Old world, tropical elegance

This is a special hotel, which runs like a very well-oiled machine, with a real old-world elegance to it. The setting is a major plus: the volcano Tiede looming above you, the lush Oratava valley and its historic towns looking down on the hotel, and the strange misty, cloudy weather which gusts in from the Atlantic around the volcano. The 3 restaurants (Thai, Italian, Spanish) were consistently excellent, atmospheric, with staff keen to make the meal as successful as possible, and each had a distinctive character. The Papagallo terrace over the ocean makes for very romantic meals in particular. There are so many things we will remember about this hotel: the lavish spa with rooms which are like art installations in their own right, the paintings by Manrique and other well-known artists, the drink-making demos in the bar at 6pm, the special behind-the-scenes tours available for Loro Park (owned by the same family), faultlessly helpful staff. Two things I'd keep in mind if deciding to go back: the half-board may not be the best option (as opposed to paying as you go in the restaurants), unless all members of your party are keen to eat a vast 3-course meal every night. And the spa is spectacular, but very very busy: wow-factor rather than peaceful solitude.