Tenerife: an exquisite, unspoilt, volcanic rock jutting jauntily out of the Atlantic Ocean, but with a questionable reputation. Years of conditioning have given rise to rumours of packed beaches, mega-resorts and caffs selling full English breakfasts.
This couldn't be further from the reality of this dynamic island. Admittedly, you can find those things if you want them but venture a little off the well-trodden tourist paths and you'll find a beautiful island with 15 different microclimates.
Tenerife has an almost prehistoric, rather brutal landscape of sand, dark rock and alien-looking flora, with beaches covered in black sand, standing out starkly against the brilliant blue sea. And there's the 25° temperature in February – and you'll find all this just a four-hour flight from the UK.
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(Image credit: Barcelo: Royal Hideaway Hotels & Villas)
The hotel
Royal Hideaway Resort by Barceló makes a great jumping-off point for plenty of the island's offerings. It's at the southern end of Tenerife in Costa Adeje, the most upmarket part of the island, next to the cluster of houses, bars and restaurants that make up La Caleta, a 20-minute drive from the airport. Across the beaches, in the far, far distance, the towers of the touristy part of Tenerife glisten in the sunlight.
The hotel is landscaped with the striking Canarian black volcanic rock ground down to gravel and dotted with oddly attractive spiky plants – cacti, succulents and huge sprouting palms – all of which love the island's climate.
(Image credit: Barcelo: Royal Hideaway Hotels & Villas)
The hotel, designed by interior designers MKV London Studio and Tenerife architect Leonardo Omar, takes the form of a cruise ship, hewn from the rock of the rugged coastline, sloping down to the sea. A huge white 1950s-style building, all straight lines and long sweeping curves, it's a few minutes' walk from those black sandy beaches and has panoramic views of the scene-filling ocean from all the suites, bars and restaurants. Royal Hideaway is the adults-only half of Barceló's Corales resort – the other half is child-friendly with separate pools and restaurants.
A sleek, all-suite hotel, the Royal Hideaway's accommodation is spacious and comfy with floor-to-ceiling windows leading on to balconies with spectacular views of the palms, the roofs of the local town and on to the glittering Atlantic below. The colour scheme of blues, whites and natural tones mirrors the ocean, and suites offer vast beds and rainfall showers.
The family half of the hotel, known as Royal Hideaway Corales Suites, is accessed through a subterranean cave that resembles a James Bond-style lair. It's moody, rocky and colourfully lit; a great gash in the rock wall offers a glimpse of the sea and sky beyond.
(Image credit: Barcelo: Royal Hideaway Hotels & Villas)
What to do
You won't feel the need to leave the hotel with fitness classes, several pools (including one on the roof replete with a fancy bar making inventive cocktails from regional ingredients), a 24-hour gym and a subterranean spa with steam room, sauna, plunge pool, hot tub and treatment rooms.
If you really can't drag yourself away from your terrace, the hotel offers in-room cheffing and cocktail experiences. Chefs and mixologists will whirl around you creating delicious concoctions, with ingredients sourced from the intriguing microclimates dotted across the island.
Of particular note are the papas arrugadas ('wrinkled potatoes'), a dish made from native potatoes with a black skin, a creamy yolk-yellow interior and soft, waxy flesh. The potatoes are traditionally boiled in sea water until completely dry, leaving a white crust. Torn in half they are dunked in the traditional 'mojo rojo', a sauce made from dried peppers, garlic, olive oil and vinegar.
Where to eat and drink
Food and beverage are core to the hotel's offering and it has two Michelin-starred restaurants: El Rincón de Juan Carlos now holds two, and San Hô has one.
The former showcases food from the Canaries while the latter serves a fusion of Asian and South American cuisines and makes the most of local produce. Wines are paired with a focus on the unique viticulture of the region – small batch and volcanic terroir.
(Image credit: Barcelo: Royal Hideaway Hotels & Villas)
Stars aside, there's a charming, romantic Italian restaurant with scene-stealing live-fire cooking and a host of other casual dining options. Several bars dot the hotel too, including the ultra-cool rooftop number.
The verdict
The hotel's location makes it a great point for exploring the rest of the remarkable island – whether that's dropping in to the award-winning water park Siam Park, or slightly further afield up to Mount Teide National Park, featuring Spain's highest peak.
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