Cañadas del Teide, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
Contact: +34 922 38 64 15
8: JOIA El Mirador by Iberostar
JOIA El Mirador by Iberostar is a sanctuary for adults-only. The hotel sits right by Playa del Duque beach on the Costa Adeje “Golden Mile”.
The hotel is super elegant, and has a romantic atmosphere you wouldn’t get in a family resort.
My room gave me access to the exclusive Star Prestige La Balconada area. I spent lots of time on the private sun terrace with a stunning sea view.
Here, you get a butler and concierge team who aren’t overbearing, just genuinely helpful. There’s a big spa (over 1,000 square metres), plus a gym with sea views.
I tried all three different restaurants, including the fine-dining El Cenador, and the pool bar is great for service.
Service overall felt polished and attentive, but not too much.
Location: Av. de Bruselas, s/n, 38660 Costa Adeje, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
Contact: +34 922 71 68 68
9: Royal Garden Villas & Spa
Hotel Royal Garden Villas in Costa Adeje has individual villas which each have their own private, heated, pool. It’s definitely a luxury retreat where lots of attention goes into every detail.
My villa had a fully equipped kitchen, a drinks cabinet, and a terrace with ocean views. It was peaceful and comfortable, with tasteful décor and soft fabrics everywhere.
I tried the buffet breakfast at the Jardín Restaurant and liked the variety and quality. Staff were attentive and friendly, and the wine selection at dinner was a surprise.
The spa was really good, and has a Jacuzzi and Turkish bath. Plus, the hotel sits close to the golf course, which is a huge advantage for golfers (and those who’d rather be left in the spa).
It’s not just for couples though – families are welcome here, too.
Location: Campo de Golf, C. Alcojora, s/n, Costa Adeje, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
Contact: +34 922 71 12 94
10: Iberostar Selection Anthelia
Iberostar Selection Anthelia is right next to Fañabé beach in Costa Adeje, so you can see the sea from almost anywhere here. The hotel also offers lots of green space and gardens, so it’s a great location on and off the premises.
For pools, you’ve got the saltwater pool and the two freshwater pools, as well as children’s pools that have slides and a pirate ship theme. There are lots of sunbeds available, and all the views are superb.
The spa is decent here too, with some very good treatments for just yourself or as a couple.
Dining’s great here, with five different restaurants and three bars. Breakfast was particularly good. Local dishes and international options were all well stocked with lots of variety.
Staff were very friendly and professional, and the atmosphere is casual but with real attention to detail.
Entertainment ran from day into night, with activities for both adults and kids. A quality all-rounder for everyone, in a great spot.
Location: C. Londres, 15, 38660 Costa Adeje, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
Contact: +34 922 71 33 35
Conclusion
These hotels are the best hotels in Tenerife for their own reasons. We’ve got something for the couples who want a peaceful, luxury treat with all the extras. There’s also a few that’ll keep everyone happy, no matter their age, in convenient and beautiful locations.
You’ve got the cool Hard Rock Cafe with its live music, and the private villas by a golf course. And of course, a real gem we found completely off-grid, amongst the mountains and away from the typical holiday scene.
Which one will you be booking?