The best five-star hotels in Tenerife
Five-star doesn’t have to imply imposing façades and legions of starched-collar staff. When it comes to luxury hotels in Tenerife, both shiny-shoed finesse and barefoot seclusion sit in the country's lap. You can chill in sub-tropical gardens within the hills of the lush north, be spa-struck by the award-winning wellness facilities in Puerto de la Cruz, and loiter round private pools in the upper echelons of Costa Adeje hostelries in the sunny south. Here’s our pick of the best five-star hotels in Tenerife, from huge resorts to opulent boutique establishments in areas including Costa Adeje and Puerto de la Cruz.
How we review
Every hotel in this curated list has been visited by one of our expert reviewers, who are usually hosted on a complimentary basis. They stay for a minimum of one night, test at least one meal and trial other experiences that the hotel might have to offer.
At a glance, the best five-star hotels in Tenerife
The best five-star hotel in Tenerife overall – Bahía Del Duque
The best family-friendly five-star hotel in Tenerife – The Ritz-Carlton, Abama
The best adults-only five-star hotel in Tenerife – Meliá Hacienda del Conde
Perched on a hill overlooking golf greens and the ocean, this 50-villa hotel combines Greco design, luxury jungle lodge décor, and an elegant Riviera vibe. Add in swim-up terraces, private pools or communal lagoons, plus immaculate attention to detail, and you’ll see why this property is up there with the island’s best. This isn’t a hotel for dashing from one facility to another. Just like the vibe, the choice is reserved. A rooftop infinity pool offers spectacular views of the mountains and coastline of the south. Below this lies the main pool area and restaurants, plus a terrace bar featuring glass fire pits on the tables. There’s also a gym, and a spa offering massages and beauty treatments, alongside a steam room, waterbeds and a Romanesque thalassotherapy pool.
This pink palace is distinctive for miles thanks to its Moorish style and the adjacent Championship golf course. Facilities are extensive and there's plenty to do, with extensive spa and fitness facilities, plus four pools, a beach and a tennis academy. The resort also has no less than eight restaurants, including one harbouring two Michelin stars. The south of Tenerife has a drier landscape and is more touristy than the north, but this is a peaceful spot far from any crowds – with swathes of lush gardens and plenty of tropical foliage around to admire. The standard rooms are amongst the largest in Tenerife and feel really spacious and comfortable, with very private balconies and big marble bathrooms.
• The best hotels in Tenerife
Modelled like a 19th-century Spanish colonial village, this is one of the top five-star resorts in Tenerife and said to represent an architectural landmark within Spanish territory. This nod to national pride is reflected in the room décor and several of the restaurant menus. For the active-minded there are tennis courts, five outdoor pools, a 24-hour gym, and organised activities aplenty, while junior guests have a kids' club, splash areas, and plenty of sandy stuff on the doorstep. Not all of the amenities involve expending energy though. There's a full-service spa, a star-gazing observatory, and scenic paths through beautiful mature gardens. Service is top-notch.
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One of the loveliest five-star hotels in Costa Adeje. Unless you were born into palatial surroundings, you can’t fail to be impressed by the level of luxury in the Royal Garden’s villas, each with private pools and scenic views. As it should be in these opulent cocoons of serenity, you’re very much left to your own devices by the staff apart from chocolate deliveries at nightly turndowns, and efficient, friendly interactions in the restaurant. In addition to the private swimming areas, a communal infinity pool flows in front of the palm-shaded reception area and laps at a beach shack-style bar. There’s also a sultry spa, plus a gym and a squash court for those unable to succumb to complete inertia.
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Aptly located opposite the delightful Botanical Gardens, this refuge of gentility is set in a residential area one mile above a black sand beach on the Puerto de la Cruz coastline. There’s a definite feel of Monte Carlo in-it’s-heyday: dry Martinis are sipped around the pool, black swans swim in a beautiful, tree-shaded garden pond, an exotic spa has a touch of the James Bond, and deep carpets line both hallways and bedrooms. Amid the western finery, you’ll find exotic hints of the owners’ close relationship with the Thai royal family lining the corridors and marbled lobby. The service is charmingly old-fashioned too, starring white-coated waiters and sharp- suited reception staff.
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Facing the greenery of the García Sanabria city park on the north-eastern edge of Santa Cruz, this is a much more cosmopolitan hotel. But that doesn’t mean to say the usual holiday needs can’t be satisfied; palm-studded Las Teresitas beach is just a five-mile ride by complimentary shuttle, and the superbly photogenic Adán Martín Auditorium is two miles away on the oceanfront. The stiff, formal façade and polished marble lobby of the Grand Hotel Mencey hide a softer heart of garden lawns, trickling stone fountains, and quaint wooden balconies. Exceptional dining adds the proverbial cherry on top, and there’s an outdoor pool, gym, spa, casino and paddle courts.
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A tranquil, adults-oriented enclave within the gorgeous, oceanfront gardens of the Gran Meliá Palacio Isora hotel. Anticipate exclusive dining, a poolside concierge, and 24-hour butler service, as well as second-to-none service and a sunset-view open bar with complimentary drinks and canapés. With super-deep mattresses on two-metre-wide beds, plus heavy mahogany furniture and colourful soft furnishings patterned with rich metallic threads, the 90 Red Level rooms are opulent without being ostentatious. Plush bathrooms come with Clarins amenities and square-head rainfall showers. Most rooms have balconies with garden or resort views, though for a few pounds more you get direct ocean views and terrace hot tubs.
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Rising like a sleek ocean liner at the back of La Caleta fishing village, this family-loving property lies four minutes on foot from the black sand La Enramada Beach, and a 10-minute walk from Los Lagos golf course. While the exterior is minimalist, the hotel’s heart is anything but. Concrete and glass walkways deliver you into a cavernous, three-storey lobby carved into volcanic rock, illuminated by mood lighting and projected images. As first impressions go, it’s pretty impressive. The contemporary quarters come with fully equipped kitchens, plus living rooms, and monster terraces with ocean views, many with private pools and sundecks. Two Michelin-star restaurants add the proverbial cherry.
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There's only a clutch of luxury hotels with near perfect settings on Tenerife, and this is one of them. The palatial all-suite venue for adults overlooks one of the finest beaches in the south. Neat, manicured gardens vie for attention with a beautiful Arabesque pool that laps at the terraces of columned restaurants, and it’s a 20-minute oceanfront stroll to the waterfront restaurants of La Caleta fishing village. There's no subtle sign of luxury here, it's in your face at every turn, with starched linen, columned arches and Moorish towers. An exclusive VIP rooftop area contains a separate pool and spacious terraces dotted with Balinese-style beds.
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Pretty alcoves, quiet lounges and Hispanic splendour abound in this boutique, adults-only spa hotel. Its main buildings are centred around a large, open courtyard, while swimming pools, terraces and sub-tropical gardens run down the hillside overlooking the ocean. Its elegant blend of history and contemporary design in a remote, dramatic setting provides a haven of luxury for those seeking to explore the calmer side of Tenerife. Quality, space and comfort are the main elements of the rooms; the 'Level' rooms offer access to private terraces, superior sun loungers and drinks on tap. Other highlights include a Championship golf course and a funky bar set in a church.
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This cluster of whitewashed apartments, perched in a sleepy residential area high on the slopes of Tenerife’s most verdant area, is cloaked in exotic greenery overlooking the ocean and – along with two outdoor pools and a sauna – provides sun, solitude and sub-tropical surroundings. With botanical barriers and nothing but a barely audible whisper of wind through palm leaves, you feel like you’re home alone. An ocean-view sauna tucked away in the corner of a garden can be booked for private use at no charge, plus there are two outdoor pools with surrounding sundecks.
This adults-only hotel, inside an ocean liner-esque building, is home to contemporary suites boasting colossal terraces with ocean views. It also features acclaimed dining, a choice of bars, and exceptionally friendly staff. The 121 spacious Junior suites feature innovative styling, and open-plan bathrooms with free-standing bathtubs. The expansive terraces could easily host small cocktail gatherings. The beds are also party size, and the sense of space is exaggerated by floor-to-ceiling ocean panoramas from every suite (though the higher floors give you more of an aquatic vista).
Frequently asked questions
Is a two-night stay long enough at a five-star hotel in Tenerife?
The flight time from the UK to Tenerife is approximately 4 hours 30 minutes. When you add the transfer time at each end, you may feel a two-night stay in Tenerife is too short.
What can I expect from a five-star hotel in Tenerife?
Five-star hotels in Tenerife offer guests luxury accommodation with sophisticated décor, a wide range of facilities, exceptional dining and flawless service. Rooms are plush, with superior beds and should have slippers and bathrobes.
Contributions by Rachel Cranshaw
