Picture a last-minute fly-and-flop holiday to Tenerife and you probably don’t think of Michelin star dining, smartly-dressed pool butlers and a private golf buggy parked up outside your oceanfront suite.
But this is exactly the reason the Ritz-Carlton, Abama, has become such a hit with well-heeled Brits looking for a more luxurious dose of that reliable winter sun the popular Canary Island is known for.
The five-star, 400-acre golf and spa resort is built in the style of a Moroccan citadel and in many ways you’ll have to keep reminding yourself that you’re in Europe: think cliff-top infinity pools set against a dramatic volcanic landscape, perfectly-manicured tropical gardens overlooking the banana plantations, and year-round sunshine, all set within a distinctive terracotta-coloured palace of dusty-pink buildings. No wonder the place draws a high-end crowd. Penelope Cruz, Javier Bardem, Bill Clinton and Stephen Hawking are among the hotel’s A-list guests so far.
From the seven glittering swimming pools to award-winning fine dining across nine different restaurants, here’s what to expect.
Where is it?
Just a 25-minute drive from Tenerife South airport, on the island’s southwest coast. The hotel itself sits on the cliffs and is set among the banana plantations, with views of the Atlantic ocean and neighbouring island La Gomera.
Mount Teide and its snow-capped summit is just an hour’s drive away. You can hire cars next to reception.
Style
Step away from any budget-holiday ‘Brits abroad’ preconceptions and think of the kind of opulent, exclusive luxury one would associate with hotels in Dubai or Marrakech. Indeed, the Ritz-Carlton is styled as such, featuring distinctive pink terracotta walls and grand, Moorish references to an Arab citadel.
The place is vast — 400 acres, in fact — so don’t expect a small, boutique hotel feel, but do come for expansive perfectly manicured tropical gardens, grand dress-up dinners and seven glittering swimming pools looking out over the Atlantic. The sprawling estate is nicely spread out (and steep!), so bring some comfy shoes if you’re planning on getting around on foot, but the upside is you never feel on top of other guests and free transfers are available for getting from place to place. There’s also a minature train or cable car to whizz guests down to the beach.
Saying all of that that and despite the 400+ rooms, there’s still an exclusive, intimate feel — especially if you’re staying in the premium ‘villa’ suites down towards the sea, with generous big balconies, neutral tones and views out over the palm trees and hibiscus plants.
The villas area comes with its own restaurant, El Mirador, and each row of villas comes with its own semi-private infinity pool overlooking the island of La Gomera — a standout, even by five-star hotel standards. If you don’t believe me, believe a well-travelled PR who messaged me on Instagram afterwards to say she still has a picture of the pool next to her bed.
Which room?
Each of Abama’s luxurious 459 rooms is contemporarily designed, with a simple style and neutral tones. Of them, 315 sit in the hotel’s main ‘Citadel’ building, while the remaining 144 sit in the Villa Club, Abama’s boutique-style, premium area spread out across four village-style streets down by the sea, surrounded by large sub-tropical gardens.
All rooms come with Nespresso coffee machines, lavish bathtubs, spacious marble bathrooms and their own terrace or balcony, many with outdoor jacuzzis overlooking the sea. Connecting rooms are available for families and both adult-only and family-friendly options are available.
Villa Club rooms are particularly luxe, with his and hers bathrooms, lounge areas and large private balconies (the light switches and their corresponding lights can be confusing in places, but I suppose that’s the price you have to pay for size). You’ll also have the benefit of access to a semi-private swimming pool (featuring complimentary drinks and canapes), a dedicated team of ‘Villa Ambassadors’, private check in and check out, breakfast at the hotel’s exclusive El Mirador restaurant and access to El Mirador Club Lounge. Expect free cava, beer, wine and snacks by the pool, plus a cocktail of the day at 5pm. Don’t be fooled by the word ‘tapas’ when staff remind you about the tapas selection that’s laid out at El Mirador in the afternoons — it’s more than enough for lunch.
Choose a penthouse, including the 10,000 square-foot, four-person Imperial Suite, if you’re looking for a truly premium option. Highlights include two spacious king-size bedrooms, a personal suite ambassador available 24/7 and a own private heated rooftop pool with panoramic views of the Atlantic.
Food & drink
Eight-course Mediterranean-Japanese fusion menus overlooking the golf course. Locally-sourced breakfasts on a sweeping clifftop veranda. The Canary Islands’ only two-Michelin star restaurant.
Abama has an impressive range of dining options — nine restaurants, to be specific — but that quantity does not come at the expense of quality. Far from it. The food is consistently five-star, whether you’re tucking into handmade pasta at the hotel’s Italian outpost Verona or melt-in-your-mouth jamon at contemporary Spanish restaurant Txoko from acclaimed chef Martín Berasategui.
Dinner on the heated terrace at Verde Mar — the hotel’s zero-kilometre, vegetable-first restaurant — is a must. Everything except for the truffle is locally-sourced from the island (Tenerife has 23 microclimates so ingredients are surprisingly varied) and staff are brilliantly professional yet charmingly down-to-earth. Think homemade rye breads with oil made specifically for the hotel, vegetable-cruditee starters in the shape of a boat and sweet potato gnocci with hazelnut foam and coffee. All the wines are from the Canary Islands, too.
The hotel also has not one, but two Michelin-starred restaurants: the sleek Japanese-Mediterranean fusion restaurant, Kabuki, and fine-dining Basque-inspired restaurant M.B., which has a total of two Michelin stars to its name. The Bento box at the start of Kabuki’s eight course tasting menu is a must.
Breakfast is a smoothly-executed and extensive affair, with mountains of fresh fruit, pastries, cereals, yoghurts and juices, plus fun sweet little extra (breakfast doughnut, anyone?). Dishes such as poached eggs are available to order to your table.
Facilities
Seven pools. Yoga and hiking trails in the on-site Persian gardens. A Roman-inspired spa. No wonder Abama’s guests tend to be toned, tanned Europeans looking for an active dose of luxury.
Many come for the hotel’s proximity to Abama’s par 72 championship golf course but regulars certainly vary beyond golfers and retirees. Wander the grounds and you’ll find everyone from adult fathers and sons enjoying the Turkish baths in the spa circuit to lycra-clad cycle nuts hiring bikes for a day climbing Mount Teide.
Families are common at Abama too thanks to the hotel’s Ritz Kids club, the largest in Europe, and variety of swimming pools, from the child-friendly Cascade pool to the Lake Pool, the biggest of the seven (there’s one for each row of villas in the Villa Club). It’s also popular with spa-lovers thanks to the hotel’s ultra-luxe, naturally-lit spa circuit, featuring heated marble loungers, a Roman-inspired range of hot and cold baths and an extensive range of treatments including a 90-minute relaxation massage using aromatherapy oils — a guaranteed sleep saviour.
Gym-goers can expect all the usual fitness equipment from weights to spin bikes on an outdoor terrace, and activities nearby include tennis, padel tennis, diving, whale watching and water sports. There are several boutiques and jewellers on-site, too.
The hotel is also just steps away from Playa Abama beach, a public beach that feels private half the time thanks to guests’ access to sunloungers, parasols and towels and a choice of a private train, bus or cable car down from the hotel. Staff offer expert-guided star-gazing sessions there at various times of the year and sea-swimmers should definitely dedicate an afternoon to exploring the natural pools.
What to Instagram
Your private golf buggy, parked up against one of the hotel’s seven glittering pools.
Best for?
Luxury-seekers looking for some winter sun. Multi-generation family holidays are popular here but the most common guests are active couples. There’s a two-night Valentine’s Day package if you fancy a last-minute romantic break (featuring a couples chocolate treatment in the spa), and there’s a half term package for families.
How to get there
Flights are just four-and-a-half hours from Heathrow and Gatwick, then it’s a 25-minute taxi at the other end.
When should I go?
Literally whenever, which is why Tenerife is such a big-hitter with Brits. Year-round temperatures average 22 degrees Celsius so it’s reliably warm and sunny — even in January, the coldest month, you’ll struggle not to get a tan.
