Where you stay on Tenerife shapes the whole trip. The island takes about an hour and a half to drive across, the weather changes from coast to coast, and each area has a different feel. The sunny south is the classic holiday base, the north suits travellers who want culture and green landscapes, and a night on Teide is an experience in itself. Here is how the main areas compare, and the hotel we would pick for each kind of trip.
Costa Adeje: for beaches and polish
The northern end of the south coast is the smartest resort area, with a long seafront promenade, the best beaches in the south and the island’s top resort hotels. Siam Park and the whale-watching boats at Puerto Colón are close. Bahía del Duque, our featured pick, is the grand choice: a resort built like a Canarian village in huge tropical gardens, with direct access to Playa del Duque, five pools, a wellness retreat and a Michelin-starred restaurant. Book it for a special occasion or a family trip where you want everything on site.
Playa de las Américas: for families and energy
Just south of Costa Adeje, Las Américas is busier and livelier, with bars, shops and nightlife along the seafront. H10 Conquistador sits right on the promenade, with heated pools, an infinity pool for guests aged sixteen and over, kids’ and teen clubs, themed restaurants and all-inclusive board. It is a dependable mid-range base for families who want easy days by the pool and the beach a few steps away. Ask for a room away from the street if you are a light sleeper.
Puerto de la Cruz: for gardens and the north
The old resort of the north is greener and more traditional, with a seafront, an old harbour and Loro Parque. It is the best base for exploring Icod, Garachico, La Orotava and the north side of Teide. Hotel Tigaiga, a calm, family-run garden hotel on the hill above town, has eighty quiet rooms, a heated pool and award-winning gardens with views of Teide. It suits couples and walkers, though the walk back up from town is steep.
La Laguna: for culture and value
The World Heritage old town is cooler than the coast but full of life, with colonial streets, churches, student bars and a tram to Santa Cruz. Laguna Nivaria Hotel and Spa, in a sixteenth-century building on the main square, is the best-value stay on our list, close to Tenerife North airport and the Anaga mountains. Beach lovers should stay on the coast instead.
Teide National Park: for one unforgettable night
The Parador de Las Cañadas del Teide stands alone in the caldera beside the Roques de García, at over two thousand metres. Once the day visitors leave, you have the lava fields and the stars to yourself. Book one or two nights as a break from a coastal base, bring warm clothes and a car, and book dinner with your room.
Matching base to trip
For a special occasion on the beach, Bahía del Duque. For a family holiday with pools and clubs, H10 Conquistador. For gardens, walks and the north, Hotel Tigaiga. For culture on a budget, Laguna Nivaria. For a night under the stars, the Parador del Teide.
Practical tips
Fly into Tenerife South for the resorts and Tenerife North for La Laguna and the north. If you hire a car, ask every hotel about parking. Winter is high season in the south, when sun-seekers from northern Europe arrive, so book early for Christmas, New Year and the Santa Cruz carnival season.