The Canaries’ third largest island, Tenerife, welcomes thousands of visitors each year, seeking its clean, safe and sandy shores. And there are hundreds of hotels to choose from, catering to everything from family getaways to adult-only breaks and couples’ retreats.
Over the past decade, the island has been slowly shaking off its former guise as a destination for cheap and cheerful bucket and spade holidays, as visitors have caught on to its breathtaking natural wonders, such as Spain’s tallest mountain (the volcano, El Teide), its fascinating cultural heritage, and its divine food and drink scene.
As part of this transformation, the quality of the island’s accommodation has been elevated: think high-end resorts, chic city boltholes, and extravagant boutique hotels. To help you choose the right one, our Tenerife expert has rounded up the very best Tenerife’s hotels to discover.
For the best cheap hotels, best luxury hotels and best family-friendly hotels in Tenerife, see our guides.
Best hotels in Tenerife
At a glance
- Best family hotel: Bahia Principe Fantasia Tenerife hotel
- Best adult-only hotel: Royal Hideaway Corales Beach hotel
- Best beach hotel: The Ritz-Carlton Tenerife, Abama hotel
- Best all-inclusive hotel: Hard Rock Hotel Tenerife
- Best budget hotel: Hotel Laguna Nivaria
1. Bahia del Duque hotel
Playa del Duque, Costa Adeje
The sprawling resort of Bahia del Duque is legendary in these parts for its impeccable service, beachside location and award-winning restaurants. Laid out in the style of a Canarian mansion, surrounded by terracotta-roofed villas and buildings, you’d be forgiven for thinking you were staying in a small village. There are five pools, 386 rooms, 10 restaurants, two tennis courts, direct access to the beach… the list goes on.
The hotel’s wellness retreat is just that; secluded, with a spa, outstanding treatments, yoga and mindfulness experts and a gym (should you feel the need). You can’t really go wrong with any of the restaurants here – Nub has a Michelin star, but you really shouldn’t miss the Japanese delights of Kensei by chef Victor Planas. The 2.5-hour tasting menu of sushi, slow-cooked wagyu and more is simply divine.
Address: Av. de Bruselas, 38660 Costa Adeje, Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Price: From £255
Read more: The best family-friendly hotels in Lanzarote for kids’ clubs, waterparks and beaches
2. Hotel San Roque
Garachico
Adult-only San Roque sits in one of the most historic towns on the island and everything about it exudes heritage. Garachico on Tenerife’s north coast was the island’s first ever port and was incredibly important in establishing trade links between Tenerife and Europe, but disaster struck in 1706 when a volcanic eruption completely destroyed the town.
These days the town is quiet and relaxed, the ideal place for getting away from it all – and from the livelier resorts of the south. With just 20 rooms, the hotel is boutique but not lacking in facilities, with a year-round heated pool, sauna, courtyard restaurant and rooftop terrace. All rooms are unique but the La Torre Suite has to be the most indulgent – it’s set over three floors of the old sea-traffic watchtower.
This is a characterful place from which to explore the north of the island with its hikes, wineries and natural sea pools – perfect for cooling off on those sultry sunny days.
Address: C. Esteban de Ponte, 31, 38450 Garachico, Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Read more: Could a wellness retreat be the perfect family break? I took my four children to find out
3. The Ritz-Carlton Tenerife, Abama hotel
Playa Abama
A pink palace rising up out of the banana plantations on the island’s west coast, the Ritz-Carlton Abama is the ultimate in luxe resorts. There might not be much to do in the immediate surroundings of the hotel, but then there’s also not much reason to leave either, as the resort is set up with everything you could need for a high-end holiday. Rooms here are generous and have chic, beachy vibes with ample terraces and balconies – ideal for sipping wine at sundown.
The hotel has one of the largest kids’ clubs on the island, and families will also love to take the resort’s own funicular railway down to the beach. As well as a spa, there are multiple pools and sports facilities. You’ll find dining to suit all tastes, from the laidback Mediterranean El Mirador, to the two-Michelin-star M.B by legendary Spanish chef Martín Berasategui.
Address: Calle María Zambrano 2, Carretera General, TF-47, Km 9, 38687, Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Read more: The best beaches in Tenerife
4. InnSide Santa Cruz de Tenerife hotel
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
The Tenerife capital often gets overlooked by visitors outside of carnival time in February, but it’s packed full of interesting museums and art galleries, an opera house to rival Sydney’s in the architecture stakes, quaint plazas with intimate restaurants and cafes, and a beautiful manmade beach, Las Teresitas. Right in the heart of the city, you’ll find the InnSide hotel from Melia.
This smart-looking urban bolthole has everything you’d expect from a boutique city stopover including a rooftop bar and terrace, sky-high infinity pool, gym and restaurant. You’re right next to the city’s main shopping street and the Museum of Fine Arts, and just a short stroll from both the port-side and verdant Parque García Sanabria.
Address: C. el Pilar, 3, 38002 Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Read more: Best Canary Island holidays for winter sun
5. Hard Rock Hotel Tenerife
Playa Paraiso, Adeje
As you’d expect from the Hard Rock brand, this hotel is large and cool. Its 365 rooms and 259 suites are decorated to fit the rock’n’roll theme with pops of colour, Bose speakers, and views of the Atlantic Ocean. As well as a soothing spa and sports facilities, you can also take guitar and dance lessons, or learn how to be a DJ during your stay.
The hotel has five a la carte restaurants and one buffet-style spot for re-energising after rocking out. The music theme continues with a calendar of live music performances and events throughout the year, from sunset music and cocktail sessions to big stage shows and acts. Meanwhile, your whole stay will be soundtracked with personalised playlists.
Address: Avenida Adeje 300 300, Av. Playa Paraiso, s/n, 38678 Adeje, Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Read more: Best family hotels in Tenerife
6. GF Victoria hotel
Playa del Duque, Costa Adeje
The bar is set high from the get-go at this five-star as all rooms are handsomely decorated and well-equipped suites. Located less than a five-minute walk from both Playa del Duque and Playa de Fañabé, GF Victoria is designed with entertainment at its core, be it wellness, family fun, gastronomy or live shows. Children will love the resort’s waterparks with different pools and slides, or for something less wet, the adventure park with its maze of climbing walls, zip lines and treehouses.
Evening entertainment is guaranteed here with several big-budget shows including a mesmerising burlesque-style dinner show and a flamenco spectacle. Don’t miss dinner at the panoramic Michelin-starred restaurant Donaire, where chef Jesús Camacho and team take Canarian ingredients and cuisine and give them a modern-day twist.
Address: C. Fernando Lopez Arvelo, 1, 38660 Costa Adeje, Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Read more: The best beach hotels in Barcelona, with rooftop pools, Michelin-starred restaurants and epic views
7. Bahia Principe Explore Fantasia Tenerife hotel
Golf del Sur
You might think you’ve walked into a theme park when you first see this hotel as it’s been made to look like a fairytale land, complete with a turreted castle. As you’ll gather, Bahia Principe Fantasia is designed for families, and you’ll find a kids’ club, a teens’ club, dramatic mystical live performance shows and a water park to keep them busy.
But there’s stuff for adults here too, including the Bahia Spa, which offers a wellness water circuit and indulgent treatments including energy rituals and plantain oil massages. There are five restaurants including three a la carte options – ideal for picky eaters. All-inclusive options are available, which include most of the resort’s facilities.
Address: Av. J.M. Galván Bello, 38639, Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Read more: This Barcelona hotel has perfected laidback luxury
8. Royal Hideaway Corales Beach hotel
La Caleta, Costa Adeje
This futuristic, white-washed hotel regularly makes it into top hotel lists, be it for architecture or luxury. There are 121 bright and spacious suites, some with hot tubs, all with exceptional views of the shimmering Atlantic Ocean (the higher floors offer the most uninterrupted vistas). Royal Hideaway Corales Beach is a strictly adult-only hotel, but it’s sister hotel Royal Hideaway Corales Suites next door caters to families, and you can use some of the facilities at both.
Unsurprisingly, there is a luxurious spa and various sun terraces for languid days in the sun. One of the hotel’s calling cards is its dining offering. With no fewer than three Michelin stars, including the famous Rincón de Juan Carlos from the Padrón brothers, it serves an innovative menu using many local products. The hotel also has sustainability high on its agenda, which has been built into everything from solar panels to the use of local suppliers.
Address: Avenida Virgen de Guadalupe, Playa La Enramada, 21, 38679, Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Read more: Best luxury hotels in Tenerife
9. Atlantic Mirage Suites & Spa hotel
Puerto de la Cruz
Everything about this adult-only hotel is beach chic, with modern facilities and bright, clean communal spaces. It’s located on the island’s north coast in the mature resort of Puerto de la Cruz. This whole area of the island is known for its outstanding wines and gastronomic scene thanks to the fertile volcanic soils of the Orotava Valley. The Atlantic Mirage hugs the coast where the valley meets the sea.
All the rooms are suites with stellar ocean views, plush furnishings and design-forward decor. The rooftop terrace and pool deck are the standout spaces with plunge pool loungers and impeccable bar service for times when you need a refresher.
Address: Calle Eucaliptus, 4, 38400 Puerto de la Cruz, Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Read more: I stayed at the stylish, adult-only hotel in Palma with a Michelin-starred restaurant
10. Tivoli La Caleta hotel
La Caleta, Costa Adeje
This hotel received a much-needed refurb when it was taken over a few years ago by Tivoli, to become its first hotel in Spain. It reopened in 2023 with fresh, new interiors in its 284 rooms and suites with natural wood details and cool mid-century style furniture. The resort has kept its characteristic terracotta hue, and it now offers guests a choice of eight bars and restaurants helmed by Portuguese chef Olivier da Costa.
The boutique spa has also had a makeover and welcomes guests looking for a touch of relaxation and rejuvenation thanks to its spa circuit, serene terrace and treatments including an after-sun massage that uses mint, eucalyptus and pine oil from nearby Mount Teide to soothe skin. There are also tropical gardens, three outdoor pools, and a padel court.
Address: C. la Enramada, 9, 38670 Adeje, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
Read more: The best beaches in Spain
11. Baobab Suites hotel
Playa del Duque, Costa Adeje
This incredibly sleek hotel has 21 different types of suite to choose from, ranging from studios to four-bedroom options. Some come with spa pools or private plunge pools on their terraces, which all provide beautiful sea views. Everything about Baobab is stylish, from the pool decks to the restaurants, which include the famous Char grill house.
Opt for one of the tasting menus to try a selection of six or eight of the most popular dishes, which could include the likes of wagyu cecina and grilled scarlet king prawn. The resort also has a spa and salon, as well as a sports centre offering classes.
Address: C. Roques del Salmor, 5, 38679 Costa Adeje, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
Price: From £215
Read more: A slow-paced city break in busy Barcelona allowed me to gain a deeper appreciation for Gaudi
12. Hotel Laguna Nivaria
San Cristóbal de La Laguna
La Laguna is one of the island’s most historic places. It was the first city on the island; it’s home to the university; and the old town is a Unesco World Heritage Site. The layout of the 15th-century streets here was used as a blueprint for many settlements in the Americas, including Havana in Cuba. The Nivaria hotel sits right in the heart of the old town in a Spanish colonial-style mansion dating from the 16th century.
The hotel is packed full of character with beautiful dark Canarian pine wood details. The cafe bar and restaurants use ingredients – from eggs to avocados – grown on the hotel’s own finca organic farm. Book time in the intimate spa hidden beneath street level – numbers are limited to help keep the experience intimate.
Address: Pl. del Adelantado, 11, 38201 La Laguna, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
Read more: The best beaches in Lanzarote
13. Hotel Royal Garden Villas
Golf Costa Adeje
Overlooking the Costa Adeje Golf Course and with views of the sea, this boutique hotel is made up of 28 intimate villas. Each beautifully designed villa at Hotel Royal Gardens comes with its own pool and sun terrace. The sumptuous spa offers a range of treatments and a water circuit. Try the Eternal Youth facial or perhaps succumb to a hot volcanic stone massage for ultimate switched-off bliss.
What really sets this hotel apart is the experiences, whether that’s playing a leisurely 18 on the adjacent golf course, or heading out on the hotel’s very own boat, the Royal Garden. From here you’ll be able to spot sealife that could include whales, dolphins and turtles, as well as luxuriate on the deck and indulge in a Mediterranean-style lunch on board.
Address: Campo de Golf, C. Alcojora, s/n, 38670 Costa Adeje, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
Price: From £235
Read more: This Mallorcan clifftop hotel has one of the island’s best swimming pools
14. Parador de Las Cañadas del Teide hotel
El Teide National Park
While not the most luxurious hotel on the list, the Parador offers something else that makes it unique. This hotel from the wonderful Paradores hotel chain is a mansion situated at the foot of El Teide – that’s 2,000 metres above sea level. It offers unparalleled access to the national park, which is ripe for hiking and exploring the volcanic landscape.
As Tenerife is also a starlight reserve, this is also one of the best places to witness the beauty of the night sky. If you speak Spanish, there are guided stargazing workshops each Friday evening at the hotel. There’s a restaurant serving classic Canarian-style cuisine, and the hotel is very conscious of its environmental impact, which is why it generates its own electricity. You can relax and soothe tired hiking limbs in the hotel’s indoor pool.
Address: Las Cañadas del Teide, 38300, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
Price: From £102
Read more: A former military fort is now one of Mallorca’s most stylish five-star hotels
Why trust us
The hotels featured in this list have been carefully selected by The Independent's expert travel writer Ross Clarke, with a deep knowledge of Tenerife. Our contributors either live in these locations or visit frequently, ensuring a personal and informed perspective. When picking the hotels to include, our experts consider their own experience staying in the hotels and evaluate location, facilities, service and all the other details that make for an exceptional stay for all types of traveller.
FAQs
What currency do I need in Tenerife?
Tenerife uses the euro (€).
How to get around Tenerife?
Public buses, trams and taxis are the easiest way to get around within a local area. If you are planning on exploring the island, renting a car is the best way to get from one side of Tenerife to the other.
What’s the travel time from the UK?
Flying from the UK to Tenerife usually takes around four and a half hours, with airlines such as British Airways, easyJet, Iberia, Jet2, Tui and Ryanair among those who offer services to the Canary Islands.
There is no time difference between the UK and the Canary Islands during the summer months.
When is the best time of year to visit Tenerife?
Tenerife’s daily highs reach their peak in July through September, with the hottest month being August. If you are seeking cooler weather during your visit, it is best to travel to the island in the autumn or winter months – even in December and January, when maximum temperatures are still above 21C.
How does Tenerife compare to other Canary Islands?
Tenerife is the largest of the Canary Islands, catering to both budget-friendly travellers and those seeking a luxury getaway. Gran Canaria is known as the “miniature continent” due to its medley of volcanic calderas, urban beaches and the Pico de las Nieves peak. Lanzarote, another British holiday favourite, is known for its palm-tree-lined beaches and year-round sunshine.
Fuerteventura is an ideal destination for surfing and watersports due to its breezes. In fact, wind strength averages 13mph throughout the year across all the Canaries, making the islands attractive destinations for wind sports enthusiasts and surfers. If you are looking for a smaller, more intimate island to explore, seek out La Palma, La Gomera and the smallest of the Canaries, El Hierro.
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