Outstanding

The Hotel Botanico is, in some respects, a bit 'dated' but one can easily see how it remains a member of the 'Leading Hotels of the World' group. I'm not sure, though, how well it might compare with some of the more recent member hotels. But, to be fair, I've stayed in one of the group's hotels in Interlaken in Switzerland and the Botanico compares very favourably. This is definitely an hotel for adults and that, in many ways, is one of its greatest strengths. It is a large complex, situated behind high walls, and is something of an oasis of calm and peace in Puerto de la Cruz, which is otherwise a bit of a tourist trap. The town is awash with huge hotel complexes but The Botanico is in a class apart. It is also located in an 'upmarket' area of the town, a good distance (although walkable) from the town centre. Speaking of which, one can stroll leisurely downhill to the town centre in about 25-30 minutes but note the operative word "downhill" - walking back up would be fairly taxing. Its facilities, whether the open-to-all main pool or the over-16s-only Garden Spa, are absolutely first-rate. The spa area has so much to offer that it would take too long to describe. Treatment areas aside, the outside and inside pools, saunas, steamrooms, jacuzzis, etc. make for the most relaxing of times. One can either soak up the sun or lie in shaded spots. One can float peacefully or swim actively. The extensive gardens are lovely to stroll around, or sit and watch the various species of ducks and swans and the numerous coi carp in the large pools. Floodlit at night, the gardens are great to spend time in whatever the hour. The 'Bar Hall' - well-named given how extensive the room is - offers a range of entertainment in the evenings; from cocktail-mixing and wine-tasting classes, to impressive flamenco dancers, to impressive male tenor singers, to small bands to dance to. The breakfast buffets are incredibly extensive, with a superb range of choices. I agree with some other reviewers that, breakfast aside, lunches and dinners can be somewhat expensive. But dining tends to be rather on the formal side here. However, there is a very large choice of restaurants in the immediate area, so we were happy to have opted for B&B only. We found the (free) shuttle bus service into town to be really good and it operated at useful times. The only drawback is that it does not work on Saturday afternoons or Sundays. However, local taxis are so cheap (€5 back from town centre) that who cares? But probably the best thing about the Botanico is its staff. From doormen, to receptionists, to bar staff, to restaurant waiters and waitresses, to housekeeping, to spa personnel, to garden maintenance, they were all (without exception) friendly, welcoming and helpful. There is a clear commitment to ensure that guests enjoy their stay here. And we did. I agree with other reviewers that the absence of tea/coffee making facilities in the bedrooms of an hotel of this standard seems odd. But the bedrooms are otherwise very well-equipped, as are the bathrooms; with very nice complementary toiletries. The bed was very comfortable. You can contact reception to ask for the pillow-type which you prefer. The bedroom had good storage facilities and a sizeable safe. The flatscreen tv in the room had a very good range of channels - English speakers can access BBC1 and BBC2. All rooms seem to have balconies but it would be important to ensure that your room has a balcony that will benefit from exposure to the sun - ours (looking towards the garden spa) seldom caught the sun. On our final day, we had a very early start to be transported to the airport. Acknowledging that, reception arranged for a continental breakfast trolley to arrive at our room soon after 5am. How many hotels would provide such service? And how many would prompt such service, unasked? This hotel certainly seems to attract an older clientele and I suspect, when we stayed, the majority were probably 60+ (if not older). But that does mean one can enjoy a peaceful time and encounter fellow guests who don't want to spoil the enjoyment of their fellow clients. It also means that there can be a quiet and pleasant level of interaction in the bar area. I suspect the price of staying here maybe discourages the younger crowd. We stayed late January/early February and the hotel was not particularly busy. I suspect, in more high-season periods, and if it was fuller, some of the pool and spa areas might well become quite crowded. This aspect discourages me from returning at such times. We hardly left the hotel during the course of our one-week stay, other than to dine at nearby restaurants in the evening. The centre of Puerto de la Cruz has some interesting shops and restaurants but also a considerable amount of tourist tat. That said, the old harbour area is very pleasant. We felt little need to leave the grounds of the Botanico, though. The weather in late January/early February was very pleasant. Not at all too hot, but plenty of sun should one want to get a tan. There was sometime a cold (as opposed to cool) breeze but it was easy to find a part of the garden/pool/spa to escape that. On our penultimate day, there was something of a minor gale, which rocked the palm trees of the grounds and sent leaves and small branches down into the grounds of the hotel and into the pools. The main pool, and the garden, was roped off for safety reasons. However, the spa garden pool was able to be open for most of the day. We were told that such high winds occur a very few times each year. It did not spoil our visit at all. On returning home, I wrote to the General Manager to express how much we had enjoyed our stay - something I have not done before. Plus, we have already booked to return again at the same time next year. My wife and I both thought our stay here was excellent value. We do not hesitate to recommend the Hotel Botanico and have expressed our satisfaction to relatives and friends, who we hope will also experience this hotel in due course.